The indictment alleges the illegal drug trafficking resulted in a death

LONDON, Ky. – In a federal indictment unsealed yesterday, two owners of a Hixson, Tenn., pain clinic and two physicians working at the clinic have been charged with conspiring to illegally distribute prescription narcotics – including oxycodone and oxymorphone – in Eastern Kentucky.  The indictment further alleges that their drug trafficking conspiracy resulted in a death.  The clinic, the Tennessee Pain Institute (TPI), closed shortly after a search warrant was executed in May 2016.   

The owners of TPI, Anwar Mithavayani, 54, and Pete Tyndale, 46, both of South Florida, are charged in the superseding indictment, along with two physicians working at the clinic:  Timothy Gowder, 70, of Oak Ridge, Tenn. and Gary Moore, 66, of Ooltewah, Tenn.  Gowder and Moore were initially charged in the case in May 2017.  The indictment also charges the four with multiple counts of money laundering.  The superseding indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on January 25, 2018 alleges that the defendants received more than $8 million as a result of their drug trafficking.  Two others, James Bradley Combs, 40, of Woodbine, Ky., and Larry Karr, 73, of Keavy, Ky., have also been charged for their alleged roles in the offenses.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Chris Evans, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; Christopher Altemus, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS, Criminal Investigation Division; Andy Beshear, Kentucky Attorney General; and Richard W. Sanders, Commissioner of Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the charges.

The DEA, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police conducted the investigation, with support from Appalachia HIDTA’s Diversion Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Rosenberg represents the United States in the case.

The trial is currently set for April 30.  If convicted, Mithavayani, Tyndale, Gowder, and Moore face a minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment.  However, any sentence following a conviction would come after the Court considers the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant federal statutes.

            Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Brian A. Mudd, 60, of Ruma, IL, was recently sentenced to federal prison on methamphetamine related charges, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

On February 8, 2018, Mudd was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Mudd pleaded guilty to a one count indictment charging conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine on November 1, 2017.

As part of his guilty plea, Mudd admitted to being involved with others in the distribution of ice in southern Illinois. "Ice" is a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine of at least 80% purity. He obtained dealer amounts of ice and supplied it to others, primarily in Randolph County. On or about December 6, 2016, Mudd sold ice to a confidential source working for law enforcement. Searches of his home and vehicle located pre-recorded U.S. currency, a digital scale, paraphernalia, and other evidence of drug use and distribution. Defendant admitted that his relevant conduct included between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of ice.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Chester Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Girardeau, Missouri Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Randolph County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda A. Robertson and Adam E. Hanna for prosecution.

LAS VEGAS, Nev.– A California man who was convicted of conspiracy to burn down a local business and extortion was sentenced Thursday to 151 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.

Joel Kenneth Ausbie, 53, of Fontana, California, was previously found guilty by a jury of one-count of conspiracy to commit arson and one-count of committing extortion by force or threat of injury. United States District Judge James C. Mahan presided over the three-day jury trial and the sentencing hearing.

According to the superseding indictment and other court documents, Ausbie recruited and paid co-defendant Joseph A. Strickland to discharge a firearm into Ausbie’s estranged common law wife’s parents’ home. He wanted to compel his estranged wife to return money that he believed belonged to him. Ausbie could not locate his estranged wife who was in hiding, and instead targeted her family members to obtain payment.

On October 20, 2015, at approximately 1:00 a.m., following Ausbie’s orders, Strickland went to the parents’ home and shot a revolver six times into the occupied residence. He then threw vice grips into a window with a note attached demanding that Ausbie’s estranged wife return the money to Ausbie. The note read: “…This is a warning! Ima touch everything you love in a vicious way! Return that money or continue to rest easy with your families’ blood on you hands… Give me my money! Ima kill kill kill and kill.”

Ausbie and co-defendant Calvin Robinson subsequently sent a series of text messages to the parents threatening that if the money was not returned to Ausbie, then they would be killed. Ausbie then recruited Strickland to set fire to the parents’ business, Las Vegas Kettle Corn & Special Events, LLC, in Henderson. Robinson provided Strickland with directions and a note for him to tape to the front window of the business after setting the fire. The note read: “I still don’t have my money. This is the last warning! Next time someone is going to be dead.”

On October 30, 2015, Strickland set fire to the business as directed and left the note. The business was heavily damaged by the fire and was permanently closed. Ausbie recruited Strickland to set another fire to the parents’ second store location at the Downtown Container Park on Fremont Street. However, law enforcement arrested Ausbie prior to him arranging payment for the arson, and, as a result, that arson did not occur.

Robinson, 42, of Pomona, Calif., pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 108 months in prison. Strickland, 35, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Cartier-Giroux and Cristina D. Silva prosecuted the case.

To report a tip about suspicious arson activity contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at 1-888-ATF-FIRE (283-3473) or visit www.reportit.com.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet.

Mark Anthony Barrett, 60, of Liberty, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to eight years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Barrett to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration, and ordered Barrett to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of the victims portrayed in his collection of child pornography (or $3,000 in restitution if paid within 30 days).

On Oct. 6, 2017, Barrett pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet. Barrett admitted that he used peer-to-peer file-sharing software to download child pornography from the Internet, which was also then made available to others on the sharing network. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and seized a desktop computer, a laptop computer and five hard drives.

Barrett admitted to viewing child pornography for more than two years. Investigators found 272 images and 76 video files of child pornography (one of which was particularly violent and involved a female toddler) on a hard drive that had been removed from Barrett’s desktop computer. The majority of the images appeared to be of prepubescent females being sexually abused; the age of the victims ranged from toddler to prepubescent.
 
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

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

Memphis, TN – Jermaine Dickerson, 41 of Ankeny, Iowa (formerly of Brighton, TN) pled guilty to one count of use of a telephone to maliciously convey false information concerning an attempt to damage and destroy a building and other real and personal property by means of an explosive and for failure to appear for sentencing. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to the facts alleged in the indictment and revealed during the sentencing hearing, on March 6, 2016, Jermaine Dickerson called the Tipton County Jail at 1801 South College Street, Covington, Tennessee, threatened jail personnel and threatened to blow up the jail if the inmates were not released. Due to this call, the jail was put on lockdown and emergency response teams were deployed to search the area. No bomb was located.

In the subsequent investigation, officers developed information regarding the phone that was used to place the call. It was determined that Dickerson used the phone on March 6, 2016, to place the call from Iowa to the Tipton County Jail. In an interview with FBI agents, Dickerson admitted that he made the call, but stated he did not know why and that he meant no harm to anyone. Investigation also revealed Dickerson had been booked into the Tipton County jail on over 40 previous occasions.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This office, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, are vigilant to protect and prevent attacks on any critical infrastructure sites in West Tennessee, including correctional facilities. We take all threats seriously, and false reports of explosives cause law enforcement agencies to unnecessarily expend scarce and valuable government resources to respond, at the expense of taxpayers. We are pleased that the defendant has been held accountable for this disturbing crime of dishonesty, and we commend the quick and thorough response of FBI and the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office."

On July 24, 2017, Dickerson pled guilty to the bomb threat charge before U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Judge Lipman ordered Dickerson to appear for his sentencing hearing on October 19, 2017.

On October 19, 2017, Dickerson failed to appear for his sentencing. He was subsequently indicted for this new offense. On November 6, 2017, United States Marshals arrested Dickerson in Iowa.

On February 8, 2018, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Dickerson to serve a total of 53 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and Tipton County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hall prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tracey Leroy Boarman, Jr., of Falling Waters, West Virginia was sentenced today to 51 months incarceration for heroin distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Boarman, age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin” in October 2017. Boarman admitted to distributing more than 100 grams of heroin in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties from October 2015 to March 2017. 

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated. 
 
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
 

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Chasity Chadae Stone, of Brooklyn, Maryland, was sentenced today to 10 months incarceration for heroin distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Stone, age 25, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin” in November 2017. Stone admitted to being in possession of heroin with the intent of distributing in May 2015 in Berkeley County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 
 
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
 

     TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Katherine Rose Sparks, 23, of Huachuca City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to serve 84 months in prison and pay $49,930.73 in restitution. Sparks had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon.  Sparks’s term of imprisonment will be followed by five years of supervised release.

     On Feb. 23, 2017, a United States Border Patrol surveillance vehicle saw an SUV near Bisbee, Ariz. being loaded with bundles.  The SUV was then observed traveling west on Highway 92.  Border Patrol Agents  (BPAs) followed the SUV west, activating their law enforcement lights, until the vehicle stopped at a red traffic light on the east side of Highway 92’s San Pedro River bridge crossing.  At the stoplight, the SUV veered off the right side of the road, traveled down a steep embankment, and began driving on the dirt area on the side of the road, maintaining a high rate of speed.  At one point, the vehicle was briefly airborne as it drove through a trench.  When it landed, the SUV came to a stop, appearing to be stuck in a ditch on the roadside.

     Two BPAs exited their vehicles, proceeding to the front doors on either side of the SUV. When the passenger refused to exit the vehicle, the agent opened the door and attempted to remove him. During this altercation, Sparks, who had still not turned off the SUV, slammed the car into reverse, causing the open passenger door to trap and drag one of the agents underneath the door of the SUV.  While the agent was trapped under the door, the passenger climbed back into the SUV and, after the agent freed himself, shut the passenger’s door.  Afterward, Sparks successfully negotiated the vehicle back onto Highway 92 traveling east. Agents located the SUV the following day, still containing the bundles of marijuana.  The driver of the SUV was later identified as Katherine Rose Sparks. 

     The injured agent was transported to Canyon Vista Medical Center in Sierra Vista, Ariz. for medical treatment.  The injuries to his knee were substantial and resulted in significant surgery. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sierra Vista. The prosecution was handled by Erica L. Seger, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-00478-TUC         

RELEASE NUMBER:    2017-012_Sparks

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

LAFAYETTE, La. –United StatesAttorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an Opelousas man was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in prison for possessing a pistol even though he was previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Willie Jamal Reynolds, 28, of Opelousas, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the September 15, 2017 guilty plea, police arrested Reynolds on June 3, 2017 for possessing a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. After further investigation, police found a 15-minute video online of Reynolds and a friend in the presence of numerous firearms. Reynolds was convicted of a felony in September of 2013 and is not allowed to possess a firearm.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and the Opelousas Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.

NEWARK, N.J. – Federal law enforcement authorities today took custody of the last of seven members of a drug trafficking organization that allegedly distributed over a kilogram of heroin and other narcotics in Newark and the surrounding areas, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Carlos Velasquez, a/k/a “Birdie,” 39, of Newark, is charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Velasquez, who was in state custody on unrelated charges, appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained.

According to the complaint:

From September 2016 through June 2017, Velasquez and others engaged in a heroin distribution conspiracy that operated in and around Newark.

Through the authorized interception of telephone calls and text messages, controlled purchases of heroin, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative means, law enforcement officers learned that Ahmad Johnson, a/k/a “OC,” 38, of Newark, was a leader of the conspiracy and was responsible for obtaining wholesale amounts of narcotics, including heroin and cocaine, and processing and packaging the narcotics for sale in and around Newark. Velasquez was an alleged heroin and cocaine dealer who got his narcotics from Johnson.

At times, after the narcotics were processed and packaged for sale, Johnson found users to “test” the narcotics to evaluate the quality, potency, and danger for broader distribution. After the narcotics were tested, members of drug trafficking organization sold the narcotics to other distributors and users in and around Newark. 

During the takedown, law enforcement officers conducted a series of search warrants and found over a kilogram of heroin, over 200 grams of crack cocaine, and over 150 grams of fentanyl.

The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.

The complaint charges six other defendants with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Johnson, Sacha Negron, 33, and Keith Henderson, 46, all of Newark, were arrested in June 2017. Cory Canzater, 45, and Willie McPhatter, 46, both of Newark, were arrested in September 2017. Willie McPhatter’s brother, Maurice McPhatter, 45, of Newark, was arrested Feb. 8, 2018. Negron, Henderson, Canzater, and Willie McPhatter are out on bail. Johnson and Henderson remain in custody.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson in Newark.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari B. Fontecchio of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel: Michael A. Armstrong Esq., Willingboro, New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   ContactELIZABETH MORSE

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                                                            at (410) 209-4885

Baltimore, Maryland – United States District Judge George L. Russell sentenced Jay Edward Wilkins, age 47, of Stoney Beach, Maryland, today to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft stemming from a scheme to defraud his employer of more than $700,000. Judge Russell also ordered Wilkins to pay $700,000 in restitution and forfeiture. 

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to the plea agreement, Wilkins was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Revolution, a Baltimore based business. From 2014 through 2017, Wilkins had been improperly diverting corporate funds for his own personal use. As the CFO, Wilkins had access to the personal identifying information, including names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses, of current and former Revolution employees. Over the three-year fraud, Wilkins repeatedly logged into the Revolution payroll portal, and changed the direct deposit information maintained for multiple employees to send fraudulent payroll payments to himself. Wilkins diverted more than $700,000 in corporate funds using the identities of at least three former employees.

In addition, Wilkins failed to report a significant portion of the money he obtained from the fraud on his annual tax returns filed with the IRS for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 calendar years. 

Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney’s Harry Gruber and Paul Riley, who prosecuted the case.

LAFAYETTE, La. –United StatesAttorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Duson was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud a Eunice pipeline company out of more than $2.8 million.

Richard Walter Borek Jr., 43, of Duson, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of wire fraud. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $2,858,975 restitution. According to the August 9, 2017 guilty plea, Borek worked as the information technology (IT) manager for a Eunice pipeline company from 2012 to 2016. He conducted a scheme where he bought cell phones and electronic tablets using company funds. He then sold them online to another company and kept the money for his own personal use. He also sold web hosting services and computer equipment to the pipeline company through his own company called Statix, even though the web hosting services were being provided by another company and the computer equipment was never delivered to the pipeline company’s office.  The loss from the scheme included unauthorized electronics purchases, fraudulent charges from Statix and costs of the investigation total $2,858,975.

The FBI conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.

Mark Avrey Rudd was arrested today pursuant to a criminal complaint issued by the U.S. District Court charginghim with possession of an unregistered destructive device.  Rudd appeared in federal court this afternoon on the charges.

Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Brandon Singleton, age 34, of Seabrook, South Carolina, to 248 months in federal prison, without the possibility of parole, in federal court in Charleston.  Singleton and his five co-defendants were charged in a twenty-two count indictment involving cocaine and gun trafficking activities in the Beaufort, South Carolina area.  In July 2017, Singleton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, being a felon in possession of firearms, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses.

During the course of the investigation, state and federal agents made undercover buys of nine firearms and more than 700 grams of cocaine from Singleton and his co-defendants.  As the leader of the organization, Singleton arranged and directed all of the undercover purchases.  In total, law enforcement seized 14 firearms from Singleton and his codefendants throughout the investigation, including stolen firearms, semi-automatic firearms, and high capacity magazines.

Singleton’s conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, and investigators with the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.  In response to the sentence, U.S. Attorney Drake stated, “ We work best when we work together.  Many thanks to the Beaufort County Sheriff and to ATF.  Your great work enabled us to make the case and make South Carolina safer.”   ATF Resident Agent in Charge Scott Perala stated, “This significant sentence is the result of the outstanding partnership between ATF and the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office working together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to remove the most violent offenders involved in the criminal use of firearms and drug trafficking activities from the community.”  Assistant United States Attorney Emily Limehouse and Special Assistant United States Attorney Carra Henderson prosecuted the case. 

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            WASHINGTON – Jasper Spires, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for the July 4, 2015 slaying of Kevin Sutherland on a Metrorail train, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police.

            Spires pled guilty on Oct. 19, 2017, to first-degree murder while armed (premeditated). The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence in the range of 30 to 35 years. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly at a hearing today in in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Following his prison term, Spires will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            “Kevin Sutherland was on his way to a Fourth of July celebration when he was robbed and murdered in the middle of the day in the first killing ever to take place on a Metro train,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Other passengers were terrorized and remain traumatized to this day. Thanks to the excellent work of our law enforcement partners, Jasper Spires was arrested for this senseless crime. Today’s sentence will keep this predator off our streets for decades to come.”

            “This heinous crime shocked our entire community and deeply affected all of us at Metro,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Pavlik. “We continue to extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Kevin Sutherland, and hope that today’s sentencing may give them some comfort. I want to extend our gratitude to the Metropolitan Police Department for their work in quickly bringing this case to closure, as well as the prosecutors who ensured that justice is served.”

            According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on July 4, 2015, at approximately 12:43 p.m., Spires was standing near the fare machines at the entrance to the Rhode Island Avenue – Brentwood Metro Station, in the 900 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE, when 24-year-old Kevin Sutherland entered the station.  Mr. Sutherland proceeded through the turnstiles and up the escalator to the platform, where he walked toward the front end of the platform to wait for a downtown-bound Red Line train.

            A short while later, Spires followed through the entrance and up the escalator.  As he stepped off the escalator and onto the platform, Metro digital surveillance cameras captured Spires putting gloves on his hands.  Spires also walked towards the front end of the platform.   

            When a downtown-bound Red Line train arrived, both Spires and Mr. Sutherland boarded the second car of the train.  Mr. Sutherland sat down near the middle of the car, in a seat facing inward, towards the center of the car.  As the train traveled between the Rhode Island Avenue and NOMA-Gallaudet University Metro stations, Spires approached Mr. Sutherland and snatched Mr. Sutherland’s cellphone from his hand.  Spires then began to attack Mr. Sutherland with a knife.  He stabbed Mr. Sutherland repeatedly in the abdomen, upper right back, left side, right side, left arm, and right arm.  As Spires stabbed him, Mr. Sutherland fell to the floor of the train.  Spires continued to stab Mr. Sutherland as he lay on the floor.  He also kicked Mr. Sutherland in the body and head.  At the end of the attack, Spires threw Mr. Sutherland’s cellphone at him, striking him in the head.

            Nine other passengers were on the train car at the time of the attack. As it unfolded, witnesses aboard the train attempted to notify the train’s operator.   Spires menaced one of these witnesses with his knife and told the witness to “Shut up.”  He also menaced two other witnesses on the train with a knife, one of whom was 76 years old, taking their property.  

            When the train pulled into the NOMA-Gallaudet station, Spires walked off the train and ran down the stairs leaving the platform.  He discarded the knife in a trashcan before continuing his flight.  As he hopped the exit turnstiles of the station, Spires dropped a backpack.  He hesitated for a moment, as though he would stop to pick up the backpack, but then continued his flight without retrieving the backpack. Metro employees and some civilians who had been on the train with Mr. Sutherland called 911, and some witnesses sat with Mr. Sutherland as they waited for emergency personnel to arrive.  By the time first responders got to the scene, Mr. Sutherland was unresponsive and emergency personnel pronounced Mr. Sutherland to be deceased.

            Spires was arrested on July 6, 2015, and has been in custody ever since.

            The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia conducted an autopsy on Mr. Sutherland. During the autopsy, the deputy medical examiner observed 19 stab wounds and 16 cutting wounds on Mr. Sutherland’s body.  Several of the stab wounds were very deep and caused damage to Mr. Sutherland’s internal organs. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Chief Newsham, and Chief Pavlik  commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Metro Transit Police. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Bode Cellmark Forensics.

            They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, David Gorman, Michelle D. Jackson, Colleen M. Kennedy, Silvia Gonzalez-Roman, Mark Aziz, Kara Traster, and Anwar Graves; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Forensic Operation Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Criminal Investigators Durand Odom and Mark Crawford; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney, Sandra Lane, Lashone Samuels, and Michelle Chambers; former Paralegal Specialists Karen Hansen and Vanessa Trent- Valentine; the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit, including Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Marcia Rinker and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, and Administrative Services Specialist Sallie Rynas.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Macey and Kathryn Rakoczy, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Belton, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally trafficking in thousands of illegal fireworks and explosives following an explosion that destroyed a Grandview, Mo., business last year.

Thomas McKeehan, 67, of Belton, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Sarah W. Hays to engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

Co-defendant James Witt, 76, of Grandview, pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2017, to participating in a conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

Witt was the owner of JW’s Lawn and Garden Equipment, 12010 S. 71 Hwy., Grandview, which was destroyed in an explosion on Jan. 3, 2017.

Witt admitted that he and McKeehan entered into a partnership to manufacture illegal explosive devices at Witt’s business, and to sell both the illegal explosive devices and commercial fireworks without a license to do so, from January 2015 to January 2017. McKeehan admitted that their unlicensed trafficking included approximately 1,080 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells, approximately 13,968 (M-Series) improvised explosive devices, approximately 3,200 (larger M-Series) improvised explosive devices and approximately 1,633 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells.

Witt and McKeehan purchased bulk supplies of raw chemicals, including aluminum powder, potassium perchlorate and Sulphur, to create an explosive mixture. They packed the explosive powder in cardboard tubes obtained by McKeehan. They also purchased and sold commercial fireworks, including 1.3g fireworks, without a license to do so.

Following the Jan. 3, 2017, explosion at JW’s Lawn and Garden Equipment, Witt and McKeehan traveled to McKeehan’s storage unit in Belton and removed the fireworks stored at that location. On Jan. 17, 2017, Witt and McKeehan moved a white van to a location in Lone Jack, Mo., and loaded the van with commercial fireworks and illegal explosive devices in order to transport the explosives to a person in Wisconsin with whom McKeehan had negotiated the sale. The explosives in the van included approximately 1,080 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells, approximately 13,968 (M-Series) improvised explosive devices, approximately 3,200 (larger M-Series) improvised explosive devices and approximately 1,633 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells.

Under federal statutes, McKeehan is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Witt 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 defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
 

Jackson, Miss. – Estelle Cook, Jr., 28, of Pickens, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Carlton Reeves, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Around 2:30 a.m. on July 28, 2014, Estelle Cook and co-defendant Corey Hughes tore a hole in the side of Central Mississippi Firearms, a gun store in Kosciusko, Mississippi, and stole 41 guns. Cook, Hughes, and others sold at least a dozen of the stolen firearms in Durant and Lexington, Mississippi. Cook led the sale of at least ten of the stolen guns to seven different buyers at a home in Durant. He sold those guns for cash, pocketing $100 per gun.

On October 3, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Cook, Hughes, Darnell Branch, and Frederick Russell for their unlawful conspiracy to possess and sell stolen firearms. Frederick Russell pled guilty on January 10, 2018, to the conspiracy charge and will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on March 29, 2018.

Corey Hughes is scheduled to plead guilty on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, before Judge Reeves to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Darnell Branch is scheduled for trial on March 5, 2018, before Judge Reeves.

Estelle Cook, Jr. will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on May 15, 2018, in Jackson. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Case.

The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita woman pleaded guilty Friday to producing child pornography while she was babysitting a seven-year-old girl in her home, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

 Stefanie Larsen, 46, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. In her plea, she admitted she allowed a man to produce a series of videos in which he masturbated in the presence of the sleeping child. When the child awoke and cried out, Larsen told her she had just had a bad dream. The man paid Larsen to let him make the videos.

Sentencing is set for April 25. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 17.5 years. Beall commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

LUBBOCK— Shonna Lynn Calaway, 48, of Matador, Texas, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 188 months in federal prison for having a sexual relationship with a sixteen year-old student, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.

Calaway pleaded guilty in October 2017 to one count of enticement of a minor. She has been in custody since September 2017.

According to the plea agreement factual resume filed in the case, during the 2016-2017 school year, Calaway was employed as a teacher at Motley County High School. In December 2016, Calaway used the Snapchat application to communicate with a sixteen year-old sophomore, John Doe, at Motley County High School. Calaway sent John Doe a message asking him if he wanted to “hang out,” followed by sexually explicit photos.

Shortly after the Snapchat exchange, Calaway drove to a residence in Roaring Springs, Texas, and picked up John Doe. She drove him to a somewhat secluded scenic location near Roaring Springs and engaged in sexual conduct with John Doe.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood leverages federal, state and local resources to better investigate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children. Project Safe Childhood also prioritizes identifying and rescuing victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lamb County Sheriff’s Office, Motley County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County District Attorney’s Office and Lamb County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag was in charge of the prosecution.

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