Category: Crime

Source: United States Attorneys General 8

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to commit nine armed robberies of local businesses in the summer of 2018, as well as an armed robbery in which a convenience store employee was beaten and then fatally shot.

Joe Lee Nichols, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, Feb. 22, to 45 years in federal prison without parole.

On March 11, 2022, Nichols pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, three counts of robbery, and three counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Additionally, federal prosecutors used evidence of Nichols’s involvement in a tenth, uncharged armed robbery in which a person was killed as relevant conduct for determining his sentence.

Nichols admitted that he was part of a conspiracy to rob nine businesses at gunpoint between June 1 and July 18, 2018. Nichols also admitted that he was directly involved in the armed robbery of Boost Mobile, 5218 E. Truman Road, on June 12, 2018; the armed robbery of Arrowhead Inn, 6006 E.  31^st Street, on July 2, 2018; and the armed robbery of Wood Springs Suites, 11301 Colorado Avenue, on July 14, 2018.

The government presented evidence at Nichols’s sentencing hearing that he was also involved in a tenth, uncharged, armed robbery of Inner-City Oil convenience store, 5901 Swope Parkway, on July 16, 2018. The court determined there was sufficient evidence of Nichols’s involvement to consider the robbery as relevant conduct, which impacted the court’s sentencing decision.

Video surveillance evidence introduced during yesterday’s sentencing hearing indicated that Nichols pointed a handgun at an employee of Inner-City Oil, who resisted and engaged in a struggle for Nichols’s firearm. Nichols fired his gun multiple times before the employee fell to the floor. The employee then retrieved a handgun and began to fire back at Nichols. Nichols began to stomp and kick at the head and body of the employee, who was still lying on the floor. The employee lost his firearm, which was recovered by Nichols’s accomplice, who then used it to also shoot the store clerk. When they were unable to access the cash register, Nichols and his accomplice left the store. The employee can be seen on the surveillance video, still moving while lying on the floor, until eventually becoming motionless when he died from his injuries. A witness who saw their car leaving the area and discovered the body of the employee immediately called 911.

The surveillance video depicts Nichols leaning on an ice cream freezer with his left hand while assaulting the employee on the floor. Investigators determined that a palm print found on the ice cream freezer belonged to Nichols.  Nichols was also identified by his appearance in other robbery videos and by several witnesses who viewed the Inner-City Oil video.

Nichols is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case. One additional co-defendant has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing and two other defendants remain set for trial in May 2023.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and agents and task force officers of the FBI.

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

A federal grand jury recently returned a one-count indictment charging Melissa Rose Barrett, age 48, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Clive, Iowa, with tax evasion.  Barrett appeared for her arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges. 

Barrett, a physician, owned and operated an urgent care clinic known as Stat Care Clinics, L.L.C. d/b/a Central Stat Care.  According to the indictment, for tax years 2007 through 2017, Barrett owed significant taxes totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest and penalties.  While not paying her taxes, Barrett made millions of dollars in purchases, including a boat, a personal residence, real property, an airplane, and other items totaling at least $6.7 million. 

This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner. 

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

Source: United States Attorneys General 8

MINNEAPOLIS – Three individuals from northern Minnesota have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that brought fentanyl and methamphetamine to the Red Lake Reservation and surrounding area, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, Derek Jon Paddy, 27, of Bemidji, Erika Dawn Bellanger, 25, of Bemidji, and Raymond Allen Drouillard, 44, of Trail, knowingly and intentionally conspired with each other and others to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Paddy and Bellanger are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, while Drouillard is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Paddy and Bellanger made their initial appearances late last week in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby. Drouillard made his initial appearance on January 5, 2023.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Bemidji Police Department, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, and the Red Lake Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso is prosecuting the case.

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

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTIAN PENA-OCHOA, age 29, a citizen of Honduras, was charged on February 24, 2023, in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

According to the indictment, PENA-OCHOA reentered the United States after he was previously removed on September 7, 2018.

If convicted, PENA-OCHOA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

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

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 14, 2023, defendant WILLIAM NELSON, age 21, a resident of South Carolina, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey to committing a carjacking in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 2, 2022.

In Count 1 of the indictment, NELSON is charged with a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119. NELSON faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.  NELSON’S sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2023.

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.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant, ARTHUR ALLEN, of Orleans Parish, was sentenced on February 8, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to 90 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee on Counts One, Two, and Four of a four-count indictment. 

Count One of the indictment charges ALLEN with possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and (b)(1)(D).  Count 2 charges ALLEN with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2. Count 4 charges ALLEN with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). ALLEN was not charged in Count 3 of the indictment.

On July 29, 2021, New Orleans Police Officers conducted a stop on a vehicle containing three individuals, including ALLEN. During this stop, ALLEN fled the vehicle but was later apprehended by officers. Upon a search of the vehicle, officers discovered illegal drugs and weapons.

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.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of ­­­­­the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

 

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

Two Kentucky real estate professionals pleaded guilty today for their roles in a conspiracy to rig bids at an estate auction for farmland and timber rights.

According to a plea agreement filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Barry Dyer and Mackie Shelton pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to rig bids at a 2018 auction for hundreds of acres of farmland and a tract of timber rights. Dyer and Shelton demanded and accepted a $40,000 payoff from competing auction participants to stop bidding, artificially suppressing the sales price of the farmland.

“The farming industry is vital to the nation’s economy and relies on competitive pricing for the land where crops are grown. Today’s guilty pleas help ensure the integrity of farmland auctions,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “With support from our law enforcement partners, the Antitrust Division will continue to hold accountable anyone who conspires to line their own pockets at the expense of this competitive process.” 

“American farmers are part of the backbone of our country’s economy, and they deserve to run their businesses in a fair market, untainted by corruption,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting the farming industry from bid rigging and other schemes that undermine the success of others and the spirit of competition.”  

Dyer and Shelton were charged with a single-count violation of the Sherman Act. A criminal violation of the Sherman Act carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine the defendants’ sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section, with the assistance of the FBI’s International Corruption Unit and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on November 2, 2022, charging six local men and women with engaging in a long-term drug trafficking conspiracy. One man was also charged with a firearm offense.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents, Dion Brown, 29, Raheem Richardson, 30, Jamesha Hickman, 29, Demeeko Johnson, 28, Tyrece Clark, 29, and Hubert Brown, 51, all of Louisville, conspired to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine between May 23, 2022, and November 1, 2022. Brown, Richardson, Johnson, and Hickman also distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on multiple occasions, and Richardson possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. On November 16, 2022, all six defendants were arrested.

The defendants made their initial court appearances on November 17, 2022, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.

The DEA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the ATF and IRS Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.

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

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

WASHINGTON – A federal indictment was unsealed today following the arrest of three defendants and their initial appearances in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Kentucky. Phil Pascoe, 60, of Floyds Knobs, Indiana, Monica Pascoe, 45, of Floyds Knobs, Indiana; Scott Tubbs, 59, of Georgetown, Kentucky; and Quadrant Magnetics LLC were charged with wire fraud, violations of the Arms Export Control Act, and smuggling of goods for their roles in an illegal scheme to send export-controlled defense-related technical data to China and to unlawfully supply U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) with Chinese-origin rare earth magnets for aviation systems and military items.  

The indictment alleges that between January 2012 and December 2018, the defendants conspired to send approximately 70 drawings containing export-controlled technical data to a company located in China without a license from the U.S. government, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The technical data drawings were the property of two U.S. companies and related to end-use items for aviation, submarine, radar, tank, mortars, missiles, infrared and thermal imaging targeting systems, and fire control systems for DOD.

The indictment further alleges that Quadrant Magnetics imported rare earth magnets that were smelted and magnetized by a company in China. Quadrant then sold these magnets to two U.S. companies which included them in components sold to DOD for use in the F-16, the F-18, and other defense assets in violation of the Defense Acquisition Regulations System (DFARS). Under the DFARS specialty metal clause, rare earth magnets sold to DOD must be produced and magnetized in the United States or an approved country. China is not an approved country. 

Arraignments will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Phil Pascoe, Monica Pascoe and Scott Tubbs face statutory maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud; 20 years in prison for each count of exporting technical data without a license; and 10 years in prison for smuggling goods from the United States. Monica Pascoe and her co-defendants face a penalty of up to five years for conspiracy to defraud the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky, Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, IRS – Criminal Investigation, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys David Recker and Liz Abraham with the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. 

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

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