DALLAS— Six individuals have been charged by three separate federal criminal complaints, unsealed today, stemming from their role in selling large quantities of methamphetamine in the Dallas and Desoto areas, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Specifically, the complaints charge Marco Gonzalez, 31, Alma Zoraida Borrayo-Villasenor, 32, Tomas Rodriguez, 37, Jose Trinidad Medina Tapia, 31, and Javier Guizar-Hernandez, 28, with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Jose Negrete, 42, is charged with knowingly possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The six defendants made their initial appearances in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Tolivar.

Borrayo-Villasenor, Rodriguez, Tapia, Guizar-Hernandez are all citizens of Mexico and were in the United States illegally when the offenses charged occurred.

According to the affidavits filed with the federal complaints, the defendants were involved in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organization that involved the recrystallization and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and the distribution of heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

A search warrant executed at a residence in Desoto revealed multiple kilograms of methamphetamine and a significant amount, at lease thirty gallons, of liquid methamphetamine. The residence in Desoto was used as a laboratory for the recrystallization of methamphetamine.

A search warrant executed at a residence in Dallas revealed two pounds of heroin, multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, multiple gallons of liquid methamphetamine and approximately $5,000 in cash. This residence was also used as a laboratory for the recrystallization of methamphetamine.

A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The U.S. Attorney’s office has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The penalty for the offense charged in the criminal complaints is a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a $10 million fine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance from the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, Garland Police Department, Waxahachie Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, and Texas Comptroller’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is prosecuting.

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DAVENPORT, IA – Peter Lundberg, 60, of St. Ann, Missouri, pled guilty to one count of bank robbery in United States District Court on September 1, 2017, announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel.

During his plea, Lundberg admitted to robbing Bank of the West in Coralville, Iowa, on April 20, 2017. Lundberg stole approximately $1,080 from the bank, which law enforcement later recovered.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Lundberg faces a maximum prison term of 20 years, and/or a fine up to $250,000; and, up to five years of supervised release. A mandatory special assessment of $100 per count will also be imposed.

The Coralville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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Learn more about this release by calling Jason T. Griess at 515-473-9300, or by emailing him at Jason.Griess@usdoj.gov.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA– Richard Michael Colbert, 56, of Pensacola Beach, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $3.7 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, false statement to a federally insured financial institution, nine counts of money laundering, and two counts of theft, embezzlement or misapplication by a person connected with a financial institution. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

In 2007, Colbert, while working as a title attorney, signed and submitted a false HUD-1 to the now defunct GulfSouth Private Bank in order for one of his business partners, a former builder, Lawrence Wright, to obtain a million dollar loan from GulfSouth. As a result of Colbert and Wright’s fraudulent conduct, GulfSouth ultimately sustained in excess of $636,000 in losses.

In 2010, Colbert again while working as a title attorney, facilitated a bank and mail fraud conspiracy by handling a number of closings that defrauded Bank of America, Beach Community Bank, and the now defunct Premier Community Bank. Bank of America, Beach Community Bank, and Premier Community Bank sustained losses totaling in excess of $2.3 million from the conspiracy.

Additionally, beginning in December 2010, while acting as an escrow agent for Beach Community Bank, Colbert embezzled and misapplied in excess of $400,000 that was being held at Beach Community Bank. Thereafter, between December 2010, and March 2011, Colbert conducted a series of financial transactions laundering the funds he had embezzled. In September 2011, Beach Community Bank personnel contacted Colbert to determine where the money was located. Unbeknownst to Beach Community Bank, Colbert then obtained money from a third party to replace the funds he had embezzled. However, a short time after placing the third party’s money into the Beach Community Bank account, Colbert embezzled in excess of $237,000 from the same account.

In addition to defrauding the financial institutions and embezzling from Beach Community Bank, the government’s evidence also showed that in August 2011, Colbert stole approximately $36,000 from four homeowners/condominium associations that he had been entrusted to oversee.

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “This bank fraud case is a reminder that my office will vigorously prosecute financial representatives who abuse positions of trust for their own gain. This defendant held a responsibility to conduct ethical transactions, and I commend the hard work of the investigators and prosecutors who enforce our federal laws and ensure that justice is served.”

“The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that take our expertise and skill to unravel,” said Mary Hammond, Special Agent in Charge, Tampa Field Office. “Today's sentencing of Mr. Colbert is a strong reminder that those who defraud others to enrich themselves will be held accountable.”

The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA– Michael Ray Alford, 50, of Youngstown, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison after a jury convicted him on June 20, 2017, of receipt and possession of child pornography. Alford had been previously convicted in the Northern District of Florida of a child pornography offense in 2002. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

In 2014, a Montana retailer reported to law enforcement officers that someone had called their store and stated an intent to commit sexual acts on a minor. Through records, officers discovered the call was made from Alford’s Bay County residence. During a forensic review of computers discovered at the residence, officers located images and online search terms of child pornography. In addition, child pornography was discovered in Alford’s e-mail account.

The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamilton (Montana) Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Protecting our children from exploitation is a top priority of my office and the Department of Justice. Every day, our hardworking prosecutors and law enforcement professionals seek to protect our innocent victims, keep our communities safe, and bring child predators to justice.”

“This case is an example of the great work that can be done when local and federal law enforcement agencies work together,” said Tampa HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, “This child predator will be now be held accountable for his crimes.”

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Philip Drake Kneeland, 34, d/b/a Tobacco Distress, Inc., at mile 91.5 of the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for distributing Spice and possessing a firearm in furtherance of Spice trafficking.

In addition to his prison sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess ordered Kneeland to forfeit to the United States approximately $75,400.00, a 2014 GMC truck, and 4 firearms. The Spice distributed by Kneeland contained “cannibimimetic agents,” including compounds JWH-18 and JWH-073, in violation of federal controlled substances law. Judge Burgess also ordered that Kneeland perform 200 hours of community service upon his release from prison, because Kneeland’s sales triggered an epidemic of Spice-related law enforcement responses on the Kenai Peninsula, including emergency room visits, suspected suicides and DUIs, severely impacting the community. The Court heard testimony from a local resident and local law enforcement that the Spice epidemic on the Kenai Peninsula has essentially disappeared since Kneeland’s arrest.

Kneeland pled guilty on March 6, 2017, to possession of synthetic cannabimimetic agents with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, stemming from a search of Tobacco Distress on Oct. 31, 2015.

As widely reported in the summer of 2015, Anchorage experienced an explosion of Spice overdose emergency calls which strained first responders and claimed many victims. In the fall of 2015, Kenai Peninsula residents openly protested Kneeland’s Spice sales outside the Tobacco Distress premises, carrying signs saying “SPICE KILLS.”

As explained by the Indictment in the case, “Spice” is a generic term for smokeable synthetic cannibinoids, which are manufactured by dissolving psychotropic drugs, compounds such as JWH-18 and JWH-073, in acetone and spraying it on plant material.

Acting U.S. Attorney Schroder complimented the investigation of the case, which was conducted by DEA, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Kenai Police Department, and the Alaska State Troopers Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit based on the Kenai Peninsula.

ALBUQUERQUE – Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and U.S. Marshal Conrad E. Candelaria announced that the office of Ayudando Alpha, Inc., d/b/a “Ayudando Guardians, Inc.” (Ayudando), will close effective today, August 31, 2017. Despite the office’s closing, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) remains responsible for managing Ayudando’s business affairs under a protective restraining order issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, which authorized the USMS’s Complex Assets Unit to assume control of Ayudando’s business operations.

The U.S. Marshals Service took over Ayudando’s business operations on July 19, 2017, when federal officials announced the filing of a 28-count indictment against Ayudando and its co-founders, Susan Harris, 70, and Sharon Moore, 62. The indictment alleges conspiracy, fraud, theft and money laundering charges arising out of an alleged scheme to embezzle funds from client trust accounts managed by Ayudando, a non-profit corporation that provides guardianship, conservatorship and financial management services to hundreds of individuals with special needs. The federal court order authorized the USMS to operate the business to ensure that its assets were not improperly spent or removed, and that the interests of Ayudando clients were protected as the prosecution of the criminal case moves forward.

Acting under the federal court order, the USMS has facilitated the transfer of the vast majority of Ayudando’s approximately 1400 clients, including all clients who receive benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Social Security Administration, to other service providers and/or new representative payees. In addition, the majority of clients for whom Ayudando was appointed as guardian by the state courts have also been transferred to temporary guardians pending final transfers in the coming weeks. As part of these processes, clients can expect to receive communication from their new representative payee, guardian, or fiduciary if they have not already.

Ayudando clients who are still awaiting transfers will receive services from providers that have entered into agreements with Ayudando and the USMS to provide temporary, interim services until long-term transfers can be accomplished:

• Ayudando clients who are part of the class of individuals covered by the New Mexico Office of Guardianship will receive services from either CNRAG, Inc., Tierra Alta Guardianship Services, LLC, or Quality of Life Guardians, LLC, until the courts can appoint new temporary or permanent guardians for those individuals, if appropriate.

• Any other Ayudando clients for whom Ayudando maintained guardianship, medical power of attorney accounts, private trust accounts or conservator services will receive guardianship services from Ascending Hope, LLC, or financial fiduciary services from Bridge to Success, Inc., until the courts can appoint new temporary or permanent guardians for those individuals, if appropriate.

Although the physical office space of Ayudando are now closed and other service providers are servicing Ayudando clients, the USMS remains responsible for managing Ayudando’s business affairs pursuant to the federal court order, and remains committed to ensuring continuity of service for Ayudando clients.

Harris and Moore have entered not guilty pleas to the charges in the indictment and are under pretrial supervision and other conditions of release pending trial, which has yet to be scheduled. The public is reminded that charges in indictments are merely allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Information about the federal investigation into Ayudando, including the pending prosecution of Ayudando and its principals and the federal court order, is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nm/ayudando-guardians.

The Albuquerque offices of the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation, which resulted in the charges in the indictment, and are leading the continuing investigation. The Complex Assets Unit and the Albuquerque and Phoenix, Ariz., offices of the USMS, the Criminal Investigations Division of the VA Office of Inspector General, and the Dallas Field Division of the SSA Office of Inspector General are assisting in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Brandon L. Fyffe are prosecuting the case.

ALBUQUERQUE – CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center (St. Vincent) and its partner, CHRISTUS Health (CHRISTUS), have agreed to resolve allegations thatthey violated the False Claims Act by making illegal donations to county governments, which were used to fund the state share of Medicaid payments to the hospital, the Department of Justice announced today. Under the settlement agreement, St. Vincent and CHRISTUS have agreed to pay $12.24 million, plus interest. St. Vincent is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. CHRISTUS is based in Irving, Texas.

“Congress expressly intended that states and counties use their own money when seeking federal matching funds,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Using local funds provides an incentive for the counties and states to, among other things, hold down costs rather than rely on non bona-fide donations by private providers.”

New Mexico’s Sole Community Provider (SCP) program, which was discontinued in 2014, provided supplemental Medicaid funds to hospitals in mostly rural communities. The federal government reimbursed the state of New Mexico for approximately 75 percent of its health care expenditures under the SCP program. Under federal law, New Mexico’s 25 percent “matching” share of SCP program payments had to consist of state or county funds, and not impermissible “donations” from private hospitals. This restriction on the use of private hospital funds to satisfy state Medicaid obligations was enacted by Congress to curb possible abuses and ensure that states have sufficient incentive to curb rising Medicaid costs.

Between 2001 and 2009, St. Vincent and CHRISTUS allegedly made non-bona fide donations and thus caused the presentment of false claims by the state of New Mexico to the federal government under the Medicaid program.

“Protecting the integrity of the Medicaid program is crucial because millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of New Mexicans, depend on the program for medical care and related services,” said Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney for the District of New Mexico. “This case illustrates our commitment to ensuring that government funds are legally obtained and used for their intended purposes. We will use all available civil remedies to recover the ill-gotten gains obtained by those who defraud government health care programs.”

The settlement resolves allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a former Los Alamos County, New Mexico Indigent Healthcare Administrator under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower will receive $2.249 million as her share of the recovery in this case.

The case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico with assistance from the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

The lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Stepan v. Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center Corp. et al., Civil Action No. 11-cv-572 (D.N.M.). The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

PITTSBURGH - A former resident of McKees Rocks, Pa. and the Hill District area of Pittsburgh, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Escaping From Federal Custody, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

Anthony Lee, aka Jamar Mitchell, age 37, pleaded guilty to the escape before Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, on October 23, 2016, Lee was serving the last portion of his sentence at a halfway house in Pittsburgh called the Renewal Center after being convicted in federal court of felony charges involving drugs and guns. Court records show that Lee had ultimately been sentenced to 120 months at that prior federal case after the term was reduced from a higher sentence. When Lee’s girlfriend came to visit him at the Renewal Center, she found him with another woman. An argument ensued and Lee punched the girlfriend in the face, knocking her to the ground. The defendant fled the scene with the other woman and was in escape status until arrested by the United States Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force on November 22, 2016, at the residence of the other woman. During the hearing, Lee’s attorney stated that he admitted the escape, but did not admit that he assaulted his former girlfriend.

Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the charge and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

The court ordered that the defendant remain in federal custody pending his sentencing date.

Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt of the Violent Crime Section is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Marshal Service and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the apprehension and prosecution of Lee.

AGENTS SEIZE OVER 30 KILOGRAMS OF DRUGS AND APPROXIMATELY A MILLION DOLLARS ONE DEFENDANT SHOT DURING TAKE DOWN

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN– Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced that his office sought, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Phillip J. Green issued last Friday and earlier today, arrest warrants for eighteen separate defendants charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine in the areas of Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor, Michigan. The affidavit filed in support of the complaint alleges that the drugs were trafficked into West Michigan by semi-tractor trailer from California.

          During the arrests of the defendants and execution of associated searches, federal, state and local investigators seized over 30 kilograms of heroin and cocaine, multiple pounds of marijuana, two kilogram presses, approximately $1,000,000, a bullet-proof vest, three handguns and an assault rifle with an extended magazine. One defendant suffered a gunshot wound in the course of the execution of the arrests and searches. He will appear for proceedings as his condition allows.

          Further details of the allegations may be found in the attached complaint and 185-page supporting affidavit, which were unsealed at the initial appearance of eleven of the defendants today. A twelfth defendant, Phillip Nelson, made his initial appearance in Chicago, in the Northern District of Illinois.

          The charges are the result of a multi-agency Federal, State and local law enforcement investigation into the conspiracy. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Vice Unit of the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD), Kent County Sheriff’s Department (KCSD), Wyoming Police Department, Michigan State Police (MSP), Kent Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (KANET), Metropolitan Enforcement Team (MET), U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), Albion P.D., Calhoun County Sheriff Department, and South West Enforcement Team (SWET) have all supported the investigation.

          The charges in the complaint, which carry varying maximum penalties of up to 20 years or life in prison, depending on the allegations against the individual defendant, are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

          The image below shows items recovered through the law enforcement operation.

          The DEA requests the public’s assistance in locating the following defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances:

Pictures of fugitives Demetrius Gaines, Retisha Pegram, Brandon Parks, and Etrevion Murphy

In 2012, federal, state and local officials combined to launch an innovative anti-violence initiative in New Haven.  We called it Project Longevity in recognition of our goal to provide longevity to the lives of urban black males – who too often are cut down by gun violence – and because we aspired to instill the program’s core concepts in our police departments as an enduring way of “doing business.”  Within the year, Bridgeport and Hartford were also up and running.

Project Longevity has lived up to its name.  Now in its fifth year, it continues to bring together law enforcement, community members and service providers to collectively address violent crime. The budget for Project Longevity has included the salaries for a Statewide Manager, three city Project Managers, and three Service Coordinators.  These seven individuals are the backbone of the operation.  They have worked hard to forge partnerships between law enforcement, social service providers and members of violent groups to help those who want to step away from dangerous associations toward a new, law abiding life.  This is not easy work, as it requires overcoming challenges involving employment, housing, addiction, anger management and transportation.  Through the unwavering commitment of our Project Longevity leaders, they have earned the trust of both community members and violent offenders.

The Project Longevity leaders’ diligence has also led to remarkable relationships amongst all of our law enforcement partners. The police departments of our state’s three largest cities are working hand-in-hand with our Statewide Coordinator and their city’s Program Manager.  Some departments insist that their special units meet and share intelligence on a daily or weekly basis.  In New Haven, we have meetings four days a week, with representatives from the NHPD intel unit, shooting task force, homicide, robbery/burglary, and detective units, District Managers, SROs, Narcotics, Bureau of Identification, ATF, FBI, DEA, DOC, West Haven and Hamden Police Departments, adult probation, adult parole, juvenile prosecutor’s office, juvenile probation, and juvenile parole, federal probation, State’s Attorney’s Office, United States Attorney’s Office and the Project Longevity Project Manager in attendance. The group’s sole aim is to reduce, prevent and solve violent crime by quickly and resolutely responding to the latest group to act violently.  Their success is boldly reflected in the dramatic decline in violent crime in New Haven since Project Longevity’s inception in 2012.

Taxpayers benefit directly from Project Longevity in the form of averted medical, law enforcement, and criminal justice expenses that otherwise are incurred by the government. Taking the yearly cost of the entire program, one study suggests that Connecticut taxpayers benefit from almost $5 million in net savings.  But in light of Connecticut’s fiscal crisis, our Statewide Coordinator, three Project Managers and three Service Coordinators are working without pay or assurance they will receive retroactive remuneration.  Each year, our project managers conduct at least three Call-Ins, participate in hundreds of Custom Notifications, deliver anti-violence presentations to community groups and schools, and spearhead food and clothing drives.  Although this small team has not been paid for months, they have not stopped working to make our communities safer.  Their dedication to Project longevity does not depend on a paycheck.  We hope we can keep our promises to these faithful professionals.

U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly
Bridgeport Police Chief Armando J. Perez
Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella
New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore today sentenced Yuneski Perdomo (35, previously of Tampa) to four years and ten months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit access device (credit card) fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $31,016.32, the proceeds of the credit card fraud.

Perdomo pleaded guilty on June 1, 2017.

According to court documents, in 2013, Perdomo was the ringleader of a conspiracy that included co-defendants Edel Gomez, Tonysbell Calero-Alvarez, and Jorge Duran-Blanco. The conspirators obtained stolen credit and debit account numbers that they then used to create or purchase counterfeit or cloned credit cards. The true owners of the accounts remained in possession of the cards, so they did not know to report them stolen. The conspirators then spent hours each day traveling around Florida, making purchases at various retail stores using the counterfeit credit cards. They purchased cigarettes and gift cards, among other things, that could be sold for cash, and shared the proceeds. In one instance, at Perdomo’s direction, Gomez, Calero-Alvarez, and Duran-Blanco used counterfeit credit cards at approximately 14 different Walmart locations in the Tampa Bay area over a 24-hour period. Agents identified $30,000 in actual losses and approximately $148,000 in intended losses attributable to the fraud, and they determined that more than 40 individuals’ stolen account information had been used.

Gomez, Calero-Alvarez, and Duran-Blanco pleaded guilty for their roles in this case and were sentenced in 2014 to 36 months’ imprisonment, 44 months’ imprisonment, and 5 years’ probation, respectively. Perdomo was a fugitive from late 2013 until late 2016.

This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Tampa Police Department, all of whom are members of the USSS’s credit card fraud and identity theft task force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell today sentenced Sharmekia Young (36, Plant City) to three years in federal prison for conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Young pleaded guilty on March 29, 2017.

According to court documents, Young worked at a healthcare company’s billing center in Lakeland, Florida. As an employee of the company, she had password-protected access to the company’s secure computerized databases, which contained medical records and the Personal Identifiable Information (PII) of its customers and patients, including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers.

Young agreed with another employee, Fontella James, to steal hundreds of patients’ records containing the PII of their customers, to sell to another co-conspirator, Vickie Bryant. Young and James provided the PII to Bryant so that Bryant could sell the information to another individual who then manufactured, sold, and used counterfeit credit cards and counterfeit State of Florida Drivers Licenses. On or about June 9, 2016, and again on June 16, 2016, Bryant met with the individual and sold him PII of 957 different victims.

In December 2016, Bryant was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment for access device (credit card) fraud and aggravated identity theft. James was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in June 2017.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tampa Police Department, as part of the Secret Service’s Financial Investigations Strike Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones, Amanda Riedel, and Adam Saltzman.

RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon and alleged supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”) was arrested yesterday on a charge related to his acquisition of a firearm, three weeks after he was released from state prison.

Casey Charles Spain, 28, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Spain was in prison for over seven years after being convicted in 2010 for abduction with intent to defile. He was released from the Virginia Department of Corrections on August 11.

According to court documents, while in prison, Spain became radicalized and adopted extremist Islamic views. He obtained a tattoo on his cheek that reads “Cop Killa,” and a tattoo of the ISIS flag on his back. Two confidential sources of information who had contact with Spain while he was in prison separately reported that Spain swore a pledge of loyalty, commonly known as bayat, to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Spain also allegedly told both individuals that he wanted to travel overseas to engage in jihad on behalf of ISIS, and that if he were not allowed to travel upon his release, he would engage in jihad, to include acts of violence, against targets in the United States.

Given this information, the FBI began conducting intensive surveillance of Spain immediately upon his release from incarceration. This surveillance included making covert contact with Spain through FBI undercover employees (“UCE”) and a confidential human source (“CHS”). According to the complaint affidavit, Spain spoke on multiple occasions to the CHS about his strong desire to both obtain a handgun and travel overseas to engage in actions in support of ISIS. The CHS’s information regarding Spain’s plan was corroborated by several recorded conversations Spain had with still-incarcerated prisoners after his release.

Because of Spain’s violent history, his stated intentions, and the impatience he exhibited with regard to obtaining a firearm, the FBI organized an undercover operation in which the CHS would make a controlled delivery of a handgun, which he told Spain was his own personal weapon. The weapon used in the undercover operation was a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic handgun. For safety reasons, FBI personnel made the handgun inert.

According to court documents, early yesterday investigators executed the undercover operation during which the CHS and an FBI UCE met Spain outside of his Richmond residence. At that meeting, the CHS provided Spain the above-described firearm. Immediately thereafter, the FBI Richmond SWAT team executed an operation to arrest Spain, who then attempted to flee law enforcement by running and jumping a nearby fence. FBI SWAT members pursued Spain on foot and quickly apprehended him, along with recovering a cell phone and the gun, which Spain had discarded during the foot-chase.

On August 31, Spain made his initial appearance in federal court following his arrest on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young ordered that Spain be held without bond pending a probable cause and detention hearing, which is scheduled for September 6.

Spain faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence would be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hood of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-mj-152.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Adrian D. Briggs, 21, was convicted today by a federal jury on charges of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to court records and evidence at trial, on Aug. 11, 2016, Newport News Police Department officers responded to a hotel parking lot following a report of a carjacking in which Briggs had brandished a firearm and threatened the victim, a U.S. Army veteran who had served two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The victim had agreed to loan Briggs his cell phone, which Briggs then took along with the car.

The investigation revealed video footage showing a man matching the defendant’s description entering the hotel shortly before the carjacking, and another video showing the same person pulling into a nearby 7-Eleven in the victim’s car just before using the victim’s credit card at the location. Briggs’ DNA was identified by fingerprints in the victim’s car, and the victim positively identified Briggs from a photo spread. In addition, phone records showed that Briggs had used the victim’s cell phone to call Briggs’ mother and sister on the morning of the crime.

Briggs faces a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison when sentenced on November 29. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael B. Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Richard W. Myers, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard J. Zlotnick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany J. Lipman of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-33.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut will implement an online messaging campaign in September during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month to highlight the importance of law enforcement wellness and suicide prevention. According to Badge of Life, more officers die of suicide than from gunfire and traffic accidents combined. The Police Suicide Study estimates that an average of 130 law enforcement suicides occur per year, which is more than ten per month.

“The hard truth is that every year far more police officers take their own lives than are killed in the line of duty by criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly.  “This is not surprising when we consider the relentless demands and undeniable toll of the job.  Police work draws people of exceptional courage and humility.  But far too many officers suffer in silence unable to seek the help they need.  We need to do everything we can to prioritize the well-being of all law enforcement officers.”

Over the course of the month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will disseminate messages via social media using the hashtag #OfficerWellness.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Bowie, Maryland woman was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for bank fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Lewis to forfeit and pay over $249,000 in restitution.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Tonia Latrice Lewis, 47, obtained the identities of dozens of victims and used those identities to open bank accounts and apply for loans in the names of the victims, without their knowledge or consent. Lewis submitted over 30 applications to open accounts and get access to funds from various financial institutions, including Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Lafayette Federal Credit Union, U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union, Interior Federal Credit Union, D.C. Teachers Federal Credit Union, M&T Bank, and others. Most of the financial institutions that Lewis defrauded were not-for-profit credit unions.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lewis took sophisticated steps to perpetrate the years-long scheme and conceal her identity. Lewis focused on financial institutions that allowed her to apply for and submit back-up documentation online, thereby minimizing the risk that she would be caught on surveillance video. Lewis fabricated a variety of fraudulent documents to substantiate the applications and stolen identities, including paystubs and driver’s licenses, and she paid to run detailed credit reports/checks on her victims. In perpetrating this scheme, Lewis created fake email accounts, purchased burner phones that were used as the contact numbers on the fraudulent applications, and caused the victims’ mail to be forwarded to vacant/abandoned properties. When Lewis went to withdraw funds from the fraudulent accounts, she often wore clothing such as hats, glasses, or scarves that obscured her face, and even took steps to cover up surveillance cameras by covering them with aluminum foil.

Lewis sought over $600,000 in loans and financing, and her actions caused actual losses of $249,858.29. Lewis used the proceeds from the fraud in part to purchase jewelry, items of clothing, and to gamble at a casino in West Virginia.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and J. Thomas Manger, Montgomery County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine L. Wong and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Culhane Harper of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-25.

RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon and alleged supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”) was arrested yesterday on a charge related to his acquisition of a firearm, three weeks after he was released from state prison.

Casey Charles Spain, 28, of Richmond, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Spain was incarcerated for over seven years after being convicted in 2010 for abduction with intent to defile. He was released from the Virginia Department of Corrections on August 11, 2017.

According to court documents, while incarcerated, Spain became radicalized and adopted extremist Islamic views. He obtained a tattoo on his cheek that reads “Cop Killa,” and a tattoo of the ISIS flag on his back. Two confidential sources of information who had contact with Spain while he was incarcerated separately reported that Spain swore a pledge of loyalty, commonly known as bayat, to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Spain also allegedly told both individuals that he wanted to travel overseas to engage in jihad on behalf of ISIS, and that if he were not allowed to travel upon his release, he would engage in jihad, to include acts of violence, against targets in the United States.

Given this information, the FBI began conducting intensive surveillance of Spain immediately upon his release from incarceration. This surveillance included making covert contact with Spain through FBI undercover employees (“UCE”) and a confidential human source (“CHS”). According to the complaint affidavit, Spain spoke on multiple occasions to the CHS about his strong desire to both obtain a handgun and travel overseas to engage in actions in support of ISIS. The CHS’s information regarding Spain’s plan was corroborated by several recorded conversations Spain had with still-incarcerated prisoners after his release.

Based upon Spain’s desire to obtain a firearm and the impatience he exhibited with regard to obtaining one, the CHS—as part of a controlled FBI undercover operation—offered to provide Spain with what the CHS described as his own personal weapon. In fact, it was a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic handgun that FBI personnel had rendered inert, for safety reasons.

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of August 31, 2017, as part of the undercover operation, the CHS and an FBI UCE met Spain outside of his Richmond residence. At that meeting, the CHS provided Spain the above-described firearm, and Spain was subsequently arrested by the FBI Richmond SWAT team. Spain initially attempted to flee and escape arrest by running and jumping a nearby fence, but FBI SWAT members pursued Spain on foot and quickly apprehended him. The agents also recovered a cell phone and the gun, which Spain had discarded during the foot-chase.

On August 31, 2017, Spain made his initial appearance in federal court following his arrest on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young ordered that Spain be held without bond pending a probable cause and detention hearing, which is scheduled for September 6, 2017.

Spain faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence would be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hood of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-mj-152.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

          CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that two residents of New Ipswich, New Hampshire have pleaded guilty to charges that they conspired to distribute misbranded drugs that they obtained from India.

           John Hayes, 53, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. His wife, Plabplueng Hayes, 50, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 23, 2017.

          According to court documents and statements in court, the defendants conspired with an unindicted co-conspirator in India, and with John Hayes’ brother (James Hayes) and sister-in-law Shannon Hayes) in North Carolina to receive shipments from India (often three to five shipments per week) that contained, in the aggregate, hundreds of thousands of pills. These pills were then sold to various customers. James Hayes and Shannon Hayes have each pleaded guilty to related charges in North Carolina.

          During the course of the conspiracy, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), seized more than 60 shipments from India addressed to John Hayes for delivery at his residence and at multiple Post Office boxes in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Those seized shipments were found to contain more than 100,000 pills. The pills were all packaged in blister packs with no packaging that a person would recognize as retail-type packaging, and with no directions under which a layman could use a drug safely and for the purposes for which it was intended. Testing showed that thousands of the pills were prescription drugs and controlled substances. In addition, CBP sent letters to John Hayes at the Hayes residence advising him that the seizures occurred because the drugs were imported contrary to federal regulations that prohibit the importation of controlled substances without the express authorization of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

          Postal Service and PayPal records also showed that an email account that was used by both defendants sent more than 5,000 packages to locations throughout the United States, including outside of New Hampshire, between February 2012 and September 2013. The email account also was used by both defendants to manage and confirm the receipt of drugs from India, to receive and track customer orders for drugs, and to coordinate payments.

          A search warrant executed at the Hayes residence in New Ipswich resulted in the seizure of more than 100,000 pills, including prescription drugs and controlled substances, as well as shipping labels and empty shipping containers, and other documents. Among these documents were two letters from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informing John Hayes that tramadol tablets shipped to him were being refused entry into the United States because the drugs appeared to be unapproved and misbranded.

          Plabplueng Hayes will be sentenced on November 28, 2017 and John Hayes will be sentenced on December 12, 2017.

          “The importation and sale of misbranded drugs presents a serious threat to the community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Consumers who purchase such drugs cannot be confident that the products that they are using have been manufactured under appropriate and sanitary conditions. Ingesting such pills can lead to unexpected and dangerous consequences. I appreciate the hard work of the law enforcement agents in this case who identified and dismantled this dangerous operation.”

          “Sending illegal prescription drugs into the U.S. marketplace puts consumers’ health at risk,” said Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”

          This case was investigated by FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold Huftalen and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hawkins, who is Senior Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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          CONCORD, N.H. – A former federal corrections officer, Latoya Sebree, 37, pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes and providing contraband to federal inmates, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

          According to statements made in court, Sebree, while employed as a corrections officer, provided cellular telephones, tobacco, marijuana and other contraband to inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, in exchange for money. While investigating the case, law enforcement agents examined cell phones in the possession of inmates that contained numerous text messages that revealed evidence of bribes inmates paid to Sebree.

          After viewing that evidence, the law enforcement agents monitored communications between Sebree and an inmate’s girlfriend, who was cooperating with the authorities. In the communications, Sebree agreed to deliver a cellular telephone and a quantity of tobacco to an inmate for $2000 in cash. The cash was mailed to a Post Office box that Sebree rented. After the transaction was completed, $2000 in cash, a quantity of tobacco in various stages of packaging, a heat sealer, three Samsung phones in heat sealed packaging, a Samsung Galaxy phone with a battery and charger, a package of Suboxone, and a VISA gift card were recovered during a search of Sebree’s home in Milan, New Hampshire.

          Sebree is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2017. She faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the bribery charge. She faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for providing contraband to inmates.

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to identifying and prosecuting corrupt public employees,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Smuggling contraband into prisons creates hazards for both inmates and corrections officers. We will work closely with our law enforcement partners to prevent contraband from getting into prisons and to ensure that corrections officers do not engage in unlawful activities or seek to profit from their positions.”

          The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

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            WASHINGTON – Keith D. Forney, 58, of Clinton, Md., was arraigned today on charges of engaging in corrupt election practices, second-degree fraud, perjury, making campaign contributions in excess of legal limits, and making campaign contributions through other persons, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office.

            Forney pled not guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and remains free on personal recognizance. He also recently pled not guilty at his arraignments in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on federal charges in two indictments returned against him there. In the federal cases, Forney is accused of participating in a contract fraud scheme against the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts and filing fraudulent federal tax returns.

            In the Superior Court case, Forney was indicted on Aug. 16, 2017, on two counts of engaging in corrupt election practices; three counts of second-degree fraud; two counts of perjury, three counts of exceeding campaign contribution limitations, and eight counts of making campaign contributions through other persons.

            According to the Superior Court indictment, Forney claimed for years that a rental property he owned in the District of Columbia was his sole primary residence, when he actually was residing in Clinton, Md. Forney also filed federal and District of Columbia tax returns using the D.C. address. Additionally, he obtained a District of Columbia driver’s license and registered as a D.C. voter while having a license and being registered to vote in Maryland. By documenting that he resided in the District of Columbia, Forney’s construction business, Forney Enterprises, Inc., (FEI) could qualify as a resident owned business in the District of Columbia and receive preferences in bidding on District of Columbia government contracts. The company got those designations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016.

            Additionally, under District of Columbia law, individuals may not contribute more than $1,000 in support of a candidate for an at-Large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia and may not contribute more than $500 for a candidate seeking a ward seat. Individuals also may not make or cause contributions to made in the name of others. According to the indictment, Forney violated those laws with contributions to three candidates in the 2012 election.

            Both of the federal indictments were returned on Aug. 10, 2017.

            In one federal case, Forney and a co-defendant, Riad M. Sleit, were indicted on two counts of fraud stemming from an alleged scheme involving Forney’s company, FEI, and payments it received as a minority business enterprise. Forney was also charged with two counts of money laundering.

            The scheme allegedly involved a series of contracts awarded by the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts to Sharp Business Systems (SBS) for work on copiers throughout the state’s court system. Under contracts issued in 2009, 2010, and 2011, SBS was to meet a requirement that 20 percent of its sub-contracting work be performed by a minority business enterprise, which, in this case, was to be FEI. Sleit was the president of the metropolitan Washington, D.C. branch of SBS and was involved in the contract, the indictment alleges.

            However, according to the indictment, FEI never performed any work or provided any services. Forney, Sleit, and an SBS consultant, John N. Vassos, caused SBS to pay $689,800 to FEI from 2009 to 2013 for its purported work. Forney then turned over the money that FEI received from SBS to Vassos.

            In addition to his work at FEI, Forney and a business partner owned Stadium Club, an establishment in Southeast Washington. In May 2010, according to the indictment, Vassos provided approximately $2 million to Forney and his partner to finance the purchase of the property where Stadium Club was located. Additionally, from 2011 until 2014, Vassos loaned hundreds of thousands of dollars to Forney and his partner.

            Sleit, 60, of Sarasota, Fla., has entered a not guilty plea. Vassos, 55, of Bethesda, Md., pled guilty in June 2017 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of tax fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing.

            In the other federal case, Forney was indicted on two counts of tax fraud for allegedly under-reporting his income on federal income tax returns for the 2009 and 2010 calendar years.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office are investigating the cases. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Saler and Michael Marando. Assistance has been provided by Paralegal Specialists C. Rosalind Pressley, Toni Anne Donato, Aisha Keys, and Jessica Mundi; Financial Analyst Bryan J. Snitselaar; Litigation Technology Specialist Kimberly Smith; and former Criminal Investigators Juan Juarez and Stephen Cohen, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.