Category: Office of United States Attorneys

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marcello Marlo Rivera, 49, of Lodi, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, on May 11, 2022, while law enforcement agents were attempting to execute a federal search warrant, Rivera flushed methamphetamine down the toilet at his residence in Lodi. The agents found large bags with leftover methamphetamine shards and residue in Rivera’s room. Rivera was also found to be in possession of a loaded high-capacity magazine containing 17 live rounds of ammunition. Rivera cannot legally possess ammunition because he has previously been convicted of multiple felonies.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Lodi Police Department, the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer and Kerry Blackburn prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations.

The mission of the OCDETF Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and Priority Transactional Organized Crime Groups (PTOCs).

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

            WASHINGTON – Edward Steven Monge, 22, of Beltsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Monge pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

             Monge faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes. A sentencing date is pending. The prison term will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

             According to the government’s evidence, between February and August 2023 Monge sold more than 4,500 pills containing fentanyl to Jennifer Echeverria Flores, 26, of Silver Spring. Echeverria Flores then sold the pills to a DEA undercover agent on five separate occasions between February 17 and July 19, 2023, in the District and Maryland. The pills were blue, marked “M” on one side, and “30” on the other. The total approximate weight of the pills was 479 grams. 

            Echeverria Flores was arrested on July 31, 2023. On August 3, 2023, law enforcement arrested Monge in Hyattsville, MD, pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant for him from Fairfax County, VA. Officers searched Monge and found him carrying about 1,102 pills, which field tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Monge was arrested on a federal arrest warrant on September 11, 2023. 

            Echeverria Flores pleaded guilty in December to the drug conspiracy charge. She is scheduled to be sentenced March 19.

            This case was investigated by the DEA.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Javier Urbina and Jordan Leiter, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Henek.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Shaver, age 23, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to illegally possessing a loaded shotgun as a felon.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

Shaver admitted that on December 15, 2022, he knowingly possessed a loaded shotgun at his residence in Schenectady.  On that date, federal investigators recovered the shotgun while executing a search warrant on the residence.  A prior felony conviction for assault in the first degree prevented Shaver from legally possessing the firearm in New York.  Shaver was arrested following the search and has remained in custody since then.

Shaver faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on May 29, 2024, by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

ATF and HIS investigated this case with assistance provided by the Rotterdam Police Department, the Schenectady Police Department, and the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell man was sentenced today to 124 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute over fifty grams of methamphetamine in Chesterfield County, while also possessing fentanyl, cocaine, and two AR-style semiautomatic pistols.

According to court documents, Shaone Lovett, 27, was the subject of a January 2023 search warrant executed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Chesterfield County Police Department at his residence. When law enforcement encountered Lovett, he possessed various substances containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as an AR-style semiautomatic pistol loaded with a high-capacity magazine containing 40 rounds of ammunition. When law enforcement searched his apartment, they found another AR-style semiautomatic pistol and dozens of rounds of ammunition.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Colonel W. Keith Early, Prince George County Police Department; and Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz, Chesterfield County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea Gibbons and Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-102.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TEEJAY JOHNSON, 38, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm.  Johnson must also serve the first six months of his supervised release in home detention.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 9, 2022, members of the New Haven Police Department Shooting Task Force and other law enforcement officers executed a state search warrant at Johnson’s residence.  Johnson was found coming out of the bathroom after narcotics had been flushed down the toilet.  Investigators collected samples of narcotics from the bathroom, and found in other areas of the residence fentanyl and other narcotics, marijuana, more than $8,600 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine and 16 rounds of ammunition.

Johnson’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm and assault related offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Johnson has been detained since his federal arrest on April 21, 2022.  On August 28, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On January 29, following a three-day trial in United States District Court, Knoxville, Tennessee, a jury convicted Oraine Christie, 44, of Massachusetts, of drug trafficking and firearms charges relating to a traffic stop conducted by the Knoxville Police Department’s drug interdiction team, on December 1, 2021. 

Christie will be sentenced by the Honorable Judge Katherine C. Crytzer at a later date.  Christie faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life, fines, and a term of supervised release of at least five years.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Oraine Christie, the driver of a Chevy Trailblazer, and co-conspirator Shemar Newland, the passenger, were transporting 3.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and six firearms, including a stolen Smith & Wesson revolver and a PA-15 assault rifle when they were stopped after committing a traffic violation on Highway 640.  An investigation revealed that the pair were heading back to Atlanta with the guns and drugs after failing to sell the drugs in West Virginia, as initially planned.  Testimony at trial revealed that Newland obtained the drugs from an individual in Atlanta and Christie conspired with Newland to sell the drugs to Christie’s associate in West Virginia.

Newland pleaded guilty on July 14, 2022, and his sentencing is set for February 8, 2023, before Judge Crytzer, in the United States District Court in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to the indictment and subsequent convictions included the Knoxville Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne-Marie Svolto and Brian Samuelson represented the United States at trial.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community face.

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

MINNEAPOLIS – A Savage man has been sentenced to 80 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a machine gun and attempted possession of hand grenades, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, in September of 2022, the FBI received tips from concerned citizens reporting disturbing behavior of a man at a firearm range, later identified as River William Smith, 21. In November and December 2022, Smith began communicating via a social media platform with an FBI confidential human source (the “CHS”). The FBI’s investigation revealed evidence that Smith was preparing for a violent exchange with police. Smith stated he is “pro mass shooting,” sympathized with the Parkland school shooter, and expressed admiration for the individual charged with the recent shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub. The FBI also discovered Smith had access to an AR-style rifle, handguns, body armor, and a Kevlar helmet. In online messages, Smith discussed learning about his “enemy” by watching police bodycam shootings online.

According to court documents, on November 17, 2022, Smith asked a second CHS for auto sears to convert his AR-15 style rifle and his Glock handgun into fully automatic machine guns. The CHS told Smith that he could obtain the auto sears for him, and Smith provided the CHS with a down payment of $60. On November 28, 2022, Smith asked whether the CHS knew about M67 fragmentary grenades, which are hand grenades used by the U.S. military in close combat. Smith told the CHS that he wanted three hand grenades to outfit his tactical vest and discussed a plan to purchase the grenades. On December 5, 2022, Smith provided the CHS with a $200 down payment for three hand grenades, priced at $250 per hand grenade.

According to court documents, on December 14, 2022, under supervision of law enforcement, a meeting between Smith and the second CHS was arranged. At the meeting, Smith took possession of three auto sears and three inert hand grenades in exchange for $690 in cash. Smith was then placed under arrest by law enforcement.

Smith pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to one count of possession of a machine gun. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Savage Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Justin Sher prosecuted the case.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, Randy Rodriquez Jones, 49, sold a firearm to an individual on January 8, 2020.  Jones had multiple prior drug-related felony convictions and a previous state court conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Jones to possess any firearm.

Jones will be sentenced on April 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The ATF is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

            WASHINGTON – Gianni Saunders, 21, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today of the May 24, 2023, armed carjacking of a handyman as the victim exited his car in the 2800 block of Denver Street SE, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith.  

            Following a week-long trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the jury found Saunders guilty of armed carjacking, armed robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The Honorable Errol Arthur scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2024.  At sentencing, Saunders faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:24 pm on May 24, 2023, the victim pulled up to the 2800 block of Denver Street SE to make repairs inside a residential building. Saunders, armed with a handgun with an extended magazine, demanded the victim’s car keys.  Saunders then drove off in the victim’s black Honda Civic. Police apprehended Saunders two days later when Forest Heights, Maryland, police officers attempted a traffic stop of the stolen car. Saunders led police on a high-speed chase before causing a multi-car crash. Police pulled Saunders from the driver’s seat after the crash and recovered a handgun with an extended magazine from the car, along with the victim’s identification documents. The police investigation uncovered surveillance video that showed Saunders parking the stolen car at his residence hours after the carjacking; Saunders’ appearance and clothing were consistent with the victim’s description of the carjacker. The government also introduced DNA evidence, which linked Saunders to the handgun.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. Invaluable assistance was provided by the Forest Heights Police Department from the inception of the case through trial. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Gimenez and Iris McCranie of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

 

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Jackson, Miss. – A McComb man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on April 1, 2021, Norkeithus Malik Reed, 24, was found in possession of a firearm when Brookhaven Police officers responded to a complaint at an area restaurant where Reed was causing a disturbance.  Reed was previously convicted in state court of drug-related felony charges and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Reed will be sentenced on April 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.