SAN FRANCISCO – Ebony Standifer was sentenced today to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $193,602 in restitution for conspiracy to file false claims, aggravated identity theft, and criminal contempt announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles Breyer, U.S. District Judge after Standifer pleaded guilty to the charges. 

According to court documents, Standifer, 30, of Pittsburg, Calif., admitted she conspired with others to file false federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service from 2010 through 2012.  As part of the scheme, individuals with whom Standifer conspired provided her with names of people for whom to file false tax returns.  Standifer used those identities and filed returns without showing the documents to the people listed on them.  In addition to inserting the person’s name and Social Security number, Standifer made up figures for income and the amount of taxes that were withheld.  She then requested a tax refund based on these made-up figures.  Standifer filed the false returns electronically from various locations and kept notebooks that recorded information regarding the people whose identity she misappropriated.  In total, during 2010-2012, Standifer filed or assisted in filing false tax returns in the aggregate amount of $656,000 for the 2009-2011 tax years. Of that amount, the IRS actually paid fraudulent claims in the amount of $193,602.  

A federal grand jury indicted Standifer on October 28, 2014, charging her with one count of conspiracy to file false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 286; five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1343; and three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.  Standifer pleaded guilty on August 19, 2015, to conspiracy to file false claims and one count of aggravated identity theft.  

On February 3, 2016, Standifer was charged by information with two additional counts of criminal contempt, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3).  Standifer pleaded guilty to both counts on February 22, 2017, admitting that when she pleaded guilty to the original charges, she already was involved in a pending identity theft case in Nevada.  Standifer acknowledged that while awaiting sentencing in this district, she used a misappropriated credit card to travel illegally to Nevada so she could attend hearings on the identity theft charges pending in that jurisdiction.     

In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer also sentenced Standifer to  36 months of supervised release.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS, Criminal Investigation.
 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma– VANESSA L. POLLARD, of Mustang, Oklahoma, pled guilty today to wire fraud and signing a false federal income tax return in connection with a $1.3 million embezzlement from an insurance agency in Canadian County, Oklahoma, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

On August 8, 2017, Pollard was charged by information with one count of wire fraud and one count of signing a false federal income tax return. According to the charges, Pollard worked for an insurance agency as a bookkeeper from April 1999 until early August 2016. As part of her job, she reviewed monthly bank statements, made entries in an internal accounting system, and reconciled those records with a business checking account at Yukon National Bank. She was accused of writing unauthorized checks and making unauthorized interstate wire transfers from the business checking account to pay her personal credit card accounts. The information also alleged that she altered bank statements to conceal these payments from the agency’s management.

Today, Pollard pled guilty to transmitting $3,178 through interstate wires with the intent to defraud the insurance agency in January 2014. In a plea agreement, she has agreed to forfeit property purchased with funds traceable to her embezzlement, including her house in Mustang, two trucks, a sports car, three motorcycles, a boat, two jet skis, and a retirement account. She also stipulated that the total loss from her embezzlement was $1,344,915.02.

In addition to pleading guilty to wire fraud, Pollard pled guilty to signing a false tax return. She admitted that on May 13, 2013, she signed a personal federal tax return for the 2012 calendar year that she knew was false because it reported only $50,736 in total income when she knew her 2012 income was substantially higher.

At sentencing, Pollard faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, plus three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution. She also faces up to three years in prison on the tax count, in addition to one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for the tax loss. She will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. Reference is made to the information and other public filings for further information.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigations and the United States Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Stoneman.

ALBUQUERUQE – Jona Chavarria, 26, an enrolled member of the Santa Clara Pueblo who resides in Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to a three-year term of probation for her conviction on a misdemeanor assault on a child charge.

Chavarria was charged in a misdemeanor information filed on April 21, 2017, with assaulting a child on the Santa Clara Pueblo in Rio Arriba County, N.M., on April 15, 2016. On April 21, 2017, Chavarria pled guilty to the information, and admitted biting an 11-month old child on the face causing a visible bite mark and bruising.

This case was investigated by the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and the Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy B. Solimon prosecuted the case.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced yesterday a South Carolina man to 17 ½ years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, on the charge of interstate transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. As part of his sentence, Joseph Harold Patterson, 58, of Anderson, S.C. was also ordered to register on the sex offender registry, to pay a $20,000 court fine and $4,538.42 as restitution.

Chief Ranger Steven Kloster of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service joins U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.

“Mr. Patterson has received a well-deserved lengthy prison sentence for abusing these young men. Some say there is a special place in hell for child abusers and we cannot promise Mr. Patterson will receive that just punishment, but we can guarantee that he will receive a place in the federal penitentiary and for now, that’s the best we can do,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.

“We are thankful to see justice prevail and hope that the individuals impacted by these despicable crimes are able to find some measure of solace in Mr. Patterson’s punishment,” said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Chief Ranger Steven Kloster.

According to court documents and information introduced at the sentencing hearing, in April 2015, a concerned parent contacted law enforcement to report that his child had been the victim of inappropriate sexual activity by Patterson, and that the conduct had occurred during camping trips arranged by the defendant. Court records show that between 2009 and 2011, Patterson had made at least three camping trips transporting at least three minor victims from Anderson, S.C. to the Smokemont Campground, located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Court records also show that Patterson knew the minors through his affiliation with a church in Anderson. According to court records, during the camping trips Patterson encouraged the minors to engage in sexual activities in his presence. At times, Patterson also exposed himself to the minors and/or engaged in sexual activities in front of the minors.

In addition to the out-of-state camping trips, court records show that Patterson had regular contact with the three victims and other children in his own home. During those encounters, Patterson gave the minors alcohol, shared pornography, discussed sexual topics and encouraged them to engage in sexual activities. Patterson also bought gifts for some of the children and took them out to restaurants, among other things. Court records show that on one occasion, Patterson attended an evening church event, during which he showed pornography to three minor children and encouraged them to engage in a sexual activity in the church bathroom.

Patterson pleaded guilty in February 2017 to one count of interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Patterson is currently in the custody of the United States Marshal pending his designation to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.

In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Rose commended the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch for leading the investigation. U.S. Attorney Rose also thanked the Anderson Police Department in South Carolina and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office for their assistance in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

SHREVEPORT, La. –Acting U.S.Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a former Homer Police officer pleaded guilty to his role in a vehicle fraud theft and insurance scheme.

Donald W. Malray, 52, of Homer, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Hornsby to one count of mail fraud conspiracy. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Malray and another individual planned a scheme to fake a vehicle and trailer theft, and then file an insurance claim to collect the money on the value of the property. On August 4, 2015, Malray and the other individual transferred the ATV and trailer to Malray’s possession after they met in Ruston, La. Malray then instructed the other individual to call the Homer Police Department and report the ATV and trailer stolen. The insurance company paid the individual in the conspiracy with Malray approximately $13,000 on September 8, 2015. Law enforcement agents recovered the ATV and trailer on January 31, 2017 in Ruston, La.

Malray faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of December 6, 2017.

The DEA and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A grand jury returned an indictment here today charging the former controller of a company in Kechi with embezzling more than $175,000, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Richard H. Yust, 64, Hutchinson, Kan., is charged with five counts of wire fraud. The crimes took place while Yurst was responsible for overseeing the financial operations of F&H Insulation Sales and Service, Inc. The indictment alleges he used company credit cards to make unauthorized purchases and he made unauthorized payments to his wife and son.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Jose Badilla, 33, Kansas City, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, two counts of maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March and August 2017 in Wyandotte County, Kan.

The indictment alleges Badilla maintained residences in furtherance of drug trafficking in the 2800 block of North 51st Street and the 3500 block of Ohio Avenue in Kansas City, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on each count.

Possession with intent to distribute heroin: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.

Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Maintaining a drug involved premises: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on each count.

Possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.

The Kansas Bureau of investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

Angel D. Mora, 18, Kansas City, Kan., and Ramiro G. Whitney, 20, Kansas City, Kan., are charged with stealing pistols, rifles and shotguns from Little Joe’s Pawn and Gun in Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, they face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

Robert M. Purinton, 69, formerly of Overland Park, Kan., is charged with three counts of filing false tax returns for 2010, 2011 and 2012 that failed to report some of his income.

If convicted, he faces up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Maurice Lackey, age 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession with intent to distribute crack and marijuana, possession of two firearms by a convicted felon, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that on June 18, 2017, after a traffic stop, Lackey was arrested by Harrisburg Police when officers found crack, marijuana and two loaded Sig Sauer handguns in Lackey’s vehicle.

The matter was investigated by the Harrisburg Police Department Street Crimes Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.

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 for this offense is up to life in prison, 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.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jonathan Jacome, age 27, of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, Cindy Jacome, age 28, of West Hazelton, Pennsylvania, and Melissa Castiglione, age 30, of Mountain Top, were indicted on August 8, 2017, by a federal grand jury on fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, and obstruction charges. The case was unsealed on August 30, 2017.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the superseding indictment alleges that Jonathan Jacome used stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns in 2011 and 2012, and obtained over $6 million in fraudulent federal tax refunds. Jacome owned three check cashing businesses through which he processed the fraudulently obtained Treasury checks. The superseding indictment charges Jonathan Jacome with 31 counts including conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims, false fictitious, and fraudulent claims, theft of public money, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Cindy Jacome and Melissa Castiglione are alleged to have conspired with Jonathan Jacome to launder the proceeds of his fraudulent activities. The superseding indictment further alleges that Castiglione and Cindy Jacome obstructed the investigation and that Cindy Jacome committed perjury, all stemming from false, evasive, and misleading testimony before the grand jury.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the Hazelton City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni.

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

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

The maximum total penalties under federal law for this offense is 183 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.

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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma– James Brett Krablin, M.D.,has agreed to pay $65,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations that he violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and its regulations, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney of the Western District of Oklahoma.

Dr. Krablin practices medicine primarily in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, at the Krablin Medical Clinic. The United States alleges that between August 2014 and September 2016, he dated prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances on dates other than when he signed them, which violates DEA regulations. More specifically, he allegedly signed and post-dated written prescriptions so his nurse practitioner or physician assistant could deliver them to patients at regular monthly appointments when Dr. Krablin was not in the office.

To resolve the allegations brought by the United States, Dr. Krablin agreed to pay $65,000.

In reaching this settlement, Dr. Krablin did not admit liability and the government did not make any concessions regarding the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, Office of Diversion Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A federal grand jury in Las Vegas, Nevada returned an indictment on Wednesday charging three individuals with stealing more than $1 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.

The indictment charges Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh with conspiring to file fraudulent claims for tax refunds and theft of government funds. Chanh V. Trinh is also charged with filing false claims for tax refunds, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

According to the indictment, Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh were residents of Las Vegas, who allegedly conspired to file federal corporate and individual income tax returns reporting fake income and income tax withholdings and as a result, obtained more than $1 million in refunds to which they were not entitled. The indictment alleges that the fraudulent returns were filed in the names of the defendants and others, including a long-deceased family member and fictitious businesses. Months after filing a fraudulent return, the defendants would allegedly file a fraudulent amended return requesting an additional refund. The indictment alleges that Chanh V. Trinh prepared and filed the returns, and that all three defendants deposited or cashed the fraudulently obtained refund checks using multiple bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and check-cashing businesses in Las Vegas. The indictment alleges that the defendants frequently concealed the funds by purchasing cashier’s checks to obtain gambling chips at casinos.

If convicted, the defendants face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy count and each of the theft of government funds counts. Chanh V. Trinh also faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the mail fraud counts, five years in prison for each of the false claims counts and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for each of the aggravated identity theft counts. The defendants also face a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Myhre thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.

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ASHEVILLE, N.C.– U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced yesterday a South Carolina man to 17 ½ years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, on the charge of interstate transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, announced Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. As part of his sentence, Joseph Harold Patterson, 58, of Anderson, S.C. was also ordered to register on the sex offender registry, to pay a $20,000 court fine and $4,538.42 as restitution.

Chief Ranger Steven Kloster of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service   joins
U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.

“Mr. Patterson has received a well-deserved lengthy prison sentence for abusing these young men. Some say there is a special place in hell for child abusers and we cannot promise  Mr. Patterson will receive that just punishment, but we can guarantee that he will receive a place in the federal penitentiary and for now, that’s the best we can do,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.

“We are thankful to see justice prevail and hope that the individuals impacted by these despicable crimes are able to find some measure of solace in Mr. Patterson’s punishment,” said Great Smoky Mountains National Park Chief Ranger Steven Kloster.
According to court documents and information introduced at the sentencing hearing, in April 2015, a concerned parent contacted law enforcement to report that his child had been the victim of inappropriate sexual activity by Patterson, and that the conduct had occurred during camping trips arranged by the defendant. Court records show that between 2009 and 2011, Patterson had made at least three camping trips transporting at least three minor victims from Anderson, S.C. to the Smokemont Campground, located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Court records also show that Patterson knew the minors through his affiliation with  a  church  in  Anderson.   According to  court  records,  during the  camping trips  Patterson encouraged the minors to engage in sexual activities in his presence. At times, Patterson also exposed himself to the minors and/or engaged in sexual activities in front of the minors.

In addition to the out-of-state camping trips, court records show that  Patterson  had regular contact with the three victims and other children in his own home. During those encounters, Patterson gave the minors alcohol, shared pornography, discussed sexual topics and encouraged them to engage in sexual activities. Patterson also bought gifts for some of the children and took them out to restaurants, among other things. Court records show that on one occasion, Patterson attended an evening church event, during which he showed pornography to three minor children and encouraged them to engage in a sexual activity in the church bathroom.

Patterson pleaded guilty in February 2017 to one count of interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Patterson is currently in the custody of the United States Marshal pending his designation to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.  All federal sentences  are served without the possibility of parole.

In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Rose commended the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch for leading the investigation. U.S. Attorney Rose also thanked the Anderson Police Department in South Carolina and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office for their assistance in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

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St. Croix, USVI – Dasha Graham, 22, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon, Jr., to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced. Sentencing is scheduled for December 29, 2017.

According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on March 10, 2017, Graham and a co-defendant attempted to enter the secure parking lot at the District Court on St. Croix to drop off paperwork. Graham was driving the vehicle. The security officer denied entrance and instructed Graham to park in the visitor lot. Graham refused, creating a disturbance and causing a special agent to approach his car. The agent smelled a strong odor of marijuana, and Graham admitted that there was marijuana in the car. A search of the car yielded Ziploc bags containing 10 phials of marijuana. When interviewed, Graham stated that the marijuana was his and that he had it for sale. The amount of marijuana was less than 100 grams.

Graham faces a sentence of not more than five years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.

DALLAS– An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Dallas this week charges three former executives of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (“FHLB-Dallas”), Terence C. Smith, Nancy B. Parker, and Michael J. Sims, with various charges related to defrauding FHLB-Dallas by seeking reimbursement for personal travel and gifts, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

The indictment charges Smith, 60, who was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the FHLB-Dallas from 2000 to September 2013; Parker, 64, who was the Chief Information Officer of the FHLB-Dallas from 1999 to November 2013; and Sims, 51, who was the Chief Financial Officer of the FHLB-Dallas from 2005 to May 2014, with one count of conspiring to make false statements to a Federal Home Loan Bank. Smith is also charged with eleven substantive counts of making false statements to the FHLB-Dallas related to travel, Parker is charged with six substantive counts of making false statements, and Sims is charged with three substantive counts of making false statements.

The indictment alleges that starting as early as January 2008 and continuing through November 2013, Smith, Parker, and Sims, submitted or caused to be submitted a series of fraudulent reimbursement requests for travel they identified as business-related but was in fact personal, which caused the bank to pay approximately $780,000. The defendants incurred these expenses in connection with first class airfare, limousine services, concerts, vineyard tours, luxury hotel rooms, lavish meals, and expensive liquor and wine during more than 30 trips they took to Las Vegas, Nevada, Amelia Island, Florida, Coronado, California, San Diego, California, and others locations. In each instance, the defendants falsely stated that purpose of their travel was attending various conferences, planning meetings, strategy meetings, and ops meetings, when in fact they did not attend any conference, or conduct any legitimate planning, strategy, or ops meetings. Despite taking numerous trips that served no legitimate business purpose, the indictment alleges that the defendants further defrauded FHLB-D by requesting payment of more than $450,000 for unused vacation time.

The indictment also charges Parker separately with conspiring to embezzle from FHLB-Dallas in connection with a scheme she executed to have the bank pay for Christmas gifts for Smith. Parker is also charged with three substantive counts of embezzlement related to the Christmas gifts.

The indictment alleges from at least December 2005 and continuing through December 2012, Parker conspired with a former contractor who later became an employee of FHLB-Dallas to submit an inflated contractor invoice, fictitious check requests, and a fictitious purchase order to the bank to acquire Christmas gifts for Smith using the bank’s funds. Parker’s actions caused FHLB-Dallas to pay more than $17,000 for the gifts, which included a wine sommelier computer and video/photography equipment.

FHLB-Dallas is a government sponsored enterprise and part of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. The Federal Home Loan Bank System was created to support mortgage lending and related community investment. The System is currently composed of 11 regional Federal Home Loan Banks and more than 7,300 member financial institutions. FHLB-Dallas is a cooperative association that consists of financial institutions from the five-state district of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas that have purchased stock in FHLB-Dallas. Member institutions have access to funding for housing finance, community lending, and asset-liability management. FHLB-Dallas helped its member institutions provide credit and financial services to families, farms, and businesses across its district.

An indictment is merely an allegation and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. However, if convicted, each count of making a false statement carries a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine. Each count of conspiracy to make a false statement carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution may also be ordered. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation that would require the defendants, upon conviction, to forfeit any property that constitutes or was derived from proceeds traceable to the offense.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Brasher and Errin Martin are in charge of the prosecution.

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ATLANTA - Devonnaire Coffey has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison. Coffey, often assisted by others he recruited, broke into 14 gun stores in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and stole 340 guns. Coffey then sold the stolen firearms out of motel rooms to willing buyers.

“Coffey endangered the public by stealing firearms and selling them to whoever had the money to buy them,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “His return to gun stores he had already broken into shows a complete lack of fear and, importantly, that his desire for personal gain outweighed any concerns he may have had for the safety of citizens both in this community and elsewhere.”

“ATF’s central objective is ensuring the safety of our communities. In order to accomplish this mission, ATF will aggressively and acutely target individuals who seek to diminish the general welfare of our citizens through violence, narcotics sales and firearms trafficking. Criminals must understand there are serious repercussions for illegally obtaining, possessing and trafficking firearms,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt, Atlanta Field Division.

According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: Coffey broke into 14 stores that sold firearms in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and stole 340 guns. He also attempted to break into six other stores. Coffey and others then sold those stolen guns in various communities. The defendant planned these burglaries, recruited others to help him, and then sold the stolen guns from a motel room after the thefts. He used various methods of entry to include throwing rocks through windows and welding torches to burn through locks on doors.

Coffey burglarized some dealerships multiple times including one location in Elberton twice, one in Canton twice, and one in McDonough twice and attempted a third burglary at the same two dealerships in Canton and McDonough, but ultimately was unsuccessful.

Firearms stolen by Coffey have been discovered by law enforcement as far away as Chicago and Washington, D.C. Not all of them have been recovered. Firearms stolen by the defendant ended up in the hands of convicted felons, have been used in shootings, and carried by drug dealers.

Devonnaire Coffey, 26, of Augusta, Georgia, was convicted of conspiracy to steal firearms from licensed gun dealers, theft of firearms from licensed gun dealers, and possession and sale of stolen firearms after he pleaded guilty on May 18, 2017. He was sentenced to ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $51,128.89.

This case was being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Henry County, Georgia Police Department, Rocky Mount, North Carolina Police Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina Police Department, Holly Springs, Georgia Police Department, Rock Hill, South Carolina Police Department, and theATF Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Unit. RAGE is a joint gang/violent crime task force with members from ATF, North Augusta Department of Public Safety, Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, Aiken Department of Public Safety, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Keen and Stephanie E. Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 31, 2017, Szuhsiung Ho, aka Allen Ho, 66, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, Chief U.S. District Judge, to serve 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Upon his release, he will be supervised by U.S. Probation for one year. He was also order to pay a fine of $20,000.

Ho pleaded guilty in January 2017 to conspiracy to unlawfully engage or participate in the production or development of special nuclear material outside the United States, without the required authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in violation of the Atomic Energy Act.

An April 2016 indictment charged Ho; China General Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC), the largest nuclear power company in China, and Energy Technology International (ETI), a Delaware corporation with these offenses. At the time of his indictment, Ho was a nuclear engineer, employed as a consultant by CGNPC and was also the owner of ETI. CGNPC specialized in the development and manufacture of nuclear reactors and was controlled by China’s State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

According to documents filed in the case, beginning in 1997 and continuing through April 2016, Ho conspired with others to engage or participate in the development or production of special nuclear material in China, without specific authorization to do so from the U.S. Secretary of Energy, as required by law. He assisted CGNPC in procuring U.S.-based nuclear engineers to assist CGNPC and its subsidiaries with designing and manufacturing certain components for nuclear reactors more quickly by reducing the time and financial costs of research and development of nuclear technology. In particular, Ho sought technical assistance related to CGNPC’s Small Modular Reactor Program; CGNPC’s Advanced Fuel Assembly Program; CGNPC’s Fixed In-Core Detector System; and verification and validation of nuclear reactor-related computer codes.

Under the direction of CGNPC, Ho also identified, recruited, and executed contracts with U.S.-based experts from the civil nuclear industry who provided technical assistance related to the development and production of special nuclear material for CGNPC in China. Ho and CGNPC also facilitated the travel to China and payments to the U.S.-based experts in exchange for their services.

“The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to working to ensure that sensitive and controlled technology is not illegally obtained and exported from the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Nancy Stallard Harr. “Violations of our export control laws will be aggressively prosecuted in the Eastern District of Tennessee.”

“Today, Allen Ho is being held accountable for enlisting U.S.-based nuclear experts to provide assistance in developing and producing special nuclear material in China for a Chinese state-owned nuclear power company. He did so without the required authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “Prosecuting those who unlawfully facilitate the acquisition of sensitive nuclear technology by foreign nations continues to be a top priority of the National Security Division.”

“Theft of our nuclear technology by foreign adversaries is of paramount concern to the FBI. Along with our local, state and, federal partners, we will aggressively investigate those who seek to steal our technology for the benefit of foreign governments,” said FBI Knoxville Special Agent in Charge, Renae McDermott.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Tennessee Valley Authority - Office of the Inspector General, DOE-National Nuclear Security Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from other agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles E. Atchley Jr. and Bart Slabbekorn of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorney Casey T. Arrowood of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Attorney Jeffrey M. Smith of the Appellate Unit in the National Security Division, represented the United States.

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Savannah, GA: Win Hang Vong, 26, a former Fort Stewart Army soldier, was sentenced earlier this week by United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 74 months in federal prison to be followed 20 years of monitored supervised release.

According to evidence presented during the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, in December 2016 members of the FBI and the GBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted undercover investigations to identify child predators involved in the distribution of child pornography. Agents came into contact with Vong and downloaded from his shared files approximately 830 still images and video files containing of child pornography. Agents thereafter executed a search warrant at Vong’s residence, his enlisted quarters on the Fort Stewart Military Reservation. Agents seized electronic devices, including Vong’s computer, and external hard-drives. From these devices, agents located over 100,000 files involving child pornography. Some of the child-pornography contained images of babies being raped by adults. Vong admitted he had been downloading child pornography on the internet for more than five years. Vong was later discharged from the U. S. Army.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the GBI, and the Army’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID). Assistant United States Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For questions, please contact the U. S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on August 21, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Wacey James Long, age 29, was sentenced to 25 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture of the firearm, and a mandatory special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Long was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 15, 2017. He pled guilty on June 6, 2017.

On September 16, 2016, during the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement found and seized a short-barreled shotgun and drug paraphernalia from the apartment Long resided in with another person. Long admitted to using methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Because he is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, he is unable to lawfully possess firearms.

This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.

Long was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Red Scaffold, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner.

Tyrell Chasing Hawk, age 31, was indicted on August 16, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 25, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on May 9, 2017, Chasing Hawk unlawfully assaulted his intimate partner by strangling and suffocating her, or attempting to do so, with the said injury resulting in substantial bodily injury to the victim.

The charges are merely accusations and Chasing Hawk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.

Chasing Hawk was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

Timothy George Bender, age 54, was charged on July 27, 2017. Bender appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on July 28, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The penalty upon conviction is 10 years up to life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a minimum of 5 years up to lifetime supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The charge relates to Bender attempting to entice a minor girl to meet with him, who he believed to be 15 years old. The charge is merely an accusation and Bender is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins is prosecuting the case.

Bender was released pending trial, which is scheduled for November 28, 2017.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Katherine Fernandez Rundle, State Attorney, Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) announced that Edward Lee Williams, 30, Kenyada Pierce, 34, MartaviousRandall, 38, and William Lovett, 36, all of Miami, Florida, have been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances.

These charges arose from an investigation to address widespread drug dealing within the Cutler Manor Apartments, located at 10875 SW 216 Street, Miami, Florida. The Cutler Manor Apartments are a Section 8 public housing project located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County just north of Homestead, Florida. During the course of their investigation, law enforcement were able to purchase various controlled substances from subjects who resided in, or operated out of, the Cutler Manor Apartments. These criminal complaints are part of a multi-agency operation, including the FBI, DEA and MDPD, that seeks the arrest of 40 individuals.

In August 2016, after a similar law enforcement operation targeting drug sales in Cutler Manor, fourteen individuals associated with the Cutler Manor Apartments were indicted federally in the Southern District of Florida for possession with intent to distribute various narcotics, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841. Each of the defendants pled guilty for their respective participation in the criminal conduct and received sentences ranging from time served to 151 months in prison.

Following the 2016 indictments, law enforcement continued to investigate the sale of narcotics both at the Cutler Manor Apartments and out of single-family houses located nearby, including throughout the Perrine area, in the Southern District of Florida.

According to the criminal complaints, law enforcement purchased various narcotics, including methylone, known as “Molly,” cocaine, and heroin from individuals both within the Cutler Manor Apartments and at nearby residences located in Perrine, including from defendants Williams, Pierce, Randall, and Lovett. During the course of today’s operations, law enforcement recovered both narcotics and firearms.

If convicted of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, DEA, and MDPD. Mr. Greenberg also thanked the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office for their assistance. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cary Aronovitz.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.