GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On October 11, 2017, Gregg Paul Smith, 48, of Kingsport, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 151 months in federal prison as a result of his July 2017 guilty plea to receipt of child pornography and possession of stolen firearms.  Upon his release from prison, he will be supervised by U.S. Probation for 15 years. There is no parole in the federal system.

The investigation of Smith was initiated when investigators with the Knoxville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) obtained child pornography images and videos uploaded through an internet file sharing service from an IP address associated with his address.  A search warrant was executed at the residence and officers from the Kingsport Police Department and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office seized computer equipment, which was found to contain thousands of images and videos containing child pornography.  During the search, officers also found multiple firearms that were stolen from a firearms dealership where Smith was employed. 

Agencies involved in this investigation included the Sullivan County Sheriff Department, Kingsport Police Department, Knoxville Police Department ICAC Task Force, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.  J. Gregory Bowman, Assistant U.S. Attorney represented the United States.      

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC Marshals federal, state, tribal 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 visit  ProjectSafeChildhood.gov.

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ALBUQUERQUE – Mark Silva, 48, of Sundance, N.M., pled guilty this morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a sexual abuse charge.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Silva will be sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.  Silva will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Silva was arrested on April 4, 2017, on an indictment charging him with sexual abuse on May 1, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M.

During today’s proceedings, Silva pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on May 1, 2016, he sexually abused a Navajo woman.  Silva further admitted that he engaged in the sexual act while knowing that the victim was incapable of declining participation in or communicating unwillingness to engage in the sexual act.  Silva remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Spindle pursuant to the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both.  The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.

An Akron man was sentenced to life in prison for shooting a woman in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park last year, law enforcement officials said.

DeZay M. Ely, 28, was previously pleaded guilty to attempted murder, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

Ely attempted to kill a woman on July 3, 2016, by shooting her in the head, according to court documents.

U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson sentenced Ely to 20 years in prison for attempted murder, to be followed by a consecutive sentence of life in prison for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

“This defendant took a firearm into a national park and tried to murder a young woman,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “He left her with lifelong, serious injuries. Our community is a safer place with him behind bars.”

Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office, said: “Law enforcement is pleased that Dezay Ely will be spending the rest of his life in prison for the horrific crime he committed against an innocent victim. The collaboration between the FBI, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Service, BCI and the public was invaluable to identifying and holding Ely accountable for this senseless crime.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly L. Galvin and Linda Barr following an investigation by the FBI, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

GREENVILLE– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court on October 10, 2017, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard, sentenced QUINCEY TYRONE CHAMPION, 38, of Henderson, NC to 85 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

CHAMPION was named in an Indictment filed on April 24, 2017.  On July 14, 2017, CHAMPION pled guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Felon.

On December 17, 2016, officers with the Henderson Police Department responded to the Auto Brite Car Wash in reference to a shooting.  Upon arrival and while securing the crime scene, officers were approached by the victim’s cousin, who advised that he had taken the victim to the hospital.  The men were washing their vehicles when he heard three shots.  The victim ran toward another vehicle and then reported that he needed to go to the hospital.  They saw a tall male wearing a hoodie running towards the back of the car wash and jumping the fence.  One of the officers found two shell casings and one live bullet in the parking lot near the crime scene.  Meanwhile, another officer responded to Maria Parham Medical Center in Henderson to interview the victim, who had been admitted to the emergency room.  The victim stated that he was washing his vehicle at the car wash when he heard a gunshot and then felt a sharp pain in his left ankle.  The victim identified CHAMPION as the shooter.

     CHAMPION, a convicted felon, was in possession of ammunition on December 17, 2016.  Additionally, the defendant used or possessed a firearm or ammunition in connection with another felony offense, Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

The Henderson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case.  Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Two Raleigh County felons pleaded guilty today to federal gun charges, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Jerry Wayne Phillips, Jr., 40, of Beckley, entered his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. In a separate prosecution, Don Edward Christy, Jr., 42, of Prince, also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Phillips admitted that on June 23, 2016, he possessed six stolen firearms, including a Marlin, Model 30AW, .30/.30 caliber rifle; a Norinco, Model Type 56 SKS, 7.62x39mm rifle; a Mossberg, Model 500, 12 gauge shotgun; a Keystone Sporting Arms, Model Cricket, .22 caliber rifle; a Winchester, Model 190, .22 caliber rifle; and a Rossi (Taurus), Model S411220BS, .410/.22 caliber rifle. Phillips was prohibited from possessing any firearms under federal law because of a 1998 felony drug conviction in Raleigh County Circuit Court and a 2004 misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence.

In a separate prosecution, Christy admitted that on July 27, 2017, he sold an SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm pistol to a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The gun deal took place in the parking lot of Walmart on North Eisenhower Drive in Beckley. Christy further admitted that on August 14, 2017, he sold a Taurus, Model PT 111, Millennium G2, 9mm pistol and approximately 7.8 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the ATF. The gun and drug deal took place in the parking lot of AutoZone on Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley. Christy was prohibited from possessing any firearms under federal law because of two felony convictions in Raleigh County Circuit Court, one in 2006 for attempt to commit aggravated robbery and another in 2014 for breaking and entering.

Phillips and Christy each face up to 10 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on January 31, 2018.

The investigations were conducted by the ATF and the Beckley Police Department. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime.

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A Toledo felon was indicted for using a firearm during the robbery of a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop last month, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman, Toledo Police Chief George Kral and Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Columbus Field Division.

Mark Larkett, 29, was indicted on one count each of Hobbs Act robbery, use of a firearm during a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Larkett used a firearm on Sept. 25 to rob the Jimmy John’s sandwich shop at 405 Adams Street in Toledo. He possessed a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol on that date despite a prior conviction for robbery, according to the indictment

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

This case was investigated by the Toledo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Weldon.           

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

COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Ayotte, 46, of Maribel, Canada, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the filing of the plea documents today.

Law enforcement and other agencies involved in this case include: Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Ohio University Police Department, the Ohio University Airport, Athens County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Program, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Attaché Office Montreal, Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency and Service de Police del la Ville de Montreal.

Ayotte and Sylvain Desjardins, 48, also of Maribel, Canada, pleaded guilty in May 2017 to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

According to the Statement of Facts filed in this case, on March 29, 2017, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations center official in Riverside, Calif. detected an aircraft that departed from the Bahamas and was traveling to Windsor, Ontario, Canada but had diverted to Gordon K. Bush Airport at Ohio University.

The official contacted the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, who, along with agents from HSI, executed a search warrant on the plane upon arrival. While doing so, investigators discovered approximately 132 kilograms or 290 pounds of cocaine.

Desjardins was the pilot and Ayotte was his passenger. The two men intended on flying the cocaine to Canada to then distribute, but discovered that the plane was having mechanical issues.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation of this case by law enforcement, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael J. Hunter, who is representing the United States in this case.

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BOSTON – A Salvadoran national was indicted today in federal court in Boston on a federal immigration charge.

Oscar Ayala-Herrera, 23, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

According to court documents, on Sept. 18, 2017, law enforcement officers in Boston encountered Ayala-Herrera and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Ayala-Herrera was previously deported on April 22, 2016.

Ayala-Herrera faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine 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.

Initiative

ALBUQUERQUE – Eric Matthew Reddick, 22, of Albuquerque, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court this morning on a criminal complaint charging him with violating the Hobbs Act and federal firearms laws.  The charges against Reddick arise out of the alleged armed robbery of a convenience store on Oct. 6, 2017, during which Reddick allegedly shot and injured two individuals.  Reddick remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for Oct. 13, 2017.

Reddick is being prosecuted under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution.  Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.

The FBI arrested Reddick early this morning on a criminal complaint charging him with violating the Hobbs Act by robbing a business engaged in interstate commerce and with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on Oct. 6, 2017, in Bernalillo County, N.M.  According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 6, 2017, Reddick allegedly entered an Albuquerque-area convenience store and placed a pack of gum and a dollar bill on the counter.  When the store clerk opened the cash drawer, Reddick allegedly pointed a firearm at the store clerk, and demanded and obtained cash from the store clerk.  As he left the convenience store, Reddick allegedly fired several rounds of ammunition at the store clerk and a witness who was taking photographs of him with a cellular telephone, hitting and injuring both of them.

Later that day, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) arrested Reddick, who was in the vehicle in which he allegedly used to flee from the convenience store, on related state charges, which have been dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.  In the vehicle, the officers allegedly observed a firearm during an inventory search. 

If convicted on the charges in the criminal complaint, Reddick faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the Hobbs Act charge.  Reddick also faces a statutory mandatory minimum of ten years of imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the other charge.  Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and APD, with assistance from the 2^nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley is prosecuting the case. 

Reddick Complaint

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on September 21, 2017, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a four-count indictment charging ELIJAH CHIN, 27, of Federal Way, Washington, with fraud and identity theft offenses.

CHIN appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.  He was released on a $250,000 bond.

The indictment alleges that between approximately December 2016 and February 2017, CHIN was involved in a scheme in which credit card accounts were opened electronically using personal identifying information from Connecticut residents.  After the credit card issuers mailed credit cards to the victims’ home addresses, CHIN took the cards directly from the victims’ mailboxes.  CHIN then used the credit cards to purchase gift cards, pre-paid cards and other items at various retail establishments in Connecticut.

The indictment charges CHIN with two counts of wire fraud, which carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years.

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

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wilton Police Department and Ridgefield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

TRENTON, N.J. – A former salesman at Bayway Lumber, a Linden, New Jersey, company that sold commercial and industrial products to numerous public and private entities, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for conspiring to defraud customers and lying to a federal grand jury, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Adam Martignetti, 44, of South River, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to Counts 1 and 6 of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false declarations before a grand jury. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.  

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

Martignetti admitted that from 2011 through 2013, he conspired with others to defraud certain Bayway Lumber customers by providing free items to the customers’ employees and then recouping the cost of the items – plus additional revenue for Bayway Lumber – by overbilling the customers. Martignetti also admitted supplying lower-quality, less expensive plywood to a customer while still charging it for the more expensive, higher-quality plywood that it had ordered.   

Martignetti gave a variety of personal items to employees of Bayway Lumber’s customers, including Amtrak, the City of Elizabeth, and the Plainfield Board of Education.  These items included a laptop, several iPads, a camera and sound system, patio furniture, and other merchandise. Under the supervision of Robert Dattilo, president and partial owner of Bayway Lumber, Martignetti then overbilled those customers. Dattilo kept a running tally of how much Martignetti and others fraudulently billed customers, which many at Bayway Lumber referred to as the “Bank,” to ensure that Bayway Lumber recovered the full cost of the free items.

Martignetti also conspired to provide one Bayway Lumber customer, Consolidated Edison Co. of New York Inc. (Con Edison), with lower-quality wood than it ordered and paid for. When Con Edison ordered plywood that had been graded to meet a certain set of specifications, Martignetti, at Dattilo’s instruction, routinely sent plywood that was of a lower grade or not graded at all, including “reject” plywood, all while still charging Con Edison for the higher-quality plywood. 

Martignetti also admitted giving false testimony before a federal grand jury while appearing as a witness under oath in March 2013, including stating that he had never given Bayway Lumber items to City of Elizabeth employees for free, and that Elizabeth was never charged for items that were for Elizabeth employees’ personal use.   

In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Martignetti to three years of supervised release.

Dattilo previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and was sentenced in July 2016 to 48 months in prison and ordered to pay $708,386 in restitution.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents with the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi; the Office of Inspector General, Amtrak, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Waters; and the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, with the investigation.   

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cari Fais of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara R. Llanes, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. 

Defense Counsel: Michael Armstrong Esq., Willingboro, New Jersey

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Frederick A. McShan, 37, of Steubenville, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. Distirct Court to 288 months in prison for his role in running a Steubenville-area heroin-trafficking ring.

McShan and his brother, David McShan, 39, 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.

David McShan was sentenced on August 31 to 74 months in prison and eight years of supervised release.

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.

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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Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PEDRO VELEZ, also known as “Petey,” 25, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force learned that VELEZ was receiving kilogram quantities of heroin from a supplier, packaging the drug and then distributing it to street-level dealers in the Hartford area.  On September 8, 2016, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of 44 “stacks” (approximately 4,400 bags) of heroin from VELEZ.  Subsequent laboratory testing showed that the heroin had a net weight of 114 grams.

On October 21, 2016, investigators arrested VELEZ.  On that date, a court-authorized search of an apartment in Vernon where VELEZ had been staying revealed an additional 5.3 grams of heroin.

VELEZ has been detained since his arrest.  On April 5, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin. 

VELEZ’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for possession of narcotics and criminal possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle.  The firearm conviction stemmed from an incident in November 2011 during which VELEZ engaged in a drive-by shooting of a group on individuals on Orange Street in Hartford.

At the time VELEZ committed this federal offense, he was on state probation arising from a state narcotics conviction, and was on pretrial release on a $900,000 bond with respect to pending assault in the first degree and criminal possession of a firearm charges, stemming from an alleged drive-by shooting in Hartford in September 2015.  He also was on release on a $225,000 bond with respect to a pending violation of probation charge.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.

          CONCORD, NH– Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that a man who has used multiple names and previously resided in Andover, Massachusetts was sentenced to serve 91 months in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute in excess of 40 grams of fentanyl.

          According to court documents and statements in court, from approximately October 2015 through July 2016, the defendant conspired to distribute fentanyl on multiple occasions in and around Lawrence, Massachusetts.  In addition to delivering the drugs himself several times while under police surveillance, the defendant also sent a runner on other occasions to make the deliveries after New Hampshire-based customers called the defendant's telephone.  The defendant was known by some of his customers as "Sample Dude" because he frequently provided customers with free samples of fentanyl to entice them to purchase larger quantities.  After the defendant's arrest, law enforcement searched the defendant's apartment in Andover, Massachusetts and found an additional quantity of fentanyl.

          Although the defendant has used the names Rolando Sierra-Oyola and William Santiago, his true identity is not clear.

          “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to address the significant presence of fentanyl in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.  “This defendant distributed substantial quantities of a very deadly substance.  I commend the law enforcement officers who worked together to put this drug dealer out of business.  We will continue to work each day to target drug trafficking organizations that are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other opioids in our community.”

          The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Tactical Diversion Unit, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the New Hampshire State Police, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department, the Exeter, New Hampshire Police Department, the Andover, Massachusetts Police Department, the Wilmington, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Lawrence, Massachusetts Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Seth Aframe prosecuted the case.

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WILMINGTON, Del. – Acting U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss of the District of Delaware announced today that Robert Z. Hollingsworth, 27, of Bryon, Illinois, was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews of the District of Delaware.

Hollingsworth, an Airman First Class stationed at the Dover Air Force Base, had collected more than 10,000 images and 3,000 videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including but not limited to sexual intercourse. More than 600 of those images depicted prepubescent children or children younger than 12 years of age. Of the one hundred sixty-two identified victims, sixteen came forward seeking restitution. The U.S. District Court awarded $48,000 in total restitution, for the known victims. 

Acting U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss stated, "Our office will do whatever is necessary to protect the most vulnerable among us – our children – from the abhorrent shadow industry that produces, distributes, and collects child pornography and from those who lurk in its base marketplace."

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Robinson of the District of Delaware prosecuted the case. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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.justice.gov/psc.

Hakan Yildiz, of Levittown, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, and Social Security fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.  The indictment alleges that on or about September 7, 2017, Yildiz, an alien, and native and citizen of Turkey, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about August 15, 2000.  He is also alleged to have obtained a Social Security Number after falsely representing to the Commissioner of Social Security that he had work status.  According to the indictment, Yildiz then utilized this Social Security Number to obtain a Pennsylvania Identification Card.

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

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.

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

SHREVEPORT, La. –Acting U.S.Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Logansport man was sentenced Wednesday to 420 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine in Many, La., and kidnapping a victim in east Texas. 

Christopher L. Douglas, 36, of Logansport, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. According to the April 6, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents recorded Douglas selling 2 ounces of methamphetamine on April 26, 2016 for $2,000 in Many. In addition, he previously pleaded guilty to the kidnapping conspiracy charge from the Eastern District of Texas, in which he participated with others to kidnap the victim, demand ransom, and ultimately attempted to kill the victim, all arising out of related drug trafficking.

The FBI, ATF-Tyler Texas, Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Carthage Police Department and Longview Police Department conducted the investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case for the Western District of Louisiana, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hable prosecuted the case for the Eastern District of Texas.

SHREVEPORT, La. –Acting U.S.Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to not reporting more than $100,000 of income he received while on disability.

Jon Halbrook, 59, of Hemphill, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of theft of government property. According to the guilty plea, Halbrook began receiving Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits in 2003, but it was later learned that Halbrook had been working from June 2012 to June 2016 at a Many, La., company. Halbrook did not report to the SSA as required by law that he was working during that time period and illegally received $101,616 in disability payments to which he was not entitled.

Halbrook faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  The court set a sentencing date of February 22, 2018.

The Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. –Acting U.S.Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican national pleaded guilty Wednesday to reentering the United States illegally after having been previously removed four times.

Marco Antonio Reyes-Escutia, 42, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of reentry by an alien without permission after removal. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Sulphur police arrested Reyes-Escutia on July 10, 2017 for stealing from a local retail store. Border Patrol agents interviewed the defendant who admitted to being in the United States illegally. He was arrested and removed once in 2010, twice in 2012 and once in 2013.

Reyes-Escutia faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for January 12, 2018.

United States Border Patroland the Sulphur Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.

LAKE CHARLES, La. –Acting U.S.Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Nicaraguan man pleaded guilty Wednesday to reentering the United States illegally after having been previously removed.

Manuel Vargas-Perez, 46, of Nicaragua, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of reentry by an alien without permission after removal. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement officers conducted a roadside stop on the vehicle Vargas-Perez was driving on July 3, 2017 in Calcasieu Parish. He had no identification and told officers he was from Nicaragua. It was later discovered that he had been deported before and had not obtained permission to return to the United States.

Vargas-Perez faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

United States Customs and Border Protection and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.