TRENTON, N.J. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic five kilograms of cocaine and four kilograms of heroin that were hidden inside large pieces of hydraulic machinery, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Eduardo Barragan Zuninga, 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

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

From March 2015 through March 2016, Zuninga, Fermin Nunez, 46, also of Los Angeles, and others plotted to hide cocaine and heroin, and the proceeds from narcotics transactions, inside large pieces of hydraulic machinery and ship them across the country.

Nunez arranged for the drugs to be shipped from California to the east coast for distribution by Zuninga and others in the New York metropolitan area. Nunez, with Zuninga’s assistance, similarly arranged for the shipment of the distribution proceeds back to California.

Execution of two search warrants at the conclusion of an investigation conducted by the FBI, in cooperation with local law enforcement partners in Los Angeles, resulted in the seizure of approximately five kilograms of cocaine and four kilograms of heroin from a warehouse in Pennsylvania, and over $260,000 in suspected narcotics proceeds from a piece of hydraulic machinery in a California storage facility.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Zuninga to five years of supervised release. Nunez previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley W. Cohen in Newark, the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (L.A. IMPACT) and the Los Angeles Police Department, under the direction of Chief Charlie Beck, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly S. Lorber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

Defense counsel: Lisa Van Hoeck Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Damarcus Donte Ivey, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. to life in prison, announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.  A federal jury convicted Ivey in April 2017 of Hobbs Act robbery and committing murder while using and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of the robbery.

U.S. Attorney Murray is joined in making today’s announcement by John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division; Wayne Dixie, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division; and Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

According to court documents, witness testimony, evidence presented at Ivey’s trial, and today’s sentencing hearing:

On September 10, 2009, Ivey and Kevin Bishop robbed Club Nikki’s, located at 3001 Little Rock Road, in Charlotte.  Over the course of the robbery, Ivey and Bishop pointed guns at the club’s patrons and staff, ordered them on the floor, and took personal items from the patrons and cash from the club.  Trial evidence showed Ivey take items from the male victim before he fired a shot that killed him.  Ivey and Bishop then fled the scene in a Ford F-150.  Six minutes after the initial 9-1-1 call, a CMPD officer observed Ivey and Bishop exiting I-85 onto Beatties Ford Road.  A chase ensued that ended in a vehicle crash and Ivey and Bishop attempted to flee on foot from CMPD officers.  Both men were apprehended within minutes and were found in possession of proceeds from the robbery.  Inside the Ford F-150, officers located the wallet of one of the club’s patrons and $355 in cash scattered about the floorboard.

Ivey is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.  All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole. Kevin Bishop was convicted on state charges in 2014 and was given a 16-20 year sentence for his role in the robbery.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray commended CMPD, the FBI, and ATF for their investigation of the case and thanked the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office for their cooperation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Randall and William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

Orlando, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Ramon Lopez-Alvarado (58), a citizen of Mexico, with illegally reentering the United States after deportation and failing to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the reentry count and up to 10 years in federal prison on the failure to register count. 

According to the indictment, Lopez-Alvarado, an illegal alien, was previously convicted for committing a lewd act on a child and for failing to register as a sex offender. He was removed from the United States in 2013 and, on March 17, 2018, was found to be back in the United States without permission. Upon returning to the United States from Mexico, Lopez-Alvarado also failed to register as a sex offender and keep his registration current as required by SORNA.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the U.S. Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.

            A South Florida resident pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud, in connection with purported hurricane relief aid for Puerto Rico.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Brian Swain, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service (USSS), made the announcement. 

Emilio I. Vazquez, 47, of Coral Gables, Florida, plead guilty to a single count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  The defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison.  Vazquez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., by United States District Court Judge Robert N. Scola.     

In or around September 2017, Vazquez contacted a group of volunteers working to provide hurricane relief aid to Puerto Rico.  Vazquez claimed that he was part of the Serralles family, who are the owners of Destileria Serralles, which distills, manufactures, bottles and distributes Don Q rum in Puerto Rico. Vazquez claimed to have significant resources and the ability to rent warehouses, and charter planes and trucks to transport relief supplies.

In or around September 2017, Vazquez, using the name Emilio Serralles, contacted Commercial Property Group in Doral, Florida, regarding the rental of warehouse space.  The warehouse space was purportedly to be used to store relief supplies for Puerto Rico.  On or about September 29, 2017, Vazquez provided Commercial Property Group with a counterfeit and fraudulent UBS bank cashier’s check for $122,050.50, to pay for the warehouse space. The next day, Vazquez signed a lease under the name Emilio Serralles, renting five warehouse spaces from Commercial Property Group. 

In or around October 2017, Vazquez contacted Miami Air International, a local charter airline, as Emilio Serralles and claimed to own a company called Puerto Rico Relief Committee.  Subsequently, Vazquez chartered multiple flights from Miami to Puerto Rico to purportedly deliver relief supplies.  As payment for these flights, Vazquez provided a counterfeit and fraudulent American Express Centurion Bank cashier’s check for $564,036.05 to Miami Air International.

Mr. Greenberg commends the investigative efforts of the USSS.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein. 

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

WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Delaware returned a five-count indictment on April 12, 2018, charging Jaclyn McCain, 26, of Wilmington, with one count of obstruction of justice and four counts of lying to the FBI.

According to the Indictment, on June 6, 2017, in Newark, Delaware, a female victim was followed and ultimately taken from a location near her apartment.  A short time later, shots were fired at the victim’s boyfriend on Rt. 896.  The victim was then taken by car to Elkton, Maryland.  The victim’s body was found later that day in Elkton, near where shots had been heard around noon.  The car used in the murder was a silver Hyundai Sonata registered to McCain’s mother.

The Indictment describes McCain’s telephone communications just hours before the victim’s homicide in Elkton.  The Indictment further alleges that McCain swapped cars with her boyfriend at about 8 a.m. that morning, leaving the Hyundai Sonata with him and driving away in his car.  Video surveillance shows the Hyundai Sonata near the murder scene in Elkton.

The Indictment further details the connection between the events described above and the shooting of a six-year-old child later that same day in Wilmington.  The shots that gravely injured the six-year-old were intended for the same individual (the victim’s boyfriend) targeted in the Rt. 896 shooting earlier that day.

Four weeks after the murder, the FBI interviewed McCain and told her that her mother’s Hyundai Sonata was used in a homicide.  Agents also told her that the homicide was related to the shooting of the six-year old that occurred later that same day.  The Indictment alleges that, in the interview, McCain on multiple occasions denied letting anyone use, drive, or borrow her mother’s car. 

Internet searches from the defendant’s phone, as early as three nights after the homicide, reference a homicide that occurred in Elkton.

U.S. Attorney Weiss stated the following: “The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the homicide and shootings that occurred on June 6, 2017 is a matter of critical importance to this Office and our community.  Witnesses to such events are expected to respond truthfully when questioned. The failure to do so will bring consequences.  I want to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their extraordinary and ongoing work on this case.”

If convicted of obstruction of justice as charged in the Indictment, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment.

This case is being investigated by the Wilmington Police Department, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Elkton Police Department, Delaware Department of Justice, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  This case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Mackler.

Criminal indictments are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Rocmond Lewis, Sr., of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for an illegal firearm charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Lewis, age 41, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in December 2017. Lewis, having previously being convicted of a felony in the Circuit Court of Marion County, West Virginia, admitted to possessing a .45 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol, and a .380 caliber pistol. The crime occurred in March 2017 in Marion County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. 
 
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.

A Tampa resident, who was previously convicted at trial, was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a Tricare health care fraud scheme, receiving kickbacks and money laundering.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, Peter H. Kuehl, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, and Frank Robey, Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit, made the announcement. 

Monty Ray Grow, 46, of Tampa, was sentenced by United States District Judge Federico A. Moreno to 262 months in prison and ordered to pay approximately $18 million in restitution.  On February 5, 2018, a federal jury in Miami convicted Grow, of 18 criminal charges, including: conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347; conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,  371; unlawful receipt of health care kickbacks, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 1320a-7(b)(1)(A); and money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. 

Evidence presented at trial established that during an eight-month period in 2014-15, Grow participated in a scheme to defraud the Tricare program out of tens of millions of dollars. Tricare is the health care program for the U.S. military that pays the health care costs of active and retired military personnel and their families. That insurance benefit includes paying for any medications that a Tricare beneficiary needs.  Defendant Grow enticed Tricare beneficiaries to order very expensive drugs that they did not need. Tricare, not the patients, paid the bill for these expensive drugs and the pharmacy split fifty percent of the profits with Grow.  Evidence at trial established that Grow targeted Tricare beneficiaries and induced them to order expensive drugs they did not need by paying them either directly for their own prescriptions or indirectly for those of their family and friends.  As a result of the fraudulent scheme, Grow received nearly $20 million in kickbacks from a Broward County pharmacy.

In furtherance of the conspiracy, Grow fraudulently inflated the price the pharmacy would bill to Tricare by manipulating the formulations and selling ingredients to the pharmacy that were artificially engineered in order to maximize profits.  Grow also paid telemedicine companies whose doctors ratified prescriptions the defendant pre-selected, while knowing that doctors never examined a single patient.  Finally, Grow laundered the criminal proceeds of his scheme through the purchase of luxury items. 

To date, at least eight additional co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges arising out of Grow’s fraud scheme, including Ginger Lay, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia; Paul Robinson, 40, of Ormond Beach, Florida; Deanna Dutting, 40, of Ormond Beach, Florida, Raymond Bear, 46, of Flemming Island, Florida; Robin Halliburton, 45 of Ponte Vedra, Florida; Michael Shane Matthews, 47, of Newberry, Florida, Michael Bowman, 43, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Sven Bjerke, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida.  These individuals have collectively remitted property back to the United States valued in the approximate amount of $4 million.  Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of DCIS, FDA-OCI and U.S. Army CID.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Larsen and Jon Juenger.

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.

PITTSBURGH, PA – A Beaver County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Rance Vaughn, age 22, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking, including fentanyl trafficking, in various areas of Western Pennsylvania. The interception of wire and electronic communications began in March 2017, and Rance Vaughn was intercepted over the wire conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.

Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for August 16, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Caitlin A. Loughran are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

This prosecution is part of a long-term investigation by the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, which targeted a large scale Drug Trafficking Organization operating in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny Counties. The FBI, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Vaughn.

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of North Versailles, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 44 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Antoine Walls, age 24.

According to information presented to the court, on August 25, 2016, Walls possessed a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol, a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol, and numerous rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. It is unlawful for Walls, who has previously been convicted of a felony offense, to possess a firearm and ammunition.

Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leet Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Antoine Walls.

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, pharmacist was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his role in a long-running conspiracy to illegally distribute and dispense large quantities of oxycodone and other controlled substances from two pharmacies located in Medford, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

David Goldfield, 60, of Medford Lakes, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to Count 1 of an indictment, charging him with conspiracy to illegally distribute and dispense oxycodone and other Schedule II controlled substances, and Counts 10 through 15, which charge him with multiple substantive counts of illegal distribution and dispensing of oxycodone. Judge Simandle imposed the sentence in Camden federal court.

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

Goldfield was employed by Michael Ludwikowski, 46, of Medford, at Olde Medford Pharmacy and Medford Family Pharmacy. Goldfield admitted that from January 2010 through August 2013, he conspired with Ludwikowski to distribute and dispense oxycodone for individuals they knew were obtaining the pain killers for resale or for non-medical use.

Goldfield admitted, based upon his training and experience, as well as the “red flags” he observed, it was obvious that many of the oxycodone prescriptions that Goldfield and Ludwikowski filled were fraudulent. These red flags included prescriptions for oxycodone that appeared to have been “washed” or “bleached.” According to the indictment, this was achieved through a chemical process that removed the original writing for a non-narcotic substance. The customers then rewrote the prescriptions for their drug of choice, including oxycodone.

Other red flags included customers who were believed to be drug addicts, or believed to be selling or abusing the oxycodone; customers seeking oxycodone with residential addresses far from the Medford area, including for example, Camden, New Jersey; the same customer presenting oxycodone prescriptions in numerous different names, including the names of both men and women; and customers presenting oxycodone prescriptions for a 30-day supply multiple times a week.

On occasions that Goldfield had suspicions about the legitimacy of particular prescriptions, Ludwikowski allegedly told Goldfield to fill some of those prescriptions anyway. In addition, Goldfield admitted that he and Ludwikowski stored bottles of oxycodone in a pull-out drawer to which pharmacy employees working at the front counter would have easy access, rather than in a locked safe.

When Ludwikowski became concerned with the high number of oxycodone prescriptions that were being filled, Ludwikowski and Goldfield – in an attempt to evade law enforcement – turned away customers who were bringing in fraudulent prescriptions by telling them that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had reduced their supply of oxycodone.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Simandle sentenced Goldfield to three years of supervised release and fined him $4,900.

Ludwikowski was convicted at trial of six counts in an indictment charging him with illegally distributing and dispensing oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. He was sentenced April 12, 2018, to 15 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley W. Cohen; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson; the Medford Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard J. Meder; the Moorestown Police Department under the direction of Chief Lee R. Lieber; the Florence Police Department under the direction of Chief John Bunce; and the Lumberton Police Department under the direction of Chief Tony Diloreto, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Devlin of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.

Defense counsel: Gilbert J. Scutti Esq., Voorhees, New Jersey

RALEIGH– The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced today that, DONOVAN DAVE DIXON, 51 of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was convicted after a four-day jury trial before Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III.  The jury found DIXON, who was a licensed medical doctor at the time of the offense, guilty of Conspiracy to Unlawfully Distribute Oxycodone and twenty (20) counts of Unlawful Distribution of Oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.

The evidence at trial showed that DIXON was a licensed medical doctor who operated a family medical practice in Pembroke, NC from 2012 until April 6, 2015, when his ability to prescribe controlled substances was limited by the North Carolina Medical Board.  The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad based in Charlotte began investigating DIXON when they noticed that four (4) of the top ten (10) oxycodone prescribing pharmacies for the State of North Carolina were located in the Lumberton, NC area.  The local pharmacists as well as local and state law enforcement identified DIXON as the likely cause.

At trial, the evidence showed that DIXON prescribed high strength, high dosage amounts of oxycodone with little or no medical examination.   Multiple witnesses testified that they had never even met DIXON despite the fact that hundreds of prescriptions had been issued in their name.  A local drug dealer testified that DIXON wrote prescriptions for oxycodone in the name of persons that he provided to DIXON in exchange for cash.  The prescription drugs were then sold on the streets of Robeson County by the drug dealer. 

DIXON is scheduled to be sentenced the week of July 23, 2018.

Mr. Higdon stated:  “The United States Department of Justice is aggressively moving against all individuals who illegally distribute opioids and prescription drugs.  Whether those illegally pushing these drugs are on the street or operating from a doctor’s office, we will pursue you, charge you and convict you for the crimes that are putting our citizens at risk.”

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad.  Assistance was also provided by the State Bureau of Investigation, Diversion and Environmental Crime Unit, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fayetteville Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Cameron represented the government in this case. 

TRENTON, N.J. – A Miami man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute over 45 kilograms of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and morphine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Sauro D. Estevez Figueredo, 50, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and morphine. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

Figueredo was originally arrested with Edwin Alamo Jr., 23, Emmanuel Gonzalez, 33, both of Bronx, New York, Alberto Mora, 54, of Morriston, Florida, and Porfirio Peralta-Nunez, 39, of Jersey City, New Jersey, in February 2016. All five defendants have since pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug distribution conspiracy.

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

On Feb. 5, 2016, law enforcement observed a tractor trailer, driven by Figueredo and Mora, parked at an intersection near a store in Clifton, New Jersey. That afternoon, Gonzalez and Alamo drove to the tractor trailer and left with a suitcase given to them by Mora. Later, Peralta-Nunez arrived at the tractor trailer with two empty bags and left shortly afterwards with the bags filled.

Figueredo admitted that he collected narcotics and transported them via tractor trailer to New Jersey. He also admitted that Mora handed out a suitcase with 22 kilograms of heroin and afterwards, another conspirator took two bags containing fentanyl, morphine and heroin from the tractor trailer. He further admitted that there were two additional bags on the tractor trailer – one that contained 10 kilograms of fentanyl and one that contained 10 kilograms of cocaine – that would have been provided to other conspirators if not for law enforcement’s intervention.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Figueredo to five years of supervised release.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit and Elaine Lou, Chief of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson in Newark, with the investigation.

Defense Counsel: Michael D’Alessio Esq., West Orange, New Jersey 

SOUTH BEND – Deandre Watson, 38, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Robert Miller, Jr for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

Watson was sentenced to 88 months imprisonment followed by 18 months of supervised release. 

According to documents in this case, on September 30, 2016, Watson believing a man acted inappropriately towards his daughters, sought out that man in a nearby apartment building despite the fact that Watson had made a police report about that man earlier that day.  Watson visited the man’s apartment with his daughters as well as a loaded 9mm handgun.  Wilson hit the man with the firearm and locked the man in the trunk of his own car.  The man’s girlfriend called police who arrived at the scene.  Watson has been convicted of three other felony offenses prior to this incident.     

This case was investigated by the ATF with the assistance of the Mishawaka and South Bend Police Departments.  The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly E. Donnelly.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                ContactELIZABETH MORSE

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

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Robert M. Underwood, age 71, and his wife Deborah J. Underwood, age 62, both of Clinton, Maryland on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and four counts of filing false tax returns.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

According to the indictment, the Underwoods operated a used automobile parts and scrap metal business in Clinton, Maryland from 2009 through 2012 under the names “B Underwood’s Used Auto Parts” and “B Underwood Used Auto Parts, LLC.”  The business allegedly purchased used and salvage cars, stripped them for parts to resell, and sold the remains to a Baltimore-based scrap yard.

The indictment charges that the Underwoods conspired to conceal the receipt of cash from the sale of scrap metal from their accountants and from IRS auditors.  The indictment further alleges that the Underwoods filed false tax returns that did not include all the gross receipts of their business.

If convicted, the Underwoods face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and three years in prison for each false tax return count.  They also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked Special Agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David I. Salem and Tax Division Trial Attorney Michael Vasiliadis, who are prosecuting the case.

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A Mexican man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a reentry charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Victor Eduardo Zepeda-Garcia, also known as Victor Eduardo Garcia-Zepeda, age 31, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted on one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Zepeda-Garcia, an illegal alien, is accused of reentering the United States after being removed in March 2016 near Del Rio, Texas. Zepeda-Garcia is accused of being in Lewis County, West Virginia on March 3, 2018.

Zepeda-Garcia faces up to two years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Two people were charged in federal court with mail fraud for defrauding an insurance company.

Kifiyun Daniels, 32, of Akron, and Jessie Banks, 25, of Barberton, were both charged with one count of mail fraud.

Daniels made fraudulent claims to Asurion Insurance for the replacement of approximately 261 cellular phones between August 2015 and December 2017. Asurion sustained a loss of approximately $130,717, according to the information.

Banks made fraudulent claims to Asurion Insurance for the replacement of approximately 179 cellular phones between Novermber 2015 and May 2017. Asurion sustained a loss of approximately $110,174, according to the information.

Jody Foster, of Ravenna, was charged last week with one count of mail fraud for defrauding Asurioan out of $94,000.

Foster defrauded Asurion Insurance between 2012 and 2016 through the submission of fraudulent insurance claims to obtain money and property from Asurion. He paid individuals, known and unknown, to purchase new cellular telephones and enroll in cellular telephones service plans which included insurance coverage with multiple cellular telephone service providers. Then these individuals provided the newly purchased cellular telephones to Foster, according to the criminal information.

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

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis.

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

A seven-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging Bloods gang member Lawrence Lewis, also known as “L Boogs,” with the July 29, 2017 murder of John Birt, firearms offenses, and narcotics possession and distribution.  Lewis was arrested yesterday and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert.      

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York, Timothy D. Sini, District Attorney for Suffolk County, and Geraldine Hart, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the charges.

“As alleged, this Bloods member committed a senseless murder in furtherance of his violent gang,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.   “The defendant’s arrest should send a loud and clear message that this Office, working collaboratively with our federal and local law enforcement partners, is committed to eradicating gang violence on Long Island and throughout our district, to make our communities safer.”

“The simple act of taking a photo ended in a man losing his life, all because a gang member was allegedly offended and decided to retaliate,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “It’s hard to fathom how the suspect in this case weighed exposing his illegal drug trade, and his illegal weapons because he wanted to prove how tough he is to his rivals.  The FBI Long Island Gang Task Force is committed to rooting out the violent gangs and their destructive behavior in our communities.”

“Once murder is added to the list of allegations against Lewis, it is evident that the alleged distribution of large amounts of cocaine and heroin in Long Island neighborhoods was only the tip of his criminal activity,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez.  “We will not stand by while violent gang members roam free in our communities. Lewis had little regard for the life he took or the lives he affected by dealing drugs, and he will now need to face the consequences of his crimes.”

“It is a top priority of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute members of dangerous, violent street gangs to the fullest extent of the law,” stated Suffolk County District Attorney Sini.  “This individual showed a total disregard for human life and for the law, which will not be tolerated. Today’s indictment is a reinforcement of our Office’s commitment to combating gang violence in our communities and our dedication to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to keep Suffolk County residents safe.”

“The Suffolk County Police Department will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring criminal gang members and their associates to justice,” stated SCPD Acting Commissioner Hart. “The arrest of this murderer will send yet another powerful message to gangs across Long Island that illegal activities will not be tolerated.”

According to the indictment and statements made during the arraignment, between January 2016 and March 2018, Lewis utilized his membership in the Bloods street gang to distribute large quantities of cocaine base and heroin in Suffolk County.  In order to protect his supply of narcotics and secure his ability to distribute his narcotics, Lewis possessed a number of firearms, including a Mossberg .22 caliber rifle and a Ruger .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. 

On July 29, 2017, Birt and several friends were posing for a photo at the Illusions Gentlemen’s Club in Deer Park when they were approached by an associate of Lewis who was also a member of the Bloods.  The associate attempted to display a Bloods gang hand signal in the photo and a dispute ensued.  Lewis pulled out a handgun and fatally shot Birt.  

If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum term of life imprisonment.       

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Caffarone, Mark E. Misorek and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen A. Kearon are in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendant

LAWRENCE LEWIS
Age: 36
Residence: Calverton, New York  

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-187 (JS)

Craig Rosen, 61, a wealthy businessman who, for four years, failed to file federal income tax returns or pay taxes, was sentenced Monday to one year and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Berle M. Schiller.  Rosen pleaded guilty in November to four counts of tax evasion.

The defendant, who has a degree in accounting, owned and operated several successful businesses associated with medical treatment and pain relief.  In each of the years 2009 through 2012, he earned income ranging from $175,000 and $432,000, but failed to file tax returns, report income or pay taxes for any of those years.  He also took steps to conceal his true income, including paying personal debts from accounts that were not in his name. 

“It’s our responsibility as Americans to comply with our tax laws,” said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. “This was a particularly brazen disregard of that responsibility, especially when you consider the defendant is an accountant. A prison sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who believe they can ignore the law and escape accountability.”

The explanation Rosen gave to investigators for his decision to stop paying taxes was his desire to avoid having to pay a large civil judgment owed to a former business partner.  But, as prosecutors wrote in the government’s sentencing memo, “a desire to avoid paying a private creditor neither explains nor excuses a decision not to pay taxes.”    

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bea Witzleben.

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that two men were sentenced to federal prison for multiple armed robberies, including the armed robbery of Wells Fargo Bank in August 2016.

Kaleem Tikori Fredericks, 24, was sentenced yesterday to serve 130 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, Hobbs Act conspiracy, and Hobbs Act Robbery.  Calel Calvis Alexis Crofford, 25, was sentenced in January 2018, to serve 10 years and 2 days in prison after previously pleading guilty to armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and Hobbs Act conspiracy.

According to court documents, between Aug. 11 and Aug. 18, 2016, Fredericks and Crofford conspired to commit a series of armed robberies.  They pointed a loaded short-barreled shotgun, and a BB gun that appeared to be a real handgun, at customers and employees of a bank, three liquor stores, and a gas station.  They also committed a smash-and-grab theft from a jewelry store.  The series of robberies they committed are as follows:

• Aug. 11, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Captain Sparrow Liquor Store located at 1100 W. Benson Boulevard, using a short-barreled shotgun;
• Aug. 14, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Brown Jug Liquor Store located at 525 West Fireweed Lane, using a short-barreled shotgun;
• Aug. 15, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Tesoro Gas Station located at 545 Muldoon Road, using a loaded short-barreled shotgun;
• Aug. 15. 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Brown Jug Liquor Store located at 119 Klevin Street, using a short-barreled shotgun;
• Aug. 18, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford stole from the Jewelry World kiosk at the Dimond Center Mall;
• Aug. 18, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed Wells Fargo Bank, using a short-barreled shotgun and a BB gun.

Fredericks and Crofford stole a total of approximately $30,954, which they used to entertain themselves and then try to flee Alaska.  Specifically, on Aug. 18, 2016, Fredericks and Crofford drove to Girdwood, Alaska, and disposed of the short-barreled shotgun, a backpack, and some of the clothes worn during the armed robberies.  On that same day, they had purchased airline tickets and traveled to the Ted Stevens International Airport together in order to flee to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Anchorage Airport Police, leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people are facing a charge involving an illegal firearms operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

The two men and one woman were indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Elkins on March 6, 2018. The three are accused of being involved in a conspiracy that included making false statements to purchase firearms, trading firearms for controlled substances, and transporting and selling the firearms in New York. The crime is alleged to have occurred in Morgantown, Monongalia County and elsewhere from May 2017 to June 2017. 

Those charged with “Conspiracy to Violate Federal Firearms Laws” are:

•    Amanze Antoine, age 37, of Mt. Vernon, New York
•    Margaret Parker, age 33, of Dellslow, West Virginia
•    Tommy Calhoun, of Morgantown, West Virginia

Each defendant faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.