Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

ST. LOUIS – A father and son from St. Louis, Missouri have pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and admitted trafficking kilograms of cocaine to St. Louis for years.

Gregory Dixson Jr., 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to launder money. 

Gregory Cornell Dixson III, 32, pleaded guilty January 4 to the same cocaine conspiracy charge as his father.

Both men admitted as part of their guilty pleas that beginning in 2015 or earlier, they conspired with others to bring cocaine to St. Louis. Dixson Jr. acknowledged in his plea that the amount of cocaine attributable to him based upon his conduct and the conduct of others reasonably foreseeable to him is more than 450 kilograms. Dixson III admitted that 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine could be attributed to him based on his conduct and the conduct of others.

They also admitted a series of drug and money transactions and seizures during the long-term investigation. 

In September of 2015, a vehicle that was ultimately delivered to St. Louis was found to have 31 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside. The cocaine was supplied by Omar Pena Vargas, who supplied Dixson Jr. until the cocaine was seized. Both Dixsons drove by the vehicle several days before someone broke in and accessed a hidden area where five kilograms of cocaine had been stored, their pleas say.

In late 2016 or early 2017, Dixson Jr. and/or Dixson III would send couriers to Texas to buy kilograms of cocaine from Miguel Angel Gonzalez, who bought it from Carlos Gonzalez. Dixson Jr. initially bought three kilograms several times a month, but he later purchased as much as eight to 16 kilograms per week, the pleas say.

In August of 2018, Gonzalez was brokering the sale of 75 kilograms of cocaine to Dixson Jr. He was found in a hotel with two bags containing a total of $634,770 in cash, representing a partial payment for the cocaine, the Dixsons’ plea agreements say.

On Oct. 28, 2018, eight kilograms of cocaine bound for St. Louis were seized. 

In March of 2020, 23.6 kilograms of a mix of heroin and fentanyl was seized from Ruben Sanchez Blanco. Some of the drugs were intended for St. Louis, Dixon III’s plea says. 

In April of 2021, Miguel Gonzalez and Dixson III coordinated a pickup of two kilograms of cocaine.  Later that month, Carlos Gonzalez traveled to St. Louis to pick up drug proceeds and coordinated the delivery of the money by Dixson III with father and son.

In July of 2021, Quintin Deforest Adkins drove to Texas with cash to buy six kilograms of cocaine. That vehicle was seized, and $161,845 was found hidden inside, the pleas say.

Dixson III is scheduled to be sentenced April 3. His father is scheduled to be sentenced April 11. Dixson III’s cocaine conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, as well as the possibility of a fine up to $10 million. Dixson Jr.’s cocaine conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years due to a prior drug trafficking conviction.

Vargas is in federal prison. Miguel Gonzalez, 59, pleaded guilty in November to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and 400 grams of fentanyl. Adkins, 63, pleaded guilty in November to the cocaine and fentanyl conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges and is scheduled to be sentenced February 21. Blanco, 46, of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced in June to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Carlos Gonzalez, 54, is deceased.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. 
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a man from Lincoln County, Missouri caught trying to make and sell “spy videos” of teenage girls to 17 and one-half years in prison. 

James Dean Kukan, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to two counts of attempted production of child pornography. He admitted producing “spy videos” of two teenage girls in the bathroom using a hidden camera between October 2021 and February 2022. He also admitted trying to sell those videos online via Kik, Snapchat, Telegram and WhatsApp. 

On Feb. 14, 2022, Kukan entered a Kik group and began communicating with an undercover FBI agent. He offered to sell videos of the teens for between $60 and $100, his plea says. 

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

ST. LOUIS – Two doctors from the St. Louis, Missouri area were indicted Wednesday and accused of illegally administering ketamine to patients and fraudulently billing Medicare for certain services related to a psychiatric clinic.

Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, 53, and Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik, 70, were each indicted on 22 felony counts: conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances and to maintain a drug-involved premises, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 12 counts of illegal distribution of a controlled substance, seven counts of making false statements related to health care matters and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.

The indictment says Dr. Ali, an internal medical specialist, defrauded Medicare when he falsely used Dr. Malik’s name and Medicare billing number to bill for health care services, including annual wellness visits. The indictment also says Dr. Ali illegally administered intravenous ketamine and a nasal spray version of the drug without authorization.

Among businesses owned by Dr. Malik, a psychiatrist, was COPE Ketamine Clinic in south St. Louis County, the indictment says. COPE was created to provide intravenous ketamine infusions for serious mental health illnesses, such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Dr. Malik had a Drug Enforcement Administration registration authorizing him to administer controlled substances but not at the office suite housing COPE, the indictment says. He was also enrolled in the Spravato Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy Program (REMS), which authorized him to administer the prescription esketamine nasal spray Spravato. Spravato is used to treat treatment-resistant depression and depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with suicidal thoughts or actions. Due to the risks of the drug, Spravato is only available through REMS and must be administered under the direct supervision of a healthcare provider who is onsite for at least two hours to monitor patients. 

Dr. Ali did not have a DEA registration and thus was not authorized to administer ketamine unless he was being directly supervised by and in the physical presence of a practitioner with a DEA registration, and only if the ketamine was being administered in a DEA-registered location, the indictment says.

Dr. Ali was also suspended from participation in the Missouri Medicaid program in December 2020 and had a duty to report that to Medicare, it says. The indictment says he failed to do so and failed to fulfill his obligation to inform Medicare that he was providing services to Medicare beneficiaries through Dr. Malik’s businesses. 

The indictment alleges that beginning in December 2020, Dr. Malik and Dr. Ali agreed that Dr. Ali would use Dr. Malik’s DEA registration to administer ketamine infusions to patients without direct supervision by Dr. Malik and outside of Dr. Malik’s physical presence. Dr. Malik
knew that Dr. Ali could not lawfully dispense controlled substances, including ketamine, without Dr. Malik’s physical presence and supervision, it says. Dr. Ali and Dr. Malik also determined that Dr. Malik could simply “say hi” to the ketamine patients, typically via telephone,
as a purported justification for Dr. Ali handling their ketamine treatment, the indictment says. 

The indictment also alleges that Dr. Malik and Dr. Ali unlawfully stored ketamine and esketamine at COPE.

“Our agency is committed to investigating medical providers who undermine our federal health care programs and the well-being of patients by submitting alleged fraudulent claims. This case serves as a reminder that health care professionals have a duty to bill for services and prescribe controlled substances responsibly”, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

“The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Program is dedicated to patient safety and oversight of all medical professionals registered with DEA,” said Diversion Program Manager Kim Daniels, DEA’s lead for the Diversion program in Missouri, Kansas and southern Illinois. “With the support of our enforcement partners, DEA will investigate to the maximum extent of our ability to ensure these individuals are prevented from risking lives within our communities.”

The conspiracy charges each carry the possibility of a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine. The illegal distribution of a controlled substance charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or both. The false statements charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. The charge of maintaining a drug-involved premises carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $500,000 fine.

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.

The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric is prosecuting the case. 

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

NEWARK, N.J. – Eleven members of the Jersey City gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex were indicted today for their roles in a violent racketeering conspiracy and a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

The indictment charges Myron Williams, aka “Money,” aka “Tunchi,” 30, of Newark; Khalil Kelley, aka “Billski,” 24, of Jersey City; Herbert Thomas, 48, of Jersey City; Roger Pickett, aka “Zy Gz,” 23, of Jersey City; Andre Alomar, aka “Dre8,” 22, of Newark; Anthony Rogers, aka “MG,” 23, of Jersey City; Naim Richardson, aka “Ninicks,” 30, of Jersey City; Quaseame Wilson, aka “Qua Gz,” 27, of Jersey City; Javon Williams, aka “J45,” 26, of Jersey City; Jawaad Davis, 21, of Jersey City; and Keith Anderson, aka “Beef3,” 21, of Jersey City.

“These charges are the most recent example of this office’s commitment to stopping violent crime in Jersey City and elsewhere in New Jersey. As we continue to demonstrate, we are tirelessly committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to bring to justice those who wreak havoc in our communities by allegedly committing senseless acts of violence. We commend the work of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office’s Gang Intelligence Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.” 

“The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is committed to utilizing all resources necessary to curb violent crime within our jurisdiction,” Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. “These indictments underscore the importance of working collaboratively with law enforcement at all levels to ensure our communities are safe for everyone. We appreciate our local, state, and federal partners for their efforts in seeing that justice is served in these matters.”

“Acts of gang violence are a grim reminder of why investigating and combatting violent crime is a top priority for ATF and our law enforcement partners,” Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said. “These charges demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting the public, and that alleged actions like this will not be tolerated. We are dedicated to working with our local and state partners to hold violent offenders accountable and secure the safety of our communities.”

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

Myron Williams, Kelley, Pickett, Alomar, Rogers, Richardson, Wilson, Javon Williams, Davis, and Anderson are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Since 2020, they have committed numerous acts of violence, including three separate murders, on March 29, 2021, Nov. 20, 2021, and Nov. 1, 2022.

On March 29, 2021, Kelley, Alomar, and other gang members lured a rival gang member outside by sending him Instagram messages pretending to be the victim’s fellow gang member.  When the victim opened the door to his residence, Kelley and Alomar brandished firearms and Kelley shot the victim multiple times in the chest, killing him. Pickett and another gang member then picked up Kelley, Alomar, and the driver of the murder vehicle after they abandoned the murder vehicle in Newark.

On Nov. 20, 2021, Myron Williams, Pickett, and other gang members lured a rival gang member outside by sending him Instagram messages pretending to be the second victim’s fellow gang member. Myron Williams and another gang member shot the victim when he opened the door to his residence.

On Nov. 21, 2022, Davis facilitated the murder of the third victim by coordinating a narcotics transaction with the victim and an associate of the victim. When the victim and his associate arrived at the Marion Gardens Housing Complex to complete the narcotics transaction, Davis robbed the victim’s narcotics supply while Pickett and Wilson held the victim and his associate at gunpoint. After a struggle ensued, Pickett shot and killed the victim while his associate fled. Pickett and Wilson then fled the Marion Gardens Housing Complex in Pickett’s vehicle.

Investigators observed and documented hundreds of narcotics transactions in and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex during the months-long investigation.   

The investigation revealed that Thomas was the primary supplier of narcotics to the Marion Gardens drug trafficking organization. When Thomas, Myron Williams, Richardson, and Rogers, were arrested on March 17, 2023, they all possessed controlled substances packaged for distribution; Thomas also possessed a loaded firearm and both Myron Williams and Richardson possessed ammunition.

In June 2021, eight other members and associates of the Marion Gardens neighborhood street gang were indicted on racketeering charges, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses. 

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited investigators of the Gang Intelligence Unit of the Major Case Division of Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez and Chief of Detectives James A. Parker, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for their assistance.

This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City.  As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community.  The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Count	Defendant	Offense	Maximum Penalties
1	Myron Williams Roger Pickett Khalil Kelley Quaseame Wilson Javon Williams Naim Richardson Andre Alomar Jawaad Davis Anthony Rogers Keith Anderson	RICO Conspiracy	Life imprisonment; $250,000 fine
2	Roger Pickett Quaseame Wilson Jawaad Davis	Hobbs Act Robbery	20 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 fine
3	Roger Pickett Quaseame Wilson Jawaad Davis	Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence	Life imprisonment; 10-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine
4	Roger Pickett Quaseame Wilson Jawaad Davis	Causing Death with Use of a Firearm	Life imprisonment; $250,000 fine
5	Myron Williams Roger Pickett Khalil Kelley Quaseame Wilson Javon Williams Naim Richardson Andre Alomar Jawaad Davis Anthony Rogers Keith Anderson Herbert Thomas	Drug Conspiracy	Life imprisonment; 10-year mandatory minimum; $10 million fine
6	Myron Williams	Unlawful Possession of Ammunition	15 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 fine
7	Myron Williams	Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances	20 years’ imprisonment; $1 million fine
8	Herbert Thomas	Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition	15 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 fine
9	Herbert Thomas	Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances	20 years’ imprisonment; $1 million fine
10	Herbert Thomas	Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking	Life imprisonment; 5-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine
11	Naim Richardson	Unlawful Possession of Ammunition	15 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 fine
12	Naim Richardson	Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances	20 years’ imprisonment; $1,000,000 fine

24-014

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possessing multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

John Schulenburg, 68, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to a superseding information charging him with possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. Schulenburg was previously convicted of endangering the welfare of a child/possession of child pornography in Somerset County in 2013. For a repeat offender, the charge of possession of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison.

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

In July 2019, an undercover law enforcement officer conducted an online session using a publicly available peer-to-peer program, which allows internet users to trade digital files. During this session, a user shared multiple files featuring images of child sexual abuse from an internet address traced to Schulenburg’s residence. On Nov. 6, 2019, law enforcement lawfully obtained a computer from Schulenburg’s residence that contained hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including images of prepubescent children.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Schulenburg to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $58,000 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office for its assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine from his home, which was located across the street from an elementary school.

According to court documents, Daniel Thorndal, 51, conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine in Las Vegas. On April 15, 2022, Thorndal sold methamphetamine and fentanyl at his residence. On April 21, 2022, Thorndal sold fentanyl at the same residence again. On May 6, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant on the residence and recovered approximately 422 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 127 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement officials also recovered a .380 caliber pistol that was possessed in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.

Thorndal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. In addition to imprisonment, he was sentenced to four years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Operskalski prosecuted the case.

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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

LAS VEGAS – A North Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 19 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for submitting at least 56 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of himself and others totaling more than $1.1 million dollars over the course of more than six months.

According to court documents, on March 17, 2021, Jaquari Davonte Woodward (25) submitted a fraudulent loan application in his own name, and when he was successful in obtaining $20,833 in fraudulent funds (the maximum available), he advertised on social media by posting the amount of fraudulent proceeds he had received and offered to do the same for others in exchange for a $10,000 fee payment for each successful application. In each of these fraudulent applications, Woodward provided false financial information, often for fake companies or companies which did not exist during the qualifying time period, and he created fictitious IRS Form 1040 Schedules C. Altogether, from March 2021 to October 2021, Woodward submitted at least 56 fraudulent applications in his own name and the names of others, and he caused over $1.1 million in loss to PPP lenders and the Small Business Administration.

Woodward pleaded guilty to wire fraud. In addition to imprisonment, he was ordered to pay $1,264,252.02 in restitution to PPP lenders and the Small Business Administration.

United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King for the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

The SBA OIG and FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Oliva prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)