Defendant was dumping truckloads of sewage into Little Huff Creek in Wyoming County

BECKLEY, WV -- Mike Blankenship was found guilty after a two day jury trial, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Mike Blankenship, 54, of Hanover, West Virginia, was convicted of two felony Clean Water Act violations and faces a total sentence of up to six years of incarceration, a $500,000 fine, supervised release for three years, and a special assessment of $200 when he is sentenced on August 1, 2018 by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.  United States Attorney Mike Stuart praised the work of  the Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, who were also assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police. 

“Environmental crimes are serious, serious matters,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “After presentation of the evidence and in front of a jury of his peers, Mr. Blankenship was convicted for a serious environmental crime.  Great work by my team and by the EPA and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.”

“The defendant in this case showed reckless disregard for the environment and public health,” said Susan Bodine, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Working together, EPA, FBI and the State of West Virginia are sending a clear message that those who violate laws designed to protect our communities will be held responsible.”

On September 29, 2015,  a sewage truck owned by Blankenship was seen dumping untreated sewage into Little Huff Creek, a tributary of the Guyandotte River in Southwestern West Virginia.  Inspectors with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) responded to the truck’s location in Hanover, West Virginia.  They saw the sewage truck with a hose placed in the creek, observed sewage in the water and on the ground, and quickly requested the assistance of the West Virginia State Police. Returning to the truck, WVDEP agents were able to take samples from the truck and pad.  Lab tests confirmed the presence of fecal coliform, an indicator of raw or untreated sewage.  Later, agents with the FBI, EPA, and WVDEP spoke to Blankenship.  Blankenship owns a porta-john and sewage business under the name Hanover Contracting Company.  Blankenship admitted that it was his sewage truck dumping sewage into the water on the day the WVDEP inspectors observed it.   Blankenship also admitted to dumping sewage into Little Huff Creek on other occasions.  Neighbors provided photographic evidence that they testified showed Blankenship’s trucks dumping sewage and porta-john waste into the creek on various dates in 2015 and 2016.   The jury also heard testimony from the law enforcement agents and experts in water quality assessment.

Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry McDaniel represented the United States during the jury trial.  

Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNewsand @USAttyStuart 

 
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BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that a Michigan man was sentenced to prison on drug charges in federal court in Beckley.  Tremaine Dean Pool Jr., 23, of Romulus, a suburb of Detroit, was sentenced to 40 months in prison.  Stuart praised the work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

“I commend the law enforcement agencies in Greenbrier County for working together to rid their streets of violent pill dealers,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Communities throughout southern West Virginia have been ravaged by opiate abuse and addiction and we are more committed than ever to putting an end to this epidemic.”

Pool pled guilty in January, admitting that on December 2, 2016, law enforcement authorities found a loaded 9mm handgun and a bag containing 68 40 mg oxymorphone pills close to him when they searched a residence in Lewisburg.  Pool admitted that he possessed the pain pills with intent to distribute them and also possessed the gun.  He further admitted that he worked with his codefendants, Joshua Adam Smith and Jessica Nicole Honaker, to distribute pain pills in Greenbrier County during November and December 2016, and that they distributed or possessed with the intent to distribute about 300 40 mg oxymorphone pills during that time.  Smith received 96 months for his part in this drug activity, and Honaker was sentenced to 24 months.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.  The case was investigated as part of the Greenbrier Valley Heroin and Pill Initiative.  That initiative is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, to combat illegal drug trafficking in communities across the Southern District.  Assistant United States Attorney John File prosecuted the case.

Follow us on Twitter:SDWVNews  

 
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division hosted a roundtable with community partners to discuss the problem of sexual harassment in housing, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman announced.

The event included nearly 50 local law enforcement agencies, fair housing organizations, transitional housing providers and social service providers. Each organization was invited because they often work with vulnerable populations who are most likely to become victims of sexual harassment in housing.

“Sexual harassment in housing is often underreported, but it is an egregious violation of a person’s right to fair housing,” U.S. Attorney Herdman said. “Landlords or superintendents using the power they have over tenants to extort sexual favors, or even commit assaults, is intolerable.  Our office is dedicated to uncovering such violations where they exist and vigorously enforcing the law.”

A similar meeting will take place next week in Toledo.

The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.

In October 2017, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced the Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative, an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing. The Justice Department’s initiative seeks to identify barriers to reporting sexual harassment in housing, increase awareness of the Justice Department’s enforcement efforts – both among survivors and those they may report to – and collaborate with federal, state, and local partners to increase reporting and help survivors quickly and easily connect with federal resources. 

The U.S. Attorney’s is working closely with the Civil Rights Division to spread the word in Northeast Ohio about options to help victims experiencing sexual harassment or who experienced sexual harassment in housing in the past.  Roundtable discussions like the one that the office hosted today are one way to increase awareness and build strong partnerships in the community to combat this problem together.

Community partners, such as local law enforcement, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters, and transitional housing providers can identify the misconduct and recommend that victims report sexual harassment to the Civil Rights Division.  Not only should victims of sexual harassment be aware of the Justice Department’s enforcement efforts, but people or organizations they may tell about the sexual harassment should also be aware where to refer them to report the misconduct.  Local police departments or legal aid offices may be able to help victims, if the behavior is a crime or if there is an imminent eviction. In addition, organizations should recommend that the victim report the harassment to the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

While most people are familiar with the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace, harassment also occurs in housing, and the Fair Housing Act prohibits it. The Justice Department brings cases each year involving egregious conduct, including allegations that defendants have exposed themselves sexually to current or prospective tenants, requested sexual favors in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, made unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, and evicted tenants who resisted their sexual overtures.

Many instances of sexual harassment in housing continue to go unreported. The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years or decades and identify numerous victims who never reported the conduct to federal authorities.

The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact it by calling 1-(844) 380-6178 or emailing fairhousing@usdoj.gov. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at: 216-622-3932 or by emailing: USAOHN.CivilRights@usdoj.gov

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Sherri Smith and Joseph Williams were sentenced to 60 years and 80 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in exploiting multiple children to produce child pornography.

          Smith, 48, of Osceola, Indiana, and Williams, 53, of Watervliet, were in a dating relationship and sexually exploited six children in their care and custody to produce multiple images of child pornography. The victims ranged in age from six months to fourteen years. Williams shared some of the images with an undercover police officer in Cincinnati via an encrypted messaging application, which led to their investigation and prosecution. Smith pleaded guilty on October 17, 2017 to two counts of production of child pornography. Williams pleaded guilty on December 7, 2017 to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.

          The government noted at sentencing that the behavior was depraved and represented ongoing, systemic, and horrific abuse of multiple children. Williams’s residence was, as Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jonker agreed, a "child pornography house of horrors." In sentencing the defendants, Judge Jonker noted that this case was "truly, if not the worst, then one of the two or three worst cases" he had seen and described the images Smith and Williams produced as disgusting and difficult to view.

          U.S. Attorney Birge stated, "This prosecution and sentence demonstrates that this kind of depravity will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. My office will not tolerate the abuse and exploitation of children."

          "The significance of these sentences underscores the importance of keeping innocent children safe from predators. It is our hope that each of the victims in this case can gain a sense of closure and begin the healing process," said Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit FBI. "The FBI is committed to the arrest and prosecution of anyone who engages in such horrific behavior that endangers some of the most vulnerable members of our society."

          This case was investigated by FBI offices in Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Joseph, Michigan, and South Bend, Indiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis M. Sanford prosecuted the case and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana assisted in the investigation.

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Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – Twelve of the thirteen co-conspirators convicted of trafficking more than 1,000 grams of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal over the course of three years were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.

“The heroin and opioid epidemic is one of the most challenging law-enforcement issues in the Western District of Virginia, and the problem is particularly acute in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.  Fortunately, our federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners are highly skilled and experienced in dismantling drug-trafficking organizations like this one,” United States Attorney Cullen said today. “We will devote all available resources to investigating and prosecuting these important cases.”

The twelve individuals sentenced this week were convicted of being involved in a multi-year trafficking enterprise that brought significant amounts of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal.

Wednesday in U.S. District Court, four defendants convicted for their roles in the enterprise were sentenced. Nicole Renae McNall, 25, of Front Royal was sentenced to 96 months in prison. Sheldon Berry, 27, was sentenced to 168 months. Brittani Monique O’Bannion, 23, of Front Royal, was sentenced to 60 months. Megan Marie McNall, 24, of Front Royal, was sentenced to 108 months. The hearing for Earl Christopher Magwood, 42, was continued and rescheduled for next month.                                                                                                          

Earlier this week, eight defendants were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. On Tuesday, three defendants from Front Royal were sentenced to federal prison time. Da’Shawn Edwards was sentenced to 168 months, Keon Hackley was sentenced to 36 months and Tiara Baily was sentenced to 16 months. Two Baltimore men were also sentenced Tuesday. Antwan Cottman received 180 months in prison and Antwan Lucas was sentenced to 108 months. On Monday, three members of the conspiracy were sentenced. Adrian Edwards was sentenced to 190 months in prison. Randall Freeman and Alisha Stocking were each sentenced to 48 months.

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 Gregory G. Brooker today announced a $30,000 civil settlement with DR. MICHAEL T. SCHULENBERG, a Minnesota physician. The civil settlement stems from allegations that DR. SCHULENBERG violated the Controlled Substances Act.

According to an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), on April 14, 2016, DR. SCHULENBERG, prescribed Schedule 2 controlled substances in the name of an individual, knowing that the controlled substances were intended to be used by another individual, in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.  

As a licensed physician in the State of Minnesota registered with the DEA as a practitioner authorized to dispense Schedule 2-5 controlled substances, DR. SCHULENBERG is subject to requirements of the Controlled Substance Act as administered by the DEA. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA contend that DR. SCHULENBERG’S conduct amounted to a civil violation of the Controlled Substances Act.

“Doctors are trusted medical professionals and, in the midst of our opioid crisis, they must be part of the solution,” said U.S. Attorney Greg Brooker. “As licensed professionals, doctors are held to a high level of accountability in their prescribing practices, especially when it comes to highly addictive painkillers. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA will not hesitate to take action against healthcare providers who fail to comply with the Controlled Substances Act. We are committed to using every available tool to stem the tide of opioid abuse.”

DEA Minneapolis-St. Paul Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Solek said, “As Minnesota and the Nation struggle in the throes of an opioid crisis, the Drug Enforcement Administration will always strive to ensure that those responsible will be held accountable, no matter what their position may be.”

As part of the settlement, DR. SCHULENBERG has agreed to pay $30,000 to the United States within thirty days of the effective date of the agreement.

According to the settlement agreement, DR. SCHULENBERG entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with the DEA under which he agreed to comply with heightened compliance requirements for logging and reporting his prescriptions of controlled substances to the DEA for a period of two years. DR. SCHULENBERG agreed to the following terms and conditions:

• Maintain log(s) of all controlled substances prescribed, including the initials and address of the patient, date, quantity, strength, dosage and diagnosis for the controlled substance.
• Allow DEA personnel to access and inspect the log(s) and all other required controlled substance records, reports and inventories and to enter his registered location at any time during business hours, without prior notice, to verify compliance with the Agreement.
• Submit to DEA copies of controlled substance log(s) on a quarterly basis.
• Allow DEA access to prescribing history using the State of Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program and, upon demand by DEA, provide a prescribing history report to the DEA from the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy.

This matter was investigated by the DEA Minneapolis-St. Paul Division and was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bahram Samie of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.

In reaching this settlement, DR. SCHULENBERG did not admit liability and the government did not make any concessions regarding the legitimacy of the claims.

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Additional news available on our website.

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600

Memphis, TN – Gloria Harris, 56, of Memphis entered a guilty plea to a charge of bank fraud in connection with the theft of approximately $292,500 from her former employer, Crescent Medical Corporation. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the plea today.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Harris in December of last year. According to the indictment, Harris a former data entry clerk for Crescent, fraudulently obtained $292,500 between January 2016 and March 2017. The indictment alleged that Harris stole checks payable to Crescent and deposited them to bank accounts at Trustmark Bank and Suntrust Bank which she had opened in the name of Crescent without the knowledge of Crescent’s owner, Dr. Ashan Kathawala.

Harris faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment; a one million dollar fine and 5 years supervised release on the bank fraud charge.

Harris is currently scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2018 before U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service Economic Crimes Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. Andre’ III is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Eric T. Banks, age 38, of York, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 18, 2018, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Banks possessed with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine on January 19, 2018, in York.  The indictment also alleges that Banks possessed multiple firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and unlawfully possessed those firearms as a previously convicted felon.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the York County Drug Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.

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.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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

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

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

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            WASHINGTON – The financial manager of Atius Technology Institute (“Atius”), a privately owned, non-accredited school specializing in information technology courses, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to bribe a public official at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in exchange for the public official’s facilitation of over $1.4 million in payments that were supposed to be dedicated to providing vocational training for military veterans with service-connected disabilities. 

            Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.

            Sombo Kanneh, 29, of McLean, Virginia, pleaded guilty to an Information alleging one count of conspiracy to bribe a public official.  The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia.  Atius’s owner, Albert Poawui, 41, of Laurel, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on April 16.

            According to admissions made in connection with Kanneh’s plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program is a VA program that provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services.  VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.

            According to admissions made in connection with her plea, Kanneh joined the conspiracy in or about October 2016, when she was hired as Atius’s financial manager.  Pursuant to an agreement that Poawui and a VR&E program counselor had entered the prior year, Poawui would pay the counselor a seven percent cash kickback of all payments made by the VA to Atius.  In exchange, the counselor steered VR&E program veterans to Atius and approved Atius’s invoices for payment. 

            Kanneh admitted that she routinely moved money between Atius’s bank accounts to facilitate bribe payments to the VR&E counselor.  Kanneh also admitted that she personally hand-delivered cash bribes to the VR&E counselor on numerous occasions.  Between August 2015 and December 2017, Kanneh and the scheme’s other participants caused the VA to pay Atius approximately $1,423,030.  During that time period, Kanneh and others paid the VR&E counselor approximately $106,454 in exchange for the counselor’s official acts in furtherance of the scheme to commit bribery and defraud the VA.

            Kanneh’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA OIG.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonali D. Patel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case. 

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. -- A Moline, Ill., man, Samir A. Patel, 49, was sentenced today for bankruptcy fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid ordered Patel, of the 3600 block of 73^rd Street, to serve 24 months in prison, and upon release from prison, to remain on supervised release for a three-year term.  

On Oct. 17, 2017, Patel pleaded guilty to the charges as alleged in the indictment that he falsified records and lied under oath related to bankruptcy proceedings. After filing a bankruptcy petition in June 2013 to discharge his debts under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, in August and September 2013, Patel provided the Bankruptcy Trustee with altered bank statements and summaries of his bank account.

In addition, Patel admitted that he falsely testified under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding, a September 2013 meeting of creditors, that a $5,000 wire transfer deposit into his account was a loan from a friend of his wife to help the couple pay living and business expenses. In fact, the deposit was a $315,000 wire transfer from a law firm related to a business transaction and which Patel was attempting to conceal from creditors and the Bankruptcy Trustee.

The charges resulted from a referral by the U.S. Trustee for Indiana and Central and Southern Illinois (Region 10) to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. The charges were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, in collaboration with the Central Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee. Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko prosecuted the case.

“Criminal bankruptcy fraud threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy system, as well as public confidence in that system,” stated Nancy J. Gargula, U.S. Trustee for Central Illinois, Southern Illinois and Indiana. “I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Childress and our law enforcement partners for their strong commitment to combating bankruptcy related crimes, as demonstrated by today’s sentencing.”

The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10 is headquartered in Indianapolis, with additional offices in South Bend, Ind., and Peoria, Ill.

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office 15th Annual Project Sentry Logo/Meme Contest.  The winners are from the following schools:

 K-2nd grade division winner: Samantha Bitts (Grade 2), Ocean Drive Elementary School, N. Myrtle Beach, SC

3rd-5th grade division winner: Ayden Downey (Grade 3), Ocean Drive Elementary School, N. Myrtle Beach, SC

6th-8th grade division winner: Alexia Hernandez (Grade 6), Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science, Winnsboro, SC

9th-12th grade division: Nia Lott (Grade 11), Strom Thurmond High School, Johnston, SC

Overall winner: Alexia Hernandez (Grade 6), Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science, Winnsboro, SC

Honorable mentions:

Nacyjai McKensey (Grade 6), St. James- Sumter Elementary and Middle School, McClellanville, SC

Emily Ulmer (Grade 7), Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle School, Bamberg, SC

Samone Stevens (Grade 12), Strom Thurmond High School, Johnston, SC

Tamara Pendarvis (Grade 12), Garrett Academy of Technology, N. Charleston, SC

The winners were chosen from 104 entries from eight schools across South Carolina.  Each division winner will receive a $50.00 award, with the overall winner receiving an additional $50.00 award. The winners will receive their awards during upcoming school award ceremonies. All of the students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for logo/meme submissions.

The statewide contest fosters an opportunity for South Carolina students to tell the entire state how they prevent gun violence in their school and focuses on deterrence of juvenile gun violence and ensuring secure school environments.  The contest was open to students in all South Carolina schools.

The winning entries were selected by “The Insiders,” a select group of students from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, who travel throughout the state, encouraging troubled children and promoting community awareness of the prevalence and consequences of juvenile crime.  The U.S. Attorney's Office coordinated with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association Foundation (SCLEOA) to provide the cash awards to the winners.

Project Sentry, which is part of the district’s Project Safe Neighborhoods/Project CeaseFire program, is a vital step in strengthening our ability to prevent gun crimes among our young people and to ensure a safe learning atmosphere for our children.  For more information on the Project Sentry program and to view this year’s winning submissions (also attached) as well as winning logos over the years, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html

U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the students and their engagement on helping foster this very important dialogue. "Thanks to all of the students who participated and congratulations to our winners! The students demonstrated some real wisdom we can all learn from."

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samantha_bitts_k-2_winner.pdf

ayden_downey_3-5_winner.pdf

nia_lott_9-12_winner.pdf

alexia_hernandez_overall_winner.pdf

          RIVERSIDE, California - A member of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine that he provided in exchange for stolen firearms.

          Brian Shane Henson, 40, of Merced, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal.

          In early 2017, while he was a prospective member of the Merced Chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club, Henson negotiated a deal to sell one pound of methamphetamine and four ounces of marijuana in exchange for 20 stolen firearms, according to court documents. Unbeknownst to Henson, he negotiated the deal with an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

          On January 25, 2017, after negotiating the deal for about one week, Henson and co-defendant Hussein Fawas Eltareb, a full-patch member of the Hells Angels, drove approximately seven hours from Merced to Needles, California to meet the undercover agent. After arriving in Needles, according to prosecutors, Henson gave the undercover agent one pound of methamphetamine and one-quarter pound of marijuana, and Henson took possession of the 20 firearms, which he placed in the trunk of Eltareb’s car.

          Immediately after the exchange, law enforcement officers arrested Henson and Eltareb. At this time, authorities recovered a loaded .38-caliber revolver, which was hidden next to the driver’s seat in Eltareb’s vehicle.

          Henson pled guilty in October to distribution of methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to the mandatory minimum sentence of 180 months in federal custody.

          After a bench trial in December, Judge Bernal found Eltareb, 27, of Merced, guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Bernal is scheduled to sentence Eltareb on May 21, at which time he too will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 months in federal prison.

          This case was investigated by the ATF’s Flagstaff, Arizona Field Office. The ATF received assistance from the Coconino County Narcotics Task Force, the Mohave County General Narcotics Task Force, and the California Highway Patrol.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay Bailey of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force and Assistant United States Attorney Roger Hsieh of the General Crimes section.

PROVIDENCE, RI –A Warwick man charged and convicted as the result of a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation with trafficking methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm he used in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.

Jon Cascella, 49, of Warwick, was convicted by a federal court jury on December 5, 2017, on four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count each of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm arm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Cascella to serve 7 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines imprisonment range in this matter is 152-175 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 152 months incarceration to be followed by 5 years supervised release.

According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, on five occasions between March 29 and May 4, 2017, Cascella sold over 15.6 grams of methamphetamine to a Warwick undercover police officer. The transactions were electronically monitored and recorded. Beginning shortly after the first transaction, Cascella repeatedly expressed an interest in purchasing a firearm for protection. The undercover officer agreed to assist Cascella obtain a firearm.

According to the government’s evidence, on May 4, 2017, Cascella met with an ATF undercover agent who exchanged a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun and $600 in cash for nearly 7 grams of methamphetamine. A storage garage where the transaction for the firearm took place was outfitted with several law enforcement video and audio recording devices. Cascella was arrested moments after he took possession of the firearm.

A court authorized search of Cascella’s residence following his arrest resulted in the seizure of approximately 8.6 grams of methamphetamine.

Cascella’s sentenced is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.

The matter was investigated by ATF and the Warwick Police Department.

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Gulfport, Miss – Dennis Earl Smith, 49, of Picayune, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Thomas M. Annello, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

Smith pled guilty on January 11, 2018, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was part of a five-person indictment against a group of individuals who were distributing methamphetamine in the Picayune area. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased two ounces of pure methamphetamine from Smith.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.

            WASHINGTON – Steven Davis, 40, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to robbing a bank in the Dupont Circle area of Northwest Washington last fall, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Davis pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to bank robbery. Penalties. The Honorable Timothy J. Kelly scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2018. Davis faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 37 to 46 months in prison and potential financial penalties. The judge ordered that Davis be detained pending sentencing.

            According to court documents, on Nov. 7, 2017, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Davis entered a branch of TD Bank in DuPont Circle, wearing a baseball hat and one latex glove. Davis approached the teller counter and handed the teller a handwritten note that stated “I have a bag full of explosives hand over the $ now or die.” The teller pulled $500 from the cash register and handed it over. Davis placed the money in his canvas bag and left the bank branch. 

            Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department Officers arrived immediately after the robbery and searched the area. Davis attempted to flee by entering the DuPont Circle Metro station. MPD Officers arrested Davis on the lower level platform of the station while he was waiting for a Metro train. He possessed $490 of the $500 he stole from the TD Bank branch.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin L. Rosenberg, who prosecuted the case.

            WASHINGTON – Shane Browne, 27, formerly of Beverly Hills, Calif., has been found guilty by a jury of federal kidnapping and narcotics charges stemming from an incident last December in which he ordered a Lyft driver at gunpoint to drive him more than 70 miles from Maryland to an apartment building in Washington, D.C.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Browne was found guilty on April 18, 2018 of charges of kidnapping and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Trevor N. McFadden scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2018. The charges carry a total statutory maximum of 25 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Browne could face a possible range of 10 to 12 ½ years of incarceration. 

            At trial, the government’s evidence showed that on Dec. 11, 2017, Browne requested a ride using the Lyft smartphone application and ride-sharing service.  The Lyft driver picked Browne up at approximately 3:20 p.m. at the Calvert House Apartments, in the 2400 block of Calvert Street NW. The driver drove Browne 72 miles to a Red Roof Inn in Aberdeen, Md.

            After arriving in Aberdeen at approximately 5:20 p.m., the two parted ways at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant, with the Lyft driver having grown suspicious of Browne and indicating that he would not provide a round trip.  Within approximately 30 minutes, Browne returned to the Lyft vehicle with a suitcase that he did not have at the start of the trip. Browne placed the suitcase in the trunk, and requested a return trip, which the driver refused to provide.

            Ultimately, Browne entered the Lyft vehicle and yet again requested a return trip, which the driver once again refused to provide. At this point, according to the government’s evidence, Browne took out a firearm, held it to the driver’s head, and ordered him to drive them back to the Calvert House Apartments. The driver then drove Browne and his suitcase to the Calvert House Apartments.  Along the way, and as confirmed by Lyft business records, the driver managed to send an e-mail to Lyft that read, “Call the police I’m on [sic] trouble.” 

            At about 7:30 p.m., they arrived at the apartment building. Browne exited the vehicle and took his suitcase and entered the building. The driver, meanwhile, contacted OnStar and was subsequently referred to 911.  MPD officers responded to the area at approximately 8:05 p.m. The officers monitored the building and ultimately detained Browne as he left a unit.

            The following day, a search warrant was executed at the apartment, and law enforcement recovered approximately 78 pounds of marijuana in suitcases similar to the one that Browne had placed in the Lyft driver’s car, approximately $35,000 in cash, a cash-counting machine and other items. No firearm was recovered in the search.

            Browne has been in custody since his arrest on Dec. 11, 2017.

            In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes MPD detectives, and the MPD officers who responded to the scene. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the FBI’s Baltimore Division, the FBI Operational Technology Division, and the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Department.

            They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Brown; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Tobin; Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle, Jeanette Litz, Catherine O’Neal, Kim Hall, and Teesha Tobias; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Mary Downing; Legal Assistants Latoya Wade, Peter Gaboton, and Katie Cowley; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Sarah McClellan, Chief of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Vanore and Stephen J. Gripkey, who indicted and tried the case.

HELENA – Mario Antonio Alicea, a 28-year-old Helena resident, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison followed by 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to felon in possession of firearms on November 16, 2017.  U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell handed down the sentence. 

On April 25, 2016, Alicea sold a Ruger, model Mark II, .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol for $180.  It was loaded with eight rounds of ammunition but there was not a round in the chamber.  At around the same time, Alicea also sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant.  After he was arrested, Alicea admitted that he traded methamphetamine to acquire the gun. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

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.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TERRELL MUSE, age 24 of New Orleans, was indicted April 12 by a federal grand jury.

According to the indictment, MUSE, a convicted felon, illegally possessed two firearms and quantities of crack cocaine and heroin. If convicted on the charges, MUSE faces a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Sandman is in charge of the prosecution.

HONOLULU – A federal jury yesterday found Matthew Berckmann, 44, guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault of his spouse by strangulation. The verdict came a few hours after a four and a half day trial. Berckmann faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years on each count when he is sentenced on August 6, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway.

Kenji M. Price, United States Attorney, said that according to information presented in court, while camping at Hosmer Grove Campground at Haleakala National Park on October 18, 2017, Berckmann threatened his wife with a large kitchen knife while pinning her to the ground by holding his forearm against her throat. Two eyewitnesses saw the assault and contacted 911.  Berckmann was taken into custody by a Park Ranger, aided by two Maui Police Department officers.

The investigation was led by the National Park Service, with assistance from the FBI and the Maui Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Albanese and Marion Percell handled the prosecution.

The charges against Golden were the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Madison Police Department.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith P. Duchemin.