Columbia, South Carolina ----- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Leroy Anthony Griffin, age 30, of Myrtle Beach, was charged in a single-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone.  Griffin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $1,000,000.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tactical Diversion Squad and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, assisted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration Florence Office, and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit.  The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel of the Florence office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Raymond McCullagh, Chief of the Clarkstown Police Department, announced today the filing of a complaint charging three defendants with robbing a KeyBank branch located in New City, New York, on February 9, 2018.  Two of the defendants were also charged with brandishing a firearm during the robbery.  All three defendants were taken into custody on February 9, 2018, shortly after the robbery, and were presented in White Plains federal court the following morning before United States Magistrate Judge Lisa M. Smith.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Jason Parris and Demetrice Young, wearing masks, robbed a bank while brandishing a gun.  Then after threatening the bank employees, they made their way to Iyibia Brown, who was driving the getaway car.  They didn’t make it far, however, before law enforcement arrested all three.” 

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “This case is the perfect example of great police work.  The alleged robbers put customers’ and employees’ lives in danger by flashing a gun, and vaulting the counter during the robbery, but they didn’t get far.  The FBI Westchester Safe Streets Gang Task Force wants to thank our law enforcement partners at the Clarkstown Police Department and the fast action they took to get armed criminals off the streets.”

Clarkstown Police Chief Raymond McCullagh said:  “This arrest was a direct result of the entire law enforcement community working together to ensure the public's safety and to bring these suspects to justice.”

As alleged in the complaint filed on February 10, 2018, in White Plains federal court[1]:

On February 9, 2018, JASON PARRIS, DEMETRICE YOUNG, and IYIBIA BROWN conspired to rob, and did rob, a branch of KeyBank, located at 270 Little Tor Road, New City, New York.  PARRIS and YOUNG entered the bank in masks and, using a firearm, threatened numerous bank employees.  PARRIS and YOUNG then fled the bank on foot with cash taken from the bank, meeting up with BROWN, who then drove PARRIS and YOUNG away from the scene of the robbery.  PARRIS, YOUNG, and BROWN were apprehended by law enforcement shortly thereafter.  Money from the bank was found on PARRIS and in the car, and a firearm was found in the car, as well.

*          *          *

PARRIS, 34, of Nyack, New York, YOUNG, 27, of Spring Valley, New York, and BROWN, 24, of Monsey, New York, are each charged with one count of bank robbery conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of bank robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  In addition, PARRIS and YOUNG are each charged with one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding, coordinated investigative work of the FBI, the Clarkstown Police Department, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Police.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Celia V. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.

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

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national pled guilty today to an immigration crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Nahum Ortiz-Perez, also known as Oscar Marin-Trujillo, 30, entered his guilty plea to illegally reentering the United States. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Milton Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“We are a nation of laws. Free sanctuary should never be provided to those that illegally enter our country,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “We will continue to prosecute individuals who illegally jump ahead of those following the rules and abiding by our immigration laws – laws that provide for critical immigration and protect American citizens.”

On December 3, 2017, Ortiz-Perez was spotted acting suspiciously in Milton in Cabell County near an auto repair shop. Milton Police Officers approached Ortiz-Perez, and he offered them a Mexican voter registration card as an identification document. The officers immediately contacted ICE agents, who responded to the scene, confirmed that Ortiz-Perez was not in the United States legally, and took him into custody.

Ortiz-Perez’s fingerprints matched him to a 2013 Idaho felony drug conviction. After his felony sentence in Idaho was discharged, Ortiz-Perez was deported from the United States. He reentered the United States in 2014, and was captured in Douglas, Arizona. Ortiz-Perez was again deported, and sometime afterward he reentered the United States. Ortiz-Perez gave a statement to law enforcement admitting he was not in the United States legally, that he had been deported on two prior occasions, and that he was a Mexican national subject to deportation proceedings. He also admitted to using multiple aliases while in the United States, including Oscar Marin-Trujillo, Wilson Ruiz-Martinez, Earnest Guzman, and Edgar Lucio.

Ortiz-Perez faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 14, 2018. He also faces deportation proceedings at the conclusion of his sentence.

Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.

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Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrests of LAVELLEOUS PURCELL, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” and GLORIA PALMER, a/k/a “Gloria Hearn.” PURCELL is charged with sex trafficking and related offenses.  PALMER is charged with conspiracy to use interstate commerce to promote PURCELL’s illegal sex trafficking activity.  PURCELL was presented Friday in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron and detained.  PALMER was presented Friday in federal court in Rochester and released on bail.  The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Denise L. Cote. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Lavelleous Purcell’s conduct was exploitive, forcing women to engage in sex for money, and keeping the money for himself.  Thanks to the FBI and NYPD, Purcell and his alleged accomplice, Gloria Palmer, are in custody.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “The subject in this case allegedly forced women to have sex for money.  Our FBI agents and law enforcement partner detectives won’t ever stop pursuing pimps who profit from using women not as human beings, but as objects and as a way to make money.  However, the practice isn’t going to ever go away unless the demand goes away.  We ask anyone with information about this case, or any other situation they suspect may be human trafficking, to call us.”

According to the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court,[1] and statements made in court during the defendants’ presentments:

For the past several years, PURCELL has worked as a sex trafficker and pimp under the alias “King Casino.”  From 2012 to 2016, PURCELL trafficked women, forcing them to engage in commercial sex, for which he was paid.  Since at least 2015, PURCELL has recruited women to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and has transported women across state lines to engage in prostitution.  PALMER used the facilities of interstate commerce to promote the prostitution business by booking hotel rooms for PURCELL and the women.

To date, law enforcement agents have identified over 50 women who appear to have engaged in commercial sex at PURCELL’s direction.

PALMER assisted in PURCELL’s sex trafficking business by, among other things, booking hotel rooms for PURCELL and the women he trafficked, for which PURCELL paid PALMER a monthly fee.

*                *                *

The charges in the Indictment against LAVELLEOUS PURCELL, 39, of Hempstead, New York, and GLORIA PALMER, 26, of Rochester, New York, are included in the chart below.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Any individuals who believe they have information that may be relevant to the investigation should contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.

Mr. Berman thanked the FBI and NYPD for their outstanding investigative work in this matter.  Mr. Berman also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance with this investigation. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Sheb Swett is in charge of the prosecution.

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

CHICAGO — A Chicago restaurateur was charged today with misappropriating funds and swindling investors in his West Loop eatery.

ATTILA GYULAI, who together with a relative owned a majority stake in Embeya restaurant, used company funds to pay personal expenses and illegally pocketed cash from investors, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  From approximately 2011 to 2016, Gyulai misappropriated at least $300,000, to the detriment of co-owners and investors, the complaint states. 

Embeya, which was located in the 500 block of West Randolph Street in Chicago, closed in 2016. 

The complaint charges Gyulai, 45, most recently of Chicago, with wire fraud.  In addition to the complaint, the Court today also authorized a warrant for Gyulai’s arrest.

The complaint was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In order to open the restaurant and obtain a bank loan, Gyulai represented to shareholders that he and his relative had invested $140,000 of their own funds, the complaint states.  Gyulai had in fact borrowed those funds from family and friends, and in 2013, he used company funds to pay them back, while concealing the payments from other shareholders, the complaint states.  The following year, Gyulai made payments to himself and his relative totaling approximately $140,000 as a purported return of their initial capital, even though they had not invested their own money in the restaurant, the complaint states.  Gyulai had thus paid himself and his relative double the purported initial investment amount, to the detriment of other shareholders, according to the complaint.  He also used company funds for personal stock trading during the operation of the restaurant, the complaint states.

Not long before Embeya closed, Gyulai wired $103,750 from the restaurant’s corporate account to an account held overseas, the complaint states.  The money represented a substantial amount of funds remaining in Embeya’s account at the time, the complaint states.  Gyulai left the United States soon after transferring the funds.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunil Harjani.

WICHITA, KAN.– A Wichita man was charged Monday in federal court with operating illegal gambling businesses, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Jack Oxler, 41, Wichita, Kan., was charged with one count of operating an illegal poker gambling business and one count of operating an illegal sports betting business.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI, the Wichita Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst are prosecuting.

KANSAS CITY, KAN.– An Illinois man was sentenced Monday to 73 months in federal prison for driving the getaway car in a $53,000 holdup at a Verizon store in Village West, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. The robbers held store employees at gunpoint and bound them with zip ties.

Terry Curtis, 34, Rockford, Il., pleaded guilty to one count of commercial robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on Sept. 14, 2016, he was involved when four men robbed the Verizon Wireless store at 10621 Village West Parkway. Two of the robbers entered the store, followed two minutes later by the other two. The robbers locked the door and ordered the employees and a customer into a break room. The robbers ordered them to lay face down on the floor and tied their hands behind their backs. The robbers forced an employee to open a safe before they fled the store with phones and cash worth $53,000. Eventually, an employee managed to get loose and call police.

Investigators used surveillance photos from the robbery to tie the Kansas City robbery to a similar robbery weeks earlier at an AT&T Store in Rochester, Minn. They also received an anonymous call that led them to one of the co-defendants who was on parole in Illinois.

During the investigations, agents learned that some of the defendants in the Verizon robbery were part of a group involved in dozens of similar robberies in several states.

Co-defendants who are awaiting trial include:

Mario Lambert, 33, Rockford, Il.

Sir T. Love, 32, Rockford, Il.

Domonique V. Walker, 26, Rockford, Il.

Sharod Pitts, 35, Chicago, Il.

McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work on the case.

 In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

RUFINO MEJIA-ACOSTA, a/k/a Miguel A. Pacheco-Gonzalez (MEJIA-ACOSTA), age 38, a citizen of Mexico and residing in Chalmette, Louisiana, was charged in federal court in a one-count Bill of Information for illegal use of a Social Security Number. 

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KHADAFI CASTRO, 40, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 40 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and crack cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between March and August 2017, investigators made eight controlled purchases of heroin, fentanyl and/or crack cocaine from CASTRO on Hungerford Street in Hartford.  During the last three drug sales, all of which occurred in August 2017, CASTRO was assisted by his associate, Todd Peters.

CASTRO has been detained since his arrest on August 14, 2017.  On November 20, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin and cocaine base (“crack”).

CASTRO has a criminal history that spans more than 20 years and includes 11 felony convictions, including convictions for sexual assault, criminal weapon possession, and drug trafficking.  He was on state probation while engaged in the drug trafficking activity that led to this federal conviction.

Peters, of Hartford, pleaded guilty on November 16, 2017.  He awaits sentencing.

This matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc H. Silverman.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Lewis County man pleaded guilty today for his fake hotel invoice and expense report scheme to defraud the State of West Virginia, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Steven Hull, 54, of Jane Lew, entered his guilty plea to mail fraud.  U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the West Virginia Legislature Commission on Special Investigations.

“This scheme was literally highway robbery. Stealing from West Virginia taxpayers is a crime you won’t get away with,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “We take our obligation to protect taxpayer dollars extremely seriously, and I can assure you that my office is committed to uncovering public corruption and aggressively prosecuting this kind of theft.”

Hull admitted that from January 2011 through January 2017, he submitted false invoices attached to inflated expense reports for reimbursement by the State of West Virginia. Hull worked as an engineering technician at the West Virginia Division of Highways, and often traveled as part of his job, staying overnight throughout West Virginia. After each trip, the State of West Virginia would reimburse him. Hull admitted that during the course of his scheme, he provided expense reports for reimbursement that falsely represented the number of days he stayed at hotels, and further falsely represented that he paid for rooms for all those days.

Hull also admitted that from June 2014 until the end of his scheme, he entirely fabricated his hotel room expense reports. The reports would often state that he stayed at a Holiday Inn for a week at a time, when he was actually renting a room on a monthly basis from a less expensive hotel. Hull further admitted that he pocketed the difference in price between his monthly rental and his reimbursements. To disguise the scheme, Hull would produce detailed entries to legitimize the appearance of the fake invoices, including line items for taxes and a hotel rewards code number. From February 2011 through January 2017, Hull received $70,653.14 from submitting false hotel invoices. He paid approximately $18,144 for his monthly rental from June 2014 to December 2016.  

Hull faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 15, 2018. As part of the plea agreement, he has also agreed to pay at least $52,509.14 in restitution.

Assistant United States Attorney Meredith George Thomas is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.

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       Montgomery, Alabama – On Thursday, February 8, 2018, Michael Graham Lowe, 25, of Prattville, Alabama, was found guilty by a federal jury of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr.

       Previously, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Lowe and his co-defendant, Joshua David Rose, after hearing evidence that the two recruited, enticed, and transported a minor victim knowing that the victim was under the age of 18 years and would be engaging in a commercial sex act.  Joshua Rose, 29, also from Prattville, pled guilty to sex trafficking of a minor in August 2017.

       According to evidence presented at the four-day trial, Lowe was friends with the 17-year-old minor victim and in May 2016, he introduced the victim to co-defendant Rose at a motel in Montgomery.  On May 24 and 25, 2016, Rose took photographs of the victim and placed an ad on the classified advertising website Backpage.com.  Lowe and Rose transported the minor victim to perform commercial sex acts in Montgomery and the surrounding areas and stood guard outside during the acts.  Rose and Lowe used the money earned by the minor victim to purchase illegal narcotics.  On May 26, 2016, the victim became upset and refused to perform further commercial sex acts.  Lowe then transported the victim from the motel leaving her at a local residence.  After hearing the evidence presented at trial, the jury found Lowe guilty of both counts in the federal indictment.

       For the sex trafficking of a minor charge, Lowe faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.  For the conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, Lowe faces up to life in prison.  Lowe is in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

       “These human traffickers prostituted a child in order to have the money to feed their drug habit,” stated U.S. Attorney Franklin.  “We will not allow the children of this District to be preyed-upon, prostituted and used by predators.  This office will continue to use all resources necessary to take these criminals off the streets and ensure the safety of our children.”  

       “The Prattville Police Department is very thankful for the working relationship we have with the U.S Attorney’s Office and all the agencies involved in this case,” stated Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson.  “This should send a strong message to the criminal element committing these types of crime that we will find them and put them away. We are very proud of our Criminal Intelligence Unit for the effort put into this case. It shows that the Prattville PD is proactive and we will continue to develop better ways to combat crime.” 

       “Human trafficking is a horrific crime that traps its victims in a life of misery and abuse,” said Attorney General Steve Marshall. “This conviction is the result of a long and painstaking investigation by agents and officers who cared deeply about the harm being caused to the young victim, and were determined to stop this from happening to her and to others. I am thankful for the diligence of the Prattville Police Department, which initiated this case, working with agents of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and assisted by the Montgomery Police Department. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its successful prosecution to bring this criminal to justice.  As Alabama’s Attorney General, I am committed to continue this kind of cooperative and dedicated teamwork among agencies, which is the key to making our state a safer place.”

       “HSI will tirelessly work to investigate and bring to justice anyone who thinks they can get away with preying upon our children for their sexual gratification,” said Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Annello. “This case highlights the exceptional commitment and devotion of the men and women who pursue the perpetrators of these depraved crimes every day.”

       This case was jointly investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Prattville Police Department, and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service and Montgomery Police Department. 

       The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollie Worley Reed of the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Leslie Williams Fisher of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

A Mexican man who had previously been deported following state convictions for domestic abuse and false imprisonment was sentenced today to 112 days in federal prison.

Efren Palacios-Ramirez, age 29, a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Polk County, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 16, 2017, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction.

At the guilty plea, Palacios-Ramirez admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been deported from the United States in December 2012.  Prior to his deportation, Palacios-Ramirez was convicted in Polk County, Iowa, of theft 5^th degree in April 2012, and of domestic abuse and false imprisonment in October 2012.  At the time of his arrest in October 2017, Palacios-Ramirez provided law enforcement a false name and his true identity could not be verified until his fingerprints were analyzed by immigration officials.

Palacios-Ramirez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Palacios-Ramirez was sentenced to 112 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Palacios-Ramirez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 17-CR-82.

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Dr. Andres Mencia, 64, of Ft. Lauderdale, Oscar Luis Ventura-Rodriguez, 41, of Ft. Lauderdale, Nadira Sampath-Grant, 51, of Margate, and John Mensah, 50, of Miami, were arrested for their involvement in a scheme where they billed Medicare and Medicaid for medical consultations during which in actuality, they issued prescriptions for opioids and other drugs in exchange for cash payments, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841(a)(1), 18 U.S.C. § 2, 18 U.S.C. § 1347 and 18 U.S.C. § 1349.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around January 2015, Dr. Mencia, Venutra-Rodriguez, Sampath-Grant and Mensah conspired to perform sham consultations with Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and other patients, the true intent of which was to issue them prescriptions for opioids and other drugs in exchange for cash payments.  In some instances, the defendants billed Medicare and Medicaid for these consultations and the prescriptions were filled at Medicare and Medicaid participating pharmacies. 

Ventura-Rodriguez, Sampath-Grant and Mensah are charged with knowingly and intentionally dispensing a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. 

Dr. Mencia is also charged with knowingly and intentionally dispensed a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2.  The indictment further alleges that Dr. Mencia purchased two residential properties with the illicit proceeds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.

If convicted on all charges, each defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment on each count.  

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of DEA, HHS-OIG and ICE-HSI.  Mr. Greenberg also thanked the Aventura Police Department, City of Miami Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, and Miami Gardens Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gilfarb. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

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

A Miami jury convicted a Hialeah resident of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine after a five-day trial.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement.

Maikel Vigil Gallardo, 35, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846.  He faces a statutory maximum of life imprisonment, and sentencing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke, on April 25, 2018, at 10:30 a.m.

The evidence presented at trial established that in April 2017, Gallardo met on multiple occasions with an FBI confidential human source (“CHS”) to develop a multi-kilogram cocaine pipeline from Miami to Chicago, Illinois.  During the trial, the United States introduced recordings from these meetings, in which Gallardo talked about his experiences trafficking cocaine and marijuana around the United States, using trucking routes and paid off customs checkpoints to evade law enforcement.  On April 26, Gallardo delivered a one-kilogram sample of cocaine to the CHS in the Orlando area, which triggered his arrest.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and MDPD.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan K. Osborne and Breezye Telfair.

This investigation and prosecution was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.  The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations.  The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats.

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

A Honduran man who had previously been deported following a federal conviction for illegal reentry was sentenced today to one year in federal prison.

Geovany Rodriguez-Carrasco, age 38, a citizen of Honduras who had been living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2017, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction.

At the guilty plea, Rodriguez-Carrasco admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been last deported from the United States in August 2013.  Prior to his deportation, Rodriguez-Carrasco was convicted in July 2013 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien, a felony offense.  Rodriguez-Carrasco was also deported in 2004 following a misdemeanor conviction in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. 

Rodriguez-Carrasco was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Rodriguez-Carrasco was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Rodriguez-Carrasco is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 17-CR-87.

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ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced today in federal court by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala for possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon on April 8, 2016. 

RYAN A. PANCYRZ, 29, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Pancyrz pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 6, 2017.

According to the written plea agreement, on April 8, 2016, Pancyrz, a convicted felon, possessed a loaded .32-caliber revolver and 49 plastic baggies of cocaine at a residence on South Fifth Street in Rockford.  In the plea agreement, he admitted that he intended to sell the cocaine.  He further admitted that he possessed other items associated with drug distribution, including a digital scale, two bottles of Inositol, a vitamin supplement used to dilute controlled substances, and $666 in cash.  Pancyrz was arrested by Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office deputies at the residence on South Fifth Street on April 8, 2016, and has remained in custody since his arrest. 

The sentencing was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Celinez Nunez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Joseph Bruscato, Winnebago County State’s Attorney; and Gary Caruana, Winnebago County Sheriff.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.

RICHMOND, Va. – A man who is a previously convicted felon and supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), was sentenced today to the statutory of maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm less than three weeks after he was released from prison.

According to court documents and statements made in court proceedings, Casey Charles Spain, 29, of Richmond, was in prison for over seven years after being convicted for abducting a 15-year-old girl with the intent to rape her. Separate and apart from this incident, Spain previously served time in prison for stabbing an individual with a sword. During his most recent period in prison, Spain became radicalized and swore a pledge of loyalty, commonly known as bayat, to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Spain also obtained a tattoo of the ISIS flag on his back, and repeatedly expressed a desire to engage in acts of violence. Spain was reportedly fixated on attacking a target such as the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, and was excited about potentially attacking police stations, as well as an armory in Richmond.

After Spain was released from prison on Aug. 11, 2017, he discussed on recorded telephone calls with still-incarcerated prisoners his desire to travel overseas and join ISIS. The FBI began conducting surveillance of Spain immediately upon his release, including making covert contact with him using FBI undercover employees (UCE) and a Confidential Human Source (CHS). Spain spoke on multiple occasions to the CHS about his strong desire to obtain a firearm. During that same time period, Spain established a Facebook account to speak with individuals located overseas about ISIS and his desire serve as a mujahid (fighter) for the terrorist organization.

During a meeting on Aug. 30, 2017, with the CHS and a UCE, Spain described his intention to purchase a semiautomatic handgun with a 50-round barrel canister, and that he had made arrangements to buy the handgun from an individual online. Given Spain’s criminal history, his desire to obtain a firearm, and his apparent impatience to obtain one, the CHS—as part of a controlled FBI undercover operation—offered to provide Spain what the CHS described as his own personal weapon. In reality, the firearm, which was a 9mm Glock semiautomatic handgun, was the property of the FBI that had been rendered inert for safety reasons.

The next day, as part of the undercover operation, the CHS and UCE met Spain outside of his Richmond residence. The CHS provided Spain the Glock handgun, at which point members of the FBI Richmond SWAT team moved in to arrest Spain. Spain initially attempted to escape arrest by running and jumping a nearby fence, but FBI SWAT members pursued and quickly apprehended him.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Edward C. O’Callaghan, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hood prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-123.

LEXINGTON, Ky.— A federal jury in Lexington has found Hector Salas, Jr., of Phoenix, guilty of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, more than 400 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of heroin. The jury convicted Salas on Friday, February 9, 2018, following a 3-day trial in U.S. District Court. The jury also found Salas guilty of possession with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

According to the trial testimony, Salas engaged in an agreement to distribute the controlled substances. The evidence also established that, in May 2017, Salas was stopped by Lexington Police, on Versailles Road, in a vehicle with a Tennessee license plate. The investigation ultimately revealed that the vehicle had come from Phoenix and the trailer towed behind it contained 5.9 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of over $410,000. Further investigation also resulted in the seizure of over 700 grams of fentanyl and over a kilogram of heroin from a residence in Lexington. The total street value of all the drugs exceeded $1,000,000. Law enforcement agencies also seized over $580,000 in proceeds from the distribution of the drugs.

The sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for May 11, 2018, at the federal courthouse in Lexington. Salas faces a minimum mandatory sentence of not less than 10 years nor more than life imprisonment.

United States Attorney Duncan; Amy Hess, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville; Richard W. Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Ron Compton, Acting Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the jury’s verdict.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Kentucky State Police, and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West.

ASHLAND, Ky. –  Today, the three United States Attorneys for the Tri-State area:  Robert M. Duncan, Jr., of the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael B. Stuart, of the Southern District of West Virginia; and Benjamin C. Glassman, of the Southern District of Ohio, along with representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), state and local law enforcement and prosecutors, and other law enforcement partners announced the formation of a law enforcement working group, to enhance joint efforts to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in the Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio Tri-State area. 

The working group met for the first time on February 9, 2018, in Ashland.   

The collaboration is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s enhanced Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, a crime reduction program incorporating long-standing law enforcement partnerships to help produce a long-term, meaningful reduction in violent crime.  PSN is a comprehensive approach to public safety, one that includes prevention, enforcement, and reentry efforts.     

The working group will focus its efforts on individuals responsible for violent crimes and significant drug trafficking activities in the area.  As part of the collaborative partnership, members of ATF, FBI, DEA, and state and local law enforcement personnel will meet regularly to share intelligence, and to review cases about the most dangerous offenders in the area, including those cases in which the offender’s conduct involves possession or use of a firearm.  The cases will be evaluated to ensure that the most appropriate penalties will be applied to the offenders, whether in federal or state court.  The ultimate goal of the collaboration is to reduce violent crime and access to illegal drugs, and make the Tri-State safer. 

“As Attorney General Sessions has confirmed, combatting violent crime, reducing access to drugs, and partnering with state and local law enforcement efforts are top priorities for the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Duncan. “By working together to investigate and prosecute the most dangerous individuals in the Tristate, we are sending a clear message that we will protect our communities against those who do them harm.  If you are using firearms to commit acts of violence or illegally selling drugs – especially those that cause an overdose death – you are on notice:  your conduct will not be tolerated; and if it continues, you risk arrest, prosecution, and the forfeiture of your freedom.”   

“The good people of the Tri-State and good cities like Huntington, Ashland, Ironton and Portsmouth, have paid too high a price because of violent crime and the drug scourge.  Effective partnerships, sharing resources and intelligence, and aggressive enforcement are the best offense to defeat those that bring chaos and despair to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “Now is the time to take our streets back from violent offenders and drug dealers that cause havoc.  We are committed to working together as true partners in this fight to reduce violent crime, protect our citizens, and put dangerous criminals behind bars for as long as possible.”

“State lines don’t stop criminals from committing violence in our communities, so they shouldn’t stop our law enforcement efforts, either,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said.  “Today’s announcement highlights our dedication to working together across governmental levels and geographic boundaries to get the job done.”

Today’s announcement follows U.S. Attorney General Sessions’s directives to federal law enforcement and prosecutors, to reinvigorate the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in an effort to reduce rising violent crime in America, and to combat access to illegal drugs, particularly opiates and opioids. 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Five defendants implicated in a federal heroin conspiracy pled guilty today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Ralph White, Jennifer Benson, Rachel Kuhn, all 36 and of Parkersburg, and Dennis Carter, 28, of Detroit, entered their guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Additionally, Heather Wells, 25, of Parkersburg, entered her guilty plea to distribution of heroin.

U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Parkersburg Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, and the Police Departments of the cities of Parkersburg, Vienna, and Williamstown.

“This is exactly the kind of investigation and prosecution that’s going to help us take back our streets from the opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “Nearly a dozen drug criminals are facing hard time behind bars, and all as a result of the efforts of several law enforcement agencies working together. Job well done.”

White, Benson, Kuhn, and Carter admitted to their involvement with several other individuals in distributing heroin at various locations throughout the Parkersburg area. In addition, White, Kuhn, and Wells admitted selling heroin to a confidential informant working with the Parkersburg Drug Task Force and the FBI on numerous occasions between November 2016 and March 2017. Benson and Carter admitted distributing between one and three kilograms of heroin, while White and Kuhn admitted to distributing between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.

White, Benson, Kuhn, and Carter all face at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on May 7, 2018. Wells faces up to 20 years imprisonment when she is sentenced on the same date.

The five defendant who pled guilty today join Debra Martin, Joseph Reeder-Shaw, Bernard Spann, Jonathan Brown, and Sir Pritis Williams, all codefendants involved in the same conspiracy, who previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. These defendants face at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when they are sentenced in April 2018. Additionally, Kennedy Michele Walker previously pled guilty to distributing heroin supplied by this organization, and she faces up to 20 years imprisonment when she is sentenced in April 2018.

Assistant United States Attorney John Frail is in charge of these prosecutions. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

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