Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Two Arrested In Major Antiquities Theft

Richard Steven Johnson, 41, of Rio Linda, California, and Jarred Alexander Goldman, 32, of Palm Beach Gardens, were arrested today, after being charged with conspiring to steal and stealing a 17th century gold bar on or about August 18, 2010, from the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West. 

 

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney, Southern District of Florida, Robert F. Lasky, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Donald J. Lee, Jr., Chief, Key West Police Department, made the announcement.

 

Johnson will make his initial appearance in Sacramento, California, later today.  Goldman will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow, in Key West, on January 30, 2018, at 9:30 a.m.

 

The defendants are accused of driving to Key West from West Palm Beach on or about August 18, 2010, and entering the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum.  It is alleged that Goldman then stood guard as a lookout to enable Johnson to steal the gold bar.  Johnson then allegedly removed the gold bar from its display case at the museum and both defendants then drove back to West Palm Beach.  The gold bar has not been recovered.

 

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the Key West Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Marcet.

 

An indictment is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: London Man Sentenced to Prison and Faces Deportation for Assaulting and Attempting to Rob Man in Georgetown

            WASHINGTON – Paolo Aldorasi, 35, of London, was sentenced today to a prison term and now faces deportation for assaulting and attempting to rob a man who he forced into his sport utility vehicle in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., announced 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.

            Aldorasi pled guilty in November 2017 to assault with intent to commit robbery, a District of Columbia offense. The plea took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As part of the plea agreement, a federal kidnapping charge was dismissed.

            Aldorasi was sentenced by the Honorable Richard J. Leon to 24 months in prison, with all but 11 months of that time suspended. Because Aldorasi already has been incarcerated for 11 months, he now faces deportation back to London. Judge Leon also ordered that Aldorasi be placed on five years of probation; during that time, the judge barred him from the United States.

            According to a factual proffer submitted at the plea hearing, on Jan. 26, 2017, at about 3:20 p.m., Aldorasi saw the victim walking eastbound in the 3400 block of O Street NW. Aldorasi, who was operating a sport utility vehicle, pulled alongside the victim and asked for directions to Washington Dulles International Airport. The victim, who speaks limited English, said he did not know the location. As the conversation continued, Aldorasi grabbed the victim and ordered him into the SUV. He then drove off with the victim, taking him to four ATMs in the District of Columbia, in unsuccessful attempts to withdraw money, as well as to two retail establishments in unsuccessful attempts to make purchases. After the last failed attempt, at a retail store in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW, he finally let the victim go.

            Aldorasi was arrested by the FBI’s Seattle Field Office on Feb. 24, 2017, in SeaTac, Washington, and has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Seattle Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz, Catherine O’Neal and Teesha Tobias; Legal Assistants Peter Gaboton and Holly Crouse, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kamilah O. House and Emory V. Cole, who prosecuted the matter.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: St. Joseph Woman Sentenced for $1.5 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a St. Joseph, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a $1.5 million tax fraud scheme as well as for individual tax fraud.

Dawn Langlais (formerly Ankrom-Brown), 60, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 18 months in federal prison without parole.

On July 7, 2017, Langlais pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employee payroll taxes to the IRS. Her daughter, her sister, and her sister’s husband have also pleaded guilty.

Langlais helped her sister and co-defendant Dinorah Lynn Stoll-Weaver, 50, of St. Joseph, operate Homeward Bound Health Services, Inc., a home health provider located in St. Joseph, from 2001 through early 2010. Stoll-Weaver was the owner of Homeward Bound. In 2010, Homeward Bound’s name was changed to Silver Linings, Inc., and nominee owners were put in place who signed the checks but made no business decisions. Stoll-Weaver and Langlais continued to operate Silver Linings until it closed in 2013.

Homeward Bound and Silver Linings withheld and collected federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes from employees and then kept those withheld taxes instead of paying them over to the IRS. The total criminal tax loss attributed to Homeward Bound and Silver Linings for failure to pay employment taxes due and owing from 2001 to 2012 is $1,459,727.

Homeward Bound and Silver Linings also withheld from employee paychecks and kept child support payments, employee IRA contributions, and medical and dental insurance payments. The theft of these payments had negative collateral consequences for their employees.

Langlais and Stoll-Weaver admitted they received income from Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, which they failed to report on their individual federal income tax forms, and as a result, underpaid their federal income taxes. Langlais willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2010 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $56,860.

Stoll-Weaver employed her husband, co-defendant Thad Weaver, 46, of St. Joseph, and Langlais employed her daughter, co-defendant Jennifer Sturgis, 39, of St. Joseph, at Homeward Bound and Silver Linings. They also employed other relatives at the business.

Stoll-Weaver also pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employee payroll taxes to the IRS. Weaver and Sturgis each pleaded guilty to making false statements on a tax return. Weaver and Sturgis admitted they received income from Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, which they failed to report on their individual federal income tax forms, and as a result, underpaid their federal income taxes.

Weaver and Stoll-Weaver were married and filed individual income tax returns for 2010 through 2012; Stoll-Weaver filed a separate return in 2009. Their combined unreported income was at least $257,827. Weaver’s total personal tax loss was at least $27,488. Stoll-Weaver’s personal tax loss was $34,264.

Sturgis willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2007 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $148,347, including relevant conduct.

Additionally, from 2009 to 2012, Stoll-Weaver, Weaver and Sturgis each claimed personal federal income tax refunds, knowing that Homeward Bound and Silver Linings had not paid any income taxes to the IRS.

Weaver and Sturgis were each sentenced to five years of probation; Stoll-Weaver awaits sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Gulfport Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Drug Crime

 

Gulfport, Miss. – Travis Madden, 41, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to serve 48 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and Stephen G. Azzam, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration. Madden was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

As part of an ongoing criminal investigation, a search warrant was executed at Travis Madden’s residence on July 17, 2017. During the search of Madden’s residence, agents discovered 70 grams of cocaine, 15 grams of cocaine base, two firearms, and ammunition. Madden confessed to authorities to the possession of the drugs and firearms. Madden pled guilty to the federal charge on October 19, 2017.

The case was investigated by the Gulfport Police Department, Narcotics Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shundral H. Cole.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Gautier Man Guilty of Drug Conspiracy After Throwing Drugs and Money from Vehicle

 

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Jermaine Antonio Newell, 32, of Gautier, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 or more grams of heroin, a schedule I controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam.

On November 15, 2017, DEA agents executed three search warrants at three different locations known to be used by Newell, based on information indicating that there would be evidence of drug trafficking activities at the properties. As agents executed one of the search warrants in Soso, Mississippi, a Jones County Deputy Sheriff saw Newell drive by the property and begin throwing bags from the van’s window. Newell threw a bag containing 951 grams of heroin, along with various pills, cocaine, marijuana, a digital scale and approximately $11,000.00 in cash. Shortly after he threw the items, Newell was stopped and arrested. He admitted to conspiring to possess the heroin and intending to distribute it.

Newell will be sentenced on April 17, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. by Judge Starrett, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Conspiracy

Bangor, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Nicholas Reynolds, 33, of Bangor, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. 

According to court records, during a period between October 2010 and August 2016, the defendant conspired with others to illegally manufacture and distribute marijuana. The defendant grew marijuana at a large, sophisticated indoor growing facility in Frankfort, Maine which he was told was an illegal medical marijuana grow. In May 2016, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at the facility and recovered about 400 marijuana plants, 295 marijuana root balls, and paraphernalia used to manufacture and process marijuana.  According to the search warrant affidavit, the defendant and his co-conspirators were not registered as medical marijuana caregivers with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the location of the facility was not reported to DHHS.  

The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Peru Man Sentenced To 30 Months Imprisonment

FORT WAYNE – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Jamie Buckner, age 48, of Peru Indiana, was sentenced before Chief Judge Theresa Springmann on her guilty plea to eight counts of theft of government property. 

 

Buckner was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release.

 

According to documents in this case, from June through November 2015, Buckner stole United States Postage Stamps and other merchandise belonging to the United States Postal Services by presenting checks for the payment of stamps and merchandise knowing that the checks would not be honored by the financial institutions.  As part of the sentence, Buckner was ordered to pay restitution to the Postal Service in the amount of $21,578.21.

 

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith

 

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Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: Three Wood County defendants plead guilty for roles in federal heroin conspiracy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three Wood County defendants pleaded guilty today for their roles in a heroin conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jonathan “Mohawk” Brown, 36, and Sir Pritis Williams, 28, both of Parkersburg, entered their guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Kennedy Michele Walker, 23, of Vienna, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Parkersburg Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, and the Police Departments of the cities of Parkersburg, Vienna, and Williamstown.

Brown and Williams admitted their respective involvement with several other individuals in distributing heroin at various locations throughout the Parkersburg area. In addition, Brown and Williams admitted to selling heroin to a confidential informant working with the Parkersburg Drug Task Force and the FBI on numerous occasions between November 2016 and May 2017. Both men further admitted to distributing between 100 and 400 grams of heroin during the course of the conspiracy. Brown and Williams face at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on April 26, 2018.

Walker admitted that on March 20, 2017, she provided heroin to another individual, who then sold it to a confidential informant working with the Parkersburg Drug Task Force. The drug deal took place in the area of 17th and Briant Streets in Parkersburg. Walker faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on April 26, 2018.

Three codefendants involved in the same conspiracy, Joseph Reeder-Shaw, Bernard Spann, and Debra Martin, have previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and face at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison. Reeder-Shaw and Spann are scheduled to be sentenced on April 19, 2018. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2018.

Assistant United States Attorney John Frail is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

This drug conspiracy is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

Source: United States Attorneys General

Headline: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee Collects $11,041,603.14 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2017

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey announced today that the Eastern District of Tennessee collected $11,041,603.14, in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2017.  Of this amount, $9,282,250.34, was collected in criminal actions and $1,759,352.80, was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, the Eastern District of Tennessee worked with other U.S. Attorney’s offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $92,344,571.85, in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $8,310.00, was collected in criminal actions and $92,336,261.85, was collected in civil actions.         

Overall, the Justice Department collected just over $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2017. 

U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey praised the hard work of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and the Monetary Recovery Unit in his office stating, “The overall mission of the U.S. Attorney’s office involves not just protecting the public by prosecuting and locking up criminals, but also helping to restore victims to the fullest extent possible.  Restitution, fines and assessments ordered by the U.S. District Court, when collected by our office, benefit all victims of crime.  Collected restitution is paid directly to the victim(s) of the crime(s) for whom it was ordered, while collected fines and assessments are paid to the Crime Victims’ Fund to fund state victim compensation and assistance programs.”

The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws.  In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $4,512,735.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2017.  Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

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