Category: United States Attorneys General

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Three Individuals Charged with Conspiring to Defraud Unsuspecting Used Car Buyers in Brooklyn

A federal grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of New York returned an indictment charging Inna Chebanenko, Andrii Gerasymenko, and Georgy Zakalyugin with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  The defendants were arrested in Illinois last week and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James Orenstein in federal court in Brooklyn.   

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charge.

“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants profited through obtaining fraudulent titles to used cars in order to peddle salvaged or rebuilt vehicles to unsuspecting buyers,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office, working with our law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting consumers and ensuring that they get what they are paying for.”  Mr. Donoghue also expressed his grateful appreciation to the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles for their assistance in the investigation.

“Most of us would not be able to pop the hood of a car and see for ourselves that there was damage or something seriously wrong with the vehicle.  There are laws protecting consumers for a reason because fraudsters will use whatever means they can to make money illegally,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.  “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and other governmental agencies to do all we can to stop criminals from taking advantage of unsuspecting people.”

According to the court documents, between 2013 and 2016, the defendants conspired to defraud car buyers in Brooklyn and elsewhere by concealing the fact that the cars were “salvage” or “rebuilt” vehicles.  Vehicles are given a “salvage” title when they have been destroyed or received substantial damage.  Cars with “salvage” titles are worth a fraction of the value of a comparable car without a “salvage” title.  By forging the signatures of non-existent Indiana law enforcement officers on the necessary certifications, the conspirators obtained car titles from the State of Indiana stating that the salvage cars had been “rebuilt,” indicating the cars had been repaired and restored to operational condition.  However, the “rebuilt” status of the cars was concealed on the titles by, among other means, placing an automobile auction sticker on the title before selling the cars to unsuspecting buyers in Brooklyn and elsewhere at inflated prices. The buyers would then find themselves in possession of a vehicle with a value that was a fraction of the value-as-represented at the time of the sale.

The charges announced today are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Karthik Srinivasan.

The Defendants:

INNA CHEBANENKO
Age:  31
Elmhurst, Indiana

ANDRII GERASYMENKO
Age: 32
River Grove, Illinois

GEORGY ZAKALYUGIN
Age: 32
Chicago, Illinois

E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 18-CR- 51

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Federal Jury Returns Guilty Verdict for Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On January 31, 2018, following a trial in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga before the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, U.S. District Judge, a jury convicted Donald Ray Hobgood, 31, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, of three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

Evidence presented at trial revealed that, on January 20, 2017, Bedford County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to Cedar Springs Road in Shelbyville, Tennessee.  On arrival, they encountered Hobgood, who was brandishing an AK-style semi-automatic rifle.  Hobgood evaded arrest on that date, but on February 15, 2017, deputies received information as to his whereabouts and located him.  After a short foot pursuit, deputies subdued and arrested Hobgood.  They recovered the AK-style rifle nearby, which was fully loaded with a high capacity 30-round magazine, and discovered multiple loose rounds of ammunition in his pocket.   

Sentencing is set for June 1, 2018, in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga. Hobgood faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each count of his conviction.  If the judge determines that Hobgood qualifies as an armed career criminal, he faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison for each count.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Law enforcement agencies participating in this joint investigation included the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Porter and Kyle Wilson represented the United States.

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 safer 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 Sessions 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.

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Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: St. Louis Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

St. Louis, MO – William T. Hopmeier, 47, St. Louis, was indicted on February 1, 2018.

The indictment alleges that Hopmeier produced child pornography. Specifically, it alleges that during the time of July 2017, to January 31, 2018, Hopmeier video recorded minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

If  Hopmeier is convicted, this charge carries a maximum penalty of not more than 30 years, and not less than fifteen years, and a fine of up to $250,000, along with a supervised release of not less than 5 years. In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

This case is being investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department, Des Peres Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Reserve Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Charge

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL SANDERS, age 36, of Reserve, pled guilty today to charges relating to narcotics trafficking. 

According to court documents, SANDERS conspired with others to distribute cocaine base (“crack”). SANDERS faces a term of imprisonment of up to twenty years, a fine of $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. 

Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for May 3, 2018. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Man from Liberal Sentenced For Distributing Child Pornography

WICHITA, KAN. – A man from Liberal was sentenced Thursday to 72 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Michael Martin, 50, Liberal, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. Martin admitted that a detective with the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force downloaded child pornography from Martin’s computer over a file-sharing network. The images depicted a prepubescent girl engaged in sex acts with an adult. Investigator also found child pornography on Martin’s smartphone.

McAllister commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: South Bend Man Sentenced To 60 Months Imprisonment

SOUTH BEND – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Larry D. Cole, age 46, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Cole was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release. 

According to documents in this case, in May of 2017, Cole sold 3.6 grams of cocaine to an individual working for the St. Joseph County Drug Interdiction Unit.  When officers executed a search warrant on an address in South Bend where the drugs were sold, they observed Cole running from the rear of the house to the living room and reaching under the couch for a .45 caliber handgun.  Cole also had $1,188 in cash and a small amount of marijuana and cocaine.  Some of the cash was from the sale of drugs the day before to the individual working with the Drug Interdiction Unit.   

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the St. Joseph County Drug Interdiction Unit which is comprised of officers from the Mishawaka Police Department; the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department. This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.

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Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Orlando Lawyer Sentenced To Three Years For Tax Evasion

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced William B. Pringle, III to three years in federal prison for tax evasion. He also was ordered to pay $1,650,744 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

A federal jury found Pringle guilty on November 3, 2017.

According to evidence presented at trial, Pringle owed more than $2.1 million in federal income taxes, interest, and penalties for the years 1996 and 1998-2010.  Over a period of at least nine years, he avoided paying income taxes by hiding his substantial income and luxury assets from the IRS, and by engaging in tactics to stop the IRS from locating and seizing his assets to pay the taxes he owed. 

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Lake Wales Man Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud Charges

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Tedderick Fields (40, Lake Wales) has pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false claims with the Internal Revenue Service. He faces up to five years in federal prison on each count. 

Fields was indicted on January 18, 2017, and arrested in the Southern District of Florida on June 13, 2017.

According to court documents, Fields filed false tax returns in his name from 2011 through 2013. In 2012, his false tax return resulted in the issuance of a fraudulent tax refund check in the amount of $400,000.

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the St. Lucie County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Bradenton Man Sentenced To Ten Years For Possessing Methamphetamine With The Intent To Distribute

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Andrew Aaron Kutt (46, Bradenton) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2017.

According to court documents, during January and February 2017, Kutt sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual inside his residence on multiple occasions. On February 24, 2017, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Kutt’s residence and recovered various controlled substances, including more than 20 grams of crystal methamphetamine and over 4 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Kutt admitted that all the drugs found in the home belonged to him.

This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The investigation was conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Jacksonville Man Arrested And Charged With Transportation And Possession Of Child Pornography

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced today that Craig Harry Lipinski (49, Jacksonville) has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transporting and possessing child pornography. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime of supervision. 

According to the complaint, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted an undercover child exploitation investigation and determined that a host computer connected to Lipinski’s residence was sharing videos of child pornography using an online file-sharing program. On January 30, 2018, HSI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lipinski’s residence and made contact with him. At that time, agents observed that a computer at the home was actively downloading files using the same file sharing program, including some with the terms “teen” and “young” in their titles. During an interview, Lipinski stated that he lived alone, that he had downloaded movies from the file sharing program, and that he had “probably downloaded some miscellaneous, some inappropriate stuff.” An onsite forensic examination of Lipinski’s computer revealed at least 10 files depicting child pornography, including two copies of one of the videos that had been shared on October 17, 2017, and that depicted a young child being sexually abused.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.