Category: United States Attorneys General

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Shreveport man pleads guilty to illegal possession of pistol after being arrested for felonies

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport felon pleaded guilty last week to illegally possessing a pistol after being convicted of multiple felonies.

 

Gabriel Jones, 36, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Shreveport police were executing a warrant for someone else on August 7, 2018 at Jones’ residence. During a search of the residence, police found marijuana in plain view, and they found a Ruger, Model P85, 9 mm caliber pistol, crack cocaine and additional marijuana in the back bedroom closet. The pistol had a 30 round extended magazine inside it. The other occupants of the residence denied ownership of the gun and said it belonged to Jones. Police also searched Jones’ cell phone and found images and data showing the pistol belonged to him. Jones was convicted on May 24, 2010 of aggravated flight from an officer and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also convicted on December 6, 2004 in Caddo Parish of possession of marijuana, second offense,

 

Morris faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of May 10, 2018.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

 

The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford is prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Manchester Man Who Threatened Federal Probation Officer Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PETER J. SANTOS, 41, of Manchester, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for threatening a federal official.  On June 2, 2017, a jury found SANTOS guilty of the offense.

According to the evidence presented during the trial, in January 2014, SANTOS was sentenced in the Southern District of New York to 25 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to transport stolen goods, conspiring to receive stolen goods and conspiring to commit wire fraud.  On December 31, 2015, after completing his period of incarceration, he began serving his three-year period of supervised release, which was transferred to the U.S. Probation Office in the District the Connecticut.

While on supervised release, SANTOS tested positive for controlled substances on multiple occasions.  On August 31, 2016, SANTOS appeared before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven for a supervised release violation hearing.  Judge Arterton revoked SANTOS’ supervised release and imposed a penalty of six months of imprisonment to be followed by 24 months of additional supervised release.  As the U.S. Marshals were walking SANTOS out of the courtroom, SANTOS looked at his supervising U.S. Probation Officer and stated “When I get out, I’m coming for you.”  The Probation Officer responded, “Excuse me?”  SANTOS responded, “You heard me.”

After they left the courtroom, a Deputy U.S. Marshal said to SANTOS, “That’s not smart.”  SANTOS responded by stating that he did not care and he was tired of it, adding that, “Everyone has to meet their maker whether it is by me or some other way.”

The investigation revealed that SANTOS made additional threats while he was incarcerated on the supervised release violation.

SANTOS has been detained since his arrest on January 30, 2017.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Sacramento Resident Sentenced To Over Seven Years In Prison After Committing Four Armed Bank Robberies

OAKLAND – Clayton Quiz Smith was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for the armed robbery of three banks in the East Bay and one bank in Folsom, Calif., announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.  The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge.

Smith, 45, from Sacramento, pleaded guilty on October 6, 2017, to four separate counts of armed bank robbery.  According to the plea agreement, Smith began the robbery spree on February 6, 2017, when he robbed a bank in San Ramon.  Smith admitted he entered a bank wearing a jacket, hooded sweater, beanie, and gloves, and was carrying a black laptop bag.  He placed the bag on the counter in front of the bank tellers and removed from his pocket what appeared to be a small silver pistol.  Smith displayed the apparent pistol to a teller and demanded the $100 bills and $20 bills from the teller’s drawer.  Smith escaped with $7,434.

Smith committed a second armed robbery at the same bank in San Ramon on March 21, 2017.  He encountered the same victim whom he forced to accompany him out of the bank on February 6, 2017.  This time, Smith pointed the object that appeared to be a revolver toward the victim and demanded the bills from her drawer.  Smith escaped with $3,500. 

According to the plea agreement, Smith admitted he committed two additional armed robberies—one on April 4, 2017, and the other on April 20, 2017.  During the April 4 robbery, Smith brandished what appeared to be a 6-inch silver-colored blade at a Concord, Calif. bank.  Smith repeatedly yelled, “Hands up!” while brandishing the knife.  He told two tellers to give him the money in their drawers and ordered them not to pull any alarms until he left.  Smith escaped with $5,275.  Similarly, during the April 20 robbery, Smith entered a bank in Folsom, Calif., wielding what appeared to be a steak knife.  Smith approached the four tellers on duty, pointing the object at the first victim.  Smith told the victim, “Don’t call the cops. Don’t set off any alarms. Take the money and set it down on the counter.”  He stole a total of $11,895 from the drawers of the four tellers on duty that day.

Smith was charged in an Information filed August 16, 2017, with four counts of armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a) and (d).  Pursuant to his plea agreement, Smith pleaded guilty to all four counts.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Tigar also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $28,104 in restitution.  Smith has been in custody since his arrest on May 4, 2017, and will begin serving his sentence immediately.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Quant and Noble Hughes.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Ramon Police Department, the Concord Police Department, and the Folsom Police Department.
 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Las Vegas Resident Pleads Guilty To Filing False Tax Claims

OAKLAND – Eric Oase pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland today to filing false claims with the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf. 

In pleading guilty, Oase, 52, of Las Vegas, Nev., admitted he owned and operated E&K Tax Solutions in San Leandro, Calif.  Oase acknowledged he knowingly prepared and filed numerous false federal income tax returns for others with the Internal Revenue Service.  Specifically in 2012, Oase prepared 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 federal income tax returns for his customers that reported false wages, false education expenses, or both, which generated tax refunds.  Regardless of the amount of wages or expenses provided by the customers, Oase falsely reported income and education expenses for his customers that generated tax refunds.  Oase electronically filed with the IRS the false 2011 tax returns.  He directed his customers to mail their 2008 through 2010 tax returns to the IRS.  In total, Oase directed his clients to claim fraudulent tax refunds in the amount of $477,333.

A federal grand jury indicted Oase on January 17, 2017, charging him with six counts of filing false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287.  Pursuant to today’s agreement, Oase pleaded guilty to two of the counts.

Oase is currently free on bond.  His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 24, 2018, before the Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge, in Oakland.  The maximum statutory penalty for each count of filing a false claim in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287 is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney José A. Olivera is prosecuting the case.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.  
 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Salinas Resident Pleads Guilty To Bank Robbery

SAN JOSE– Nathan James Garcia, aka “Bones,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and armed bank robbery in connection with the 2012 robbery of a Salinas, Calif., bank, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.  The guilty plea was accepted this morning by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, United States District Judge.  

According to his guilty plea, on May 19, 2012, Garcia, 26, of Salinas, committed an armed bank robbery.  During the robbery, a firearm was brandished and over $13,000 in cash was stolen.  In the days leading up to the bank robbery and in preparation for robbing it, Garcia rehearsed the robbery and cased the bank.  

On May 11, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Garcia, charging him with one count each of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18, U.S.C. § 1951(a); conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d), and 371; robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2; and armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d), and 2.  Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Garcia pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and the armed bank robbery counts.  The remaining counts will be dismissed.

Garcia faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 for the conspiracy count and a maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 for the armed bank robbery count.  Further, additional terms of supervised release, penalties, and restitution may be ordered.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  Garcia has been in federal custody since his arrest in May of 2017.  Judge Koh has scheduled Garcia’s sentencing hearing for May 2, 2018.   

Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia A. Quiroz is prosecuting this case with assistance from Jessica Meegan and Lance Libatique.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Derry Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

 

            CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Anthony Barth, 26, of Derry, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for fentanyl trafficking.

 

            According to statements made in court, Barth sold fentanyl to a cooperating individual on two occasions in July and August of 2016. On August 17, 2016, the individual placed an order for 50 “fingers” or approximately 500 grams of fentanyl. The defendant arrived at the predetermined meeting location in Derry, New Hampshire where officers attempted to arrest him. Barth tried to flee, hitting a police car and eventually abandoning his own vehicle behind a nearby business. He ran into a wooded area where he attempted to discard the drugs, but he was apprehended shortly thereafter. Officers searched the wooded area and found the drugs, which contained approximately 490 grams of fentanyl.  

 

            On June 5, 2017, Barth pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

 

            “Most overdose deaths in the Granite State are being caused by fentanyl,” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said.  “The substantial amount of fentanyl that this defendant was distributing could have placed many lives at risk.  While the law enforcement community recognizes that those who suffer from addiction require treatment, those who seek to profit from the sale of these deadly products are damaging the fabric of our communities.  We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to seek substantial penalties for those who threaten our state by selling fentanyl and other deadly drugs.”

 

           “The state of New Hampshire is faced with a fentanyl crisis unlike ever before,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson.  “Those suffering from opioid addiction need access to treatment and recovery, but those that distribute and profit from lethal drugs like fentanyl to the citizens of New Hampshire need to be held accountable.  This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal partners and our strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

 

            This case was investigated by the DEA and the Manchester and Derry Police Departments. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.

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Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Shreveport felon pleads guilty to possessing pistol while still on supervised release

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty last week to possessing a pistol even though he was still on supervised release and had been convicted of several felonies.

 

Derrick D. Morris, 36, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, Morris was arrested on August 4, 2017 at a gas station in Shreveport on a warrant for violating his supervised release. Officers found Morris with a Glock, Model 26, 9 mm pistol in the front seat area of the car. Morris was convicted in 2003 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He additionally has two prior felony convictions by the State of Louisiana.

 

Morris faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of March 22, 2018.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

 

The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Corpus Christi Man Convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Corpus Christi man has admitted he distributed child pornography, announced U.S. Ryan K. Patrick.

 

In May 2016, authorities discovered that Randy Michael Ramirez was communicating with an undercover detective in Dallas and eventually sent a link which contained 76 videos of child pornography. Law enforcement seized a cellular telephone from Ramirez’s residence which resulted in the discovery of more than 80 images and 12 videos of child pornography. Many of the videos involved sexually explicit conduct with children as young as infants.

 

The court also heard  today that upon his arrest, Ramirez attempted to hide a cellular telephone. Law enforcement was able to locate the device and a forensic analysis revealed an additional 120 images of child pornography.

 

Sentencing has been set before Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack on April 9, 2018. At that time, Ramirez faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Ramirez also faces a maximum of life on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.

 

Ramirez has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.  

 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: New York Man Arrested For Role In ‘Shotgun’ Loan Scheme

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx, New York, man is charged with carrying out a scheme to use bogus information and simultaneous loan applications at multiple banks to fraudulently obtain home equity lines of credit, a practice known as “shotgunning,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Saoud “Sam” Rihan, 57, was arrested Jan. 28, 2018 and charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.

According to the complaint:

Rihan was a business partner of Simon Curanaj, 63, of Yonkers, New York. From 2012 through January 2014, Rihan, Curanaj, and others conspired to fraudulently obtain multiple home equity lines of credit (HELOC) from banks on residential properties in New Jersey and New York.

For example, Rihan and Curanaj executed a deed to transfer ownership of a Bronx property to people identified in the complaint as “Individual 1” and “Individual 2,” neither of whom lived at the property. Rihan and Curanaj then applied for three HELOCs from multiple banks in the name of Individual 2.

Rihan and Curanaj hid the fact that the same Bronx property was pledged as collateral in all three applications. The applications also fraudulently inflated Individual 2’s income. In addition, at the time the applications were made, the value of the Bronx property, which was encumbered by a mortgage, was far less than the amount of the HELOC loans that Rihan and the real estate broker applied for.

The victim banks eventually issued loans to Individual 2 in excess of $370,000. After the victim banks funded the HELOCs and deposited money into Individual 2’s bank accounts, Individual 2 disbursed almost all of the funds to Rihan, Curanaj, and others. In 2014, Individual 2 defaulted on all the HELOC loans.

The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

The charge and allegations against Rihan are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Curanaj previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and awaits sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Steven Perez in Newark; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin DiGregory of the FHFA-OIG.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Former Newark Watershed Conservation And Development Consultant Admits Wire Fraud Scheme

NEWARK, N.J. – A political consultant from Essex County, New Jersey, today admitted her role in a fraud scheme related to contracts with the Newark Watershed Development Corp. (NWCDC) and kickbacks to officials there, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Dianthe Martinez Brooks, 42, of West Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of wire fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Martinez Brooks was the owner and proprietor of a consulting company called DMart127 LLC, which provided political consulting services to local candidates and elected officials, among others, in the Essex County area. Between May 2011 and March 2013, she participated in a scheme with Linda Watkins Brashear, the former NWCDC Executive Director, and Donald Bernard, the former Director of Special Projects, to defraud the NWCDC of the honest services of Brashear and Bernard, and of money and property.

Martinez Brooks submitted fraudulent invoices to the NWCDC in the name of DMart127 detailing services that were purportedly performed, but which sought payments that overstated the value of any services she or her company performed. Martinez-Brooks also assisted in obtaining contracts between companies owned by Kevin Gleaton and the NWCDC and contracts between a company owned by her relative and the NWCDC through Bernard and Brashear. Fraudulent invoices were submitted in the name of those companies to the NWCDC detailing services that were purportedly performed, but were never rendered by Gleaton, his companies, or Martinez Brooks’ relative. Based on the fraudulent invoices, the NWCDC issued checks to DMart127, Gleaton’s companies and company belonging to Martinez’s relative totaling $225,666. Martinez Brooks kicked back a substantial amount of those proceeds to Brashear and Bernard.

The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacques S. Pierre and Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division.

Defense counsel: Paulette Pitt Esq., Woodbridge, New Jersey