KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing Arvest Bank, after which he changed his appearance by getting his hair and beard shaved off at a nearby barber shop.

Joshua Aaron Hoover, 34, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to the charge contained in a March 7, 2017, federal indictment.

By pleading guilty today, Hoover admitted that he stole $5,800 from Arvest Bank, 8959 E. 40 Hwy., Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 22, 2017.

According to court documents, Hoover approached a teller at the bank and twice demanded, “Give me $5,800 or I’ll shoot you in the face.” Hoover instructed her to place the money in an envelope, then fled from the bank on foot.

Hoover then ran to nearby Stadium Cuts, 3300 S. Blue Ridge Cut Off, Independence, Mo. A barber told police that Hoover was out of breath when he came into the business; Hoover told the barber he just ran from work and wanted to get a haircut during his lunch hour. Hoover had most of his hair and his beard cut off, then bought a hat for $20 and changed clothes in the business’s bathroom. Hoover later told investigators that he stopped an unknown person in the area of the barber shop and requested a ride to an area near his house; Hoover said he grabbed an unknown number of $100 bills from the proceeds of the bank robbery and gave them to the driver.

The FBI disseminated surveillance photographs of the bank robbery to local media outlets and almost immediately began receiving tips from both the public and law enforcement that identified the bank robber as Hoover. Hoover was located at Ameristar Casino, where he was preparing to attend a poker tournament, and he was arrested. Hoover had in his possession $2,115 in cash, $2,000 in poker chips, a $1,000 gaming voucher and a preferred member players card. Hoover told police officers he was afraid the serial numbers on the bills could be tracked and decided to exchange the money at the casino to receive clean bills that were not directly related to the bank robbery.

Under federal statutes, Hoover is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. 
 

ALBUQUERQUE – Waylon D. Victorino, 25, an enrolled member and resident of Laguna Pueblo, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 15 months in prison for his assault conviction.  Victorino will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.

Victorino was arrested in Dec. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a man and woman from Laguna Pueblo resulting in serious bodily injury.  According to the complaint, Victorino first assaulted the female victim causing swelling and bruising on her right eye, bruising on her arms and a visible bite mark on the victim’s right wrist.  The complaint further alleges that the male victim attempted to intervene between the Victorino and the female victim, at which point, Victorino began hitting the male victim in the face resulting in the male victim losing consciousness. 

Victorino subsequently was indicted on Jan. 24, 2017, and was charged with assaulting a man and woman resulting in serious bodily injury on Dec. 11, 2016, on the Laguna Pueblo in Cibola County, N.M. 

On March 16, 2017, Victorino pled guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and admitted that on Dec. 11, 2016, he assaulted a male victim resulting in serious bodily injury.  In his plea agreement, Victorino admitted that he was assaulting a female victim when a male victim attempted to help her.  Victorino admitted that he responded by hitting, punching and kicking the male victim.  Victorino further admitted that as the result of the assault, the male victim required medical attention, suffered bruising, and one of his eyes was blind and swollen shut for a week.

This case was investigated by the Laguna/Acoma Agency of the BIA Office of Justice Services and the Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Police Department.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Solimon prosecuted the case 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.

SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jerry Defazio, age 39, of Archbald, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with providing and attempting to provide contraband, including illegal drugs, to inmates at the Lackawanna County Prison.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the information alleges that Defazio provided and attempted to provide oxycodone, suboxone, and tobacco to inmates at the prison between November 2015 and April 2016. The information states that at the time of the criminal conduct, Defazio was a prison contract employee.

The charge stems from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national riding on a bus passing through Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury today after law enforcement officers found 23 pounds of methamphetamine in his carry-on bags.

Luis Carlos Ballesteros-Duarte, 42, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed against Ballesteros-Duarte on Nov. 13, 2017.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a police department canine working at a local bus terminal gave a positive alert for the presence of narcotic odor on two duffel bags located in the passenger compartment of a bus traveling from Denver, Colo., to St. Louis, Mo. Officers questioned Ballesteros-Duarte, whom they observed was acting nervously, and learned that the duffel bags belonged to him.

Officers searched the duffel bags and found a total of 23 large bundles of methamphetamine wrapped in clear cellophane, the affidavit says, with a total weight of approximately 23 pounds.
 
Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
 

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Robert E. Miller, III, age 34, of York County, Pennsylvania, was convicted of being in the possession of images depicting the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of obscene visual representations depicting the sexual abuse of children.  The three-day trial was held before United States District Court Judge John E. Jones, III.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the jury returned the guilty verdict after approximately 1.5 hours of deliberation.  The case originated when the FBI Major Case Coordination Unit sent a lead to the FBI Harrisburg office regarding a user browsing a known child pornography website. After obtaining a search warrant, federal and local law enforcement officers located hundreds of images and videos containing child pornography and obscene material depicting the sexual abuse of children, including violent rape, sodomy, bondage and forcible penetration with an object.  

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern York County Regional Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorneys Daryl Bloom and Carlo Marchioli prosecuted the case. 

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

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for Count one is 10 years’ imprisonment, a lifetime of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.   The maximum penalty under federal law for Count two is 20 years’ imprisonment, a lifetime of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.  Count two carries a mandatory term of five years’ imprisonment.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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An eight-count indictment was filed charging a Rocky River business executive with collecting nearly $860,000 from his employees but not paying the money to the IRS, as well as embezzling more than $130,000 from an employee retirement plan, law enforcement officials said.

C. David Snyder, 65, served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Attevo, Inc., a technology consulting company headquartered in Cleveland. He also served as chairman and primary shareholder at Ruralogic, Inc., headquartered in Bryan, Ohio.

Attevo employees prepared financial records and schedules, quarterly and annual returns and reports for Attevo, at Snyder’s direction. Snyder ranked Attevo’s payables in order of importance, according to the indictment.

Snyder, on behalf of Attevo, and the IRS in 2011 agreed to a monthly payment plan of $48,350 per month to repay the company’s outstanding payroll tax liabilities. Attevo made 10 payments totaling $483,500 then made no further payments, according to the indictment.

Snyder withheld payroll tax from employees but failed to pay it to the IRS. Snyder failed to pay over approximately $328,355 of employee’s portion of payroll taxes in 2010 and approximately $530,778 in 2012, according to the indictment.

Snyder created a 401(k) and profit-sharing plan for Attevo employees in 2009. Ruralogic was added to the plan in 2010. The plan was funded through employee payroll deferrals. Between 2010 and 2012, Snyder failed to pay into the plan approximately $130,415 in contributions and loan repayments withheld from Attevo and Ruralogic employee wages, according to the indictment.

During the time of his alleged criminal conduct, Snyder paid approximately $510,000 for the rental of his personal residence in Lakewood and his vacation home in Chautauqua County, New York. He took cash advances from Attevo’s credit card and then caused approximately $82,237 in cash to be deposited into his bank account and $182,988 to be deposited into his wife’s bank account. His wife did not work for Attevo, according to the indictment.

Snyder earned income from Attevo totaling approximately $850,132 between 2009 and 2011, according to the indictment.

“This defendant embezzled money from an employee retirement account and did not pay to the IRS money he withheld from his employees’ paychecks, all while living a lavish lifestyle,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.

“Business owners have a responsibility to withhold income taxes for their employees and then remit those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service,” said IRS Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner. “The failure to pay over withheld taxes results in the loss of tax revenue to the United States government and the loss of future Social Security or Medicare benefits for employees.”

“An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations relating to labor racketeering and theft of pension funds covered by ERISA. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” stated James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael L. Collyer and Megan R. Miller.

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the Court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique 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.

An indictment is 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 guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

ALBUQUERQUE – Roland Skeets, 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Smith Lake, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to child abuse charges.  Skeets’ plea agreement recommends that he be sentenced to a prison term within the range of 15 to 21 months.

Skeets was arrested in Aug. 2017, on an indictment charging him with child abuse resulting in great bodily injury to a male victim and child abuse endangering a female victim.  According to the indictment, the crimes took place on March 25, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M. 

During today’s proceedings, Skeets pled guilty to an information charging him with assault resulting in substantial bodily injury.  In entering the guilty plea, Skeets admitted that on March 25, 2016, he assaulted a four-year-old child by pushing the child to the ground and yanking him back up by the arm, which fractured the child’s clavicle.  Skeets acknowledged that at the time he assaulted the child, he was intoxicated.  Skeets further admitted that, after assaulting the child, he continued yelling, causing his girlfriend to flee with the injured child and other children to a neighbor’s house in order to call police.  

Skeets remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

United States Attorney Gregory Haanstad announced today that the following nineteen (19) defendants have been charged in federal court with offenses related to a conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, as well as money laundering and bankruptcy fraud:

Clifton Morrison, age 51

Jose Rodriguez, age 67

Miguel Rodriguez, age 68

Samuel Flores-Morales, age 39  

Luis Nevarez, age 27   

Brenda Y. Valverde, age 29

Ronnie McFadden, age 47

Dewayne Alexander, Sr., age 48

Frederick R. Perry, age 56

David Wilder III, age 50

Tommie Stevens, age 41

Germaine D. Johnson, age 35

Daniel S. Carter, age 43

Don D. Walker-Cruse, age 41

Ricky Christopher, age 49

David D. Coleman, age 39

Kellin R.L. Morrison, age 33

Janine R. Hegwood, age 51

Dewayne Alexander, Jr., age 24

The defendants currently reside in the greater Milwaukee area, Chicago, Illinois, and Burlington, Iowa. This case is a part of a long-term federal drug and money laundering investigation based out of Milwaukee.  

The defendants are charged with various drug, money laundering and bankruptcy fraud offenses, including: distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy. If proven that the offenses involved either more than one kilogram of heroin or five kilograms of cocaine, defendants charged with drug offenses will face up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison.   

Today, law enforcement officers arrested all of the above defendants. In addition to today’s arrests, law enforcement officers executed 17 federal search warrants in Wisconsin and Illinois and one state warrant in Iowa targeting members of this organization. Law enforcement recovered approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine and a half kilogram of heroin. Law enforcement also seized 21 guns (including 3 rifles), 8 vehicles and an undetermined amount of cash.  Over 250 federal, state, and local officers participated in these arrests and search warrants.

In making today’s announcement about the federal charges, searches, and arrests, United States Attorney Haanstad stated: “The large-scale distribution of cocaine, heroin, and other controlled substances is a continuing and urgent threat to public health and public safety.  Countering that threat requires the sustained, concerted attention of  federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and by task forces like the one whose efforts led to these charges and arrests.  The United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice are committed to continuing to make efforts like these a top priority.”

Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Bell commended local, state and federal law enforcement agents for strategically and successfully dismantling this high-level heroin trafficking organization.  “This very organized criminal network profited by perpetuating addiction and suffering – by victimizing others.  To save lives and reduce levels of addiction, law enforcement agents and federal prosecutors will continue to purposefully bring predatory drug traffickers to justice.” 

“Once again DOJ’s DCI agents worked together with federal, state, and local law enforcement to take down a major crime organization that has been flooding southeastern Wisconsin with fentanyl, heroin, and guns,” said Attorney General Schimel. “Today’s bust will put a major dent in this criminal organization’s ability to prey on and profit off of people’s addiction. This is a significant win in the fight against the opioid epidemic and efforts to reduce gun violence.”

The defendants were charged after a lengthy investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation, Wauwatosa Police Department, Greenfield Police Department, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department and Metro Drug Unit, Milwaukee Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, South East Iowa Drug Task Force and the Iowa State Patrol. In addition to the above law enforcement agencies the following agencies participated in today’s arrests and search warrants: Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Creek Police Department, Kenosha County Drug Unit, Racine County Drug Unit, West Allis Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Lake County Illinois Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, United States Marshals Service,  Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigation / Enforcement Removal Operations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth M. Monfils and Gail J. Hoffman.

A criminal complaint is merely the formal method of charging an individual and does not constitute inference of his or her guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until such time, if ever, that the government establishes his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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For additional information contact:

Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig (414) 297-1700

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM CARL BARTLETT, 65, of Eastpoint, Florida, formerly of Cheshire, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport to two counts of illegally transporting protected wildlife.

According to court documents and statements made in court, BARTLETT is a snake and reptile collector.  In July 2012, BARTLETT shipped via overnight mail courier 10 Outer Banks kingsnakes from Connecticut to an individual in Emporium, Pennsylvania.  Prior to that date, BARTLETT collected a male and female kingsnake from the Outer Banks in violation of North Carolina law.  In North Carolina, the Outer Banks kingsnake is designated as a species of special concern.  BARTLETT then bred the snakes in Connecticut.

Between April 29 and May 13, 2015, BARTLETT transported five Coastal Plain milk snakes from the Chesapeake Forest and the Pocomoke River State Forest in Worcester County, Maryland, to his home in Connecticut.  The snakes were collected in violation of Maryland law.

Judge Garfinkel scheduled sentencing for February 28, 2018, at which time BARTLETT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years and a fine of up to $20,000.  BARTLETT is released on bond pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement and Division of Refuge Law Enforcement, and the Maryland Natural Resources Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.

            WASHINGTON – El Hadji Toure, 29, formerly of Laurel, Md., was indicted today on murder and other charges stemming from the slaying last March of Corrina Mehiel, whose body was found in a rowhouse in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.

             Toure was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated and felony), with aggravating circumstances; first-degree sexual abuse while armed, also with aggravating circumstances; kidnapping while armed; first-degree burglary while armed; robbery while armed; first-degree theft; unauthorized use of a vehicle; credit card fraud, and first-degree identity theft.

            Toure is to be arraigned on Dec. 14, 2017 at a hearing before the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. He faces a maximum of life in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, on March 21, 2017, at approximately 4:34 p.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) found Ms. Mehiel’s body in a rowhouse in the 600 block of 14^th Street NE. Ms. Mehiel’s body, which had been bound, showed multiple stab wounds to her neck and side. Ms. Mehiel, 34, of Burnsville, N.C., had been staying at the rowhouse while in Washington as a visiting artist.

            Toure is accused of breaking into Ms. Mehiel’s apartment on March 20, 2017, kidnapping and sexually assaulting her, stabbing her, and stealing her belongings, including her car and her debit card.  Toure is accused of using her debit card to withdraw cash at several ATMs in nearby Maryland and Virginia from March 20 through March 24, 2017. 

            Toure was arrested on March 27, 2017, in Northeast Washington, and has been in custody ever since.

             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.

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Signature Science LLC. She acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews Yette, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nestler, who is investigating and prosecuting the case.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Fred Joseph Turner (60, Sarasota) and Rosetta Valerie Cannata (61, Osprey) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to dispense controlled substances for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of medical practice, dispensing controlled substances, and conspiring to smuggle an alien into the United States. As part of the sentences, the Court also entered a $232,020 money judgment against Turner, and a $73,148 money judgment against Cannata, representing the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. A federal jury found them guilty on July 20, 2017.

According to court documents, from March 2011 through July 2015, Turner, an orthopedist, and Cannata, a former anesthesiologist, operated Gulfshore Pain and Wellness Centre, a pain management clinic with offices in Tampa and Punta Gorda. Turner and Cannata rarely conducted physical or diagnostic examinations of their patients and ignored results of patient drug screens when they prescribed excessive amounts of opiates, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and morphine.

During the investigation, several law enforcement officers entered the clinic in undercover capacities as patients. On one occasion, Turner and Cannata asked the undercover agent to smuggle a Hungarian national into the United States. In return, Turner prescribed the agent an increased amount of oxycodone and hydromorphone, and Cannata paid him $5,000 in cash. To justify the increase in prescribed medication, Turner and Cannata instructed the agent to fabricate an injury and walked him through the process of falsifying his patient history.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Taylor G. Stout.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband cell phones and other items to inmates at the Jackson County Detention Center.

Marion Lorenzo Byers, also known as “Cuddy,” 36, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to the charge contained in a July 18, 2017, federal indictment.

Byers admitted that he conspired with others – including a corrections officer and an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center – to smuggle contraband to inmates between May 2 and June 26, 2017. Byers also admitted that he delivered contraband to a co-conspirator, who in turn delivered the contraband to a corrections officer at the detention center, who was to deliver the contraband to an inmate.

By pleading guilty today, Byers acknowledged that this federal conviction provides a sufficient basis to revoke his current probation in an unrelated state case. The government will seek to have whatever sentence is imposed in this case run consecutive to whatever revocation sentence may be imposed in state court.
 
Under federal statutes, Byers is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

The Travel Act

The Travel Act makes it a crime to use a facility of interstate commerce (such as telephone calls) with the intent to further unlawful activity. The Travel Act’s definition of “unlawful activity” includes bribery in violation of the laws of a state. Missouri state law makes it a crime for a public servant to solicit or accept a bribe in return for violating a known legal duty. This crime is known under Missouri state law as acceding to corruption, and it is a companion or sister statute to the Missouri state statute that makes it a crime for someone to bribe a public servant. These two Missouri state statutes criminalize bribery conduct involving a public servant, both for the person paying the bribe and for the public servant taking the bribe.

Byers admitted today that he conspired to violate the Travel Act by using a facility of interstate commerce (a telephone) to facilitate the promotion of an unlawful activity, that is, acceding to corruption.

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy U.S. Attorney Gene Porter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Missouri Department of Corrections, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Jackson County Detention Center. 
 

HAMMOND –United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Jeffery Sims, 58, of East Chicago, IN, was sentenced on December 5, 2017 by District Court Judge James T. Moody for possession with intent to distribute crack and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Sims was sentenced to 106 months imprisonment which consisted of consecutive sentences of 46 months for Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and 60 months for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Sims was also sentenced to 2 years of supervised release. 

According to documents filed in this case, the DEA intercepted texts and calls between Sims and his supplier during an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating out of East Chicago.  Utilizing code language, Sims would order crack cocaine from his supplier on a regular basis for delivery to customers on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.  Law enforcement approached Sims after one of the communications with his supplier and arrested him after finding him in possession of crack cocaine and a firearm. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in cooperation with the East Chicago Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.

CHICAGO — A chiropractor who owned several clinics in the north suburbs of Chicago has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for billing an insurance carrier for medically unnecessary or nonexistent services.

As a licensed chiropractor and owner of the facilities, STEVEN PAUL required the clinics’ chiropractors and medical doctors to order x-rays, MRI scans and neurological diagnostic testing, without regard to medical necessity.  Paul billed Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois for the unnecessary services, and he also billed the carrier for physical therapy services that were never provided.

Paul, 46, of Northbrook, previously pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.  U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman on Tuesday imposed the prison sentence in federal court in Chicago.  Judge Guzman cited Paul’s “extraordinary cooperation” in the government’s investigation as a basis for imposing what the Judge said was the lowest possible term of imprisonment he would consider for Paul’s fraud scheme.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

Paul and a co-defendant, chiropractor BRADLEY MATTSON, jointly owned six chiropractic clinics in the north suburbs of Chicago: Hawthorn Physical Medicine, Woodfield Physical Medicine, Stratford Physical Medicine, Algonquin Physical Medicine, Northshore Physical Medicine, and CumberlandPhysical Medicine.

Paul and Mattson admitted in plea agreements that they required patients to receive an initial x-ray and a pre-set schedule of clinic visits for a period of six months, without regard to the medical necessity of the visits.  Paul admitted that from 1999 to 2008, he directed billings to Blue Cross Blue Shield totaling $3.65 million for medically unnecessary tests or physical therapy services that were not provided, and his clinics collected $1.33 million in fraudulent reimbursements from the insurance company.

During the investigation, an undercover FBI agent visited the Hawthorn clinic for treatment of a purported back strain.  Mattson diagnosed the agent with a pinched nerve and ordered a pre-set treatment plan that began with daily visits for two weeks.  Mattson rendered his diagnosis despite the opinion of the clinic’s medical doctor and a physical therapist that the agent did not have a pinched nerve but rather a pulled muscle.

Mattson, of Lake Forest, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and was sentenced in 2012 to six and a half years in prison.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renai S. Rodney.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDREW SACCO, 44, of New Haven and formerly of Durham, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a large-scale fencing operation.  Judge Shea also ordered SACCO to pay a $5,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between January 2012 and December 2014, SACCO participated in a conspiracy to purchase stolen property from “boosters,” who typically were shoplifters with opioid addictions, and then resold the property at online websites.  SACCO, his co-conspirator Matthew Harwood, and others instructed the boosters to steal certain items from retail stores such as Petco, Staples, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond, and paid cash for the stolen items at approximately one-third of their retail price.

After receiving the stolen merchandise, SACCO and Harwood stored the merchandise at multiple locations, including SACCO’s former residence in Durham and business locations in North Haven.  SACCO and Harwood then sold the stolen products at online sites, including eBay and Amazon.

Through this scheme, retailers lost more than $3.9 million.

SACCO was arrested on July 15, 2016.  On June 21, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the interstate transport of stolen property and one count of interstate transport of stolen property.

SACCO, who is released on a $100,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on February 6, 2018.

On November 3, 2016, Harwood pleaded guilty to the same charges.  He awaits sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and the New Haven, North Haven, Milford, West Haven, Wallingford, Hamden and Orange Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and John T. Pierpont, Jr.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES C. DUCKETT JR., 45, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a fraud scheme involving the redevelopment of Hartford’s Dillon Stadium and a plan to bring a professional soccer team to the city.  On July 6, a jury found DUCKETT guilty of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering offenses stemming from the scheme.

According to the evidence at trial, in September 2014, the City of Hartford entered into a professional services agreement with Mitchell Anderson and his company, Premier Sports Management Group (“PSMG”), to secure a professional soccer team and to develop a new, 9,000 seat facility at the Dillon Stadium location.  Under the terms of the agreement, PSMG was entitled to receive $775,000 for serving as the project manager for the $12 million plan.  In February 2015, Anderson joined with DUCKETT who agreed to be the majority owner of the professional soccer team.  DUCKETT and Anderson represented to various city officials that PSMG and DUCKETT’s Black Diamond Consulting Group had merged for purposes of completing the Dillon Stadium project and securing the professional soccer team.  DUCKETT represented that he was a former professional football player in the NFL and that Black Diamond was involved in a casino project and sports-related projects in Las Vegas and Atlanta.

Beginning in approximately March 2015, Anderson submitted invoices to the city for reimbursement to PSMG subcontractors working on the project.  However, rather than pay the total amounts owed to PSMG’s subcontractors, DUCKETT and Anderson directed more than $1 million that PSMG received from the city to themselves, PSMG, Black Diamond, and other entities not related to the Dillon Stadium project.  DUCKETT and Anderson also secured invoices from subcontractors who had not performed work for the project, which DUCKETT and Anderson caused to be submitted to the city as if the work had been performed.  DUCKETT and Anderson then illegally used the proceeds of the fraud in a series of bank transactions to pay individuals and companies for expenses unrelated to the Dillon Stadium.

The investigation revealed that DUCKETT used funds that the city provided to PSMG to purchase a Range Rover that cost approximately $120,000, to pay unrelated attorneys’ fees and a $20,000 “finder’s fee” to an individual, and for other personal expenses including luxury clothing and jewelry items.

DUCKETT was arrested on June 23, 2016.

The jury found DUCKETT guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and eight counts of conducting illegal monetary transactions. The jury found DUCKETT not guilty of one count of conducting illegal monetary transactions.

The government advocated for a sentence of 60 months of imprisonment, and Judge Underhill imposed the 36-month sentence over the government’s objection.

Judge Underhill will issue a restitution order after further submissions by the parties.

DUCKETT, who is released on bond, was ordered to report to prison on January 31, 2018.

On February 6, 2017, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and one count of conducting illegal monetary transactions.  He awaits sentencing.  Anderson has agreed to make restitution in the total amount of $1,134,595.37 to the City of Hartford and two subcontractors of the Dillon Stadium project.

This matter was investigated by the Connecticut Public Corruption Task Force, notably the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The Task Force also includes members from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development- Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  The Hartford Police Department assisted the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Karwan and Douglas Morabito.

Citizens are encouraged to report corruption to the Connecticut Public Corruption Task Force by calling 203-238-0505.

If convicted, Marcellus faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each of the wire fraud charges, and five years on each of the tax charges.  The charges against Marcellus are the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.

La Crosse Man Charged with Wildlife Crimes

Markos Diderrich, 28, La Crosse, Wis., is charged with six counts of transporting wildlife in interstate commerce, knowing that the wildlife was taken in violation of state laws.  The indictment alleges the following:

1. On June 1, 2016, Diderrich engaged in the sale of and interstate transportation of wildlife with a market value in excess of $350, that is, Blanding's turtles taken in violation of Minnesota law;

2. On January 26, 2016, he transported Eastern tiger salamanders taken in violation of Wisconsin law to California;

3. On January 26, 2016, he transported Eastern tiger salamanders taken in violation of Wisconsin law to Pennsylvania;

4. On January 27, 2016, he transported blue-spotted salamanders taken in violation of Wisconsin law to New York;

5. On April 5, 2016, he transported Eastern tiger salamanders taken in violation of Wisconsin law to Virginia; and

6. On April 13, 2016, he transported blue-spotted salamanders taken in violation of Wisconsin law to Virginia.
 
If convicted, Diderrich faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on count 1, and one year in federal prison on each of the remaining counts.  The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber.

                                 Barron  Man Charged with Methamphetamine Crimes
 
Daniel Swessel, 33, Barron, Wis., is charged with two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.  The indictment alleges that he possessed methamphetamine on September 1 and October 11, 2017, and further alleges that on October 11, he possessed 50 grams or more of the drug.
 
If convicted, Swessel faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on count 1, and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years on count 2.  The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Barron County Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.

                                    Chippewa Falls Man Charged with Drug Crime
 
Shane Johnson, 40, Chippewa Falls, Wis., is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.  The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on November 23, 2017.
 
If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Chippewa Falls Police Department, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Village of Lake Hallie Police Department, West Central Drug Task Force, and U.S. Postal Service.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.

DALLAS— Eric Barrientos, 34, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 140 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in April 2017 to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.

Barrientos has been in custody since the time of his arrest in July 2016.

According to the plea agreement factual resume filed in the case, on November 3, 2015, federal agents, after making several controlled purchases of narcotics from Barrientos, executed a federal search warrant at his residence. Law enforcement seized ten firearms and distribution quantities of methamphetamine ice, black tar heroin, and marijuana.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wirmani was in charge of the prosecution.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty today to immigration crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Rogelio Herrera-Hernandez, 50, and Jose Martinez-Santos, 30, entered guilty pleas to illegally reentering the United States after having been removed.

On September 18, 2017, Herrera-Hernandez was identified riding a bicycle in Ripley by agents of the Department of Homeland Security. Agents recognized him from a prior encounter in 2009, and Herrera-Hernandez confirmed his identity when they stopped the bike. Fingerprint comparison confirmed that Herrera-Hernandez had three prior removals from the United States, one on September 1, 2009, in Charleston, another on December 10, 2009, in Laredo, Texas, and another on December 11, 2009, also in Laredo. On each occasion after being removed, he then illegally reentered the United States. Herrera-Hernandez admitted that he had not formally applied for permission to legally enter the United States. 

In a separate prosecution, Martinez-Santos was identified by Department of Homeland Security agents in Charleston on September 26, 2017. He was a passenger in a van that was stopped by agents looking for another individual believed to be in the country illegally. Martinez-Santos confirmed his identity during the stop, and gave a sworn statement admitting that he had reentered the United States illegally. Agents also learned through fingerprint comparison that Martinez-Santos had two prior removals from the United States, one on March 3, 2011, in Staunton, Virginia, and another on September 6, 2015, in Henrico, Virginia. On both occasions after being removed, he then illegally reentered the United States. Martinez-Santos also admitted that he had not formally applied for permission to legally enter the United States. 

Herrera-Hernandez and Martinez-Santos both face up to two years in federal prison when they are sentenced on March 1, 2018. They are also both subject to removal proceedings at the conclusion of the cases.

The investigations were conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is in charge of the prosecutions. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

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DALLAS — A federal grand jury in Dallas has indicted eleven defendants, including Alfredo Navarro Hinojosa, 57, of Dallas, Texas, on felony charges stemming from their involvement in laundering money and the distribution of cocaine at several North Texas nightclubs, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.

The indictment supersedes an earlier indictment returned in the case. Eight defendants were charged in that indictment with various felony drug offenses. Four of those defendants have pleaded guilty, three remain fugitives and one is awaiting trial.

The thirty-three count superseding indictment returned yesterday charges Hinojosa, along with, Miguel Casas, 47, of Dallas; Martin Salvador Rodriguez, aka “Chava,” 55, of Dallas; Humberto Baltazar Novoa, 39, of Dallas; Eddie Villarreal, 48, of Carrollton, Texas; Craig Woods, 60, of Dallas; Eloy Alvarado Montantes, aka “Don Loy,” 36, of Grand Prairie, Texas; Jose Omar Santoyo Salas, aka “Omar Salas,” 32, of Arlington, Texas; Erick Johan Lopez Cuellar, aka “Erick Lopez,” 30, of Fort Worth; Raul Nunez, aka “Junior,” 25, of Grand Prairie, Texas; and Cesar Mendez, 27, of Dallas.

According to the superseding indictment, between 2014 and 2016 Hinojosa owned over forty nightclubs – including the Far West nightclub (Dallas), the OK Corral nightclub (Fort Worth), the OK Corral nightclub (Dallas), and the Medusa nightclub (Dallas) – and other businesses in Texas and elsewhere that brought in approximately $107 million in revenue. Hinojosa’s businesses dealt in large volumes of cash, which Hinojosa used as a means for hiding the true nature of certain cash deposits by using shell companies, making unusual deposits and transfers, and transporting cash from location to location. Hinojosa and Novoa also engaged in business transactions with bands who traveled back and forth to Mexico. These transactions included attempts to launder money for at least one band or for entities that were using the band.

In an effort to promote and guarantee profits at his nightclubs, including the Dallas OK Corral nightclub, Dallas Far West nightclub, and Fort Worth OK Corral nightclub, Hinojosa and his mangers – including Casas and Rodriguez – openly allowed cocaine to be sold to nightclub patrons. Certain selected dealers were permitted to sell approximately 100-200 baggies of cocaine each weekend at the nightclubs, resulting in multiple kilograms of cocaine being sold through the clubs for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The superseding indictment includes nineteen counts against Hinojosa, Casas, and Rodriguez for managing a drug premises at three of the nightclubs noted above.

Villarreal and Woods were both officers of the Dallas Police Department between September 1994 and October 2015, and October 5, 1981, and March 4, 2017 respectively. During portion of these time frames, both Villarreal and Woods also worked as security consultants or guards for Hinojosa. According to the superseding indictment, both Villarreal and Woods improperly used their positions as Dallas Police Officers to benefit Hinojosa.

Novoa, who worked with Hinojosa and as a band promoter, was charged with conspiracy to structure transactions to evade reporting requirements and making a false statement in an immigration document. The superseding indictment alleges that the remaining defendants – Montantes, Salas, Cuellar, Nunez, and Mendez – were connected to and involved in drug distribution.   

The superseding indictment includes references to recordings taken in Hinojosa’s headquarters, in which he discusses laundering funds and cleaning money.  

A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, however, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.   

Following the return of the superseding indictment, the parties filed executed plea documents for Hinojosa, Villarreal and Woods. According to the documents, Hinojosa has agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to manage a drug premises and conspiracy to structure transactions to evade reporting requirements. Per his plea agreement, Hinojosa has agreed to forfeit $200,000, a Ferrari F355, a Land Rover Range Rover, a Hummer H2, a Mercedes-Benz, and a Gillig Motorhome.

Both Villarreal and Woods have each agreed to plead guilty to a single count of making a false statement to the FBI.     

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dallas Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl, Errin Martin, John DelaGarza, and Jamie Hoxie are in charge of the prosecution.

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