DAVENPORT, IA – On August 30, 2017, Bradley James Ries, 51, the owner of the Sure Shot Gun Shop in Clinton, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to two consecutive six-month prison terms for the transfer of a firearm without a National Instant Criminal Background Check, and knowingly making a false statement required by firearms law, announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Ries will serve one year of supervised release following his imprisonment, to include an additional six months of home confinement, a $5,500 fine, and a $50 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund. At sentencing, Judge Goodgame Ebinger emphasized these violations were more than just bookkeeping errors, and were knowing violations of federal firearms laws.

On December 20, 2014, Ries submitted a firearm transfer request using the National Instant Background Check System (NICS). Licensed dealers are required to have purchasers fill out Form 4473 prior to submitting a NICS request under federal firearms regulations. Knowing the purported purchaser was a felon, Ries failed to have the purchaser fill out a Form 4473 for the firearm purchase. Although NICS denied the transaction, Ries called and informed the felon he could purchase firearms. On February 4, 2015, a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent contacted Ries and requested the required Form 4473 transaction. Ries falsely claimed gun bluing chemical was spilled on the form.

In April of 2015, ATF conducted a federal firearms compliance inspection at Sure Shot and noted several violations. In September of 2015, ATF held a warning conference in Des Moines and again discussed these violations with Ries.

On November 4, 2015, Ries sold a Taurus Circuit Judge .45/.410 caliber rifle to a prohibited person. Ries transferred the firearm prior to obtaining sale authorization from NICS. NICS denied the purchase based on the buyer having a no contact order, which prohibited this buyer from purchasing firearms under federal law. When contacted by an ATF agent on or about December 14, 2015, Ries falsely claimed the firearm transfer to this buyer involved a Remington 870 20-gauge shotgun. Ries also faxed certain pages of a purported Form 4473 for an apparent Remington 870 20-gauge shotgun purchase by this buyer, but the form’s information was false.

In January of 2016, Ries directed the prohibited buyer of the Taurus Circuit Judge .45/.410 caliber rifle to provide false information to the ATF. In February of 2016, after being warned by an ATF agent it was a federal crime to make a false statement to the agent, Ries again falsely stated this buyer wanted to purchase a Remington 870 shotgun and was upset when the transaction was denied. In April of 2016, after a search warrant at Sure Shot, Ries admitted he had lied to federal agents.

As part of his plea agreement, and as ordered by the District Court as a supervised release condition, Ries agreed to: surrender his Federal Firearm’s License (FFL), and to not reapply for a FFL, or serve as a responsible person or officer of any federal firearm’s licensee; not apply through any individuals or corporations presently holding any listed licenses, through the officers or directors of such corporations, or through any surrogates acting on behalf of any entities or individuals holding the license; and, not to deal in firearms or obtain employment with a business whose primary business is the sale, distribution, use, or firing of firearms following the surrender of his FFL or aid, abet or otherwise conspire with others to actually or constructively possess firearms or ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

-END-

Learn more about this release by calling Rachel J. Scherle at 515-473-9300, or by emailing her at Rachel.Scherle@usdoj.gov.

Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announced today that Dr. Rassan M. Tarabein, 58, a neurologist residing in Fairhope, Alabama, pled guilty before Chief United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose to one count of health care fraud and one count of unlawful distribution of a schedule II controlled substance.  As part of his plea agreement, Dr. Tarabein will no longer be able to practice medicine and prescribe controlled substances in the United States.  Chief Judge DuBose has scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2018.  Dr. Tarabein faces up to ten years in prison for health care fraud and up to twenty years in prison for unlawfully distributing a controlled substance. 

On June 28, 2017, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama returned a 22–count superseding indictment against Dr. Tarabein, charging him with health care fraud, making false statements relating to health care matters, lying to a federal agent, unlawfully distributing schedule II controlled substances, and money laundering.   He was arrested two days later.

Dr. Tarabein previously operated the Eastern Shore Neurology and Pain Center, a private clinic in Daphne, Alabama where he offered services relating to neurology and pain management, such as spinal injections.  In his plea agreement, Dr. Tarabein admitted that from around 2004 to May 2017, he ran an insurance scam in which he induced patients to visit his clinic so that he could bill health care benefit programs for medically unnecessary tests and procedures.  The purpose of Dr. Tarabein’s admitted scheme was to maximize personal financial gain by fraudulently seeking payments from health care benefit programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and other private insurers.  As part of his guilty plea, Dr. Tarabein admitted to violating the traditional standards of care in his medical practice by, for example, failing to provide informed consent to patients about procedures, discriminating against Alabama Medicaid patients in services rendered, fraudulently documenting patient records, submitting false claims to insurance companies, and issuing prescriptions for schedule II controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose. 

Dr. Tarabein has pending state criminal charges in Montgomery County, Alabama.  On June 16, 2017, a state grand jury returned a 2–count indictment against Dr. Tarabein, charging him with Medicaid fraud and theft of property in the first degree, each a felony offense.  On September 20, 2017, Dr. Tarabein is expected to plead guilty in state court to Medicaid fraud.        

Acting United States Attorney Butler stated, “Today’s guilty plea reinforces our office’s dedication to protecting the public from corrupt physicians.  Doctors who exploit patients through medically unnecessary services to line their own pockets have no place in our health care system.  I commend the investigators who unraveled Dr. Tarabein’s scam for their commitment to uproot health care fraud.”

Attorney General Steve Marshall stated, “I am pleased that my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit had the opportunity to team with our federal law enforcement colleagues to investigate and bring to justice this defendant who not only violated his oath to his patients, but stole taxpayer money set aside to provide care for our most vulnerable citizens.  I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama for its speedy resolution of the federal charges, as this defendant is held to account for his actions.”

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Lasky stated, “The FBI stands ready to work alongside our state, local, and federal partners to eliminate prescription drug abuse.  When doctors place money before the well-being of their patients, this task becomes nearly impossible.  This guilty plea is a testament to all the hard work and cooperation between the agencies that conducted this investigation.”

“The abuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem in our communities.  All too often, this abuse leads to addiction, shattered lives, and even death.  For the health and safety of our citizens, DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to target those who illegally distribute these potentially dangerous drugs.  We hope that the conviction of Dr. Tarabein serves as a reminder to anyone who might illegally divert pharmaceuticals that they will be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said Stephen G. Azzam, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s New Orleans Field Division.

“Today’s plea should serve as a wake-up call to those who intend to bill the government for medically unnecessary services and thereby enriching their own bottom line,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG).  “The nation is facing a very serious prescription drug crisis and the OIG, along with our state and federal law enforcement partners, take allegations such as these very seriously.”

The FBI, DEA, OIG, and Alabama Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the federal case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Gregory A. Bordenkircher are prosecuting the federal case in coordination with the Office of the Alabama Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.  Assistant Attorney General Bruce M. Lieberman is prosecuting the state case.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – David McShan, 39, of Steubenville, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 74 months in prison and eight years of supervised release for his role in running a Steubenville-area heroin-trafficking ring.

McShan and his brother, Frederick A. McShan, 37, were each convicted following a weeklong jury trial in March.

Specifically, Frederick McShan was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, 12 counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. David McShan was also convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane M. Hanlin and members of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

According to court documents and testimony, the McShan brothers helped lead a drug organization that was responsible for street-level heroin sales in Steubenville, Ohio, including in the Market Street apartment public housing area, Weirton, W.Va., Wheeling, W.Va. and Bellaire, Ohio.

A yearlong investigation in this case by local, state and federal law enforcement culminated in the seizure of eight firearms, three vehicles and approximately $110,000 of narcotics proceeds.

Seven co-defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. They include:

Donae F. Grier, 38, of Irving, Texas, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison;

Christopher J. Bishop, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., who was sentenced to 120 months in prison;

Kerris D. Moncrease, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., who was sentenced to 42 months in prison;

Perrier D. Coleman, 21, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison;

Terrence L. Smith, 27, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to 87 months in prison;

Michael K. Greathouse, 25, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to 100 months in prison and

Erica L. Jury, 37, of Steubenville, Ohio, who was sentenced to time served.

Frederick McShan is scheduled for sentencing on October 12 at 1:30pm.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative efforts of law enforcement, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Hunter, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jane M. Hanlin who are prosecuting the case.

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Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Dilshod Khusanov with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and al-Nusrah Front, both designated foreign terrorist organizations.  The defendant, arrested earlier this morning in Villa Park, Illinois, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman at the U.S. Courthouse, 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois.

The charges were announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office, Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chicago Field Office, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD).

“Those who seek to fight for foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and al-Nusrah Front cannot accomplish their goal without financial support,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde.  “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will work tirelessly to identify and hold accountable individuals like the defendant who provide such financial support, as well as to eliminate such support.” Ms. Rohde expressed her gratitude to the Chicago FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Chicago Police Department, and the Illinois State Police for their assistance during the investigation.

“As alleged, Khusanov conspired to provide funding enabling multiple terrorists to attempt travel to Syria to join groups like ISIS or al-Nusrah.  The FBI has a long history of successfully targeting not only the associates of criminal groups, but also group leadership,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.  “This case is no different.  It demonstrates the Joint Terrorism Task Force’s unwavering commitment to arresting and convicting both those seeking to join terrorist groups and those who conspire to support their efforts.”

“This is the latest example of the work the Joint Terrorism Task Force does every day in New York City to protect us from those seeking to join terrorist organizations or fund their operations,” said Police Commissioner O’Neill. “I’m thankful to the work by the detectives, agents, and prosecutors whose work on this case—and many like it—led to today’s arrest.”
                       
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Khusanov belonged to a group of like-minded individuals who provided financial support for persons in the United States to travel to Syria to join ISIS or al-Nusrah Front.   Four other members of this support group and two persons who attempted to travel to Syria to join ISIS have been indicted in a separate related case.  The investigation began when Abdurasul Juraboev, one of Khusanov’s co-conspirators, came to the attention of law enforcement.  Juraboev posted on an Uzbek-language website that propagates ISIS’s ideology his offer to engage in an act of martyrdom on U.S. soil on behalf of ISIS, such as killing then-President of the United States Barack Obama.  The investigation subsequently revealed that Juraboev and another co-conspirator, Akhror Saidakhmetov, planned to travel to Turkey and then to Syria for the purpose of waging violent jihad on behalf of ISIS.  Saidakhmetov was arrested on February 25, 2015, at John F. Kennedy International Airport where he was attempting to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey.  Juraboev had previously purchased a plane ticket to travel from New York to Istanbul and was scheduled to leave the United States in March 2015.  Abror Habibov, Dilkhayot Kasimov, Azizjon Rakhmatov, and Akmal Zakirov were charged in the related case with funding Saidakhmetov’s efforts to join ISIS.  Juraboev pleaded guilty on August 14, 2015; Saidakhmetov pleaded guilty on January 19, 2017; and Habibov pleaded guilty on August 29, 2017 – all to charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.

As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Khusanov helped to fund the efforts of Saidakhmetov and others to join ISIS or al-Nusrah Front.  In particular, Khusanov and Zakirov discussed providing their own money to cover Saidakhmetov’s travel expenses.  Khusanov also agreed to raise money from others to fund Saidakhmetov’s travel.  In the week leading up to Saidakhmetov’s scheduled departure, Khusanov transferred money into Zakirov’s personal bank account, which funds were intended to facilitate Saidakhmetov’s travel to join ISIS.  Khusanov and others also provided financial assistance for other persons from the United States to join either ISIS or al-Nusrah Front.

If convicted, Khusanov faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.  The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Douglas M. Pravda, Peter W. Baldwin, and David K. Kessler are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorneys Barry Jonas and Peter Flanagan of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Steven Ward of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.

The Defendant:

DILSHOD KHUSANOV

Age:  31

Nationality: Uzbekistan
 

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-475

          BATON ROUGE, LA - The National Center for Disaster Fraud reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions.

          Tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

          The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 30 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the National Center for Disaster Fraud, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.

          The public should remember to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by the tornadoes. Solicitations can originate from social media, e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, telephone calls, and other similar methods.

          Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, including:

• Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages, because they may contain computer viruses.

• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as members of charitable organizations or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.

• Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.

• Rather than follow a purported link to a website, verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status.

• Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

• To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.

• Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use such tactics.

• Be aware of whom you are dealing with when providing your personal and financial information. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

• Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.

• Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services. Most legitimate charities’ websites end in .org rather than .com.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a convicted sex offender in Monett, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving child pornography over the Internet.

Carl Donald Greiner, 37, of Monett, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to the charge contained in a July 20, 2016, federal indictment.

Greiner was convicted of possessing child pornography, sexual misconduct and furnishing pornographic material to a minor in 2004. He was also convicted of statutory rape and two counts of statutory sodomy in 2006.

According to today’s plea agreement, a person using Greiner’s computer reported to police officers on April 30, 2016, that she saw a large amount of child pornography on the computer located in his bedroom, including videos of children ranging in age from 4 to 17. Officers executed a search warrant at Greiner’s residence the same day and seized his desktop computer along with an address book with Internet addresses.

Investigators discovered multiple images and videos of child pornography on Greiner’s computer that had been downloaded from the Internet.

Under federal statutes, Greiner is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 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 Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force and the Monett, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

BIRMINGHAM– A federal grand jury today indicted three inmates at the women’s Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville for assaulting other inmates, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.

The grand jury returned separate indictments involving two assaults at the prison in May. One three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges MIREYA GARCIA-ROMO, 34, and MARIBEL GOMEZ-MEZA, 31, in connection with a May 13 assault on another inmate using a weapon made of razor blades. Garcia-Romo and Gomez-Meza are charged with acting in concert to commit an assault that resulted in serious bodily injury, committing an assault with a dangerous weapon that resulted in serious bodily injury, and possessing contraband for having a handmade object consisting of four razor blades wrapped together and secured with tape.

A second three-count indictment charges MICHELLE VASQUEZ-YADO, 35, for assaulting a fellow inmate on May 17 with a broken piece of mirror designed for use as a weapon. The indictment charges Vasquez-Yado with assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon that resulted in serious bodily injury and possessing contraband by having the mirror fragment intended for use as a weapon.

The maximum penalty for assault resulting in bodily injury is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing contraband in prison is five years, which must be served consecutively to the sentence being served when the crime was committed, and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI investigated the cases, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Meadows is prosecuting.

An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Tuscaloosa man for illegally possessing a firearm because of several previous felony convictions, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido.

An indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges HOWARD ALLEN JEMISON JR., 32, as a convicted felon in possession of a Sarsilmaz (Sar Arms) 9mm pistol on June 27 in Tuscaloosa County. According to the indictment, Jemison has the following prior felony convictions: unlawful possession of a controlled substance and first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, 2005, Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court; third-degree robbery, 2007, Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court; felon in possession of a firearm, 2011, U.S. District Court Northern District of Alabama; first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, 2012, Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court; and first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, 2017, Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court.

The maximum penalty for felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

ATF investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Royster is prosecuting.

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BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a former postal clerk for corrupting the sale of U.S. Postal Money Orders for her personal benefit, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and U.S. Postal Inspector Frank Dyer.

An indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges MITESHIA SHONTA PRITCHETT, 33, of Bessemer, with two counts of misappropriating postal funds while she worked as a clerk at the Shannon Post Office in 2016. The indictment also charges Pritchett with six counts of issuing money orders without receiving full payment for their face value so that she and others could fraudulently receive money from the Postal Service.

On both July 27, 2016, and Aug. 1, 2016, Pritchett converted to her own use $2,600 given to her as a Postal Service employee for money order purchases, according to the indictment. On other dates in July 2016, Pritchett issued three money orders to herself, one to Alabama Child Support and one to JEM, LLC, without receiving full payment for them, according to the indictment. Those six money orders totaled $2,797.

The maximum penalty for misappropriating U.S. Postal funds is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for improperly issuing money orders is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Barlow is prosecuting.

An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Decatur man on drug-trafficking and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and federal Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton.

An indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JESSIE SANCHEZ, 24, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Morgan County between November 2015 and Dec. 14, 2016.

The indictment also charges Sanchez with possessing with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine in two locations in Morgan County on June 9, 2016, and possessing cocaine on that date with intent to distribute it. The indictment further charges Sanchez with possessing a Ruger 9mm pistol on June 9, 2016, in furtherance of the drug possession on that date and the overall drug conspiracy.

On Dec. 14, 2016, Sanchez possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Morgan County and possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol in furtherance of that drug possession and the larger drug conspiracy, the indictment charges.

The penalty for conspiracy to distribute and for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine is 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute cocaine is 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense carries a minimum five-year prison sentence, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed for the crime, and a maximum $250,000 fine.

DEA investigated the case in conjunction with the Decatur Police Department and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting the case.

An indictment carries only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced the conviction of KEVIN JAMES PETROSKE, 36, of Hibbing, Minnesota, for producing, attempting to produce and possessing images and videos containing child pornography. Following a three-day trial before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, the jury found PETROSKE guilty on all counts.A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 18, 2018.

“Mr. Petroske preyed on vulnerable and unsuspecting victims in their homes. Fortunately, the jury recognized Mr. Petroske for the predator he is and returned a just result,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda Sertich. “I am grateful for the coordinated efforts of our law enforcement partners in working to achieve this successful conviction.”

As proven at trial, on October 23, 2015, law enforcement received a report of a man peering into residential windows of a home in Hibbing, Minn. Shortly after, law enforcement apprehended and identified the suspect as PETROSKE. Law enforcement investigators determined that PETROSKE had prior convictions in Stearns County for felony stalking and an open investigation in Benton County for possession of child pornography. Upon execution of a search warrant at PETROSKE’S residence, investigators seized a laptop computer containing hundreds of videos and images containing child pornography.

As proven at trial, many of the videos found on PETROSKE’S laptop, which were recorded between October 2011 and September 2015, contained surreptitious recordingsof minor females filmed through the windows of their homes without their knowledge. PETROSKE captured the victims in their bedrooms and bathrooms in various private moments and, in many of the videos, PETROSKE is heard masturbating and making sexual comments.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Hibbing Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.

Defendant Information:

KEVIN JAMES PETROSKE, 36

Hibbing, Minn.

Convicted:

• Production and attempted production of child pornography, 8 counts
• Possession of child pornography, 1 count

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - Glenn Edgor Pryor, of  St. Marys, West Virginia, pled guilty today to a methamphetamine distribution charge, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.

Pryor, age 60, was pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” He admitted to selling methamphetamine in Pleasants County in July 2016.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police and the Pleasants County Sheriff’s Office investigated. 

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

Bangor, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Amanda Harding a/k/a “Amanda Grass,” 32, of Orono, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to social security fraud.

According to court records, the defendant began receiving Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) payments in 2006. SSI benefits are paid by the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. The defendant was living in Maine when she first obtained SSI benefits. Between 2006 and 2016, the defendant was repeatedly informed that she needed to report any change of address to the SSA. On October 8, 2011, the defendant married a Canadian citizen, moved to Brunswick, Canada, and applied for Canadian citizenship. She resided in Canada from October 2011 through February 2016. The defendant did not inform SSA of her change of address and illegally obtained over $26,000 in SSI benefits. During an interview with law enforcement agents, the defendant admitted that she understood if she told SSA that she moved to Canada her SSI benefits would be significantly reduced.

The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by SSA’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Canadian Border Patrol

BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Hoover man on fraud charges connected to a scheme to create “synthetic identities” to obtain and use multiple fraudulent credit cards around the Birmingham metro area, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and U.S. Postal Inspector Frank Dyer.

An indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JERICHO ANTONIO PARKER, 26, with 21 wire fraud counts and one count of using unauthorized access devices as part of the wire fraud between June 1, 2016, and Aug. 30, 2016.

According to the indictment, Parker worked with other people, whom the document does not identify, to carry out the scheme to create numerous synthetic identities by combining fictitious names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers and then using those identities to apply for Discover credit cards.

Discover approved many of the applications and sent credit cards to Birmingham through the U.S. Postal Service. Parker received and activated cards and then used them in Jefferson, Shelby and St. Clair counties to get cash at ATMs or to make or attempt to make purchases, according to the indictment.

The 21 wire fraud counts represent occasions when Parker used the fraudulent Discover cards to get $300 cash advances from ATMs inside drug stores in Moody, Homewood, Birmingham and Hoover, or when he used or attempted to use the cards to make purchases, according to the indictment.

The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for fraudulent use of unauthorized access devices is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Barlow is prosecuting.

An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Dana J. Boente, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division of the Department of Justice (“NSD”), announced that FUYI SUN, a/k/a “Frank,” a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (“China”), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to three years in prison for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) in connection with a scheme to illegally export to China, without a license, high-grade carbon fiber, which is used primarily in aerospace and military applications.  SUN pled guilty on April 21, 2017, before United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who also imposed today’s sentence. 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “For nearly five years, Fuyi Sun tried to skirt U.S. export laws to obtain high-grade carbon fiber for the Chinese government.  He spent thousands of dollars and took years of covert actions to avoid detection of his plan to purchase this highly protected material.  Unbeknownst to Sun, however, he wasn’t making a deal with an unscrupulous company– he was dealing with undercover federal law enforcement agents, who foiled his clandestine plot.”

NSD Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana J. Boente said:  “Today, Sun is being held accountable for attempting to procure high grade carbon fiber – a material which has dual aerospace and defense applications – for a source he identified as the Chinese military.  Identifying and prosecuting those who seek to violate IEEPA and other laws designed to protect our strategic commodities from those who may wish us harm remains a top priority of the National Security Division.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and Indictment filed against SUN, and statements made in court filings and proceedings in open court:

Since approximately 2011, SUN has attempted to acquire extremely high-grade carbon fiber, including Toray type M60JB-3000-50B carbon fiber (“M60 Carbon Fiber”).  M60 Carbon Fiber has applications in aerospace technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as “drones”), and other government defense applications.  Accordingly, M60 Carbon Fiber is strictly controlled for nuclear non-proliferation and anti-terrorism reasons.  As part of these restrictions, the sale of M60 Carbon Fiber to China without a license is prohibited.

In furtherance of his attempts to illegally export M60 Carbon Fiber from the United States to China without a license, SUN contacted what he believed was a distributor of carbon fiber – but which was, in fact, an undercover entity created by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and “staffed” by HSI undercover special agents (the “UC Company”).  SUN inquired about purchasing the M60 Carbon Fiber without the required license.  In the course of his years-long communications with the undercover agents and UC Company, SUN repeatedly suggested various security measures that he believed would protect them from “U.S. intelligence.”  Among other such measures, at one point, SUN instructed the undercover agents to use the term “banana” instead of “carbon fiber” in their communications.  Consequently, soon thereafter he inquired about purchasing 450 kilograms of “banana” for more than $62,000.  In order to avoid detection, SUN also suggested removing the identifying barcodes for the M60 Carbon Fiber, prior to transshipment, and further suggested that they identify the M60 Carbon Fiber as “acrylic fiber” in customs documents.

On April 11, 2016, SUN traveled from China to New York for the purpose of purchasing M60 Carbon Fiber from the UC Company.  During meetings with the undercover agents on April 11 and 12, among other things, SUN suggested that the Chinese military was the ultimate end-user for the M60 Carbon Fiber he sought to acquire from the UC Company, and claimed to have personally worked in the Chinese missile program.  SUN further asserted that he maintained a close relationship with the Chinese military, had a sophisticated understanding of the Chinese military’s need for carbon fiber, and suggested that he would be supplying the M60 Carbon Fiber to the Chinese military or to institutions closely associated with it. 

On April 12, 2016, SUN agreed to purchase two cases of M60 Carbon Fiber from the UC Company.  On that date, SUN paid the undercover agents purporting to represent the UC Company $23,000 in cash for the carbon fiber, as well as an additional $2,000 as compensation for the risk he believed the UC Company was taking to illegally export the carbon fiber to China without a license.  SUN was arrested the next day.

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SUN, 53, is from Shanghai, China. 

Mr. Kim and Mr. Boente praised the extraordinary investigative work of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the New York Field US Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office; and the Northeast Field Office of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.  Mr. Kim also thanked the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International NarcoticsUnit and its Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Podolsky, Patrick Egan, and Nick Lewin are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney David Recker of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Eleasar Rodriguez-Torres, a/k/a “Rogelio Rodriguez-Martinez,” of Doylestown, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The indictment alleges that on or about July 31, 2017, Rodriguez-Torres, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about August 13, 2009, February 25, 2012, April 23, 2012, November 14, 2012, February 27, 2013, April 1, 2013, and January 27, 2014.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of two years.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger.

An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

TRENTON, N.J. – A DeKalb, Illinois, man who was arrested transporting four kilograms of heroin to Indiana pleaded guilty today in Trenton federal court, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Henry Zamora, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin.  

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

From June 2014 through November 2014, Zamora conspired with other members of a cross-country drug trafficking organization, which included cells operating in New Jersey, to transport and distribute bulk quantities of heroin. On Nov. 21, 2014, Zamora was arrested while transporting four kilograms of heroin contained in a hidden compartment in his vehicle. Following the arrest, officers recovered an additional two kilograms of heroin from his residence in DeKalb. 

The charge to which Zamora pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2017. 
 
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski, officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, and officers from the DeKalb Police Department with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Kearney and Jamari Buxton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OC/Gangs Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Andrea Bergman Esq., Trenton, New Jersey

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Aaron T. Shakir, 36, and Tracey M. Thomas, 51, both of Paris, Ky., were sentenced today by United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for conspiring to distribute 28 grams of more of crack cocaine in Paris, during June and July 2016. Shakir was sentenced to 35 years in prison and Thomas was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

In May 2017, a federal jury found Shakir guilty of the drug conspiracy charge and substantive drug distribution charges. Shakir was also found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm during his drug trafficking. The jury convicted Shakir after a two-day trial. Thomas pleaded guilty, in May 2017, and admitted to conspiring with Shakir to distribute the crack cocaine.

Under federal law, Shakir and Thomas must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon release, both Shakir and Thomas will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for eight years.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Stuart Lowery, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Richard Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police (KSP), jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert M. Duncan, Jr., and Cynthia T. Rieker.

BOSTON – Geovane Jose Ferreira, 34, a Brazilian national, was charged today in federal court in Boston with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

According to the indictment, Ferreira was previously deported on Dec. 17, 2003. On Aug. 2, 2017, law enforcement officers in Essex encountered Ferreira and determined him to be unlawfully present in the United States.

Ferreira faces a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.  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 and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

PHILADELPHIA – Gilbert Lemar Bates, 42, of Philadelphia, was charged today by indictment^[1] with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. According to the indictment, on May 11, 2017, Bates was in possession of Ruger, Model P345, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun bearing serial number 665-04763 and loaded with seven live rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, and on May 18, 2017, Bates was in possession of Smith & Wesson, Model 10-7, .38 caliber revolver bearing serial number 53984, which was loaded with six live rounds of .38 caliber ammunition.

If convicted, Bates faces a maximum term of ten-years’ imprisonment, up to three-years of supervised release, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José R. Arteaga.