Category: United States Attorneys General

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Fraudster sentenced for perpetrating $20 Million investment fraud scheme

ATLANTA – Franklin B. Trell has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering.  For over seven years, Trell used myriad corporate entities, complex financial arrangements, doctored financial statements, and false statements to defraud multiple financial institutions and one of Trell’s largest investors out of approximately $20 million dollars.

“Fraud undermines investor confidence and eats at the fabric of our economy,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “We and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively root-out and prosecute even the most complicated of investment fraud schemes, while securing convictions and strong sentences that will deter others from ever engaging in similar conduct.”

“Individuals who commit this type of fraud should be punished to the fullest extent of the law as a way of deterring this from happening in the future,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation.  “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in protecting the sanctity and integrity of legitimate investment ventures.”

“The sentencing of Trell is very little solace for the many victims who have suffered from his criminal activities,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Even though the defendant has been ordered to pay restitution the victims may never be financially whole again. Hopefully, the punishment will deter others from preying on other unsuspecting investors.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court:  During the timeframe of the conspiracy, Trell and co-defendant Cynthia P. Vinson, on behalf of numerous corporate entities they created, obtained multi-million dollar loans by submitting false statements and invoices to financial institutions about how the money would be spent.  During that time period, Trell and Vinson repeatedly lied to their largest investor for years by falsely representing that Trell was putting up half of the working capital into the various business entities, most of which were in the medical imaging business.  In reality, Trell failed to put in half of the capital and spent much of the investment funds on himself and his family, including spending over $80,000 of the funds on his daughter’s wedding, and over $1.7 million to settle past lawsuits alleging fraud and other misconduct. 

From 2007 to 2010, Trell used investor funds and loan proceeds to settle four lawsuits then pending in Fulton County, Georgia, Superior Court.  He also authorized Vinson to withdraw millions of dollars from the corporate entities, which she used for her personal benefit.  When confronted by his largest investor about the financial state of the corporate entities, Trell presented doctored accounting records and skillfully moved money from one corporate account to another to create the appearance that he was investing money into the businesses as well.  The largest investor gave over $20 million to Trell based on the misrepresentation that Trell was contributing the same amount to the ventures.  In truth, the evidence showed that Trell and Vinson personally profited over $9 million from the scheme. 

From 2006 to 2013, Trell and Vinson used a number of corporate entities to perpetrate their scheme, including MTC Development, LLC; Sunbelt Construction Management, Inc.; Medical Development Group, LLC; Project Personnel Leasing, LLC; MD Office Solutions, LLC; Medical Facility Development Group, LLC; Imaging Center Development Services, LLC; Medical Property Holding, LLC; Medical Software Holding, LLC; Citrus Tower Boulevard Imaging Center, LLC; Palisades at West Paces Imaging Center, LLC: Southcrest Medical Plaza Imaging Center; the Palisades at West Paces Imaging Center, LLC;  Southcrest Medical Plaza Imaging Center; Vinson Holdings, Inc.; Vinson Partners, LLLP; and the Palisades at W. Paces Condo Association, Inc.

Franklin B. Trell, 71, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Orinda D. Evans to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,100,408.25.  Trell was convicted on June 22, 2017, after he pleaded guilty.

Cynthia P. Vinson, 66, of Gay, Georgia, will be sentenced by Judge Evans on March 7, 2018, at 1:00 p.m.  Vinson was convicted on August 3, 2016, after she pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen H. McClain, Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kamal Ghali, Deputy Chief of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Section, prosecuted the case. 

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Georgia man sentenced to prison for involvement in stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme

ATLANTA – Jahmir Antoine Robinson has been sentenced to four years, six months in federal prison for running a stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) scheme after he stole the identities of 153 people, and caused a tax loss of approximately $409,000.

“Thieves never stop looking for ways to take what is not theirs, no matter the harm they cause to people whose identity they stole,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Robinson’s theft affect’s not only the 153 who were targeted, it touches all taxpayers.”

“With the filing season just starting this week, it is important that taxpayer’s keep their identities protected and notify the IRS immediately when someone files their tax return without authorization, “ said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation “We will continue to utilize our resources and work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in holding those accountable who use stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court:  From April 2011 through April 2012, Jahmir Robinson ran a scheme to defraud the United States by filing false federal income tax returns using stolen identities. Robinson obtained personal identity information, including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth, of true individuals to file federal tax returns without their authorizations.  To circumvent IRS checks and balances, Robinson obtained Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) from the IRS for 17 individual corporations and filed fictitious Forms 944 so that the IRS database would automatically match employer income tax withholdings against the individual returns.

In total, Robinson used the stolen identities and EINs to file 153 fraudulent individual tax returns with the IRS for tax years 2010 and 2011.  Robinson caused the IRS to disburse refunds to an account he controlled. As a result of the scheme, Robinson caused a tax loss totaling $409,114.27.

Jahmir Antoine Robinson, 35, of Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May to four years, six months in prison in federal prison, four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $240,033.33 in restitution.  Robinson was convicted on these charges on November 8, 2017, after he pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bernita B. Malloy prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016 or the IRS-Criminal investigation Public Information Officer at Joseph.Ziegler@ci.irs.gov or (216) 407-9614.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Honduran Citizen Indicted For Scheme To Facilitate Employment Of Undocumented Aliens In Construction Industry, Evasion Of Payroll Taxes And Workers’ Compensation Laws

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Oscar Arnelson Rodriguez-Cruz (40, Orlando) with 121 counts of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. Rodriguez-Cruz is a Honduran citizen who is illegally present in the United States.

The indictment also notifies Rodriguez-Cruz that the United States intends to seek forfeiture of approximately $626,817, the amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the offenses, and of $105,461 that was seized from him on October 11, 2017.

Pursuant to the scheme alleged in the indictment, Rodriguez-Cruz facilitated the employment in the construction industry of undocumented aliens living and working illegally in the United States. Construction contractors and subcontractors entered into an agreement with a shell company Rodriguez-Cruz established to provide workers, most of whom were undocumented aliens, for the contractors and subcontractors. By obtaining and paying the workers through the shell company, the contractors and subcontractors could disclaim responsibility for ensuring that (1) the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States, (2) required state and federal payroll taxes were paid, and (3) adequate workers’ compensation insurance was provided.

The indictment further alleges that Rodriguez-Cruz registered a corporation called Gedeon Multiservices, Inc., with the State of Florida. He then applied for a workers’ compensation insurance policy for the period from November 29, 2016, through November 29, 2017, to cover five employees and an estimated annual payroll of $121,000. The insurance company issued the policy for an annual premium of $20,473.20, based on the payroll information set forth in the application. 

Rodriguez-Cruz “rented” the insurance policy to numerous construction contractors and subcontractors who employed hundreds of workers, causing the insurance company to send a certificate of insurance to the contractors and subcontractors as purported proof of sufficient workers’ compensation insurance.

The contractors and subcontractors wrote payroll checks to the shell company for work performed by the workers. Rodriguez-Cruz cashed the checks and distributed the cash to construction crew leaders, who then paid the workers in cash.  No state or federal payroll taxes, such as for Medicare and Social Security, were deducted from the workers’ pay, in violation of Florida and federal law. Rodriguez-Cruz kept approximately 4% of the amount of each payroll check as a “rental” fee. Throughout the scheme, he cashed payroll checks totaling $15,670,438, with his 4% fee totaling $626,817. The annual premium for a workers’ compensation insurance policy covering a payroll of $15,670,438 would have been more than $2,500,000. Many of the workers were undocumented aliens living and working in the United States illegally.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Sanford Man Sentenced To More Than 30 Years For Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Andrew Goldberg (35, Sanford) to 30 years and 5 months in federal prison for attempting to entice minors to engage in sexual activity and distributing child pornography. As part of the sentence, the Court also ordered him to serve a life term of supervision following his release from prison. 

Goldberg pleaded guilty on October 30, 2017.

According to court documents, Goldberg was the administrator of two online social networking groups that he created to distribute child pornography. The groups had over 120 members. An FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity infiltrated the groups and met Goldberg online. During their communications, Goldberg arranged to have sex with the undercover agent’s fictitious daughters, ages 9 and 11, for his birthday. Goldberg planned to meet the undercover agent and the fictional children at a restaurant. When he arrived at the restaurant, agents arrested him. Goldberg was carrying condoms and a jar of vasoline. Subsequently, the agents located 84 videos of child pornography in Goldberg’s e-mail account and 405 images of child pornography on his smartphone. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable. 

It is another case 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 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 Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Two Honduran Citizens Plead Guilty To Scheme To Facilitate Employment Of Undocumented Aliens In Construction Industry, Evasion Of Payroll Taxes

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Anyi (“Angie”) Artica-Romero (32) and Milton Noel Romero (35), both of Orlando, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Both are Honduran citizens who do not have legal status in the United States, and each faces up to 20 years in federal prison. As part of their guilty pleas, both have agreed to forfeit $812,149, the amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the offenses, and $127,624 that was seized in cash and from bank accounts.

According to the plea agreements, Artica-Romero and Noel Romero facilitated the employment in the construction industry of undocumented aliens living and working illegally in the United States. Construction contractors and subcontractors entered into an agreement with shell companies controlled by the defendants to provide workers, most of whom were undocumented aliens, for the contractors and subcontractors.

By obtaining and paying the workers through the shell companies, the contractors and subcontractors could disclaim responsibility for ensuring that (1) the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States, (2) required state and federal payroll taxes were paid, and (3) adequate workers’ compensation insurance was provided.

After creating the shell companies, Artica-Romero and Noel Romero applied for workers’ compensation insurance policies covering the period from September 2, 2015, through July 27, 2017. In the applications, they represented that the policies would cover 6 to 19 employees, and estimated annual payrolls of $100,000 to $410,800. The insurance companies issued policies with annual premiums of $20,002 to $38,860, based on the payroll information in the applications. They then “rented” the insurance policies to numerous construction contractors and subcontractors who employed hundreds of workers, causing the insurance companies to send certificates of insurance to the contractors and subcontractors as purported proof of sufficient workers’ compensation insurance.

The contractors and subcontractors wrote payroll checks to the shell companies for work performed by the workers. Artica-Romero and Noel Romero cashed the checks and distributed the cash to construction crew leaders, who then paid the workers in cash. No state or federal payroll taxes, such as for Medicare and Social Security, were deducted from the workers’ pay, in violation of Florida and federal law.

Artica-Romero and Noel Romero kept approximately 4% of the amount of each payroll check as a “rental” fee. During the scheme, they cashed payroll checks totaling $20,303,737, with the 4% fee totaling $812,149. The annual premium for a workers’ compensation insurance policy covering a payroll of $20,303,737 would have been more than $2,800,000.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Bradenton Man Sentenced To Fifteen Years In Prison For Being A Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell today sentenced Daniel R. Kendricks (46, Bradenton) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the firearm used in the offense. Kendricks was found guilty after a bench trial on October 31, 2017.

According to court documents, on October 17, 2016, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office were searching a residence and discovered Kendricks sleeping on a couch in a garage. When deputies searched the garage, they discovered a loaded gun on a table next to the couch where Kendricks had been sleeping. Kendricks subsequently confessed to possessing the gun.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Callan L. Albritton.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Lake City Men Sentenced To More Than Five Years For Distributing Methamphetamine

Jacksonville, Florida– U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Jeremy Roldan (45, Lake City) and Gene Wakeley (43, Lake City) to five years and five months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Roldan was also sentenced for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. 

Roldan pleaded guilty on June 19, 2017, and Wakeley pleaded guilty on October 20, 2017.

According to court documents, on December 13, 2016, Roldan and Wakeley sold approximately seven grams of methamphetamine to an individual in Lake City for $400. On February 1, 2017, Roldan also sold a .38 caliber revolver to an individual for $200. Roldan was previously convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, selling/distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine, and cheating. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a historical program involving the successful collaboration of law enforcement, at all levels, to reduce violent crime and making neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception (2001). In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: District Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Charges Stemming from Trafficking Four Children for Commercial Sex

            WASHINGTON – Daraya Marshall, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 25 years in prison on four federal charges of sex trafficking of children, one federal count of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one District of Columbia offense of first-degree child sexual abuse.   

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Marshall pled guilty on Oct. 16, 2017, the day that his trial was scheduled to begin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  He had been charged by the grand jury in a 15-count indictment; the remaining counts were dismissed at sentencing pursuant to the plea agreement.  Marshall was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan.  Following his prison term, Marshall will be placed on 15 years of supervised release.  By law, he will also be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum period of 25 years. Judge Chutkan also ordered Marshall to pay $21,800 in restitution and an equal amount in a forfeiture money judgment.       

            According to the government’s evidence, Marshall and his co-defendant, Jarnese Harris, 31, ran a sex trafficking operation out of their apartment in Southeast Washington.  At times, Marshall had six or more women and girls prostituting for him, including Ms. Harris.  In 2014 and 2015, Marshall separately persuaded four girls – who were ages 14, 15, 15-16, and 17 years old – to prostitute for him by engaging in commercial sexual acts with strangers who responded to ads placed on Backpage.com.  These commercial sexual transactions would occur either in Marshall’s apartment, or Marshall or Harris would drive the victims to other locations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.  Marshall and Harris took pictures of the girls in sexually provocative poses, and paid for and placed advertisements on Backpage.com.

            The victims were vulnerable because of their youth and difficult life circumstances, and Marshall lured them with the promise of independence and a chance to make money.  He provided the victims with food and marijuana, let them stay in his apartment, and gave them rides to and from home or school so that they could work for him at night and on weekends.  Additionally, Marshall took photos and videos of one of the victims, which depicted child pornography, when the victim was 15 and 16 years old.  He also sexually abused one of the victims by engaging in intercourse with her when she was just 14 years old.

            Marshall and Harris came to the attention of law enforcement in May 2015, after the mother of the 14-year-old victim reported to police that she learned her daughter, who had run away and been reported missing, was being prostituted by a man living on South Capitol Street. After an initial investigation, Marshall was arrested and charged in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  During the investigation, additional victims and federal charges were identified and Marshall was charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Marshall has been in custody since his arrest on June 29, 2015.   

            “Daraya Marshall cold-heartedly exploited four teenage girls, including one who was in the eighth grade, and turned them into prostitutes,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Time after time, he took advantage of vulnerable victims for his own financial gain. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his reprehensible actions. This case highlights our commitment to preventing and prosecuting those who engage in human trafficking. “

            “Child sex trafficking is a horrible crime that creates a cycle of victimization and must be stopped,” said Assistant Director in Charge Vale. “The FBI is committed to bringing child predators to justice and rescuing children from this heinous exploitation. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to aggressively prevent and investigate crimes against children.”

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham expressed appreciation for the work performed by detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division, and Special Agents and Analysts of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. They also recognized the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney Chrisellen Kolb; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Cook; former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marina Stevenson; Victim/Witness Advocates Lezlie Richardson and Veronica Vaughan; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Lesley Slade, Tanya Via, and Wanda Queen; Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Jones and Elena Buruncenco; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez, and Criminal Investigators John Marsh and Mark Crawford.

            Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassidy Kesler Pinegar, Kenya K. Davis, and Jason Park, who prosecuted the case. 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Hartford Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of 2 Minors

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging HIRAN SANCHEZ, also known as “Ivan” and “Pablo,” 20, of Hartford, with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and two counts of sex trafficking of a minor.

The indictment was returned on November 15, 2017, and SANCHEZ was arrested on January 22, 2018.  He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and is detained pending trial.

As alleged in the indictment, SANCHEZ recruited, harbored and transported two minor victims to engage in commercial acts.  SANCHEZ trafficked the first victim in July 2016 and the second victim in April and May 2017.

The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, and with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Nancy V. Gifford.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: West Hartford Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Heroin

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NELSON MARQUEZ, 31, of West Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force received information that David Alvarado, also known as “Flaco,” was distributing heroin to street-level dealers and drug customers in the vicinity of his residence on Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford.  Between August 2014 and May 2015, investigators made eight controlled purchases of heroin from Alvarado.  A wiretap investigation revealed that Alvarado supplied MARQUEZ both with raw heroin and heroin packaged for distribution, which MARQUEZ distributed to his own customers.

On May 26, 2015, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Alvarado’s residence and seized raw heroin, bagged heroin, heroin stamps, digital scales, thousands of wax folds, and other items used to process and package heroin.  Investigators also seized a 9mm Beretta pistol with a loaded magazine, and numerous rounds of ammunition.

MARQUEZ’s criminal history includes a federal conviction for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine.  On May 7, 2010, MARQUEZ was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 42 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for that offense.  He was released from federal prison in June 2012 and was on federal supervised release while he engaged in the heroin trafficking activity described above.

MARQUEZ has been detained since his arrest on November 1, 2016.  On May 15, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin.

Alvarado has pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.