Assistant U. S. Attorneys Benjamin Katz (619) 546-9604, Andrew Young (619) 546-7981 and Mark W. Pletcher (619) 546-9714

SAN DIEGO – Jack Rissell was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role as an enforcer in the gambling organization run by former USC football player Owen Hanson.

Rissell entered a guilty plea to Hobbs Act extortion on December 15, 2016. According to the plea agreement, Owen Hanson hired to travel from California to Minnesota to collect a gambling debt from an individual living in Minneapolis. The agreement between and Hanson included a “contact fee” – a premium or bonus for assaulting the victim. Once located the victim at his Minneapolis apartment, he carried out this assault by striking the victim in the face and demanding that the victim repay the gambling debt he owed to Hanson. During the confrontation, the victim’s son was present in the apartment. In a subsequent email to Hanson, described the attack saying, “he went down like a bag of potatoes.”

Before sentencing Rissell to 24 months imprisonment, Judge Hayes described the premium payment as “cold blooded” and called Rissell’s involvement with Hanson as “egregious conduct” that left the victim in terror.

In total, 21 of 22 defendants charged in relation to Hanson’s enterprise have entered guilty pleas. The remaining defendant, Khalid Petras, is set for trial on August 29, 2017. He is accused of money laundering and running an illegal gambling business. The charges against this defendant are merely accusations, and he is considered innocent until proven guilty.

The case arose out of a joint investigation by FBI and the New South Wales (Australia) Police Force in conjunction with the New South Wales Crime Commission. Hanson was initially indicted and arrested on September 9, 2015, after arranging the delivery of five kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of methamphetamine.

DEFENDANT                           Case Number: 15CR2310-WQH

Jack Rissell                                 Age: 51

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Hobbs Act Extortion, 18 U.S.C. § 1951

Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years’ supervised release.

AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation – San Diego Field Office

Internal Revenue Service – San Diego

Australian Crime Commission

New South Wales Police Force

New South Wales Crime Commission

Assistant U. S. Attorneys Emily Allen (619) 546-9738 and Benjamin Katz (619) 546-9604

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY– August 3, 2017

SAN DIEGO – Jared Palmer, a former facilities manager for the San Diego Workforce Partnership, pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $450,000 from the local Workforce Development Board that provides job training and placement to San Diego county residents and employers.

According to his plea agreement, Palmer, as facilities manager, was responsible for approving payment of invoices submitted by janitorial companies contracted to clean San Diego Workforce Partnership’s facilities. Between 2011 and 2016, Palmer instructed these contractors to purchase items that he claimed were for the Partnership’s use, including Nest Smart Thermostats, electronics, and pre-paid debit cards. Palmer then stole the items and replaced the invoices that included the cost of these stolen items with false invoices that made it appear as if all of the charges were for legitimate janitorial services. Over the course of five years, Palmer’s scheme netted him at least $455,606.

Because the Partnership, known as SDWP, is a Workforce Development Board funded largely by federal grant dollars, Palmer’s plea was to a count of Theft of Federal Program Funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666. Palmer’s plea agreement includes a restitution addendum, in which he agreed to pay SDWP back for his theft.

“This case represents the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continued commitment to protecting non-profit organizations, especially those receiving federal grant money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana W. Robinson.

“Jared Palmer, a former high level employee with the San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP), created and submitted fictitious invoices for janitorial services to SDWP in order to embezzle more than $450,000 in U.S. Department of Labor job training funds. Palmer’s actions deprived American workers from receiving critical job training services provided by SDWP. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard federal funds,” stated Abel Salinas, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Los Angeles Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

“Mr. Palmer embezzled funds from the San Diego Workforce Partnership, which was providing a valuable and important service,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric S. Birnbaum. “Federal dollars were stolen as part of Mr. Palmer’s scheme. Simply, this will not be tolerated. The FBI will expose criminals who line their pockets out of greed and deceit while federally funded programs designed to help our community suffer.”

Palmer is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2017.

DEFENDANT                                        Case Number: 17-cr-2157-LAB

Jared Palmer                                            Age: 41

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Theft of Federal Program Funds, 18 U.S.C. § 666

Maximum penalty: 10 years’ imprisonment, fine double amount obtained, 3 years’ supervised release.

AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation – San Diego Field Office

U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General

         LOS ANGELES– A Yorba Linda man who owns a Gardena company that contracted with the U.S. Army to overhaul linear actuators used on Apache helicopters pleaded guilty to violating his contract with the military by making unauthorized repairs to motors inside the part.

         Bahram Bordbar, 62, the owner of Prototype Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc., pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of making false statements involving aircraft. Bordbar admitted that his fraudulent conduct led to him improperly receiving approximately $320,000 from the Army.

         Prototype had a contract to overhaul and repair linear actuators that were used on the Army’s AH-64-A Apache helicopter. Prototype was not authorized to repair DC motors used in the linear actuators unless the company received specific authorization from the Army.

         According to a plea agreement filed in United States District Court, Prototype used an outside contractor to repair 105 DC motors when those repairs had not been approved by the military. Those repaired motors were installed into overhauled linear actuators which were delivered to the Army.

         Bordbar also pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting in the filing of a false tax return related to an employee’s tax return. Bordbar paid the employee $100,000, but told the employee the money was a gift and that he would pay the taxes, which prompted the employee to not report the money as income on a federal tax return. Bordbar has agreed to pay the Internal Revenue Service more than $28,000 to pay the employee’s back taxes.

         Bordbar pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John F. Walter, who is scheduled to sentence the defendant on October 16. At sentencing, Bordbar will face a statutory maximum sentence of 13 years in federal prison.

         In a parallel civil investigation under the False Claims Act, Bordbar in June agreed to pay over $900,000 after the government determined that he had caused Prototype to submit false claims to the U.S. Army. The civil investigation found that, in addition to improperly installing repaired DC motors, Prototype also installed cheaper replicas of a jacket-and-nut assembly component, rather than purchasing that component from the original manufacturer. As part of the civil settlement, Prototype agreed to cease doing business and dissolve, and Bordbar agreed that he will no longer solicit, accept or perform any federal government or military contract.

         This case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and IRS Criminal Investigation.

         The criminal case was handled by the Major Frauds Section. The civil settlement was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Donald W. Yoo of the Civil Fraud Section.

Savannah, GA- Eugene Allen (aka “Poncho”), 41, who is currently serving a life sentence for murder, was one of 20 defendants indicted earlier this week by a federal grand jury sitting in Savannah, Georgia for allegedly operating a drug trafficking organization in Chatham County and elsewhere.

The 22-count indictment alleged that the defendants conspired to traffick powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and marijuana. The indictment also charges numerous firearm offenses. According to allegations in the indictment, members of the conspiracy used drones to smuggle cellular telephones to other conspirators incarcerated in a Georgia Department of Corrections facility. The phones were then used from state prison to facilitate drug trafficking crimes. Members of the conspiracy also allegedly used cotton candy machines and other packages to transfer money for the payment of drugs and to transfer proceeds made from the drug trafficking activities. Publically available records reveal that Eugene Allen is serving life without parole in a Georgia prison for a murder that he committed in Savannah.

The following people were indicted in this case:

EUGENE ALLEN, (41, Savannah)

A/K/A “PONCHO,”

A/K/A “JIG,”

AARON CRAIG HUBBARD, (29, Savannah)

A/KA/ “YUP,”

A/K/A “YAP,”

A/K/A “RED,”

KARTEU OMAR JENKINS, (40, Atlanta)

A/K/A “YAY,”

DANIEL MARTIN, (36, California)

A/K/A “WHITEBOY,”

A/K/A “STACKS,”

RAYMOND NEIL WALLEN, (37, California)

A/K/A “ADDY MAN,”

CHARMAINE NICOLE SIMS, (34, Savannah)

RON BERNARD ALLEN, (41, Savannah)

A/K/A “RON LOW,”

A/K/A “LOW,”

KEITH JAMAL BRIGHAM, (43, Savannah)

A/K/A “GLOCK,”

EDWARD MAURICE TYLER, (41, Savannah)

A/K/A “SKIP,”

ORANDA RASHEED WALKER, (36, Savannah)

A/K/A “ROCK,”

CARLOS EDJUAN ELDER, (40, Savannah)

DEVIN RENARD DABNEY, (39, Savannah)

BRITTANY LATISHA JAMES, (31, Atlanta)

A/K/A “KB,”

TASHA GOODWIN, (36, Savannah)

COLIS JERMAINE ALLEN,

A/K/A “KARLIS JERMAINE,” (39, Savannah)

A/K/A “BUTCH,”

TASHA FELICIA GARDNER, (43, Savannah)

SHAUNTE STAFFORD, (35, Lithonia)

MIA WILLIAMS,

A/K/A “MIA HALL,”
TATONYA SHARI HAILES, (45, Atlanta) and

TINA MARIE ADKINS, (34, Savannah)

The Defendants face up to life in prison upon conviction of the crimes charged in the indictment. Acting U. S. Attorney James Durham cautioned that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it is the Government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, which is comprised of federal, state and local law enforcement. Agents with the FBI and the Chatham County Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), as well and members of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department (SCMPD) conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Noah Abrams and Assistant U. S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For questions, please contact the U. S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.

Gulfport, Miss – Joseph Towner, Jr., 32, of Gulfport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to serve a total of 32 years in federal prison for armed robbery, announced Acting U. S. Attorney Harold H. Brittain. Towner previously pled guilty to two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 84 months in prison on the first count, and 300 months in prison on the second count, for a total of 32 years.

Judge Ozerden ordered Towner’s sentences to be served consecutively with each other and consecutively to the 8 years he is currently serving in the Mississippi Department of Corrections. He was ordered to pay restitution while in prison to Dollar General, Family Dollar, and an individual, for a total of $13,926.13. Once the restitution is paid, Towner is ordered to pay a fine of $20,000. When released from prison, he will be on supervised release for five years.

The charges in this case stem from a series of armed robberies of Dollar General and Family Dollar stores in Long Beach, Gulfport, D’Iberville and Biloxi in 2014. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives along with D’Iberville, Biloxi, Long Beach and Gulfport Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.

PLANO, Texas – A 62-year-old Plano, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston and Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente today.

Peter Zuccarelli pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle and illegally export from the U.S., radiation hardened integrated circuits (RHICs) for use in the space programs of China and Russia, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The plea was entered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Priest-Johnson.

Zuccarelli pleaded guilty to engaging in a conspiracy to smuggle and illegally export from the U.S. items subject to IEEPA, without obtaining licenses from the Department of Commerce. According to the allegations contained in the Information filed against Zuccarelli and statements made in court filings and proceedings, including today’s guilty plea:

Between approximately June 2015 and March 2016, Zuccarelli and his co-conspirators agreed to illegally export RHICs to China and Russia. RHICs have military and space applications, and their export is strictly controlled.

In furtherance of the conspiracy, Zuccarelli’s co-conspirator received purchase orders from customers seeking to purchase RHICs for use in China’s and Russia’s space programs. Zuccarelli received these orders from his co-conspirator, as well as payment of approximately $1.5 million to purchase the RHICs for the Chinese and Russian customers. Zuccarelli placed orders with U.S. suppliers, and used the money received from his co-conspirator to pay the U.S. suppliers. In communications with the U.S. suppliers, Zuccarelli certified that his company, American Coating Technologies was the end user of the RHICs, knowing that this was false. Zuccarelli received the RHICs he ordered from U.S. suppliers, removed them from their original packaging, repackaged them, falsely declared them as “touch screen parts,” and shipped them out of the U.S. without the required licenses. He also attempted to export what he believed to be RHICs. In an attempt to hide the conspiracy from the U.S. government, he created false paperwork and made false statements.

At sentencing, Zuccarelli faces a maximum statutory term of five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being investigated by the Dallas and Denver Offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the FBI; the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas together with the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former chief financial officer of a Kansas City, Mo., company pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $6.5 million from his employer.

Douglas Ferrell, 34, of Kansas City, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges him with wire fraud and money laundering.

Ferrell began working for Scarbrough International at its headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., in 2005 as an account representative and became the company’s chief financial officer in 2012. Scarbrough International is a privately owned, U.S. Customs Broker and international freight forwarder.

By pleading guilty today, Ferrell admitted that he embezzled approximately $6,523,742 from the company for his own use and enjoyment. From Sept. 1, 2006, to June 10, 2014, Ferrell engaged in a scheme to embezzle company funds by making unauthorized personal charges to the company’s credit card and PayPal accounts, and then using company funds to pay those charges.

Ferrell also made a number of financial transactions of funds that he knew were the proceeds of fraud, including a $650,000 wire transfer (that contained at least $475,625 in fraud proceeds) to Cayman National Bank in the Cayman Islands to purchase a beach house. Ferrell wired a total of more than $2,250,000 to purchase that property. Ferrell also used embezzled funds to ship furnishings from the United States for the property and for additional construction and improvements to the property, including over $77,000 in payments to a Cayman Islands tile company. After the improvements, paid for with additional embezzled funds, the property was valued at over $2.6 million.

The final amount of restitution will be determined at Ferrell’s sentencing hearing, but is estimated to be $1,940,462 due to Ferrell’s partial repayment of restitution. The company has recouped a significant portion of its loss.

Under federal statutes, Ferrell is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Casey. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

BIRMINGHAM – The U.S. Senate today confirmed Jay E. Town as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

Town was in the first wave of U.S. Attorneys nominated by President Donald J. Trump and is one of the first three to be confirmed by the Senate. He will take office next week.

Town, 43, a former judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps, has been a prosecutor in the Madison County District Attorney’s Office since arriving in Huntsville in 2005. He leaves that office as a senior prosecutor focused on prosecuting a full catalogue of crimes, including capital murder, murder, robbery and burglary. Town assisted the district attorney and the Alabama D.A.’s Association in a variety of administrative, training and legislative functions.

 Town also was instrumental in forming the Madison County Veterans Court, one of the first such diversionary courts in Alabama dedicated to the physical and mental health needs of veterans in the criminal justice system.

“I am humbled and honored to continue to serve the great people of Alabama as United States Attorney for the Northern District,” Town said. “I am grateful for the special trust and confidence shown me by President Trump, Attorney General Sessions, Senator Shelby, Senator Strange, and all of those who supported me throughout this process. I inherit a very capable office and look forward to joining them in continuing to do great things.”

Town served in the Marine Corps for 12 years and was honorably discharged in 2008, attaining the rank of major.

  Before moving to Alabama, he was outside counsel at a large firm in New Jersey focused on commercial defense of major pharmaceutical, commercial and surety companies involved in litigation with federal agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the FBI and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Town has sat on several charitable boards, to include the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, a national organization promoting educational, patriotic and veterans’ initiatives directed by the living Medal of Honor recipients. He also served as chairman of the Audit Committee, President’s Advisory Group, and was a member of the Foundation’s Executive Committee. He also serves as a director for America’s Warrior Partnership which is a national organization which empowers communities to empower veterans through community integration. He is an original board member of The Bennie Adkins Foundation which provides scholarships to veterans in Alabama. He also was chairman of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama for two years and a board member for nearly a decade.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Town the Medal of Honor for his many charitable activities.

Town has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama-Huntsville in the Department of Political Science with the curriculum focused on executive war powers and the Geneva Conventions.

He is a former member of the Huntsville Committee of 100 and a graduate of Leadership Alabama.

Town earned a bachelor’s degree in Government & International Relations from the University of Notre Dame in 1995 and received his Juris Doctor from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1998. He is a member of the State Bars of Indiana, New Jersey and Alabama, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

MADISON, WIS. --Jeffrey M. Anderson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Juan Tamez Diaz, 41, Madison, Wis., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to four years in federal prison for tax fraud and identify theft. Tamez Diaz pleaded guilty to these charges on December 22, 2016.

From January 2009 to May 2015, Tamez Diaz obtained the names, Social Security numbers, and Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers of various individuals. He also obtained employer information from six legitimate companies, and then used this information to create fictitious Forms W-2 in the names of individuals not actually employed by these companies. Tamez Diaz used the information and the fictitious Forms W-2 to prepare and file false federal income tax returns requesting tax refunds in the names of the individuals. Tamez Diaz filed approximately 130 false income tax returns with the IRS, seeking fraudulent refunds totaling approximately $588,000, and was paid $462,038.50 in refunds.

In sentencing Tamez Diaz, Judge Peterson noted that the defendant’s crimes took place over a long period of time and involved numerous victims. He further noted that victims of identity theft are often terrorized by the crime. Judge Peterson did not believe the defendant’s claim that he was a minor player in the criminal scheme.

The charges against Tamez Diaz were the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.

A Lima woman was indicted for having a large amount of carfentanil, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Nancy Garza, 32, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Garza had more than 52 grams of carfentanil on July 20, according to the indictment.

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

The investigating agencies in this case are the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lima Police Department in conjunction with the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force in Lima. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Weldon

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

BOSTON – A Shrewsbury woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to trafficking steroids to bodybuilders.

Kathryn Green, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who scheduled sentencing for Nov. 9, 2017. In April 2017, Green and five others were charged for their roles in the conspiracy.

According to court documents, from approximately May 2015 until April 12, 2017, the conspirators manufactured steroid products made from raw materials that they purchased overseas and marketed as “Onyx” steroids using “Onyx” labels that were also ordered from overseas suppliers. Onyx, now owned by Amgen Inc., is a legitimate pharmaceutical company that does not manufacture steroids.

The defendants allegedly sold the steroids to customers across the United States using email and social media platforms, collected payment through money remitters, such as Western Union and MoneyGram, and used false identifications and multiple remitter locations to pick up the proceeds. Some of the defendants laundered proceeds from the steroid sales through Wicked Tan LLC, a tanning business in Beverly, which they owned and operated specifically to launder the proceeds of the steroid operation.

Green’s principal roles in the conspiracy were to pay another member of the conspiracy to ship steroids and to collect payments from customers.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss of the conspiracy. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart and David J. D’Addio of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

BIRMINGHAM – The U.S. Senate today confirmed Jay E. Town as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

Town was in the first wave of U.S. Attorneys nominated by President Donald J. Trump and is one of the first three to be confirmed by the Senate. He will take office next week.

Town, 43, a former judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps, has been a prosecutor in the Madison County District Attorney’s Office since arriving in Huntsville in 2005. He leaves that office as a senior prosecutor focused on prosecuting a full catalogue of crimes, including capital murder, murder, robbery and burglary. Town assisted the district attorney and the Alabama D.A.’s Association in a variety of administrative, training and legislative functions. Town also was instrumental in forming the Madison County Veterans Court, one of the first such diversionary courts in Alabama dedicated to the physical and mental health needs of veterans in the criminal justice system.

“I am humbled and honored to continue to serve the great people of Alabama as United States Attorney for the Northern District,” Town said. “I am grateful for the special trust and confidence shown me by President Trump, Attorney General Sessions, Senator Shelby, Senator Strange, and all of those who supported me throughout this process. I inherit a very capable office and look forward to joining them in continuing to do great things.”

Town served in the Marine Corps for 12 years and was honorably discharged in 2008, attaining the rank of major. Before moving to Alabama, he was outside counsel at a large firm in New Jersey focused on commercial defense of major pharmaceutical, commercial and surety companies involved in litigation with federal agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the FBI and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Town has sat on several charitable boards, to include the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, a national organization promoting educational, patriotic and veterans’ initiatives directed by the living Medal of Honor recipients. He also served as chairman of the Audit Committee, President’s Advisory Group, and was a member of the Foundation’s Executive Committee. He also serves as a director for America’s Warrior Partnership which is a national organization which empowers communities to empower veterans through community integration. He is an original board member of The Bennie Adkins Foundation which provides scholarships to veterans in Alabama. He also was chairman of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama for two years and a board member for nearly a decade.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Town the Medal of Honor for his many charitable activities.

Town has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama-Huntsville in the Department of Political Science with the curriculum focused on executive war powers and the Geneva Conventions.

He is a former member of the Huntsville Committee of 100 and a graduate of Leadership Alabama.

Town earned a bachelor’s degree in Government & International Relations from the University of Notre Dame in 1995 and received his Juris Doctor from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1998. He is a member of the State Bars of Indiana, New Jersey and Alabama, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

###

DALLAS— Tshombe Anderson, 54, of Grand Prairie, Texas, appeared today before Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn and pleaded guilty to a scheme he ran along with four of his family members from July 2011 to September 2015 to fraudulently obtain more than $26 million from the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Worker’s Compensation Program (OWCP), announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Specifically, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution could also be ordered. Anderson agrees to forfeit $375,000 seized from his residence, a 2015 Mercedes, and his share of the $8,383,075 that was seized from 25 bank accounts. Anderson will remain in custody pending sentencing which is set for November 29, 2017.

In addition to Anderson, his sister Lydia Bankhead, 63, his wife Brenda Anderson, 47, his sister-in-law Janet Anderson, 43, and his niece Lydia Taylor, 30, were also charged in the indictment returned in September 2015. A trial date of September 25, 2017 has been set for the four co-defendants.

According to plea documents in the case, Tshombe Anderson worked as an attorney for Union Treatment Centers (“UTC”). Anderson and his wife, Brenda Anderson, opened a durable medical equipment company called Best First Administration (“BFA”). BFA was formed, initially, to provide durable medical equipment to patients referred to BFA from UTC. In July 2011, Tshombe Anderson and Brenda Anderson disassociated from UTC.

In April 2013, Tshombe Anderson agreed with Bankhead to open Union Medical Supplies and Equipment (“UMSE”). In August 2013, Tshombe Anderson agreed with Janet Anderson to open Skycare Medical Supplies and Equipment (“SMSE”). Both companies were created in order to submit claims that were inappropriate to OWCP. The same medical information that BFA had received from UTC was used and billed to the same universe of claimants for duplicate, unwanted durable medical equipment that was not medically necessary, using outdated medical information. Tshombe Anderson continued to do so despite knowing that they were billing OWCP for items that were not associated with the claimant’s injuries and that claimants were often refusing or rejecting the durable medical equipment for which their company had billed.

Tshombe Anderson had access to the operating accounts for UMSE and routinely transferred large sums of cash from those accounts for his personal use or to launder through business accounts for a shell company called American Federal Union Claims Advocates, as well as accounts associated with his law office.

The total amount paid to OWCP for UMSE and SMSE was $26,572,458.93.

The DOL Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Dana and P.J. Meitl are in charge of the prosecution.

# # #

“The United States Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the FBI and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, has concluded the review of the investigations by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation into the Jocques Clemmons deadly force incident. We conclude that no further investigation or action is warranted.”

HOUSTON – A total of six out of eight Houston residents arrested for their alleged involvement in the July 25 armed robbery of First Community Credit Union in Katy are set to appear today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.

Walter Freeman Jordan aka “Wacko,” 30, Jaylen Christine Loring, 21, Daryl Carlton Anderson, 31, Deandre Bendard Santee, 26, Johnathon Nico Wise, 26, Raymond Demond Pace, 19, Zelmer Samuel Bonner, 26, and Derrick Eugene Delane, 25, are charged with aiding and abetting aggravated bank robbery and aiding and abetting the unlawful use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. All but Loring and Pace are set to appear today at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo. Loring made her initial appearance yesterday, while Pace is expected to make his first appearance in the near future.

According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 12:52pm on July 25, 2017, a black Toyota Tundra drove to the front of the First Community Credit Union located at 23120 Cinco Ranch Boulevard in Katy. Once there, three individuals entered the bank and allegedly commanded everyone to get on the ground. While inside, two of the robbers jumped the teller counter and demanded credit union employees to open the teller drawers, according to the charges. When one of those employees did not comply quickly enough, one of the robbers allegedly lifted his shirt, brandishing what was described as a black semi-automatic pistol, and punched the employee in the head while yelling “hurry up!” The third robber was also armed with a handgun and was attempting to keep customers and employees compliant. The criminal complaint further alleges that soon thereafter, a fourth robber entered the credit union and screamed “the cops are down the street, let’s go!”

According to the charges, the robbers appeared to be communicating with people outside the credit union via cell phone during the crime.

As they fled the bank with the money, one of the robbers also allegedly accosted and pointed a black semi-automatic pistol at another customer.

According to the criminal complaint, the four robbers returned to the Toyota Tundra and fled the scene along with three other vehicles – a silver Chevrolet Malibu, silver Nissan Rogue and a maroon Volkswagen Jetta. Loring was apprehended a short time later in the Malibu as was Anderson who was driving the Jetta. Shortly thereafter, officers also stopped the Rogue and arrested Santee and Wise.

Authorities pursued the Tundra, which was travelling at speeds up to 120 mph. At one point, the vehicle even drove eastbound in the westbound feeder road lanes of I-10. The 19-mile chase ended at the North Post Oaks Lofts apartment complex on the 1200 block of N. Post Oak Road in Houston, according to the charges. At this location, Jordan, Pace, Bonner and Delane allegedly abandoned the Tundra and attempted to evade police.

Pace was injured when he attempted to run in front of the Tundra. The vehicle was still rolling, and he was pinned between the vehicle and a wall. He was taken into custody and found in possession of a Springfield semi-automatic, model# XD45ACP, according to the complaint. With the help of a K9 unit, officers were also able to arrest Bonner a short distance from the abandoned Tundra.

Jordan and Delane were found hiding in an apartment in the same building where Bonner was arrested. After several hours of negotiation, they exited and were also taken into custody. At that time, law enforcement recovered a Stoeger Cougar .40 Caliber semi-automatic pistol inside the apartment.

If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison for the bank robbery as well as a consecutive and mandatory seven years for the firearms offense.

The charges are the result of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative created to proactively fight violent crime across the Greater Houston area. The FBI and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Heather Rae Winter are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that DANIEL ADEKUNLE OJO, 33, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Durham, N.C., was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with fraud and identity theft offenses stemming from a scheme to obtain the personal identifying information of school employees in Connecticut and elsewhere.

Following his arrest at his Durham residence, OJO appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge in Greensboro, N.C., and was ordered detained pending his transfer to the District of Connecticut.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, special agents from the FBI’s cybercrime squad in New Haven and the IRS have been investigating “phishing” emails that were sent to various school districts in Connecticut earlier this year.

In February 2017, an employee of the Glastonbury Public Schools received an email that appeared to be sent by another Glastonbury school system employee.  The email contained a request to send W-2 tax information for all employees of the school system.  The recipient of the email responded by sending copies of the W-2 information for approximately 1,600 Glastonbury Public Schools employees.  After the W-2 information was emailed, approximately 122 suspicious Forms 1040 were filed electronically with the IRS in the names of victims of the Glastonbury phishing scheme.  The 122 tax returns claimed tax refunds totaling $596,897.  Approximately six of the returns were processed, and $36,926 in fraudulently-obtained funds were electronically deposited into various bank accounts.

The complaint alleges that OJO controlled or used an aol.com email account and a gmail.com email account involved in this phishing scheme, and that he participated in the scheme to obtain the Glastonbury school system employees’ personal identifying information and use it for personal gain.

This ongoing investigation also includes phishing incidents that victimized the Groton Public Schools, and the Bloomington Independent School District in Bloomington, Minnesota.

As to the Groton Public Schools, in March 2017, a school system employee emailed copies of the W-2 information for approximately 1,300 employees.  After the W-2 information was sent, approximately 66 suspicious Forms 1040 were filed electronically with the IRS in the names of victims of the Groton phishing scheme.  The tax returns claimed tax refunds totaling $364,188.  The fraudulent tax returns were not processed by the IRS because they were flagged as being part of an identity theft scheme, and no money was released in connection with the returns.

The complaint alleges that OJO entered the U.S. on a visitor’s visa in May 23, 2016, and failed to depart on his scheduled departure date of June 8, 2016.

“Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly cunning in exploiting technology to steal identifying information from unwitting victims,” said U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly.  “Fortunately, our cyber investigators are skilled at cracking these crimes and catching these fraudsters.  To help avoid becoming a victim, always remember when you click on a link or send an email, check – and then double check – that the link you’re being asked to open, or the email address you are responding to, is authentic.  A single mistake can lead to a lot of misery.  I commend the FBI cybercrime squad and IRS for quickly bringing this individual to justice.  This investigation is ongoing.”

“The individuals that conduct these phishing schemes have one goal:  To steal personal information for financial gain,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Ferrick.  “This case is particularly disturbing due to the methods used and the targeted victims.  Cybercrimes are on the rise so we need corporations and the general public to be cognizant of their day to day computer use and vulnerabilities.  We will continue to utilize our best resources and top law enforcement personal to bring cybercriminals to justice.”

 “Investigating identity theft and refund fraud is a top priority for IRS Criminal Investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Garland.  “Stealing identities and filing false tax returns is a serious crime that harms innocent taxpayers.  This arrest, in cooperation with the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office, should serve as a strong warning to those who are considering similar conduct.  Law enforcement will aggressively pursue cyber-criminals who undermine the integrity of the U.S. tax system.”

The complaint charges OJO with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least two years.

U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the Durham (N.C.) Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Memphis, TN –A Memphis man was sentenced to federal prison for Theft of Government Property and Forging United States Treasury Checks. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, and Tracey D. Montano, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation announced the sentence today.

On July 28, 2016, a 4-count federal indictment was filed against Paul Edward Robinson, 52, charging him with stealing United States Treasury federal income tax refund checks, forging endorsements and fraudulently cashing the checks. He was convicted of all 4-counts on April 5, 2017, following a 3-day jury trail.

Robinson was sentenced on August 2, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Samuel H. Mays, Jr., to 21-months in federal prison. As part of his sentence, Robinson was ordered to pay $87,429.43 in restitution and serve a 2-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. Andre, III prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

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Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Demiriao Trione Bonds, age 27, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Greenville, for two armed robberies, committed in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a).  United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr. sentenced Bonds to 192 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release and ordered that he pay $1400.00 in restitution. 

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Bonds conspired with Delmar Deshion Jackson, on October 26, 2015 and November 13, 2015, to rob two area businesses.  Bonds committed both robberies with a firearm, which he brandished during the course of each.  Bonds took from the targeted businesses cash, retail inventory, personal effects, and store cellular devices. 

The case was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office handled the case.

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WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered two separate consent decrees of permanent injunction against New York company Everbright Trading Inc., its owner Yuan Xiang Gao, and its operator/manager Rong Qing Xu, and New York companies Lily Popular Varieties & Gifts Inc., Great Great Corporation, and their owners and operators Li Jing and Cheng Feng You. The injunctions generally prohibit the defendants from importing and selling toys and other children’s products until certain remedial measures are implemented.

On June 21, the Department filed two separate civil actions in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York at the request of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The complaints in each case alleged that the defendants were responsible for importing children’s products containing, among other things, lead, phthalates and small parts posing a choking hazard for children under the age of three.

According to the complaints, the CPSC found that the defendants in both cases imported toys and other children’s products in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Since March 2013, the CPSC has collected from the Everbright defendants 97 samples of toys and other non-compliant children’s products from their import shipments at the Port of New York/Newark and the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach. Since December 2013, the CPSC has collected from the Lily Popular Varieties & Gifts defendants 72 samples of non-compliant toys and other children’s products from their facility in Maspeth, New York, and import shipments at the Ports of New York/Newark and Los Angeles. The violations in both cases include toys with illegal levels of lead, illegal levels of phthalates, and small parts that present a choking hazard for children under the age of three, as well as toys for small children that contain accessible batteries. Based on their findings, the CPSC has issued 41 letters to the Everbright defendants and 13 letters to the Lily Popular Varieties & Gifts defendants notifying them that their products violated federal standards.

“There is no greater responsibility of the Department of Justice than to protect our nation’s children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde of the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s actions demonstrate the Department’s commitment to keeping our children safe from potentially harmful products.”

“Companies who do not comply with CPSC’s statutes and regulations regarding toys put American children at risk,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Parents have a right to expect that the toys their children play with are safe.”

“Consumers across the country rely on our agency to protect their children from unsafe and dangerous children’s products,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. “We take this responsibility very seriously and will take the necessary action to keep unsafe products out of the hands of our children. I appreciate and value the support from and collaboration with the Department of Justice.”

The consent decrees entered today resolve both cases brought by the Department. The decrees generally require the defendants to stop importing, selling, or distributing toys and other children’s products until they implement numerous remedial measures that will bring their operations into compliance with the law. These include, among other measures, implementing a product safety and testing program, hiring a product safety coordinator, having products tested by accredited testing bodies, and submitting to monitoring by the CPSC. In general, the defendants will be permitted to resume selling toys and other children’s products only after implementing these measures and demonstrating that their operations fully comply with the law.

The case against Everbright Trading Inc., Yuan Xiang Gao, and Rong Qing Xu is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dara Olds of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Timothy T. Finley of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Renee McCune of the CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel.

The case against Lily Popular Varieties & Gifts Inc., Great Great Corporation, Li Jing, and Cheng Feng You is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dara Olds of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Arturo DeCastro of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Amy Colvin of the CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel.

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

PHOTOS

Product collected at the Port of New York/Newark, NJ, on November 12, 2015, containing small parts violating U.S. safety regulations.

Product collected at the Port of New York/Newark, NJ, on October 3, 2016, containing accessible batteries and small parts violating U.S. safety regulations.

Product collected at the Port of New York/JFK area, NY, on September 21, 2015, containing lead and lead paint violating U.S. safety regulations.

BOSTON – A Rwandan man who fled Rwanda near the end of the 1994 genocide was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with immigration fraud and perjury in connection with his application for asylum.

Jean Leonard Teganya, 46, was charged with one count of immigration fraud and one count of perjury. Teganya will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon.

As alleged in court documents, approximately 800,000 people were murdered during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Prior to and during the Rwandan genocide, Teganya was a medical student and medical trainee at the Butare hospital in Butare, Rwanda. Several witnesses present in Butare during the genocide described Teganya as active in the political party of the genocidal regime, the MRND, and its militia, and stated that he actively participated in the persecution of Tutsis, the group that was largely targeted during the genocide.

According to court documents, Teganya left Rwanda in mid-July 1994 and traveled to Congo, India, and then Canada. In 1999, Teganya applied for refugee status and later asylum in Canada. Canadian authorities twice determined that Teganya was not entitled to asylum because he had been complicit in atrocities committed at the Butare hospital during the genocide. After 15 years of litigation, Teganya evaded the order of deportation and fled across the border into the United States. On Aug. 3, 2014, Teganya was encountered walking on foot after he had crossed from Canada into Houlton, Maine. Teganya was taken into custody and formally applied for asylum. On the application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal, Teganya made false statements by failing to disclose the extent of his affiliations and activities with the MRND and Hutu extremists.

The charge of immigration fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of perjury provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. State Department and the Revere Police Department provided valuable assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aloke Chakravarty and John Capin of Weinreb’s National Security Unit.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.