Category: Legal Issues

Source: United States Attorneys General 12

AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin Wednesday to 84 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.

According to court documents, Michael Wayne Roberts, 41, was living in Medellin, Colombia when he paid money for sex with three Colombian girls between the ages of 13 and 15 on multiple occasions between December 2020 and June 2021.  Roberts was arrested on Sept. 15, 2022 and has remained in federal custody.  He pleaded guilty in February to all three counts in his indictment.

In addition to the prison sentence and supervised release, the U.S. district judge ordered Roberts to pay $147,844.51 in restitution to the victims.  Roberts must also register as a sex offender.

“This sentencing reflects that those who engage in sexual conduct with minors, regardless of where it occurs, will be held accountable for their heinous, predatory crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas.  “I am grateful for the diligent work of the Colombian National Police and our federal partners at Homeland Security Investigations, leading to the arrest and prosecution of this individual.  Their commitment to justice has made our communities safer and protected our most vulnerable population—our children.”

“Protecting the children in our communities remains a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alejandro M. Amaro for HSI San Antonio. “This sentence is a testament that HSI remains committed to identifying individuals who prey on our most vulnerable population, especially those individuals that hold positions of public trust.”

HSI and the Colombian National Police investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke prosecuted the case.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 12

SAN ANTONIO – The four remaining defendants in the fraud case involving former Air Force civilian employee Keith Seguin were sentenced this week in a federal court in San Antonio. 

According to court documents, David Joseph Bolduc Jr., 62, of Herndon, Virginia, was the owner and director of operations at QuantaDyn, a software engineering company that worked on Randolph Trainer Development (RTD) simulators at Randolph Air Force Base.  From 2007 through 2018, he and others paid $2,375,725.26 in bribes to Seguin in return for Seguin’s influence in obtaining government contracts and subcontracts for QuantaDyn.  Bolduc was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and ordered to pay $37,757,713.93 in restitution to the government in addition to a forfeiture of property and $8,750,775.77.

John G. Hancock, 61, of Fairborn, Ohio, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and ordered to pay $23,769,884.41 in restitution to the government.  Hancock and co-conspirator Karen K. Paulsen aided Seguin in unlawfully manipulating the award amounts and winners of federal contracts, to corrupt contracting processes, and to defraud the Air Force, General Services Administration (GSA), and companies competing for government contracts.

Paulsen, 59, of Beaver Creek, Ohio, was sentenced for one count of conspiracy, to five years of probation with six months home confinement and 100 hours of community service during each year of probation.  She was also ordered to pay $8,015,860.00 in restitution to the government.

Rubens Wilson Fiuza Lima, 73, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $653,984.20 in restitution to the government for one count of conspiracy.  As a friend of Seguin, Lima took a job as a subcontractor on an RTD contract in Texas, used his business Impex Import Export Inc.  to assist Seguin by disguising the bribe money paid to Seguin as legitimate purchases of supplies and equipment related to flight simulators.

“The sentences handed down in this case send a clear message that corrupt behavior will not be tolerated, especially when it involves the safety and security of our nation’s military,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “We are grateful for the hard work of our law enforcement partners in uncovering this corruption and holding these co-conspirators accountable.  My office will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of our government contracts, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.”

“The successful prosecution and sentencing of additional defendants demonstrate our unrelenting pursuit of justice in the face of complex criminal networks. Each co-conspirator played an active role in facilitating this fraudulent scheme and inflicted significant harm on the integrity of our institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Our team remains committed to working together to dismantle such schemes and safeguard the interests of our nation.”

“The results of this investigation exemplify the skill, persistence, and professionalism of the special agents, auditors, analysts, and attorneys who worked together to achieve justice and maintain taxpayer confidence in the integrity of the federal procurement system,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie M. Willemin for GSA OIG Southwest and Rocky Mountain Investigations Division. “Their efforts and dedication should be applauded.”

“The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to combating corruption that pollutes the DoD contracting process,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory Shilling for DCIS Southwest Field Office.  “These results are a reflection of the steadfast vigilance of DCIS and our investigative partners to protect against those who seek to fraudulently enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer.”

“The sentences reflect the results of the skilled and hard work put forth by all agencies involved,” said Special Agent in Charge Blair Holmstrand, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Procurement Fraud Detachment 3.

“This week’s sentencing should serve as a stark reminder that our agents, and those of our partner law enforcement agencies, are relentless in their pursuit of those who choose to defraud the government,” said Special Agent in Charge Larry S. Moreland, of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. 

The GSA OIG; DCIS; AFOSI; Army CID; and IRS-CI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Lewis, Kelly Stephenson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Porier prosecuted the case.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 12

SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a Haitian national in a federal court in San Antonio Tuesday for two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees and inflicting bodily injury and one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees involving physical contact.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were loading 112 Haitian nationals onto a contract aircraft in San Antonio bound for Port Au Prince, Haiti in September 2021, when a disturbance involving several individuals occurred in the middle section of the aircraft.  Jubenson Domenique was identified as the main instigator of the disturbance and a decision was made for three officers to remove him from the aircraft. 

During Domenique’s extraction from the aircraft, he bit the officers, breaking the skin and leaving teeth marks on all three.  Emergency Medical Services responded, and one officer was treated at a local hospital, provided prescriptions for medication and began treatment and testing for possible infections, including six months of HIV treatment.

Domenique faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of inflicting bodily injury and eight years in prison for the third count.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Huerta for the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility made the announcement.

ICE is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Brown and Amy Hail are prosecuting the case.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 12

PECOS, Texas – A California man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a federal court in Pecos to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.

According to court documents, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) intercepted a known drug conspiracy occurring in the Pecos area.  DPS CID requested U.S. Border Patrol’s assistance to seize suspected fentanyl in a controlled environment.  On Feb. 23 at the USBP checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, a USBP canine alerted agents to search the vehicle driven by Edgar Jesus Castillo, 26, of Palmdale, California.  During an inspection, agents located an unmarked envelope in the trunk of the vehicle containing a vacuum-sealed bag full of a compressed white powder.  The powder tested positive for fentanyl.  Castillo had obtained the 1.005 kilograms of fentanyl in California and was transporting it to Pecos, where he intended to rent a hotel room and meet with a customer traveling from Houston. 

Castillo faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison with a maximum fine of $10 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, USBP and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ellis is prosecuting the case.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

PORTLAND, Maine: A Standish man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.

According to court records, in March 2022, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office received reports that an individual later identified as John Wilson, 36, had engaged in inappropriate conversations with at least two minor children using the internet and social media. In June 2022, Wilson engaged in sexually explicit online chat communications with members of a watchdog group posing as underage girls. During one sexually explicit online chat, Wilson sent photographs of his penis and live-streamed a video of himself masturbating to someone he believed to be an 11-year-old girl.

Wilson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2021, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received 29.3 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation, an increase of 35% from 2020 and 73% from 2019. From 2019 to 2021, reports of “Online Enticement of Children for Sexual Acts” increased more than 130% while reports of “Unsolicited Obscene Material Sent to a Child” increased 220%. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org/. 

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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Chase Levi Thibodeaux, 39, of Ruston, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 36 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for transmitting threats in interstate commerce.

These charges stem from an incident which occurred on or about October 12, 2021 when Thibodeaux placed a telephone call to the office of a United States Congress Member located in the State of New York. In the voicemail, Thibodeaux stated that he would buy an Uzi and gun the Member of Congress down in the streets. He also stated that he would buy a Walther PPK with a silencer and that the Congress Member would “never know what hit [them].”

The United States Capitol Police began an investigation into the threats and learned that Thibodeaux had in fact placed the phone call and left the threatening voicemail.  In addition, agents learned through their investigation that Thibodeaux had made over 100 calls to the Congressional Office in the previous two months, and left voicemails directly for the Member of Congress.

The case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Richard Culver, age 41, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 240 months in federal prison following his conviction for receipt of child pornography.  Following his term of imprisonment, Culver will have to serve six years of supervised release and register as a sex offender for life.  Chief Judge Dick also ordered Culver to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $126,000.

According to admissions made during his plea, from June 6, 2019 to June 8, 2019, Culver posed as a 13-year-old girl and communicated with a 9 year-old girl via a social media application.  During those communications, Culver sent the minor victim at least 15 images of child pornography and requested the minor victim to take and send similar photographs of herself to him.  Based on Culver’s persuasion, the minor victim sent him images and video, which portrayed the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie A. Flowers, Jr., who also serves as Chief of the Criminal Division.

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 CEOS, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

Louisville, KY – Yesterday, following a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted a local man, Terrell Trammell, age 28, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, distribution of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and assaulting, impeding, or interfering with a federal officer. 

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between July 2020, and November 5, 2020, Trammell conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and heroin in the Louisville area. On October 9, 2020, Trammell sold fentanyl to an undercover informant in southern Jefferson County. Trammell, who was a multi-time convicted felon, utilized juveniles to assist in possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin, as well as in possessing and handling firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. On November 5, 2020, agents and detectives with the FBI, ATF, HSI, and LMPD attempted to execute a search warrant at an apartment in the Valley Station area of Louisville, which Trammell and other conspirators were using to store fentanyl, heroin, and firearms. Prior to execution of the warrant, Trammell and a 16-year-old crashed their vehicle into an FBI agent, injuring and pinning the agent between two vehicles. Agents ultimately seized an AR-style pistol, a Glock 9-millimeter pistol, and an extended magazine. The FBI laboratory found Trammell’s DNA on the AR-style pistol. From the apartment, agents seized approximately 41 grams of fentanyl and two firearms, one of which had been traded to Trammell in exchange for drugs.

Sentencing for Trammell is scheduled for February 17, 2023, before a U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains in federal custody pending sentencing. Trammell faces a minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the DEA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Erin McKenzie prosecuted the case.

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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

Louisville, KY – Yesterday, a federal jury convicted a local man of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and one count of receiving a firearm while under felony indictment.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Antonio D. Williamson¸ 35, of Louisville, received a CZ-USA Scorpion Evo 3 9mm handgun in February 2020 from an individual. On May 22, 2021, Williamson was in possession of this handgun, and he was captured on surveillance video at a local restaurant drive-thru pointing it at another person while he was driving a stolen vehicle. In September 2021 law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williamson’s residence where they located and seized additional ammunition and firearms, including a Romarm/Cugir, 7.62 caliber rifle, an American Tactical M1911, .45 caliber pistol, and an Eagle Arms, 5.56 caliber rifle. Williamson had previously been convicted of two felony burglary charges in Jefferson Circuit Court in December 2008. He was also under indictment beginning in 2019 in Jefferson Circuit Court on multiple felony charges, including being a persistent felony offender. Williamson was released on bond for the 2019 indictment when he received the 9mm handgun in February 2020.

Sentencing for Williamson is scheduled for March 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., before a U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Williamson remains in custody pending sentencing. Williamson faces a combined maximum sentence of thirty years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, and the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Judd and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case with the assistance of paralegal Shalonte Branham.

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.

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Source: United States Attorneys General 7

FRANFORT, Ky. — A Florida company, Modern Therapy, LLC, was sentenced on Friday to pay a $2.5 million fine by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove for the unlawful distribution of anabolic steroids.

Modern Therapy operated out of Hallandale Beach, Florida.  According to its plea agreement, it marketed anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, and related products to customers over the Internet.  Anabolic steroids are a Schedule III controlled substance and may only be issued pursuant to a valid prescription for a legitimate medical purpose.  Modern Therapy paid physicians for use of their electronic signatures, which were applied to anabolic steroid prescriptions for customers the doctors never examined.  Modern Therapy sold and shipped steroids, HGH, and related products to customers across the country, including numerous Kentucky customers.  According to Modern Therapy’s plea agreement, between January 1, 2014 and February 1, 2020, the company received more than $25 million in customer payments for these illegally distributed products. 

Modern Therapy pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled sustances in June 2022.  In addition to the $2.5 million fine, the sentence includes an $11 million forfeiture money judgment.  In a parallel civil forfeiture case, Modern Therapy agreed to forfeit three Florida residential properties purchased with proceeds of its crime, and $125,589 in currency seized from its bank accounts.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, Metro Washington Field Office, U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), jointly announced the sentence.

This investigation was conducted by FDA-OCI, with substantial assistance from the Kentucky State Police – Drug Enforcement/Special Investigations (DESI – East); the West Virginia State Police; the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office; the Broward County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office – Money Laundering Task Force; the Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services – Office of Inspector General – Drug Enforcement & Professional Practices Branch, and the Florida Department of Health – Bureau of Enforcement.  The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey.

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