United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Pollock, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Theft of Mail.

Elaine Reller, age 55, was indicted on April 18, 2016.  She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on April 22, 2016, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 5 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on or about January 16, 2016, Reller stole, took, and abstracted mail, which belonged to someone else, from an authorized depository at the Pollock Post Office.

The charge is merely an accusation and Reller is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.   

Reller was released on bond pending trial, which has not been set.

RALEIGH– The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in federal court before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, JOEL DE LA TORRE, 34, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to serve 35 months in federal prison on charges of Making False Statements Concerning Highway Projects, and Aggravated Identity Theft.  The defendant was also ordered to serve a 3 year term of supervised release and to make restitution. 

In October of 2011 a federal highway contractor discovered a defect in a grouping of elastomeric bridge bearings that had been shipped for use on bridges in North Carolina.  An elastomeric bridge bearing is a slab of rubber that is reinforced with multiple layers of steel and placed underneath bridges to absorb shock.  The bearings were defective because the steel plates were exposed, subjecting them to the elements and creating the potential for deterioration.  The North Carolina Department of Transportation began an investigation and found systematic problems with the bearings that had been shipped, and in some instances installed, on bridge projects throughout the state.  In total, 1,270 of the shipped bearings were found to be nonconforming and defective.  The bearings were shipped in connection with 25 different highway projects in North Carolina between May of 2009 and October of 2011.  Upon further investigation, the Department of Transportation found that many of the bridge bearings had come from a company named Delgado Elastomeric Bearings Corporation located in the Chicago area. 

The United States Department of Transportation conducted a criminal investigation into the creation and shipment of the defective bridge bearings.  It was discovered that the North Carolina application to supply the bridge bearings to local contractors had been forged.  The name of a teenager with no knowledge of how to manufacture bridge bearings was fraudulently used on the application.  This teenager was also held out by Delgado Elastomeric Bearings Corporation as the vice president of the company, when in fact, the teenager had no idea of this title.  This same name and title had also been used on all certificates sent to North Carolina highway contractors certifying the conformity of the bearings with applicable state and federal regulations.

Ultimately, the investigation revealed that the defendant, JOEL DE LA TORRE, had forged the name of the teenager on the documents described above.  Inspection of the Chicago facility used to manufacture the bridge bearings revealed that the facility did not contain the required testing devices and machinery which would have revealed the defects in the bridge bearings.

Although not presently incurred, costs associated with the replacement of the bearings are expected over time to exceed $5 million due to the difficulty in removing the bearings from beneath existing structures, engineering costs, and traffic control.  Federal and state agencies have reported that there is no immediate threat to safety due to the faulty bearings, which will be monitored and replaced over time.

On March 2, 2016, the defendant’s brother, Santiago De La Torre, pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in the scheme, and to perjury.  Santiago De La Torre’s sentencing is presently scheduled for the court’s June 20, 2016 term.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States.

Raleigh– The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced MAMADOU JALLOW, 32, of Raleigh, to serve 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on charges of Aggravated Identity Theft and Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud.  The court also revoked JALLOW’s prior term of supervised release and sentenced him to an additional 24 months in prison to run consecutive.  The total amount of prison time imposed on the charges and revocation of supervised release amounted to 84 months.

The indictment charged that JALLOW and others engaged in a scheme to acquire, among other things, large quantities of cigarettes in North Carolina and elsewhere using counterfeit gift cards.  The gift cards utilized by JALLOW and others in the scheme were counterfeit because the data encoded in the magnetic strip of the cards had been altered to contain credit and debit card numbers that were not encoded upon them at the time they were manufactured.  Conspirators acquired stolen credit and debit card data from sources on the internet.  JALLOW and others received the stolen credit and debit card data in the form of internet email accounts to which they had access.  Conspirators used the stolen credit and debit card data to fraudulently re-encode cards for later use to purchase cigarettes and other items.

The indictment further charged that after acquiring several counterfeit cards, JALLOW, and other conspirators used the cards, and caused the cards to be used, to purchase numerous cartons of cigarettes.  The conspirators would generally travel from one store to another in a vehicle during a single trip to acquire a large volume of cigarettes.  After acquiring the cigarettes, conspirators would transport them to other states to be resold at a profit. 

The scheme was brought to an end in July and August of 2014 when JALLOW was caught attempting to make a purchase using the counterfeit cards.  At the time the defendant committed the scheme, he was already serving a term of federal supervised release for a prior conviction for access device fraud in South Carolina.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Secret Service.  Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States.

RALEIGH– The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced JASON DEAN, 30, of Henderson to 51 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

DEAN was named in a four-count Indictment filed on August 19, 2015, and he pled guilty to Count 2 relating to his use of his position as a correctional officer at Polk Correctional Institution (Polk) to extort things of value.

In July 2014, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Raleigh initiated an investigation related to the smuggling of contraband into Polk in Butner, by correctional officers.   DEAN used his position to obtain property and money from at least three inmates at Polk.

On February 9, 2015, DEAN seized a custom made gold grill (a gold plate shaped in the form of teeth designed to fit over an individual’s natural teeth) from an inmate as contraband. DEAN failed to turn the contraband over to his superiors or file the appropriate forms documenting the seizure.  Instead, DEAN secreted the gold grill from the institution.  On February 18, 2015, DEAN pawned the grill for $35.

Further investigation revealed that DEAN also provided several inmates with pieces of paper containing his name, address, and phone number in order to facilitate monetary wire transfers.  Specifically, DEAN promised to supply the inmates with contraband cigarettes if the inmates wired him money through Western Union.  One inmate wired DEAN $175 in February 2015; however, DEAN failed to provide the cigarettes as promised.  In March 2015, DEAN resigned from his position at Polk.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Dennis M. Duffy and Leslie K. Cooley prosecuted the case for the government.

Maryland U.S. Attorney J. Rosenstein and three other members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will enter FCI Cumberland in Allegany County, Maryland on Tuesday, April 26. Operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, FCI Cumberland includes a medium security federal correctional institution and an adjacent minimum security satellite prison camp. Approximately 1,100 inmates re held at the FCI and 250 at the camp. The federal prosecutors will meet with two groups of inmates: 30 inmates who participate in the Release Preparation Program at the FCI and approximately 30 inmates held at the Camp.  These returning citizens face many challenges, including employment, housing, child support, drug counseling and educational opportunities, and obtaining critical documentation such as a driver’s license and social security card.

“Our mission is preventing crime, not just sending people to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Most former prisoners face strong temptations to return to a life of crime. We will emphasize that there are programs available to help them, and that they need to make constructive decisions in order to succeed.”

The U.S. Justice Department designated the week of April 24 as “Reentry Week,” recognizing that supporting successful reentry is an essential part of the Department’s mission to promote public safety.

Under the Release Preparation Program, designated inmates who are approaching their release dates are encouraged to enroll in a job skills class and participate in a mock job fair. The programs teach participants how to obtain jobs after their release. Inmates learn how to prepare a resume and complete an employment application. FCI Cumberland also has a Reentry Center that assists inmates with social security cards, driver’s licenses, identification, credit histories, child support and a variety of other issues that returning offenders may need to address.

A Cleveland dentist was charged with one count of health care fraud after billing Medicaid for more than $407,000 in work that not authorized or never done, said Carole S. Rendon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Robert Rouzaud, 59, operated Five Points Dental Centre on East 152^nd Street. Rouzaud submitted claims on behalf of Medicaid recipients for services that were not pre-authorized, as required, and/or not provided. This took place between 2009 and 2015, according to the criminal information.

For example, Rouzaud billed for an excessive number of fillings on the same teeth, when he had not done fillings, filed claims for fillings on teeth that had been previously extracted, and submitted claims for fillings on patients who had dentures, according to the information.

Rouzaud submitted false claims totaling $407,982 for services he did not provide between 2009 and 2015. He was paid more than $343,000 for these services, according to the information.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Collyer following an investigation by the FBI.

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

HOUSTON – A former employee of Southwestern Energy Co. has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $450,000 from the company, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. 

Southwestern Energy Co. employed Kendra Walker, 28, of Houston, in its accounts payable department. Beginning in February 2014, she admitted she abused her position to access the company’s accounts payable system and fraudulently change bank account information for some of its vendors to instead list bank accounts that she controlled. She then caused the company’s accounts payable system to issue payments for invoices that, in reality, the vendors did not submit. Instead, because Walker had changed the vendors’ bank account information, these payments transmitted money into ban2 accounts that she controlled.  

From February 2014 to February 2015, Walker embezzled $452,025.56.    

She was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, on each for which she faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum fine or twice the pecuniary gain or loss. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing, set for June 26, 2016.  

FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Chu is prosecuting the case.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Multiple defendants appeared in federal court today on drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.

Kevin Brown, 32, of Huber Heights, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. On June 29, 2015, an officer with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team conducted a traffic stop on a rental vehicle Brown was driving. Brown gave a false name and false identification to the officer, but consented to a search of the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, the officer found heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, along with empty capsules and a Magic Bullet mixer which had been used to process heroin for distribution. Brown faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on August 1, 2016.

Alisha Watts, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to maintaining a drug-involved premises. On March 18, 2015, officers with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team executed a search warrant at 1210 Stonebrook Road in Charleston. Upon entering the residence, officers found Watts asleep in the bedroom. Watts admitted to being the occupant of the residence. Beside the bed, officers found a loaded handgun, over 600 grams of suspected methamphetamine in the kitchen cabinets, and over 100 pounds of suspected marijuana packaged in one-pound blocks throughout the residence. Additionally, officers located approximately $34,000 cash. Watts admitted that the drugs were being stored at her residence and were intended for distribution by another individual. Watts faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on August 17, 2016.

Lawrence Watson, 22, of Detroit, was sentenced to credit for time served for distribution of heroin. Watson previously pleaded guilty in January 2016 and admitted that on June 12, 2014, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place at a residence on Elaine Drive in Rand. After the drug deal, officers executed a search warrant on the residence and found Watson in the house. During the search, officers discovered additional heroin and recovered the money used in the controlled drug purchase from Watson’s pocket.

The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team conducted the investigations of Brown, Watts, and Watson.

Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is responsible for the prosecution of Brown. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over Brown’s plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution of Watts. The plea hearing for Watts was held before United States District John T. Copenhaver, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is in charge of the prosecution of Watson. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed Watson’s sentence.

These cases were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of heroin and other drugs in communities across the Southern District. 

• Follow us on Twitter:SDWVNews 

On April 22, 2016, Patrick Santeramo, 68, of Stuart, Florida was sentenced by United States District Judge William J. Zloch to 18 months’ imprisonment, to run consecutive to the sentence imposed in a parallel state case, for defrauding the Broward County School Board and Broward Teachers Union. 

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations (DOL-OIG), made the announcement.

Santeramo previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.  Santeramo was also ordered to serve a two year term of supervised release, upon his release from prison.  He must also pay a $4,000 fine and was required to pay restitution in the amount of $93,800.

According to the factual proffer, in support of the defendant’s plea, Santeramo worked full-time for, and was the president of, the Broward Teachers Union (BTU) from 2001 to 2011. Santeramo resigned from BTU in June 2011. 

For many years, dating back to at least the mid-1990s, the collective bargaining agreement between the BTU and the Broward County School Board required that the School Board provide funding for an “Accountability Program” designed to support and enrich the professionalism of Broward County public school teachers through training, release time for teachers working on accountability projects, guest speakers, etc.  It also stated that the BTU would keep a written record of expenditures charged to this fund and make this information available to the district.

The BTU’s Accountability Program bank records demonstrated that money for the Accountability Program was being disbursed via monthly checks of $200-$300 made payable to Santeramo, as well three other BTU employees.  During this fraudulent scheme, Santeramo received monthly payments totaling $34,500, and the other employees received monthly payments totaling $59,300.  The three additional employees were also not entitled to receive the payments (the government did not allege that the three other employees were aware that these payments were unauthorized).

In order to justify the use of the money, Santeramo prepared, or had prepared for him, letters that were mailed to the School Board stating that the BTU had used the money from the previous year to defray the costs of having one of the employees released from regular school employment to support the Accountability Program.  The letters never mentioned that Santeramo and the other three employees were receiving unauthorized monthly payments from the Accountability Program that they used for their own benefit and that were not related to any function that they performed for the Accountability Program.  Nor did the letters itemize how the Accountability Program funds had been utilized.  In addition, these unauthorized transactions were not disclosed to the BTU’s executive board members or to School Board officials.

Santeramo furthered this fraud by using the mail to request the disbursement of these funds to the BTU and to deceive the School Board, by alleging that these funds were being used solely for the release of the one employee who worked on the Accountability Program by conducting trainings and conferences as specified in the collective bargaining agreement.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of DOL-OIG.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry C. Wallace, Jr. and Miesha Shonta Darrough.

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

PHILADELPHIA - Benjamin Easley, 38, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison in connection with a fraud and identity theft ring in which the conspirators stole and attempted to steal approximately $1.1 million from the banks they targeted.  Easley pleaded guilty in November 2014 to seven counts of bank fraud, 15 counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy. Easley also pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in a separate case against him. The cases were consolidated for sentencing.

Easley obtained the personal and bank account information of victims, recruited people to pose as those victims to make fraudulent withdrawals and wire transfers from the victims’ accounts, and provided false identity documents to use to access the victims’ accounts.  In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Rufe ordered restitution of $595,289, five years of supervised release, and a $2600 special assessment.

The cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service and were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys KT Newton and Michael Lowe.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is joining the Federal Bureau of Prisons, law enforcement and community partners, and United States Attorney’s Offices across the country to promote the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals who have completed their sentences and are returning to live in their communities.

“National Reentry Week is an opportunity to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with the difficulties they face gaining employment, housing, and education, which can lead to a cycle of incarceration,” said Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.  “The following events surrounding National Reentry Week are aimed at preparing formerly incarcerated individuals for a productive and law-abiding life beyond prison by providing resources and lessons learned from others’ reentry experiences.”

Event: The Prison to Reentry Pipeline
Location: Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola, 110 Raby Ave., Pensacola, FL 32509
Date: Monday, April 25, 2016, 1:00 p.m. CST
Contact: Angel Motta, 850-458-7201, amotta@bop.gov
Description: Male inmates approaching their prison release will learn about overcoming reentry challenges from a panel discussion moderated by the United States Attorney’s Office.  The panel will also include a representative from the United States Probation Office and former federal inmates on probation.
Press: No photography or videography.  Please complete attached form and coordinate with media contact before arrival.

Event: The Prison to Reentry Pipeline
Location: Federal Correctional Institution, Marianna, 3625 FCI Rd, Marianna, FL 32446
Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016, 8:00 a.m. CST
Contact: Todd Large, 850-526-7095, TLarge@bop.gov
Description: Male inmates approaching their prison release will learn about overcoming reentry challenges from a panel discussion moderated by the United States Attorney’s Office.  The panel will also include a representative from the United States Probation Office and former federal inmates on probation.
Press: No photography or videography.  Please complete attached form and coordinate with media contact before arrival.

Event: Successful Reentry as a Solution to Sex Trafficking of Inmates
Location: Federal Correctional Institution, Marianna, 3625 FCI Rd, Marianna, FL 32446
Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016, 1:00 p.m. CST
Contact: Todd Large, 850-526-7095, TLarge@bop.gov
Description: Sex traffickers often target the most vulnerable female inmates with a history of drug use and prostitution and who do not have a place to live upon release from prison.  Successful reentry is a critical tool to preventing sex trafficking and reducing recidivism at the same time.  Inmates will hear from a former FCI Marianna inmate who is now an entrepreneur, a sex trafficking victim who is now the director of a faith-based women’s transitional house, and an Assistant United States Attorney.
Press: No photography or videography.  Please complete attached form and coordinate with media contact before arrival.

Event: Employment and Community Resource Fair
Location: North Florida Fairgrounds, 441 Paul Russell Road, Tallahassee, FL 32301
Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Contact:
Jessica Satterfield, 850‐521‐3551, jessica.satterfield@flnp.uscourts.gov
Lee Warren, 850‐717‐9622, warren.alicia@mail.dc.state.fl.us
Description: The Florida Department of Corrections, the United States Probation Office, Leon County Probation Office, and the Big Bend AFTER Reentry Coalition is hosting this event to connect former inmates with housing, education, transportation, and employment resources.
Press: Open to public.

Event: Re-Entry Partnership Initiative
Location: Alachua County Library District, Headquarters Branch: 401 E. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601
Dates:

• Job Searching Tips, Interview Skills, Employability
• Monday, May 2, 3:00-6:00 p.m., Meeting Room-A
• Creating E-mails and Résumés
• Monday, May 9, 3:00-6:00 p.m., Meeting Room-B
• Information about the GED and Santa Fe College Certificate Programs
• Monday, May 16, 3:00-6:00 p.m., Meeting Room-A
• Entrepreneurship and Starting a Small Business
• Monday, May 23, 3:00-6:00 p.m., Meeting Room-B

Contact: Nickie Kortus, 352-334-3909, nkortus@aclib.us
Description: These workshops, conducted by trained instructors and field experts, help participants, especially former inmates, re-enter the workforce by providing
instruction on résumé building, interview skills, job searching, e-mail, educational programs, and entrepreneurship opportunities.  View events calendar.
Press: Open to public.

Event: Second Chance Job Fair
Location: CareerSource North Central Florida, 10 NW 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Contact:
Donna Scott, 352-225-4044, scott.donna@mail.dc.state.fl.us
James Schindler, 352-244-5153, jschindler@careersourcencfl.com
Description: Area businesses are joining the Florida Department of Corrections, CareerSource North Central Florida, and local law enforcement agencies to organize a job fair.  Although the job fair is open to all applicants, the event is intended to increase career opportunities for those seeking a second chance after having been incarcerated.
Press: Open to public.

Reentry Resources

• Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s message on National Reentry Week
• Big Bend “A Fight to End Recidivism” (AFTER) Reentry Coalition: contact Beth Nichols at bxnichols@bop.gov
• Kearney Center

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 available 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.

For more information, contact:
Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, amy.alexander@usdoj.gov

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – 70-year-old David Heinsen of Nashville, Michigan, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison – the maximum term -- for receiving 650,000 images and videos of child pornography on his computers. In announcing the federal sentence, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney ordered that of the 20-year sentence, 15 years must be served after Heinsen finishes his 40-60 year sentence in a related Barry County Criminal Sexual Conduct case.

          "This case represents the immense damage a person with a sexual interest in children can do over the course of a lifetime, whether through hands-on sexual abuse of children or trading in child pornography, or both," said U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles. "Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Michigan will continue to work together to identify and prosecute offenders and give a voice to child victims."

          Heinsen kept film negatives of himself molesting and strangling an 8-year-old girl with Down syndrome in his home over 20 years ago. During the investigation, Heinsen admitted to molesting at least two other children in Ohio years ago, who have not yet been identified. Heinsen pled guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography in the federal case and one count of Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC), First Degree, in Barry County, for his abuse of the 8-year-old girl in the photos.

          Recognizing that this sentence means Heinsen, 70, will never be released, Judge Maloney emphasized that that was his intention. "A more dastardly, ugly, violative of social norms case, I have not seen," Judge Maloney stated. He described it as one of the worst cases he has presided over because of the "graphic and unbelievably violent" acts depicted in the child pornography Heinsen produced, received, and possessed. Judge Maloney commented that Heinsen’s interest in child exploitation dates back to the "Eisenhower administration" and that Heinsen has been committing offenses for decades undetected. Judge Maloney ordered Heinsen to pay $12,000 in restitution to the 8-year-old girl, who is now an adult, for counseling and therapy. The other victims in the child pornography Heinsen received and possessed did not seek restitution, but some of them provided written statements about the devastating toll that the ongoing trade of their images has taken on their lives.

          "Child exploitation crimes are by far the most reprehensible criminal activity HSI investigates," said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Marlon Miller. "These predators cause severe damage to our society and HSI will continue to move aggressively against those who seek to exploit our children to ensure they are punished to the fullest extent of the law."

          Assistant U.S. Attorney Tessa K. Hessmiller prosecuted the federal case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office; county prosecutor’s offices; and federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, visit: http://www.justice.gov/usao/miw/programs/psc.html.

END

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jeffrey Kelley, 33, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty today to fleeing the border inspection checkpoint at the Alexandria Bay Port of Entry in Jefferson County, New York, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. Kelley also pled guilty to failing to allow his vehicle to be inspected at the border crossing. Sentencing is scheduled for August 25, 2016, in Syracuse New York before Senior United States District Court Judge Norman A. Mordue.

As part of his guilty plea today, Kelley admitted that on December 19, 2015, he approached the Alexandria Bay Port of Entry from the north driving a Jeep 4x4. At the Customs and Immigration inspection point, Kelley refused to lower the rear driver’s side window to allow inspection of the vehicle and did not provide proof of citizenship. Kelley also refused to turn off the engine and turn over his keys. As the Customs and Border Protection Officer turned to retrieve a "stop stick" to place under the car’s tire to prevent departure, Kelley sped away.

Kelley faces a maximum sentence of up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years for his conviction for Fleeing From An Immigration Checkpoint. He faces a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for his conviction for Failing to Allow His Vehicle to be Inspected. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Kelley will remain in custody until he is sentenced.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina H. Schoenberger.

Greensboro, N.C. – To encourage and highlight United States Department of Justice efforts to improve federal reentry outcomes, the week of April 24 – 30, 2016, has been designated as National Reentry Week. Supporting successful reentry is an important part of the Department’s mission to promote public safety. If recidivism can be reduced by assisting individuals return to productive law-abiding lives, we can reduce crime across the country and make our neighborhoods better and safer.

Each year, more than 600,000 individuals return to our communities after serving time in federal or state prisons. There are another 11.4 million individuals that cycle through local jails every year. Almost one in four Americans has an arrest record, mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses. The impact of a criminal record often prevents motivated people from obtaining employment, housing, higher education, and credit. These barriers affect returning individuals even after they have paid their debt to society, turned their lives around, and are unlikely to reoffend.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina has been involved in efforts to assist returning individuals for over two decades. Partnerships across the Middle District communities involving courts, probation, law enforcement, schools, clergy, service agencies, and non-profits have demonstrated that recidivism rates can be greatly reduced when people work together. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina has ongoing reentry partnerships throughout the District.

The Middle District of North Carolina works with these partners using cutting edge evidence-based programming. By welcoming home and helping those reentrants who want to change and providing them opportunities, our communities grow stronger and we save tax dollars at the same time.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina will be participating in the following events during National Reentry Week:

Wednesday 4/27/2016: Cabarrus County Jail, 30 Corban Ave SE, Concord, NC 28025

10 AM Cabarrus Jail Reentry Graduation - presentation of graduation and certificates of completion to the successful graduates of this innovative locally-funded program of Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Brad Riley.

11-1PM Roundtable discussion with long-time resource providers from Cabarrus County about re-entry programming that has improved public safety in Cabarrus County.

Thursday 4/28/2016: Silverspot Cinema, 201 S. Estes Dr. University Place Chapel Hill, NC

9am-12pm North Carolina Middle District reentry meeting

Members of the Middle Districts Project Safe Neighborhoods Advisory team will meet to recognize successful reentrants and the agencies across the Middle District that serves them.

The media is invited to attend these meetings.

###

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – Each year, more than 600,000 citizens return to our communities after serving time in federal and state prisons.  Another 11.4 million individuals cycle through local jails.  And nearly one in three Americans of working age have had some sort of encounter with the criminal justice system — mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses, and sometimes from decades in the past.  The long-term impact of a criminal record prevents many people from obtaining employment, housing, higher education, and credit — and these barriers affect returning individuals even if they have turned their lives around and are unlikely to reoffend. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, under the leadership of United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr., strongly supports reentry programs throughout the Western District of Virginia and beyond.

“Our office is committed to assisting non-violent offenders to become productive, law-abiding citizens,” United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said today. “We are proud to support community groups, and other agencies, who work every day to do this very important work.”

As part of National Reentry Week, U.S. Attorney Fishwick, along with members of the United States Attorney’s Office staff, will be meeting with community groups who work with reentry programs to discuss future partnership opportunities to help individuals return to communities in the Western District of Virginia.

In addition, the U.S. Attorney will continue a series of on-going meetings with Court and Probation officials regarding reentry programs aimed at helping former federal inmates returning to their communities.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to support the Veterans Treatment Court, a court designed to help veterans get back on their feet.

“Oftentimes, our veterans end up in the criminal justice system simply because they are coping with stress in the wrong way,” United States Attorney Fishwick said today. “Veterans Treatment Court provides an alternative to this downward spiral by promoting recovery and sobriety in a supportive environment. Our office is proud to support veterans by actively participating in Veterans Treatment Court.”

As part of National Reentry Week, leadership from across the Administration will be traveling around the country to make policy announcements in support of National Reentry Week. They will also be encouraging federal partners and grantees to work closely with stakeholders like federal defenders, legal aid providers and other partners across the country to increase the impact of these efforts.  National Reentry Week events are being planned in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  U.S. Attorney’s Offices alone are hosting over 200 events and Bureau of Prisons facilities are holding over 370 events.

ALBUQUERQUE – Fidel Naranjo, 27, of Santa Fe, N.M., pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a bank robbery charge.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, Naranjo will be sentenced to 40 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.

Naranjo and his codefendant, Kendra Brophy, 29, of San Pedro, N.M., were arrested in Dec. 2015, on criminal complaints charging them with robbing the New Mexico Bank and Trust located at 411 Carr Lane in Espanola, N.M. on Dec. 2, 2015.  The complaint alleged that Naranjo robbed the bank by approaching the bank teller, threatening to shoot her, and demanding money.  Naranjo left the bank and was driven away from the scene by Brophy. 

Naranjo and Brophy were subsequently indicted on Dec. 17, 2015, and charged with bank robbery on Dec. 2, 2015, in Rio Arriba County, N.M.

During yesterday’s change of plea hearing, Naranjo pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Dec. 2, 2015, he robbed the New Mexico Bank and Trust in Espanola, by entering the bank and demanding money from the teller.  He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.

Brophy previously pled guilty to a felony information charging her with misprision of a felony on April 21, 2016.  In entering her guilty plea, Brophy admitted that on Dec. 2, 2015, her codefendant Naranjo robbed a bank while she waited nearby.  Brophy admitted concealing the identity of the bank robber and the cash he obtained during the robbery, and failing to notify the authorities about her codefendant and the robbery.  At sentencing, Brophy faces a statutory maximum penalty of three years in prison.  Her sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Han. 

            LOS ANGELES– A couple from Walnut, California and two of their import and distribution companies have been sentenced after previously pleading guilty to a wide variety of criminal activity, including smuggling Harp Seal oil into the United States from China, falsely classifying goods to avoid import duties, and importing mislabeled food into the United States from China. 

            Lynn Leung, 61, the former president and co-owner of the UBF Group, Inc., doing business as the Nu-Health Products Company, was ordered yesterday to serve five years of probation, which will include one year of home detention. Leung was also ordered by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer to pay a $20,000 fine. Additionally, Leung was banned from working as a manager, officer or director of any business entity – including her own family companies – for a period of five years.

            Daniel Fu, 65, Leung’s husband and the former vice-president of UBF Group, Inc., was also sentenced Monday to five years of probation, ordered to spend six months under home detention and fined $20,000. During the period of probation, Fu is also banned from working as a manager, officer or director of any business entity – including his own family companies.

            Leung and Fu jointly owned and operated a number of local dietary supplement import and distribution companies doing business as the Nu-Health Products Company, including UBF Group, Inc. and ASN Group, Inc.

            Judge Fischer also sentenced UBF Group, Inc. yesterday, ordering it to pay a total monetary penalty of $1.29 million. The company was ordered to pay a $230,000 fine, to forfeit $941,000 in proceeds derived from criminal activity, and to pay $119,000 in restitution to the United States Customs and Border Protection agency for import duties it avoided as a result of the criminal scheme.

            ASN Group, Inc., also on Monday was sentenced to pay a $30,000 criminal fine and ordered to implement a compliance program designed to insure compliance with all relevant United States Food and Drug Act requirements and regulations.

            Leung and Fu previously pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded food into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. The “food” at issue consisted of millions of capsules of honey bee royal jelly – dietary supplements that were falsely and misleadingly described in import records as “aloe vera.” The mislabeled dietary supplements were purchased from UBF Group, Inc.’s supplier in China, the Sirio Pharma Company, Ltd. Both Leung and Fu admitted that the royal jelly was falsely described in import and export documents because Sirio Pharma lacked regulatory certificates required for export of the honey bee products from China.

            “Laws protecting wildlife are also designed to protect consumers, who deserve to know that products are legally obtained and do not pose a threat to their health,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Prosecutions like this one demonstrate the commitment of my office and our partner regulatory agencies to stop crimes motivated by greed that threaten our environment."

            UBF Group, Inc. previously pleaded guilty to two felonies, specifically smuggling 4 million capsules of Harp Seal oil into the United States (the shipments were falsely labeled as fish oil) and smuggling falsely classified Chinese goods into the United State to avoid payment of import duties. Harp Seals are protected by the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, which forbids importation of any seals or seal parts, except for scientific or educational purposes. By falsely classifying the value of its imported products on customs documents, UBF Group, Inc. avoided payment of at least $119,000 in import duties legally owed on its Chinese merchandise.

            ASN Group, Inc. previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor offense of introducing mislabeled food into interstate and foreign commerce.

            The Chinese supplier, Sirio Pharma Company, previously pleaded guilty in this case to wildlife trafficking and was ordered to pay $500,000 in monetary fines and penalties. Sirio Pharma admitted that employees of the Nu-Health Products Company asked Sirro Pharma to falsely label certain products, including Harp Seal oil and honey bee products, and invoice its shipments of various dietary products in a manner that helped the Nu-Health Products Company to disguise the true cost of the products and their true description. 

            “This case is victory for protected species everywhere,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Taking enforcement actions against those who violate the laws protecting marine species will always be a top enforcement priority.”

            This case was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Office of Law Enforcement, the United States Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation.

            LOS ANGELES– A convicted felon and member of the 92nd Street Hoover Crips gang has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm – a .22-caliber revolver that he sold.

            James “Walter” Hayward, 33, of South Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald Monday afternoon after pleading guilty to the offense in February.

            Hayward had been convicted of five felony charges in state court prior to being charged in the federal case.

            When he pleaded guilty, Hayward admitted that he sold the revolver in exchange for at least $175.

            “Illicit firearms trafficking poses a great danger to the community,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “This defendant’s conduct could have put innocent lives at risk.”

            After he concludes his prison sentence, Hayward will serve three years of supervised release.

            This case was part of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

            ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric Harden said, “ATF works proactively to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons in an effort to make our communities a safer place to live.”

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A community forum highlighting the latest advances in social media and technology will take place next week in Wheeling in order to help parents keep their children safe online.

The United States Attorney’s Office and the West Virginia State Police will partner with Ohio County Schools to host the event on Wednesday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m. at Woodsdale Elementary School.  It will feature a presentation outlining current trends in social media and Internet usage by kids of all ages.  Strategies will be offered to help ensure that young people remain safe and that teenagers use technology responsibly.  Following the presentation, representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State Police will take questions and address concerns raised by the audience.
 
“In recent years, advances in technology have occurred so rapidly that many parents have a hard time keeping up with their kids,” noted U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld.  “Technology can enhance the ability to learn and communicate, but at the same time it can put our children in harm’s way.  We invite the community to join us to discuss the challenges that we all face in keeping our kids safe in the digital age.”

The event is open to the public and those attending will be permitted to park on the playground at the school.  Anyone with questions about the event should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 304-234-0100.

          CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Bonita Kitson, 44, of Boscawen, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to Social Security Fraud, Making False Statements, and Wire Fraud. 

          Kitson received Social Security disability benefits, Food Stamps, and Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled for over two years prior to her marriage in October 2010.  Her husband also received Social Security disability benefits and Food Stamps before they married.  Applicants for each of these benefits programs must have limited income and resources in order to qualify for assistance.  The income of all members of a household is considered when determining an individual’s eligibility for Food Stamps and Aid to the Permanently Disabled.

          Although they each continued to receive disability benefits and Food Stamps after they wed, neither Kitson nor her husband reported their marriage or their shared residence to Social Security or to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.  To the contrary, Kitson advised both agencies that she and her husband were merely friends.  The marriage was not disclosed until October 2014, when Kitson advised Social Security that her husband passed away one month earlier as part of her application for a lump-sum death benefit.   As a result of this concealment, Kitson and her husband fraudulently received an additional $27,654 in disability benefits and Food Stamps, and Kitson received $1,134 in Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled to which she was not entitled.

          Kitson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2016.  The statutory maximum sentence for the charges is 20 years’ imprisonment.  The court will impose a sentence after it has had an opportunity to review a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and consider the advisory sentencing guidelines.   Kitson was released on conditions pending sentencing.      

          The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Special Investigations Unit, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.

###