Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jose Perez, 39, of Celeron, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, which carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that on September 3, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Perez uploaded a file a suspected child pornography. On December 15, 2022, HSI executed a federal search warrant at Perez’s residence, seizing computers, a cellular telephone, and electronic storage devices, including a thumb drive, which contained two video files that appeared to be taken from a videocam located in Perez’s bathroom. One of the files included video of a naked minor victim who does not appear to be aware that the camera is present. In addition, the thumb drive contained 17,839 image files that appeared to be taken from the same bathroom videocam and included naked images of the minor victim. Images and videos of child pornography were also found on Perez’s cell phone.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

FRESNO, Calif. — Marcus Randall, 40, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 16, 2020, Randall knowingly distributed 10 “blues” (fentanyl pills) to K.T. in Bakersfield. Randall knew that the pills he distributed to K.T. contained fentanyl. K.T. suffered a fatal fentanyl overdose on Dec. 17, 2020.  Law enforcement later searched Randall’s residence under a warrant and found a fentanyl pill and about $5,500 in cash. His phone records revealed a history of dealing drugs, including fentanyl pills, both to K.T. and other unidentified people, including after K.T.’s overdose death.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Damon Singleton-Spencer, 31, of Lockport, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that in September 2023, the New York State Police received a report that an individual had uploaded 184 files of suspected child pornography to a cloud storage application. Subsequent investigation traced the uploaded files to Singleton-Spencer, who was previously convicted in 2017 of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. On February 16, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Singleton-Spencer’s Lockport residence. During the search, investigators seized multiple devices including computers, hard drives, and cell phones. A preliminary review of one cell phone recovered multiple images and videos of child pornography. 

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that John Michael Kirby, 56, has been charged by federal complaint in connection with bank robberies in Brighton, Colorado.

According to allegations in the criminal complaint, in the month of February 2024, Kirby robbed two banks in Brighton.

The Defendant had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kathryn A. Starnella on February 26.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, and the Denver Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn is handling the prosecution. 

The charges in the complaint are allegations and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Case Number:  1:24-mj-00032-KAS

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

            WASHINGTON – Gregory Bournes Jr., 31, of Lancaster, Va., and Dream Jackson, 30, of Riverdale, Ga., were sentenced today in connection with trafficking more than 80 firearms into the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

            Bournes and Jackson each pleaded guilty on October 5, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. They were sentenced by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth. Based on the applicable federal sentencing guidelines, Judge Lamberth sentenced Bournes to 30 months in prison and Jackson to 27 months in prison. Following their prison terms, Bournes and Jackson will each serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court papers, from February 2021 through February 2022, Bournes and Jackson—who were in a romantic relationship at the time—conspired to purchase firearms from licensed dealers in the States of Georgia and Texas and to transport and transfer the firearms to the District of Columbia and elsewhere, for the purpose of unlawfully reselling the firearms for profit. In total, Bournes and Jackson purchased more than 80 pistols, which they then sold to others. As part of their guilty pleas, Bournes and Jackson each admitted that they knew or had to reason to believe that their conduct would result in prohibited persons receiving firearms.

            In March 2023, following their indictment by a federal grand jury, Bournes and Jackson were arrested in Georgia—where they both resided at the time—pursuant to warrants issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They have remained in custody since the time of their guilty pleas.

            Most of the firearms trafficked by Bournes and Jackson remain unaccounted for, and law enforcement in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area continue to recover the trafficked firearms in connection with criminal activity. To date, 34 firearms have been recovered by law enforcement.  Several of those firearms had been used in furtherance of criminal activity, including an armed carjacking in the District of Columbia and an attempted murder in Prince George’s County.

            The case was investigated by the ATF with valuable assistance from the ATF’s Washington Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Pattison, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Strong.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Jackson, Miss. – A Lauderdale County man was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for making threats of violence over the internet.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in May and July 2020, Christian Blake Bunyard, 21, utilized Snapchat to threaten a school shooting, to kill and rape African Americans in Oxford, Mississippi, and to rape another Snapchat user if she did not provide nude photos.

Bunyard was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in November 2020. He entered a guilty plea in April 2021 to making threats in interstate commerce and making an interstate transmission of an extortionate communication.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Gulfport, Miss. – A Lawrenceville, Georgia man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 251.5 grams of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on May 15, 2023, Martin Louis Williams was pulled over by law enforcement in a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Hancock County.  A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded 1000 pills stamped with a “Facebook” logo.  The pills were sent to the DEA lab and confirmed to be 251.5 grams of methamphetamine at 5% purity, mixed with caffeine.  Williams was interviewed and admitted that he was taking the pills to Georgia to be sold.

Williams pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Arnett of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

MINNEAPOLIS – An Owatonna sex offender has pleaded guilty on the first day of trial to producing sexually explicit images of a minor and sending graphic threats detailing a murder plot against his former child sexual abuse victim, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, in March 2021, law enforcement in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, began investigating Michael Lee Kurkowski, 28, regarding the communication and exchange of sexually explicit images of a minor. The investigation revealed that Kurkowski traveled to Pennsylvania to locate the minor and to try to continue a “relationship” after the minor attempted to end the online communications. In April 2021, Kurkowski was charged with multiple felonies and convicted in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, of corruption of a minor related to the sexual exploitation of the minor and was sentenced to 142 days in prison followed by probation. Kurkowski’s probation conditions required him to register as a sex offender, not to contact his victim, to refrain from behavior which may present a danger to others, and not to possess any weapons.

According to court documents, in November 2021, law enforcement began investigating Kurkowski’s online communications and sexual exploitation of another minor victim. Investigators reviewed several messages from Kurkowski to the minor describing in graphic detail a plan to travel to Pennsylvania where Kurkowski would murder the parents of his former victim, rape his sister, and then kill her in front of his former victim.

According to court documents, on February 4, 2022, law enforcement learned that Kurkowski had purchased a Greyhound bus ticket and was currently en route to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the general location of Kurkowski’s former victim and his family. FBI investigators tracked Kurkowski to a bus stop in Toledo, Ohio, where authorities took him into custody. According to court documents, when he was arrested, Kurkowski had with him a bag containing 16 heavy flex cuffs, electrical tape, a taser, a knife, rubber gloves, handcuffs, and hooded facemasks.

Kurkowski pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Joan N. Ericksen to one count of threatening interstate communication and one count of production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Owatonna Police Department, Steele County Community Corrections, the Upper Allen Township (Pennsylvania) Police Department, the East Peoria (Illinois) Police Department, Watertown (Wisconsin) Police Department, Toledo (Ohio) Police Department, and the Cedar Falls (Iowa) Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Laura M. Provinzino are prosecuting the case.

Additionally, NCMEC’s peer support network, Team HOPE, can provide support, empowerment, and resources to families of missing or exploited children from people who have experienced a similar trauma. If you’d like to connect with someone for emotional support, contact gethelp@ncmec.org or 1-877-446-2632 ext. 6117.