Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Two defendants involved in a conspiracy that generated at least $1 million in drug proceeds by trafficking methamphetamine, oxycodone, and suboxone from Las Vegas to Southwest Virginia were sentenced in recent days in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, the United States Attorney’s Office announced.

Tracy Allen Callihan, 49, of Glade Spring, Va., was sentenced Tuesday, April 17 to 324 months imprisonment. Callihan was previously found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and oxycodone, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Callihan was also ordered to forfeit $30,000 in proceeds from his criminal activity. On April 12, Steven Cino, 52, of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment and ordered to pay a money judgment of $251,633.  Cino previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, methamphetamine and suboxone and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Cino and Callihan are the latest defendants to be sentenced as part of Operation Leaving Las Vegas, a multi-agency investigation that began in 2014 and resulted in charges against 32 individuals for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone and suboxone in Southwest Virginia, Nevada, Eastern Kentucky, and elsewhere.

According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, members of the conspiracy sent crystal methamphetamine and oxycodone via FedEx and the United States Postal Service from Las Vegas to various individuals in Abingdon and Eastern Kentucky. Upon receipt, the drugs were redistributed. Investigators were able to identify and charge not only those who received the drugs locally but also the source of the substances in Nevada.

The proceeds from the conspiracy, which investigators found to be at least $1,000,000, were routinely transferred from Abingdon to Las Vegas using bank accounts in the names of drug suppliers who lived in Las Vegas. Funds were also transferred between Abingdon and Las Vegas using Western Union and MoneyGram services.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, United States Marshals Service, Virginia State Police, Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Abingdon Police Department, Marion Police Department, and Smyth County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee will prosecute the case for the United States.

ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The two-count indictment named Kenneth L. Blanks, 36, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment presented to the court, Blanks received and possessed computer images and movies depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

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

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

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

Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – An additional five defendants out of 13 convicted of trafficking more than 1,000 grams of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal were sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.

Tuesday in Federal Court, three Front Royal residents were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. Da’Shawn Lee Edwards, 22, was sentenced to 168 months in prison, Keon Rasheed Hackley, 20, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and Tiara Lachay Bailey, 24, was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

In addition, a pair of Baltimore men involved in the conspiracy were sentenced for their roles in the trafficking enterprise. Antwan Lucas, 21, was sentenced Tuesday to 108 months in prison and Antwan Wilson Cottman, 29, was sentenced to 180 months.

All five of the defendants sentenced Tuesday, as well as three members of the conspiracy sentenced Monday in federal court, and five defendants scheduled for sentencing Wednesday, were involved in a multi-year trafficking enterprise that brought significant amounts of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal.

“Our office is committed to working with state and local law enforcement in the Northern Shenandoah Valley to disrupt opioid distribution networks and aggressively prosecute the dealers who are poisoning our communities,” U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen said today.  “With the help of our local partners, we will be increasing enforcement and federal prosecutions in this region.”

According to information and evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis, the conspiracy began as early as 2013 with the goal of trafficking heroin from Baltimore to the Front Royal area. On average, members of the conspiracy distributed one kilogram of heroin per week during the life of the conspiracy, which operated between 2013 and April 2016.

To insulate the identity of the sellers from the identity of the buyers, heroin customers in Virginia contacted a phone number in Maryland, either by voice call or text, which was controlled by conspiracy members and was known only as the “Chris phone.” “Chris” was not a real person, but rather was a fake name associated with the phone number customers contacted to place heroin orders. At the time an order was placed, customers were provided a street address in Baltimore where their order was to be picked up. When a customer arrived at the pre-determined address, the customer’s car was approached by other members of the conspiracy, a drug transaction took place, and the Virginia customers drove back to Front Royal. No socializing or small talk took place between the customer in the car and the seller on the street. The Virginia customers made these trips every day, sometimes multiple times per day. Once they returned to Front Royal, the customers used the heroin and sold it to others. 

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Winchester Office, the Front Royal Office of the Virginia State Police Northwest Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Baltimore City Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Frederick, Maryland Sheriff’s Office, the Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office and the Howard County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis is prosecuting the case for the United States.

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today that a jury found Kevin Dewayne Leffler, 38, of Tulsa, guilty of possessing an unregistered firearm after prior felony convictions, and possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine.  The jury determined that ­­Leffler illegally possessed six firearms, including a loaded .45 caliber pistol, two conventional shotguns, a rifle, an assault rifle, and a sawed-off shotgun.  The jury also found that the sawed-off shotgun was possessed in furtherance of Leffler’s intent to traffic approximately 42 grams of methamphetamine.  Leffler was acquitted of knowingly possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

“Today, a jury held Kevin Leffler accountable for his drug and related crimes. I commend the jury for reaching verdicts of guilty and thank them for their service. Jury trials are one of the most important duties undertaken by federal prosecutors. Jury trials are especially significant in our criminal justice system because it is the citizens on the jury who make the final decision,” stated U.S. Attorney Shores. “I am proud of Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Roberts and Chris Nassar for their deft and professional prosecution of this matter. I am thankful for the skilled investigators at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department. This community is safer and this conviction was secured because of their joint efforts.”

District Judge John E. Dowdell, of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and will sentence Leffler on July 23, 2018 at 10:00 am. Leffler faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of $250,000, and five years supervised release for the Felon in Possession of Firearm charge and the Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime charge; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, and three years supervised release for the Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine charge; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and 3 years supervised release for the Felon in Possession of an Unregistered Firearm charge.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan M. Roberts and Christopher J. Nassar.

Columbia, South Carolina--------United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Charles Rayford Hunt, Jr., age 40, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was charged in a multi-count indictment with misprision of felony in connection with concealing the distribution of cocaine and heroin the use of which resulted in death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4.  The indictment alleges that on or about January 30, 2017, Hunt disposed of the body of a victim of a drug overdose and did not as soon as possible make known the same to an appropriate authority. 

Hunt is additionally charged with aiding and abetting the possession of the drugs that led to the overdose.  Jose Anthony Ortiz, Jr., age 38, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was also charged with misprision of felony for his role in destroying the personal effects of the overdose victim. 

The maximum penalty Hunt and Ortiz could receive for the currently pending charges is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or 3 years imprisonment.  The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillian of the Florence office for prosecution.  The investigation is ongoing.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 17, 2018 – Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. (CRA), headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States to resolve violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.

            On December 22, 2017, National Park Service Rangers with the Natchez Trace Parkway issued a notice of violation to CRA for conducting an unauthorized archaeological survey on Parkway lands, in connection with the proposed Stephen’s Valley development in Davidson and Williamson Counties in Tennessee. 

            According to the notice of violation, in November 2016, CRA conducted excavation activities, without the required ARPA permits, which resulted in the removal of Native American archaeological artifacts, which were more than 100 years old. The excavation was in advance of a proposed tree planting effort to screen the development from Parkway visitors’ view. 

            The agreement between the United States and CRA defers prosecution for criminal violations of the ARPA and requires CRA to pay a penalty in the amount of $15,024, the amount of damages determined from the unauthorized excavation, and to return all artifacts discovered during the process.

            “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing laws that Congress enacted to protect archaeological resources,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran.  “This agreement is fair and just and properly mitigates the damage by deferring criminal prosecution, requiring the return of the artifacts and imposing a penalty for failing to secure the required permits.”

            “This situation could have easily been avoided had CRA applied for and received an ARPA permit,” said Superintendent Mary Risser, of the Natchez Trace Parkway.  “Archaeological resources on National Park Service property belong to everyone and we have a responsibility to prevent their unauthorized removal. Parkway staff will use the funds paid by CRA to preserve cultural resources on the Parkway.”

            This action was initiated by Rangers of National Park Service – Natchez Trace Parkway.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers handled the case on behalf of the government.

DALLAS — Ima Maria Isham, 22, of The Colony, Texas appeared this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.

Isham faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.  Restitution is mandatory.  Isham remains on bond; a sentencing date was not set.

According to documents filed in the case, beginning in March 2015 and continuing until March 2016, Isham, along with coconspirators Eddie Contreraz, Stephanie Loraine Contreraz, Bryce Carragan Armijo, Elizabeth Flint, Abraham Valdez, and Kwanghee (Kathy) Anh, conspired with each other, to commit bank fraud.

Isham and other conspirators were employed at Preferred Marketing Group (PMG), also known as PMG Business Solutions. PMG was a loan brokerage company that assisted clients obtain loans, lines of credit, and credit cards. Since the majority of clients had low credit scores, as well as insufficient or unverifiable income or employment, most lenders did not consider these clients to be good credit risks. To overcome these obstacles to obtaining funding, conspirator PMG employees were aware that conspirator Eddie Contreraz frequently created fake paystubs, tax forms and other fraudulent documents in order to falsely inflate clients’ income, as well as falsify a client’s employment position and length of employment. Isham and other conspirators caused many clients to fraudulently obtain funding by causing clients to submit to various lenders false financial and false employment information provided by co-defendant Eddie Contreraz.

The defendants fraudulently obtained loan proceeds from several federally insured banks in the Dallas and Fort Worth area by causing borrower loan applications to be submitted to banks which contained false information. False loan information submitted to financial institutions included, inflated false income figures; falsely list the loan applicant’s position as manager of a company (when the applicant actually owned the company or was employed in a lower salaried position); and falsely reported employment when a client was actually unemployed.

According to documents filed in the case, Isham and coconspirators caused borrowers with low credit scores to use “credit repair” services to raise the borrower’s credit score in order to qualify for loans later obtained through the use of false and fictitious documents created by defendant Eddie Contreraz.

From March 2015 through March 2016, Isham and coconspirators fraudulently obtained loans, credit lines, and credit cards from several banks in the total amount of at least $10 million.

The Fort Worth Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis is in charge of the prosecution.

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DALLAS— Kevin Gerard Cauley, 51, of Rockwall, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 15 months in federal prison for his role in a bribery scheme involving the concealment of information to defraud the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.

Cauley pleaded guilty in June 2017 to one count of honest services wire fraud.  Judge Lindsay ordered Cauley to surrender to the Bureau of Prison on June 19, 2018.

According to the information filed in the case, Cauleyworked as a Highway Patrol - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (“CVE”) Sergeant employed by DPS and assigned to Region I, that covered Dallas County. As a CVE Sergeant, Cauleywas responsible for, among other things, enforcing traffic and criminal laws, instructing in training schools and academies, and performing safety inspections of commercial vehicles in order to provide Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Inspection (“CVSA”) decals to commercial vehicles.

Safety inspections were performed by DPS CVE Troopers to ensure their commercial vehicles were safe for highway travel. Safety Inspections were coded Levels 1 through 5. A level 1 inspection was the highest level which meant it involved the most areas of inspection. Once a Level 1 inspection was passed, the commercial vehicle received a CVSA decal.

Orlinte Cruz owned commercial trucking companies that operated in Dallas, Texas, Cruz and Sons Transportation and UGMA Logistics.

The CVSA decal served as a notice to any other CVE personnel in the United States, Canada, or Mexico that the vehicle had recently passed a Level 1 inspection and prevented the vehicle from being stopped at an inspection station or scale so that safety violations were not as readily detected. A commercial vehicle company's safety rating was directly related to the number of violations recorded. A good safety rating translated into lower insurance premiums and a higher volume of contracts.

According to the information filed in the case, in July 2014 Cruz approached Cauley about conducting safety meetings for employees of Cruz and Sons Transportation. Shortly thereafter, Cauley began conducting inspections of Cruz and Sons Transportation and UGMA Logistics’s commercial trucks. From July 2014 and continuing until September 2015, Cauley reported conducting thirty-nine Level 1 inspections on Cruz and Sons Transportation’s vehicles. Thirty-nine of these inspections resulted in a CVSA decal. Cruz paid Cauley in United States currency at least $4,000, to receive favorable treatment from Cauley concerning the performance, or non-performance of CVSA inspection procedures.

Cruz has also pled guilty to his role in this scheme and is awaiting sentencing.

The Texas Rangers, Department of Transportation- Office of Inspector General, and FBI, investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne E. Frazior prosecuted.

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CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – After a two-day trial, Emory Chiles, of Steubenville, Ohio, was found guilty on all counts today by a jury, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

After 26 minutes of deliberations, a jury found Chiles, age 43, guilty of one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin,” one count of “Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Offense,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Chiles distributed heroin and possessed a 9mm pistol in Monongalia County in November 2017. Chiles was previously convicted of a felony in the Northern District of West Virginia

“I appreciate the hard work of our trial team and judgement of the jury.  We will continue to aggressively pursue those who violate our drug laws and be particularly vigilant when prohibited individuals have firearms.  Firearms and drugs often go hand in hand and keeping our communities safe is our number one priority,” said Powell.

Chiles faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the first count, faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the second count, and faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the third count. 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 and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
 
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           ContactELIZABETH MORSE

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

Baltimore, Maryland – On April 17, 2018, United States District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Sean Shorb, age 38, of Frederick, Maryland to 100 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for Hobbs Act robbery.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Edward G. Hargis of the Frederick City Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, in March of 2017, Shorb committed two robberies of businesses in Frederick, Maryland.  On March 19, 2017, Shorb walked into a fast food restaurant on Thomas Johnson Drive, pointed a handgun at an employee, and stated that he would shoot the employee unless the employee handed over money.  The employee complied and handed over the money from the store’s cash register.

Later that same week, on March 23, 2017, Shorb walked into a convenience store on Amber Drive, pointed a pistol at an employee, and stated in substance: “Give me the money, give me the money, and don’t say anything.”  The employee complied and handed over money from the store’s cash register.

Frederick City Police Department (“FPD”) investigators obtained red light camera footage that showed Shorb’s vehicle fleeing from one of the robberies.  When an FPD police officer later attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Shorb for speeding, Shorb fled from police.  Shorb was apprehended and later admitted to committing the robberies and said that he used a handgun that he tossed into a sewer in Baltimore.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF and the Frederick City Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DellaBetta, who prosecuted the case.

LAS VEGAS, Nev.– A federal grand jury for the District of Nevada returned an indictment yesterday, charging a former Las Vegas, Nevada, realtor with tax evasion, corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws, making a false statement to a bank and failure to file tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.

According to the indictment, William Waller evaded over $500,000 in taxes owed for 2004 through 2009 and obstructed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by directing third parties to pay nominee entities for services Waller provided, and then using bank accounts in the names of those nominees to pay his personal expenses.  Waller also allegedly failed to timely file federal income tax returns for the years 2011 and 2012, despite having an obligation to do so. 

The indictment further charges Waller with making a false statement to a bank in order to obtain a loan modification by falsely representing that he had not worked in several years and had no source of income, when in fact he had been employed and received income.

If convicted, the defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for making a false statement to a bank, five years in prison for tax evasion, three years in prison for obstruction of the internal revenue laws, and one year in prison on each failure to file a tax return count.  Waller also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed.  A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Elieson commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Andrea Kafka and John Mulcahy, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.

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     PHOENIX – Yesterday, U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell sentenced Harold Halman, II, 58, and Alexander Schaap, 62, to 36 and 30 months in prison, respectively. Both must serve 3 years of supervised release following their prison sentences.  The Court also ordered them to pay $4.5 million in restitution. Craighton Boates, 44, New River, Ariz., was also sentenced to 5 years’ probation.

     Evidence showed that Halman, Schaap, and Boates were principals in a now defunct company known as Global Medical Equipment of Arizona (“GMEA”). They defrauded the Small Business Administration, Metro Phoenix Bank, and Republic Bank of Arizona by submitting loan applications containing false information that included the percentage of GMEA ownership, the use of the loans for pre-existing debts, forged emails and letters misrepresenting that down payments had been made by the principals, and a concealed kickback. The defendants defaulted on nearly $4.5 million in loans.

     "These loans should have been granted to qualified small business owners. Instead the defendants effectively denied an opportunity to legitimate small businesses deserving access to capital,” stated Elizabeth A. Strange, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively investigate and seek criminal prosecution or civil remedies when fraud is perpetrated by corrupt borrowers who attempt to obtain financial assistance through the SBA’s guaranteed loan programs. We would like to thank the SBA-OIG, IRS-CID, and the FBI for their thoroughness and dedicated professionalism throughout this investigation."

     “SBA’s 7(a) program is intended to provide capital to grow the nation’s small businesses not line one’s pockets,” said Acting Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware.  “Schemes to unjustly enrich oneself will be rooted out, and those responsible will be brought to justice.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication and leadership throughout this investigation.”

     “A sophisticated scheme involving millions in illegally obtained loans does not happen without forethought and criminal intent.  The defendants made false statements and omissions to the banks who relied on them to be truthful,” stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez, Jr. “We hope this prosecution discourages others from taking the path of fraud in their business ventures."

     "These three individuals knowingly executed a scheme to defraud banks out of more than $6 million then conspired to launder the money," said Michael DeLeon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. "The guilty pleas of these individuals should send a message. The FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of crimes and protect the community from schemes to defraud financial institutions insured by the FDIC."

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by Kevin M. Rapp Assistant United States Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:                      CR-01015/00946/010159 DGC-1         

RELEASE NUMBER:              2018-039_ Halman etal

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

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

A Guatemalan man who illegally returned to the United States was sentenced April 17, 2018, to almost three months in federal prison.

Vicente Raymundo-Lopez, age 51, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 15, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.

At the guilty plea, Raymundo-Lopez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States on July 30, 2008, and that he illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  On January 12, 2018, Raymundo-Lopez was found by immigration officers at the Linn County Jail in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, following his arrest for a traffic offense.  Raymundo-Lopez claimed to have illegally reentered the United States in 2012.

Raymundo-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Raymundo-Lopez was sentenced to 83 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.  Raymundo-Lopez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.

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 18-CR-02-LRR.

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John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MICHAEL USZAKIEWICZ, 52, of Prospect, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to a conspiracy offense related to a bribery scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, USZAKIEWICZ is the owner of K&M Fire Protection in Southington.  Javed Choudhry was employed by Building and Land Technology, Inc. (“BLT”), a construction company in the Stamford area.  Between approximately 2011 and 2014, USZAKIEWICZ and other contractors paid a total of $250,000 to $500,000 in bribes to Choudhry to receive millions of dollars in BLT contracts on construction projects in Stamford.

USZAKIEWICZ pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on July 9, 2018.

As part of his guilty plea, USZAKIEWICZ agreed to forfeit $1,121,106, which was seized from his bank accounts on March 28, 2016.

USZAKIEWICZ is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

On May 16, 2017, Choudhry, of Glastonbury, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.  On January 22, 2018, Kevin Dunn, the president of Delmar Electrical Contractors in Watertown, admitted that he also paid bribes to Choudhry and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Both await sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

     PHOENIX - Yesterday, Fany Madrigal-Lopez, 45, of Peoria, Ariz., pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.  A conviction for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death carries a minimum-mandatory sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. 

     Three of Madrigal-Lopez’s adult children also pleaded guilty to different controlled substance offenses.  Paulina Madrigal-Macias, 26, of Hawaii, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.  Adolfo Macias-Madrigal, 27, of Peoria, Ariz., and Luis Angel Macias, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz., both pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a communications facility as part of a drug conspiracy. 

     According to publicly-filed court documents, between the fall of 2015 and August 2017, Fany Madrigal-Lopez obtained quantities of oxycodone, blue “M-30” pills that looked like oxycodone but contained fentanyl, cocaine, and alprazolam from others in Arizona.  The four defendants then sold these substances to customers.  On Nov. 16, 2016, Fany Madrigal-Lopez sold blue “M-30” pills to a customer who later died after consuming them.

     Sentencing is set before the Honorable Douglas L. Rayes, United States District Judge, on June 19, 2018 for Adolfo Macias-Madrigal and Luis Angel Macias, on July 2, 2018, for Fany Madrigal-Lopez, and on July 9, 2018 for Paulina Macias.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, who were assisted by the Peoria Police Department and the Arizona National Guard.  The prosecution is being handled by Carolina Escalante Konti, D.J. Pashayan, and Jeffrey Borup, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.     

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-1110-PHX-DLR

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-040_Madrigal-Lopez et al.

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

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

A Guatemalan man who unlawfully used fraudulent identification documents was sentenced April 17, 2018, to four months in federal prison.

Cesar Mendez-Chavez, age 26, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2018, guilty plea to three counts of unlawful use of identification documents.

Evidence in the case showed that on June 9, 2016, and June 13, 2016, Mendez-Chavez, an illegal alien, used a fraudulent social security card when completing employment forms to obtain jobs using an alias name in Tama and Northwood, Iowa.  Mendez-Chavez also used the social security card on February 12, 2012, to obtain employment in Postville, Iowa.  The social security account number on the card used by Mendez-Chavez was not his.  Mendez-Chavez falsely claimed to be a United States citizen on the employment forms. 

On January 26, 2018, Mendez-Chavez used a different social security card in applying for a State of Iowa Identification Card using a different alias name in Tama, Iowa.  The social security account number and name on the social security card used by Mendez-Chavez belonged to a real United States citizen.  Mendez-Chavez also used a fraudulent birth certificate in that alias name as proof of identity.  These documents were seized by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

On January 31, 2018, Mendez-Chavez was arrested by immigration officers at his place of employment in Tama, Iowa, where he worked under an alias.

Mendez-Chavez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Mendez-Chavez was sentenced to four 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.

Mendez-Chavez 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, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.

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

The case file number is 18-CR-04-LRR.

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A Cedar Rapids man who sold over 100 pounds of marijuana was sentenced on April 17, 2018, to 23 months in federal prison.

Vichit Kho, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 6, 2017, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine.  At the guilty plea, Kho admitted he agreed to distribute more than 110 pounds of marijuana and quantities of cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between 2011 and 2016.

Kho was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Kho was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Kho 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 Patrick Reinert and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

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

The case file number is 17-CR-00063.

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, James Dewayne Munkus, 55, of St. David, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 108 months’ imprisonment.  Munkus had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery.

     Using a fake bomb, Munkus robbed an eastside branch of Pima Federal Credit Union on January 9, 2017, taking over $3,000.  Five days later, Munkus used a handgun to rob an eastside branch of US Bank of over $64,000.  Law enforcement officers apprehended Munkus in Gadsden, Ala., on March 21, 2017.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Tucson Police Department.  The prosecution was handled by Matthew C. Cassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:                  CR-17-0639-TUC-RCC-DTF

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-041_ Munkus

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

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     PHOENIX – Earlier this month, Douglas Dane Jones, 41, of Tsaile, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release with mandatory sex offender registration and conditions.  Jones had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and production of child pornography.

     Jones sexually abused the victim over the course of several months in 2017.  Jones also produced child pornography.  The victim’s family brought the matter to the attention of law enforcement authorities.  Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation promptly began an investigation, which led to Jones’ arrest and prosecution.  Jones and the victim are both members of the Navajo Nation, and the abuse occurred both within the Navajo Nation Reservation and outside of it, including in the city of Chandler, Ariz.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chandler Police Department, with the assistance of other federal, state, and tribal agencies.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-17-08031-DJH

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-042_ Jones

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

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Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Arthur D. Peralta will hold a press conference on Thursday, April 19, 2018 to announce the results of a significant law enforcement operation carried out pursuant to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

The press conference will be held at 2:00 pm on the steps of the United States District Courthouse located at 475 Mulberry Street in Macon.

Questions concerning the press conference should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.