Category: Crime

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

PORTLAND, Maine:  A New York man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for transporting a Maine teenager across state lines with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Tyler Streeter, 28, to six years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

According to court records, in late 2020, Streeter contacted a 16-year-old girl on Instagram and TikTok and began a months-long interaction with her online. At the time, Streeter resided in Norwich, New York, and the victim lived in Maine. Streeter groomed the victim by repeatedly telling her that she was attractive and that he loved her and wanted to marry her. He also sent graphic messages in which he expressed his interest in having sex with her. In April 2021, Streeter traveled to Maine with the intent to pick up the victim and take her back to New York. The victim’s father unsuccessfully attempted to stop Streeter and the girl from leaving, and an AMBER alert was issued. The victim was recovered from a residence in Syracuse, New York and returned to Maine the following day.

Street is a registered sex offender following a 2017 conviction in New York for sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Online enticement is increasing: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an alarming 97.5% increase in online enticement reports between 2019 and 2020. “Online enticement” involves an individual communicating with someone believed to be a child via the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. This type of victimization takes place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. Learn more about online enticement, including red flags and risk factors, at https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/onlineenticement.

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

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Source: United States Attorneys General 10

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two criminal indictments were unsealed in federal court today following the arrest of a U.S. Postal Carrier and a co-conspirator for their involvement in an extensive mail theft scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

Kiara Padgett, 28, of Waxhaw, N.C., is charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and 10 counts of mail theft by a postal employee. A separate indictment charges Terrell Alexander Hager Jr., 23, of Charlotte, with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and seven counts of possession of stolen mail.

According to allegations contained in Padgett’s indictment, Padgett was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier with a postal route in West Charlotte. From August 2021 to November 2022, Padgett allegedly used her position as a postal carrier to steal incoming and outgoing checks of businesses and individuals, which she then sold to other individuals located in Charlotte and Maryland. The indictment alleges that the total face value of the checks Padgett stole was more than $8.3 million. The indictment further alleges that between August 2021 and June 2022, Padgett received payments for her role in the scheme totaling at least $13,698.

The indictment filed against Hager alleges that, between August 2021 and November 2022, Hager and his co-conspirators obtained stolen checks from Padgett. The co-conspirators allegedly deposited the stolen checks into bank accounts Hager and others controlled, and then made cash withdrawals before the financial institutions detected the fraud. Over the course of the scheme, Hager and his co-conspirators allegedly deposited more than $27,000 in stolen checks and money orders. Hager also allegedly posted online for sale over 400 stolen checks totaling over $7.3 million. The checks posted by Hager were allegedly stolen from Padgett’s postal route in West Charlotte. According to today’s court proceedings, Hager was on probation with the state of North Carolina when he committed the fraud.

Padgett was released on bond following her court hearing. If convicted, Padgett faces a maximum prison term of 30 years and a $1 million fine for the bank fraud conspiracy charge, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the 10 counts of theft of mail by a postal employee.

Hager remains in federal custody. If convicted, he is facing a maximum prison term of 30 years and a $1 million fine for the charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the seven charges of possession of stolen mail.

The details contained in this indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The USPIS, USPS-OIG, and CMPD investigated the case. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny G. Sugar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of a Monroe man for his role in the trafficking of narcotics in the Monroe area. United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced Oterrance Jackson, 46, of Monroe, Louisiana, to 168 months (14  years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on drug trafficking charges. Jackson pleaded guilty on September 9, 2022, to charges in a federal indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. 

Law enforcement agents with the Metro Narcotics Unit in Monroe and task force officers with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) became aware in the fall of 2020 that Jackson was selling large amounts of narcotics out of his residence on Dawnview Street in Monroe. Agents began surveillance of the residence and were able to determine that Jackson was living at the residence. On December 15, 2020, agents obtained a search warrant for Jackson’s residence and during the search found approximately 19 pounds of marijuana located in large Ziploc bags, 1,710 ecstasy pills, 64 grams of powder cocaine, 54 grams of crack cocaine, 610 pills of suspected Viagra, and approximately $20,000 in cash. Agents also found a loaded Glock Model 17 9mm firearm with an extended magazine and a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver in the master bedroom. The narcotics were taken to the criminalistics laboratory for testing and the suspected ecstasy pills were confirmed to contain over 28 grams of methamphetamine and the suspected Viagra pills were found to have over 28 grams of fentanyl. Jackson is a convicted felon and has prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine in 1998 and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 2014.

“Agents recovered a smorgasbord of drugs from Mr. Jackson’s home, including fentanyl, the most dangerous drug we’re dealing with right now,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This lethal substance has indeed reared its ugly head in northeast Louisiana and those with substance abuse issues or abuse narcotics illegally are at grave risk indicated by recent overdose deaths in the Monroe area and across the south. Given Jackson’s criminal history, this sentence is appropriate, and we will continue to be aggressive in prosecuting these types of offenders.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Monroe Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 9

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Justin Smith, age 22, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his prior guilty plea, Smith admitted that on March 4, 2021, he possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P 9 mm pistol and an HS Produkt 40 caliber pistol that were recovered after a search warrant was executed at a residence in Troy. Smith had posted, to SnapChat, photos and videos of himself handling the firearms the night before they were recovered. Smith was prohibited from possessing the firearms due to a previous felony conviction involving a firearm.

Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Smith is released from prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Troy Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Segovia. 

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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

ALEXANDRIA, La. – Assistant Attorney General Clarke and United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Darnell Fulton, 38, of Pineville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to compel labor by three minors and to transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to the plea agreement, between June 2016 and May 2019, the defendant used violence, sexual abuse, withholding of food, degradation and intimidation to coerce multiple minors to work for his brownie baking business and provide him with the business profits. The defendant required the victims to travel to as many as 20-30 locations a day, such as plazas, car dealerships, law firms, restaurants and parking lots, in order to sell brownies. The victims worked late into the night, either selling or baking the brownies, and sold them during the day instead of going to school. In fact, the victims typically worked seven days a week with very few breaks, and had to meet a sales quota every day. The defendant regularly assaulted the victims, especially if they did not meet his sales quotas. For example, the defendant frequently required the victims to get on their hands and knees on rice and stay in a pushup or plank position for hours, and he often whipped them with a belt if they got out of proper form. He also forced the minor victims to perform sexual acts with him and others and transported them across state lines in order to engage in criminal sexual activity.

“This case is proof that human trafficking doesn’t just happen in other countries,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana.  “But in fact, human trafficking can be happening right in our own neighborhoods and communities without us even realizing it.  Each of us must be vigilant and aware of our surroundings and if we see a situation that seems suspicious, take the time to report it to the police. Unfortunately, the victims in this case are the ones who have suffered life-long trauma because of this defendant’s horrendous acts. We will continue fighting for victims such as these to ensure that those who choose to inflict this type of harm on others are brought to justice.”

“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, cruelly exploiting the victims for their labor and services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This conviction makes clear that the Department of Justice will prosecute those who use violence, psychological abuse, and emotional manipulation to compel the labor and services of their victims. We encourage survivors of forced labor, including children, to report forced labor complaints to authorities.”

Fulton’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 11, 2023. Fulton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment, as well as a $250,000 fine for transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit forced labor. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to a sentence of 35 years in prison and to pay more than $700,000 in restitution to the victims.

The FBI New Orleans Field Office in Alexandria investigated this case, with assistance from the Alexandria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of two cases in the Lake Charles Division of the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the following two defendants today:

Johnathan Wade Thierry, 49, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On April 20, 2021, law enforcement officers with the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force team in Lake Charles, Louisiana, were conducting home surveillance to execute active arrest warrants for Thierry.  Officers observed Thierry depart from his residence and they initiated a traffic stop, taking him into custody for the outstanding warrants. He consented to a search of his vehicle but would not give consent for them to search his residence. A search warrant was obtained for search of Thierry’s residence and upon execution, officers recovered a loaded Guardian .25 caliber pistol, as well as a box of .25 caliber ammunition.  Because he was a convicted felon, it was illegal for Thierry to have a firearm or ammunition in his possession.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.

Robert Edward Wright, 68, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. This charge stems from an incident that occurred on August 6, 2020 when deputies from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic violence call. When deputies arrived on the scene, they learned that Wright had shoved a female and grabbed her by the throat with both hands. While at the residence, deputies found two loaded firearms in the residence, a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun and a Remington 770 rifle. Wright’s girlfriend admitted to deputies that she had purchased the firearms at the direction of Wright because he knew as a convicted felon he could not purchase one or have any in his possession. Wright has prior felony convictions for aggravated burglary in Louisiana and DWI in Texas prohibiting him from possessing any firearms or ammunition.

The case was investigated by the ATF and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 8

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 23 was:

John Randolph Bland, IV, 58, of Livingston, on charges of possession of a stolen firearm and prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bland faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bland was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Livingston Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-131.

Appearing for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint was:

Marshall Vincent Lucas, 41, of Roundup, on charges of sexual exploitation of children. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lucas faces a mandatory minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Lucas was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Musselshell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-160.

Michael Joseph Owens, 42, of Colorado, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Owens faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. Owens was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case.  PACER case reference. 22-161.

Appearing on Nov. 22 and pleading not guilty was:

Jacob Parker Renouard, 33, of Spokane, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Renouard faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Renouard was released pending further proceedings. The FBI and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-125.

Tysawn Dantae Pine, 24, of Busby, on charges of strangulation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pine faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Pine was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-80.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Nov. 22 was:

David Loren Waldeck, 57, of Port Orchard, Washington, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Waldeck faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Waldeck was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations, the Flathead Tribal Police Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-59.

Derek Steven Trumbull, 35, of Missoula, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Trumbull faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Trumbull was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department, Montana Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-52.

Donald Willard Stebbins, 30, of Missoula, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stebbins faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Stebbins was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department, Montana Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.  PACER case reference. 22-53.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Nov. 22 was:

Kelly Sterling Wait, 45, of Williston, North Dakota, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Wait faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release on the drug charge and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Wait was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Russell Country Drug Task Force and the Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-95.

Yevgeniy Rudnitskiy, 34, of Spokane, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rudnitskiy faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Rudnitskiy was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Russell Country Drug Task Force and the Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-95.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

In the wake of extreme devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) today issued a reminder that as with any major disaster, there are unscrupulous thieves who seek to take advantage of the environment to line their own pockets.

“Fraudsters targeting individuals who are already suffering from the impact of Hurricane Ian is despicable and an inexcusable crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr., who serves as the Executive Director of the NCDF. “We are still in hurricane season, and it is important for people to be on the lookout for fraudsters who seek to profit from natural disasters through identity theft schemes and solicitations for fake charities. This is especially true for the citizens of Florida, South Carolina and other states impacted by Ian. The Department of Justice, through U.S. Attorney Offices across all states and territories of the United States, are committed to detecting this type of fraud and will aggressively prosecute the offenders.”

The NCDF, a national coordinating agency, was created by a partnership between the Department of Justice and various law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Its goal is to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for the victims of such fraud.

In the wake of Hurricane Ian, there is no indication that criminals will slow down their efforts to commit fraud on individuals already victimized by the storm. The following examples of disaster-related fraud are based on over 200,000 historical complaints submitted to the NCDF:

• Fake charities immediately soliciting donations using the names of well-known charities or appearing reasonable as related to a disaster

• Individuals impersonating government officials and insurance company representatives advising that disaster assistance will be made available should the potential victim provide a sum of money or personal identifiers such as date of birth, social security number and bank account information (name of financial institution, routing number and account number)

• Individuals soliciting victims to invest in non-existent businesses and ventures offering recovery efforts such as cleanup, rebuilding and making structures, such as homes, more resistant to future disasters by elevating structures to minimize future flood risks

• Individuals overcharging for goods and services needed by victims of disaster, also known as price-gouging

In addition, based on the type of disaster, individuals are frequently victimized by theft of property from businesses and residences abandoned because of a disaster (either pre-disaster evacuation or to obtain living accommodations because of damaged apartments and homes).

Recommended measures to avoid becoming a victim of disaster fraud:

• Only make donations to known charities and only after contacting the charity directly and not in response to an email, instant message, phone call, text, etc. A recommended step is to research the charity by visiting recognized charity information/rating websites such as the Give.org, CharityNavigator.org and CharityWatch.org

• Never click on a link in an unsolicited email, instant message, text, etc.

• Never assume that charity solicitations posted on the internet and social media are legitimate

• Avoid cash donations to charities – use a credit card or pay with a check

• Never transmit donations to a specifically named individual

• Charities do not seek donations via electronic fund (financial institution)/wire transfers, so do not wire donations

• Avoid being victimized by impersonators of government officials, insurance companies, investment companies, etc., by terminating the phone call or other exchange of information (e.g., email, texts) and calling the actual government agency, insurance company, and/or investment company directly using a well-advertised phone number or email address

Individuals who have been targeted by fraudsters or been the victim of disaster-related fraud are encouraged to contact the NCDF at (866) 720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.

Source: United States Attorneys General 8

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for ramming into two law enforcement vehicles while attempting to flee while in possession of methamphetamine and firearms.

Anthony M. Quinones, also known as “Droopy,” 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 19 years in federal prison without parole. The court sentenced Quinones to 17 years in prison for the charges on which he was convicted, plus an additional two years in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release in an earlier, unrelated federal case.

On Feb. 3, 2022, Quinones pleaded guilty to one count of forcibly resisting a federal law enforcement officer, one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

U.S. Marshals Service deputies tracked Quinones, who was being sought for absconding from federal supervision, to a Quality Inn on Nov. 13, 2018. Quinones left the hotel with two females. As he approached his vehicle, deputies used their vehicles to attempt to pin in Quinones’s vehicle. Quinones hopped in the driver’s seat of the vehicle and attempted to flee from the parking lot. Quinones accelerated his vehicle and crashed into the two vehicles occupied by deputies, causing significant damage. Quinones fled and eventually crashed through a gas meter and into a light pole. He got out of the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. As he fled, he pulled a loaded Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol from his waistband just before he was tackled to the ground. Quinones continued to struggle with the deputies but was successfully taken into custody.

Deputies found approximately one ounce of methamphetamine and $3,500 in Quinones’s jacket pockets. Deputies searched Quinones’s vehicle and found 10 ounces of methamphetamine hidden in a stereo box on the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle. Deputies interviewed the two women who left the hotel with Quinones, who told them he was up in a hotel room using methamphetamine with them. They also said Quinones left a gun in the hotel room. The gun, a Taurus 9mm pistol, was recovered by law enforcement officers.

At the time of his arrest, Quinones was on federal supervised release following his 2004 conviction and incarceration for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Quinones is a longtime gang member and drug trafficker with violent tendencies. While in custody in this case, he participated in fights and was caught with homemade weapons.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. has announced that an investigation into a drug trafficking organization based out of East Baton Rouge Parish has resulted in a federal grand jury indictment leading to the arrest of six individuals on various drug trafficking and firearm offenses. 

According to the Indictment, the defendants engaged in an extensive drug trafficking venture where they distributed large quantities of cocaine and heroin in the Middle District of Louisiana.  Agents seized over $250,000 in illegal drug proceeds, luxury vehicles, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, and thirteen firearms during the investigation. 

Charged and arrested as part of this investigation were the following individuals:

Francisco Palma, age 42, formerly of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, unlawful travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise, unlawful use of communications facilities, and money laundering.

Marco Antonio Filos, age 40, of Marrero, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, unlawful travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise, and unlawful use of communications facilities. 

Juan Villareal, age 37, of Roma, Texas, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and unlawful use of communications facilities. 

Richard Antunez, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, distribution of cocaine and heroin, and unlawful use of communications facilities. 

Clarence Corey Anderson, age 44, of Prairieville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and unlawful use of communications facilities. 

Brittany Adell Allison, age 33, formerly of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, unlawful use of communications facilities, and money laundering. 

This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge Police Department.  This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Kleinpeter.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.