Category: Office of United States Attorneys

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PROVIDENCE, RI – A Honduran national who repeatedly entered the United States illegally and was removed in 2007, 2018, and October 2019, admitted to a federal judge today in Providence that he had entered the United States illegally for a fourth time prior to his most recent arrest in Providence in January 2023, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

At the time of his arrest in Providence, Belfran Joel Najera-Chirinos, 42, was employed by a local shipbuilder, working under the name of and using the Social Security of another individual. When arrested, Najera-Chirinos provided law enforcement with yet a different name, and produced a Puerto Rican driver’s license in the name of that person.

Najera-Chirinos today pleaded guilty to charges of illegal reentry after deportation and Social Security fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.

The matter was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dalon Sass-Maxwell, age 26, of Port Trevorton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by the Honorable Matthew W. Brann to serve two years of incarceration based upon his previously entered guilty plea to straw purchasing thirteen firearms for individuals who were prohibited from possessing firearms.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on six separate occasions in 2020 and 2021, Sass-Maxwell purchased firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers and falsely stated at the time of the purchases that he was the actual purchaser.

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.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.   

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 30, 2024, to a charge of conspiring to violate federal export laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Derby Clerfe, 44, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge William S. Stickman.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Clerfe had purchased nine handguns and provided them to another individual who would arrange for their export to Haiti without filing the export information required by federal law.

Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Clerfe.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On January 30, 2024, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of Hobbs Act robbery and violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Anthony Kendrick, 37, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Kendrick had been one of three individuals involved in a string of robberies targeting gas stations, convenience stores, and fast-food restaurants in the Pittsburgh area between June and August of 2019. In particular, Kendrick pleaded guilty to armed robberies at two BP gas stations on the evening of August 4 and August 5, 2019. The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 27 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Kendrick.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Demond Pinkett, 45, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment presented to the Court, on January 17, 2024, Pinkett possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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 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.

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

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An Indiana man has been charged with obstructing a federal grand jury investigation in the Northern District of Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

A one-count information filed earlier today in United States District Court charges Bert Eugene Neff, 49, of Indianapolis, Indiana, with one count of obstruction of justice. The charge arose from a scheme to impede an investigation into suspicious gambling activity surrounding a National Collegiate Athletic Association baseball game.

According to the Information, Neff engaged in a multi-month obstruction scheme that began in May 2023 and continued until January 2024. During the course of the scheme, Neff destroyed his cell phone, encouraged witnesses to destroy their cell phones and delete encrypted messaging applications, and provided false statements to federal investigators. The scheme culminated in October 2023 when Neff participated in a one-hour twenty-one-minute telephone call concerning topics related to the investigation with two witnesses the day before they were scheduled to testify before a grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama. All of this activity was designed to interfere with ongoing grand jury investigation.

According to the plea agreement, also filed today, Neff has agreed to plead guilty to the charge, The Court will set a date for Neff to enter his guilty plea. 

The maximum penalty for obstruction of justice is ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Edward J. Canter and Lloyd C. Peeples are prosecuting the case.

An information contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

DETROIT – Former Wayne County Roads Division employee John Gibson was sentenced to 1½  years in prison today for conspiring to defraud the county out of over $2.3 million, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced.

Ison and Worthy were joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington.

Gibson, 55, of Detroit, pleaded guilty in July 2023. He and fellow Wayne County employee Kevin Gunn engaged in a scheme to use taxpayer dollars to make unauthorized purchases of generators and other power equipment from retailers in southeast Michigan which they sold for hundreds of thousands in personal profit.  Gunn also pleaded guilty as part of the scheme and was sentenced to nearly 3 years in prison on November 8, 2023.

According to court documents, in March of 2021, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department began an investigation into the potential misuse of taxpayer dollars. The Sheriff’s Department requested the assistance of the FBI to investigate the criminal actions of Gunn, Gibson, other employees of the Wayne County Roads Division, and vendors to Wayne County. At the beginning of the investigation, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office secured a search warrant which broke open the case and exposed the embezzlement scheme. Investigators with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office have played an ongoing and important role in the investigation. 

As part of the scheme to defraud, between January 2019 and August 2021, Gunn solicited Wayne County vendors to provide generators and other power equipment the vendors were not authorized to provide under their contracts with the county. To conceal the scheme to defraud, Gunn instructed the vendors to list on their invoices different items which they were authorized to sell as part of their Wayne County contracts. Roads Division employees approved and paid each vendor’s invoice with taxpayer funds. After these fraudulent purchases were verified and approved by Roads Division employees, Gibson took possession of the equipment, paid Gunn for the items, and resold the generators and other items to members of the public.

A review of invoices from Wayne County vendors revealed that between January 16, 2019, and August 3, 2021, Wayne County vendors sold to Wayne County 596 unauthorized generators, and a variety of other power equipment including lawnmowers, chainsaws, and backpack blowers. The purchase of these items was not authorized under any vendor contract with Wayne County nor were the items ever provided to or used by Wayne County. The total value of equipment obtained as part of the scheme was over $2.3 million.

United States Attorney Dawn Ison said, “Today’s sentence represents our commitment to ensuring that the citizens of the Eastern District of Michigan are served by public officials who elevate the needs of the public over their own self-interest.”

“This sentence should serve as a deterrent to prevent any future employees from stealing from Wayne County.  If you do, there will be life changing criminal consequences,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Worthy.

“The alleged misconduct by Mr. Gibson was a betrayal of his fellow government employees and is not representative of the honest and hard work they perform on a daily basis,” stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The defendant was entrusted with taxpayer money, which was intended to be used for a specific purpose, not his personal profit. I would like to commend Prosecutor Kym Worthy and the Wayne County investigators for their assistance during this case. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to take strong action against individuals who seek to corrupt the integrity and fair administration of government programs.”

“The alleged actions of these individuals are nothing short of disgraceful,” said Sheriff Raphael Washington. “To brazenly steal from hardworking taxpayers and fraudulently line their own pockets while holding positions of public trust make these crimes all the more deplorable. Today’s sentencing is another example of our strong commitment to working together.”

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition, Wayne County Executive Evans and his administration have been assisting and cooperating with the investigation since they first learned of fraudulent activity within their organization. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Connoquenessing, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on January 30, 2024, to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release on her convictions for wire fraud and making false statements on her tax returns, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Constance Stobert, 58.

According to information presented to the court, Stobert worked as a controller for a company called Mechanical Operations Company (MOC) from 1994 until July 2021. Between January 2014 and July 2018, Stobert stole at least $1,678,893 in MOC’s assets to pay for her personal expenses. Among other things, Stobert wrote checks from MOC’s business banking accounts to make personal credit card payments and used MOC’s credit cards to withdraw cash at ATMs in casinos located in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. Stobert also admitted that, during the tax years 2016 through and including 2019, she willfully and knowingly filed false tax returns, in which she failed to report the money she embezzled from MOC, resulting in a tax loss to the government of $545,990.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Schwab stated that Stobert caused substantial financial hardship to MOC and its owners and noted that Stobert’s crimes were intentional, serious, and occurred over a substantial period of time. Judge Schwab also stressed that efforts to portray the defendant as the victim were not convincing and that, given the seriousness of the offenses, defense counsel’s request for a sentence of home incarceration “is a bridge too far.”

“The victim entrusted Ms. Stobert with unfettered access to corporate funds, and, for years, she betrayed that trust by stealing more than $1.5 million and taking deliberate steps to cover up her theft,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “This type of deception will not be tolerated, and bringing the perpetrators of such financial crimes to justice will continue to be an important part of the work of this office and our partners in law enforcement.”

“Ms. Stobert used her position to fund her lavish lifestyle and while doing so not only defrauded her employer, but honest hardworking Americans who pay their tax obligations every year,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “This sentencing should serve as reminder to anyone willing to take advantage of their employment to steal funds – the FBI will ensure you are held accountable in the criminal justice system.”

“No matter the source of the income, all income is taxable, and accurate tax returns must be filed,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Constance Stobert embezzled from her employer for years and failed to report the stolen funds on her personal income tax returns. The prosecution of individuals who intentionally conceal income and evade taxes is always a priority for IRS-CI.”

Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stobert.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has sworn in three new federal prosecutors to serve the Southern District of Illinois.

“It’s an honor to welcome new federal prosecutors to our office,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Each attorney has a deep knowledge of and respect for the law, and I look forward to supporting them in their new roles.”

Amanda McQuaid, Madalyn Campbell and Kathleen Howard joined the office in various Assistant U.S. Attorney positions. McQuaid will focus on e-Litigation, Campbell fills a position to prosecute domestic terrorism and other violent crime cases and Howard joins the office’s Fraud and Corruption unit.

Before becoming AUSAs, McQuaid served as a law clerk to the Honorable District Judge David W. Dugan of the Southern District of Illinois, Campbell was an Assistant Attorney General for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and Howard was in private practice.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois serves the lower 38 counties of the state. The main office is in Fairview Heights with branch offices in Benton and East St. Louis.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Gyanendra Asre pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an anti-money laundering program in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act, as part of a scheme to bring lucrative and high-risk international financial business to a small, unsophisticated credit union. Today’s proceeding took place before United States District Judge Diane Gujarati.  When sentenced, Asre faces up to 10 years in prison.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Erin Keegan, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI) announced the guilty plea.

“Asre was an experienced anti-money laundering specialist well-versed in the Bank Secrecy Act’s provisions and deliberately ignored these protections, exposing financial institutions to the risk of illicit criminal activity,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office will vigorously enforce these laws to ensure the integrity of the U.S. financial system and to hold responsible those who would deliberately disregard them for financial gain.” 

“Gyanendra Asre was specifically trained in proper banking protocols and procedures. Yet, instead of following the necessary steps, the defendant took advantage of a small New York financial institution, which primarily served state employees, to the tune of $1 billion,” said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. “I commend HSI New York and our law enforcement partners for their dedication to ensuring vitally integral regulations — the foundation of our banking system — are upheld.”

According to court filings, from 2014 to 2016, Asre devised a scheme to bring lucrative and high-risk international financial business lines such as international currency trading to small, unsophisticated financial institutions.  Asre was trained in anti-money laundering compliance and procedures, and represented to the financial institutions that, because of his experience and training, he understood the risks associated with the high-risk business lines and would conduct appropriate anti-money laundering oversight as required by the Bank Secrecy Act.

Based on Asre’s representations, the New York State Employees Federal Credit Union (NYSEFCU), a small financial institution with a volunteer board that primarily served New York state public employees, allowed Asre to conduct high-risk transactions through the NYSEFCU.  Asre then caused the transfer of more than $1 billion in high-risk transactions, including hundreds of millions of dollars originating from high-risk foreign jurisdictions, through the NYSEFCU and other entities.  Asre, who was a certified anti-money laundering specialist with experience in international banking and anti-money laundering compliance and procedures, was a member of the NYSEFCU’s supervisory board during this time period.  However, contrary to his representations, Asre willfully failed to implement and maintain the requisite anti-money laundering programs or conduct oversight required to detect, identify and report suspicious transactions.  This caused, among other things, the NYSEFCU to process more than $1 billion in high-risk transactions during Asre’s tenure, without ever filing a single Suspicious Activity Report as required by law.

In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).  As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, health care fraud, tax fraud, securities and commodities fraud, and identity theft.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, in coordination with the Office’s Bank Integrity Task Force, which is charged with investigating and charging corporate and individual actors who launder criminal proceeds using the U.S. banking system and enforcing anti-money laundering controls under the Bank Secrecy Act. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan C. Harris and Francisco J. Navarro of the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with Acting Chief Margaret Moeser of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.  The investigation is being conducted by HSI’s El Dorado Task Force in New York.

The Defendant:

GYANENDRA ASRE
Age:  56
Greenwich, Connecticut

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-174 (DG)