Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Former Mayor of Cudahy Sentenced to Federal Prison for Taking Bribes from ‘Medical Marijuana’ Businessman

LOS ANGELES—The former mayor of the city of Cudahy was sentenced this afternoon to one year in federal prison for taking cash bribes in exchange for supporting the opening of a “medical marijuana” store in the city.
David Silva, 62, the then-mayor of Cudahy and an elected member of the city council, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Manuel Real.
“Mr. Silva sold the integrity and authority of the mayor’s office for his own personal gain,” said United States Attorney AndrĂ© Birotte, Jr. “Elected officials are expected to obey the law. When they don’t, those officials should expect to go to prison.”
Bill Lewis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Office, stated, “Today’s sentencing serves as evidence that corrupt practices by public officials who use their power to get rich quick and abuse the trust of their constituents will not be tolerated. The FBI will continue to investigate alleged corrupt offenders and work toward restoring reliable services to the citizens they’re expected to serve.”
Angel Perales, 44, who ran the Code Enforcement Division of the Cudahy Community Services Department and who was involved in the bribery scheme, was sentenced by Judge Real two weeks ago to probation.
A third person who took bribes from an FBI informant—Osvaldo Conde, 51, who was a member of the Cudahy City Council and who accepted two separate bribe payments—is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Real on February 25.
According to an affidavit filed in this case: “On the afternoon of February 28, 2012, following weeks of bribe solicitations and related discussions, made during recorded meetings and telephone calls, Conde, Silva, and Perales met an FBI confidential informant at the El Potrero nightclub in Cudahy, California. The three Cudahy city officials accepted a total of $15,000 cash as bribe payments. Later that evening, Conde met the confidential informant to receive an additional $2,000 cash as a bribe.”
The 143-page affidavit describes an investigation in which federal law enforcement agents recorded a number of conversations in which the Cudahy city officials explain that the Cudahy City Council planned to approve only one or two permits for marijuana stores in Cudahy. According to the affidavit, Perales sought to broker an arrangement between an FBI informant and city officials in which the informant would make cash payments in exchange for the officials supporting a request for one of the permits.
Prior to a meeting with Conde and Silva at a Pico Rivera restaurant, Perales instructed the informant how he should broach the topic of paying the bribes and later instructed the informant on how to present the bribes, specifying that the payments should be in cash only, according to the affidavit.
“A government official’s use of political power for illegitimate personal financial gain undermines public confidence in government generally and fosters a belief that those elected to govern—and privileged to serve—are above the law,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo filed in Silva’s case. “This is particularly true when an abuse of power is committed a high-ranking public official such as defendant.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Members of Large Local Drug Conspiracy Sentenced to More Than 100 Years for Their Roles in Distributing Cocaine and Crack Cocaine in Lexington County

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that 10 defendants involved in a large drug conspiracy have been found guilty and sentenced to more than 160 years combined in prison, plus one mandatory life sentence. The last defendant, Darrell T. Washington, was sentenced on Thursday by United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson.
After numerous guilty pleas and a trial, the members of the cocaine drug conspiracy received the following sentences:
  • Antonio Dupree Williams, a/k/a Antiono D. Williams, a/k/a “Dollar Bill,” a/k/a “Pree,” 292 months
  • Charles Henry Gantt, a/k/a “Charles, Jr.,” 235 months
  • James Lewis Williams, a/k/a “Lump,” mandatory life
  • Eric Frederick Williams, a/k/a “Sweet,” 188 months
  • Anthony Walker Alphonso Thompson, a/k/a “Tony,” 210 months
  • William Jacoby Holloway, a/k/a “Coby”, 87 months
  • Lindsay Tyrone Leaphart, a/k/a “Tyrone,” a/k/a “Sleepy,” 120 months
  • Walter Leon Williams, a/k/a “Scoop Dog,” 135 months
  • Joseph Junior Nelson, a/k/a “Bone,” 121 months
  • Darrell T. Washington, a/k/a “D-Black,” 300 months
All the defendants are from Batesburg-Leesville and Columbia, South Carolina. They were convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h), possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
Evidence presented during the trial and guilty plea hearings established that Antonio Dupree Williams ran a large scale cocaine and crack cocaine conspiracy in the Batesburg-Leesville area of Lexington County. Antonio Williams would receive cocaine from Hispanic distributors who would deliver the cocaine to the homes of some of the co-conspirators. Antonio Williams typically purchased one to five kilograms of cocaine at a time. Some of the cocaine was then converted into crack cocaine. The cocaine and crack cocaine was stored at some of the homes of his co-conspirators until customers placed orders. Antonio Williams would then have other co-conspirators make the deliveries of the cocaine and/or crack cocaine to his customers. During the investigation, the FBI obtained wiretaps of multiple telephones of the co-conspirators, including Antonio Williams. These wiretaps and historical information received from other defendants provided the connection between the defendants in this case. It was estimated that this drug conspiracy involved more than 100 kilograms of cocaine.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; State Law Enforcement Division; Batesburg Police Department; and the Newberry Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys William K. Witherspoon, Mark C. Moore, and J.D. Rowell of the Columbia Office handled the case.

Juneau Man Sentenced to 170 Months for Drug Conspiracy

ANCHORAGE—U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler announced today that a Juneau resident was sentenced in Juneau to federal prison for drug conspiracy.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess sentenced Juneau resident Darrell W. Dawson, 44, to 170 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, who prosecuted the case, the charges arose from a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Juneau Police Department-Drug Metro Unit involving the importation of methamphetamine into Juneau, Alaska, using a United States Postal Service USPS Express Mail parcel. In July 2012, Darrell W. Dawson and Gema G. Thomas conspired to transport methamphetamine from the lower 48 to Juneau, Alaska. Dawson provided Thomas $15,000 in drug proceeds for six ounces of methamphetamine. Thomas arranged for and paid for the delivery of six ounces of methamphetamine to be delivered to her business, Peer-Amid Beads, from her source of supply in the lower 48 via USPS Express Mail. Once received, Thomas delivered the methamphetamine to Dawson, who distributed the methamphetamine to others in the Juneau area and collected drug proceeds for future payment to Thomas for an additional six ounces of methamphetamine. Thomas is scheduled to be sentence on March 8, 2013, for her role in the drug conspiracy.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Burgess stated the serious of the offense, deterrence of the defendant and others, the protection of the public, and rehabilitation of the defendant related to his criminal history as reasons that supported the imposition of the above sentence.
Ms. Loeffler commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Juneau Police Department-Drug Metro Unit for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dawson.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Nine Elmore County Residents and One Montgomery County Resident Arrested in Early Morning Drug Raid

MONTGOMERY, AL—Nine Elmore County residents and one Montgomery County resident were arrested today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Alabama Drug Task Force (CADTF) for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, United States Attorney George L. Beck, Jr. announced today. The arrests stemmed from a federal indictment that charged 14 people from Elmore and Montgomery Counties.
During this morning’s raid, law enforcement arrested Terry Tyrone Humphrey, 41, of Montgomery; Tristan Travis Rawls, 33, of Wetumpka; Jacky Sagers, 32, of Wetumpka; Arthur Rodrequis Young, 41, of Wetumpka; British Tremaine George, 34, of Wetumpka; Damichael Orlane Chapman, 23, of Wetumpka; Duke George, 33, of Wetumpka; Patrick Demond Hicks, 35, of Wetumpka; and Robert McKenzie, 22, of Wetumpka. Kevin Levan Elmore, 36, of Montgomery; Stacy Rodrekus Calloway, 24, of Wetumpka; Markevius Jerrell Calloway, 22, of Wetumpka; and Tyrone Devontae George, 24, of Wetumpka, are all already in custody on other charges. Carlos Montrell Harris , 25, of Wetumpka is still at large.
The 57-count indictment charges Kevin Levan Elmore, Stacy Rodrekus Calloway, Terry Tyrone Humphrey, Tristan Travis Rawls, Markevius Jerrell Calloway, Jacky Sagers, Tyrone Devontae George, Arthur Rodrequis Young, British Tremaine George, Damichael Orlane Chapman, Carlos Montrell Harris, Duke George, Patrick Demond Hicks, and Robert McKenzie conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute over 280 grams of crack cocaine.
Defendants Terry Humphrey, Stacy Calloway, Markevius Calloway, British Tremaine George, Robert McKenzie, Tyrone Devontae George, Arthur Rodrequis Young, and Damichael Orlane Chapman are also charged with distributing crack or powder cocaine on specific dates between June 2011 and January 2012. A number of the defendants are charged with using cellular telephones to facilitate drug trafficking. Stacy and Markevius Calloway are also each charged with possessing firearms in relation to their drug trafficking offenses.
“These people were spreading poison to our residents and to our children,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “To make a profit from poisoning your community with drugs is horrendous. Those that spread this poison should be and will be prosecuted.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge, Stephen E. Richardson, stated, “This investigation is an example of the collaboration between the FBI, DEA, and the Elmore County Drug Taskforce’s efforts to ensure that our streets and communities continue to be protected against those who traffic in illegal drugs.”
“Today’s arrests show what successful cooperation between all levels of law enforcement can accomplish,” said Elmore County Sheriff, Bill Franklin. “This case has delivered a tremendous blow to both drug dealers and violent criminals that attempted to operate in Elmore County and the county is safer because of it.”
If convicted, the defendants are facing a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation of this case was spearheaded by the FBI and the CADTF. Other law enforcement agencies assisted with the execution of the arrest warrants, including the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon K. Essig.

Four Highland Park Police Officers Arrested and Charged with Taking Bribes and Conspiring to Protect and Deliver Six Kilograms of Cocaine

A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging four Highland Park Police officers with accepting bribes, conspiring to distribute six kilograms of cocaine, and carrying firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.
McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Robert D. Foley, III, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief of Police Kevin Coney, Highland Park Police Department; and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette.
The four Highland Park Police officers charged are: Anthony Bynum, 29, of Highland Park, Michigan; Price Montgomery, 38, of Highland Park, Michigan; Shawn Williams, 33, of Detroit, Michigan; and Craig Clayton, 55, of Highland Park, Michigan. Bynum and Montgomery are both police officers with the Highland Park Police Department. Bynum is also a police officer for Detroit Public Schools. Williams and Clayton are both auxiliary (reserve) officers for Highland Park. Chief Coney was instrumental in assisting the FBI in its investigation of the four officers from his department.
The criminal complaint charges the four police officers with accepting cash bribes and with conspiring to deliver six kilograms of cocaine. According to the criminal complaint, Bynum and Montgomery arrested a man in August 2012 in Highland Park on a firearms offense. The officers beat the man after arresting him. While in the hospital, the man offered to pay the officers if they would dismiss the charges against him. The officers were willing to accept money in exchange for failing to appear for trial. Subsequently, the man who had been arrested by Montgomery and Bynum began working undercover for the FBI as an unpaid confidential source. During the course of the investigation, Montgomery and Bynum were captured on videotape accepting $10,000 in cash from the confidential source, in return for failing to appear at the man’s trial in the Wayne County Circuit Court. On the date set for the man’s trial in Circuit Court, Officers Montgomery and Bynum failed to appear as witnesses as required by subpoena, and the case was dismissed.
Later, Officers Mongtomery and Bynum agreed to transport and deliver two kilograms of cocaine for the FBI confidential source, whom the officers believed to be a drug trafficker. On November 15, 2012, Officers Montgomery and Bynum protected and delivered a shipment of what they believed to be two kilograms of cocaine from the Oakland Mall in Troy, Michigan, to a location in Taylor, Michigan. Each officer was paid $1,500 for his role in the delivery of sham cocaine. Subsequently, Officers Montgomery and Bynum recruited two additional Highland Park officers, Williams and Clayton, to help with the delivery of a second, larger shipment of cocaine. On January 23, 2013, the four Highland Park police officers delivered four kilograms of what they believed to be cocaine, again from the Oakland Mall. Each officer was paid either $1,000 or $1,500 by the confidential source for his work in protecting and transporting the sham cocaine. The four police officers each carried a firearm, and some carried their police badges, while protecting the loads of sham cocaine.
Upon conviction, each of the four defendants faces a maximum of up to 40 years in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. In addition, the officers face a maximum of 10 years in prison on the bribery charges and an additional five year consecutive sentence for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
United States Attorney McQuade said, “We applaud Highland Park Police Chief Coney for initiating a federal investigation into misconduct by his officers. We want to emphasize that the misconduct is limited to these four officers. Our community deserves to be served and protected by police officers who perform their jobs with integrity. Police officers who take bribes and participate in criminal activities will be discovered and prosecuted.”
Special Agent in Charge Foley of the FBI said, “Police officers swear an oath to protect and serve and are held to the highest standards of ethics and conduct. The FBI-led Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force is committed to ensuring illegal acts on the part of law enforcement officers are thoroughly investigated and those officers face harsh penalties for their crimes.”
Highland Park Police Chief Coney stated, “”The illegal actions of these officers do not represent or reflect the ethical standards and values consistent with the Highland Park Police Department. We remain committed to providing our citizens with first class public safety and ensuring our officers display integrity at all times.”
“Public corruption scandals damage the public’s trust in government and harm our state’s reputation,” said Attorney General Schuette. “We will continue to work with U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade, the FBI, state, and local law enforcement agencies to eliminate corruption wherever it is found.”
DPS Emergency Financial Manager Roy S. Roberts stated, “There are a corps of extremely dedicated law enforcement officers who selflessly work day and night to protect our students, teachers, staff, and DPS property, and the arrest and prosecution of this one individual will ensure that their professionalism and dedication will be preserved and maintained in the public eye. While relieved that none of this activity occurred on Detroit Public Schools grounds or involved any of our students, I applaud the leadership of our police department for cooperating fully and am highly appreciative of the efforts of the agencies in the FBI-led Public Corruption Task Force who brought this matter to justice.”
The case was investigated by the FBI led Public Corruption Task Force which includes Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Environmental Protection Agency-Office of Inspector General, Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General, Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General, Michigan State Police, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, and the Detroit Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David A. Gardey.

Former Federal Inmate Sentenced for Attempting to Possess Heroin in Prison

ALEXANDRIA, LA—United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced former federal inmate Jose Rueperto Alaniz, 39, of Wichita Falls, Texas, to 24 months in prison with three years’ supervised release; and Diana Castillo, 31, also of Wichita Falls, Texas, to three months in prison with three years’ supervised release for attempting to smuggle heroin into the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock. The sentence was handed down yesterday in federal court in Alexandria.
Investigation of the case revealed that Castillo visited Alaniz on May 22, 2010, in the Pollock Penitentiary visiting room. Prison officials observed Alaniz remove something from Catillo’s waistband. They then saw Alaniz place the object in his own jumpsuit. A search of Alaniz later revealed two small packages of approximately 74.8 grams of black tar heroin.
At the time, Alaniz was in prison for violating supervised release relating to a distribution of cocaine charge and left the prison September 29, 2010 after completing time served for that offense. He will now return to federal prison to serve time for the contraband charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Alexandria, Louisiana Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Senior Litigation Counsel Joseph G. Jarzabek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. France prosecuted the case.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Nuestra Familia Gang Member Sentenced to 21 Years and 10 Months in Prison in Ongoing Nuestra Familia Drug Trafficking Prosecution

SACRAMENTO, CA—Juan Gallegos, also known as “Wino,” 36, of Salinas, was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison by United States District Judge William B. Shubb, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. On April 9, 2012, Gallegos pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and four other drug trafficking felonies. There was no plea agreement between Gallegos and the United States.
This case is the product of an investigation into the activities of the Nuestra Familia, a violent Hispanic prison gang based in the California and federal prison systems. The gang exerts control over street-level Norteño gang members engaged in drug trafficking and violent crime.
According to court documents, between 2004 and 2007, Gallegos and others distributed methamphetamine and cocaine for the Nuestra Familia’s Salinas Regiment. Previous trial testimony established that he transported, cut, and distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. During the same time period, Gallegos also assisted in transporting large loads of methamphetamine and cocaine from Southern California to Northern California.
In May 2007, Gallegos and others met at a bar in San Juan Bautista to plan the transportation and distribution of 20 kilograms of cocaine. A suitable driver was selected based upon his lack of criminal history and a rental car was obtained to act as the “load” car. Gallegos helped to provide “security” by following the load car. On May 4, 2007, the two vehicles headed to the Los Angeles area to pick up the 20 kilograms of cocaine. The 20 kilograms of cocaine were picked up by the load car. While the drug exchange occurred, agents intercepted a call with the drug supplier. Gallegos is heard in the background of the call explaining to the supplier that the driver of the load car has a cover story and, if the load car is stopped, Gallegos will use his vehicle to create a diversion. During his guilty plea, Gallegos admitted that he provided security for the 20 kilograms of cocaine as they were transported in furtherance of the overall NF drug trafficking conspiracy.
Two Successful Jury Trials
The initial Indictment of 25 defendants in June 2007 led to two successful jury trials. The jury trials resulted in the convictions of five separate defendants on multiple counts of drug trafficking. In the 2009 trial, one defendant demanded a speedy trial, was convicted, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In the 2010 trial, four of the NF’s leadership defendants were each convicted on all the counts in the indictment after a contentious four-month jury trial. Today’s sentencing was the latest result of the new indictment that was handed down by a Sacramento Grand Jury in January 2011.
Significant Sentences and Guilty Pleas
The initial indictment also resulted in a number of significant sentences:
On April 21, 2010, Manuel Gauna was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison.
On December 13, 2010, Richard Mendoza was sentenced to 17½ years in prison.
On February 22, 2011, Bismark Ocampo was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
On May 25, 2011, the trial defendants were sentenced to the following:
  • Larry Amaro was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
  • Ernest Killinger was sentenced to 36½ years in prison.
  • Gerardo Mora was sentenced to more than 33 years in prison.
  • Jason Stewart-Hanson was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
On July 25, 2011, Gabriel Caracheo was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
On July 27, 2011, David Ramirez was sentenced to 15½ years in prison.
On September 26, 2011, Fernando Villalpando was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On October 17, 2011, Faustino Gonzalez was sentenced to more than 15½ years.
On November 28, 2011, Oscar Campos-Padilla was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The second indictment also resulted in Rebecca Guzman being sentenced to 14 years in prison on September 24, 2012, and Danny Pereda, aka T-Mighty, pleading guilty on April 23, 2012. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2013.
These cases were part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. 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.
This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the FBI’s Stockton Violent Crime Task Force, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force, the Stockton Police Department, the Salinas Police Department, the Watsonville Police Department, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Hitt and William S. Wong are prosecuting the case.
When prosecuted in federal court, drug traffickers typically receive much harsher sentences. In addition to the longer sentences imposed, unlike state court prisoners who are released early on parole, there is no early release on parole in the federal system

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Eureka Man Pleads Guilty to Intent to Distribute Heroin, Possession of Firearms in Futherance of Drug Trafficking

SAN FRANCISCO—Robert Wildman, 31, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco yesterday afternoon to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag.
During yesterday’s plea hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg, Wildman admitted that on August 22, 2012, he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a Jeep Grand Cherokee in a parking lot when he was approached by a Eureka Police Department officer. As the police officer walked towards Wildman’s vehicle, Wildman drove off through the parking lot and then led the officer on a chase through residential streets and onto Highway 101. The chase lasted approximately 30 minutes. Wildman admitted that he ran through red lights and stop signs and also drove into oncoming traffic during the chase. Also during the chase, Wildman threw a loaded M-11 pistol out the window of his vehicle. Wildman was eventually apprehended after he ran over a spike strip that officers had set up on the highway. Wildman admitted that he knowingly possessed the SKS assault rifle and 19.6 grams of heroin that officers located in his vehicle.
Wildman has been in custody since his arrest. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2 before Judge Richard Seeborg in San Francisco. At sentencing, Wildman will face a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a maximum term of life on supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Luskey with the assistance of Daniel Charlier-Smith. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Eureka Resident Agency and the Eureka Police Department.
A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.

Thirteen Members and Associates of Bronx Narcotics Organization Arrested for Crack Cocaine and Heroin Distribution

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner for the City of New York (NYPD), announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging 13 members and associates of a drug trafficking organization (the “Organization”) operating in the Bronx with narcotics trafficking. Of the defendants charged, all 13 defendants were arrested today, including four defendants who were already in custody on state charges that have been transferred to federal custody. Eleven defendants arrested today were presented in Manhattan federal court before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Deborah A. Batts.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “Today, we continue our efforts to rid the Southern District of drug trafficking crews who peddle their lethal product in our neighborhoods, this time by taking down an alleged group of crack cocaine and heroin dealers in the Bronx. This case is the latest example of law enforcement working together to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos said, “Crack and heroin are a blight on the communities they infest. Even absent the violence that almost always comes with the territory, there would be reason enough to target drug trafficking. But it isn’t just a matter of stopping the spread of poison. Drug trafficking entails violence with such frequency that curbing drug activity means reducing violent crime.”
NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, “Just as the NYPD collaborates with landlords in our ‘Clean Halls program to suppress drug dealing and its associated violence in privately owned buildings in the Bronx, we collaborated with the FBI and federal prosecutors to suppress drug trafficking in and around Bronx public housing in this case. Residents of crime-prone neighborhoods deserve a modicum of safety others take for granted. Thanks to the detectives, agents, and prosecutors who worked together on this case, law-abiding residents of the Bronx are that much safer today.”
According to the allegations in the indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, other publicly filed documents, and statements made in court earlier today:
Since at least June 2012, the Organization’s members have sold crack cocaine and heroin to street level drug customers and supplied it to other Bronx drug dealers, primarily in and around the John Adams Housing Project near Tinton Avenue in the Bronx.
The investigation into the Organization’s narcotics trafficking included the court-authorized interception of phone calls and text messages to and from the cellular telephone of a member of the Organization, as well as a number of controlled buys of heroin and crack cocaine by a confidential informant. The investigation was conducted in concert with an investigation into the 2010 murder of an individual on Nelson Avenue in the Bronx. The murder was suspected to have been committed by, among others, Jermaine Smalls, a leading member of the Organization. In October 2012, during the course of the investigations, Smalls was shot and killed outside a Manhattan night club. The investigation into both murders continues.
* * *
The defendants are charged with one count of conspiring to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, crack cocaine and heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. Charts containing the names, ages, and residences for the defendants are at the conclusion of this release.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD and added that the investigation is continuing.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kan Nawaday and Andrew Bauer are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Five Canton Men Indicted for Cocaine Conspiracy

Five Canton men were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Field Office.
“This is an example of federal and local law enforcement working together to make sophisticated cases that take out groups that bring down the quality of life for everyone,” Dettelbach said. “We believe this investigation will eliminate some of the worst of the worst offenders in Canton and Stark County.”
“In the past 15 months, collaborative law enforcement efforts have resulted in the indictment of 26 individuals, including nine who were taken into custody this morning, responsible for bringing cocaine and violence to the Canton area,” Anthony said. “The FBI and our local partners will continue efforts to protect the citizens of Canton by dismantling dangerous, illegal drug organizations.”
Indicted are Jamail Cortez Mitchell, 22; Chad Irvin Tucker, 24; Cruz M. Brown, 23; Jermaine E. Gaitor, 28, and Kevin Slater, 57. All were arrested this morning.
Related state charges were filed against three other people as well.
Mitchell, Tucker, Brown, Gaitor, and Slater are accused of conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine in Canton between June 2010 and October 2011, according to the indictment.
The men purchased crack and powder cocaine from previously indicted conspirators and resold the drugs in and around Canton, according to the indictment.
This case is a supplemental indictment to the one filed on May 22, 2011, which charged 17 people with taking part in a conspiracy that brought heroin and cocaine from Columbus, Ohio, to Stark County. All 17 people have been found guilty and many have been sentenced to terms between five and 10 years in prison. Jasmine Watkins, one of the leaders the conspiracy, pleaded guilty and is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr following an investigation by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of the Canton Police Department, Alliance Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Massillon Police Department, and Perry Police Department.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Dalton Meth Dealer Sentenced to Prison

ROME, GA—A Dalton man who sold a pound of methamphetamine to a police cooperator, Jeffrey McGuire, 40, of Dalton, Georgia, was sentenced today to 11 years, six months by United States District Judge Harold L. Murphy for selling a pound of methamphetamine to a man cooperating with the police investigation.
“Methamphetamine has had a devastating impact on communities in North Georgia,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “This defendant was caught trying to sell a pound of very pure methamphetamine. Today’s prison sentence will prevent this meth dealer from further contributing to the deterioration of our community.”
McGuire was sentenced to 11 years, six months, to be followed by four years of supervised release. McGuire was convicted on October 18, 2012, upon his plea of guilty.
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court, in January 2012, McGuire agreed to sell one pound of methamphetamine to a man for $17,000. Unbeknownst to McGuire, his customer was cooperating with the police investigation and was working at the direction of the police. The police recorded phone calls between McGuire and the cooperator as they made arrangements for the drug deal. During one of those calls, the cooperator told McGuire that he would keep the money for the drugs in the trunk of his car. McGuire responded, “There better not be a Mexican in the trunk or I’ll have to shoot him.”
Eventually, McGuire and the cooperator agreed to meet at a Kangaroo gas station in Dalton. The police observed McGuire arrive in a BMW SUV. The cooperator arrived a few minutes later and parked next to McGuire’s SUV. McGuire got into the passenger seat of the cooperator’s car and showed him the drugs. The cooperator then gave a prearranged signal to the police that McGuire had the methamphetamine. The police moved in to arrest McGuire and pulled him out of the cooperator’s car. However, McGuire vigorously resisted arrest. It took the police several minutes to subdue and restrain him. The police recovered a pound of methamphetamine that was 90 percent pure. They also found a loaded .25 caliber pistol in the SUV.
Due to injuries that McGuire received while resisting arrest, he was taken to the hospital. A Whitfield County deputy sheriff was present to guard him. Despite the deputy sheriff’s presence, McGuire tried to escape. He ran down the hospital hallway and twice struck a nurse. Even after the deputy sheriff used a Taser on McGuire, he continued to struggle and tried to grab the deputy sheriff’s firearm. The deputy sheriff was ultimately able to use sufficient force to subdue McGuire.
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force, and Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nekia S. Hackworth and Paul R. Jones prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information 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 www.justice.gov/usao/gan.

Seventeen Individuals Charged in Connection with a Violent Manhattan Drug Trafficking Crew

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (NYPD), today announced charges against 17 members of a criminal organization based in Harlem, New York, for conspiring to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. The superseding indictment also charges seven of the defendants with possessing firearms in connection with, and in furtherance of, the drug distribution conspiracy. One defendant, Roger Key, was also charged in the original indictment with orchestrating a murder-for-hire conspiracy of an individual at gunpoint.
Of the 16 new defendants charged, 10 were taken into custody last night and early this morning as part of a coordinated operation involving federal and local law enforcement officers. All the defendants who were arrested last night and this morning will be presented in Manhattan federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman. Ruben Davis and Ruben Fernandez were previously arrested by the NYPD on related state charges and remain detained. Steven Herbert is currently detained on an unrelated federal charge. George Davis is expected to surrender later to law enforcement today, and Keith Purvis and Clayton Mollette remain at large.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, this pack of gun-toting drug dealers wrought havoc, instilled fear, and peddled highly addictive—and sometimes lethal—narcotics in the Harlem neighborhood in which they operated. With today’s indictment, they are now off the streets, but our work is not finished, and we remain committed to shutting these violent drug crews down completely. I want to thank New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance and his office, who began the investigation into this alleged narcotics crew and shared the fruits of their investigation with our office, enabling us to build this case. It is another great example of our offices working together in a way that best serves the case and the interests of the people of Manhattan.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos said, “For the second time in as many days we are announcing charges in a significant drug trafficking case, and again we see the ever-present link between drugs and guns. If your business is peddling illegal drugs, the business almost always entails violence to protect it. The FBI is committed to teaming with the NYPD in vigorous policing of the illegal drug trade in our mutual effort to reduce violent crime.”
NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, “These arrests are another example of police and their federal partners’ unrelenting pursuit of crews who monetize drugs and violence. I commend the NYPD Manhattan North Narcotics detectives who worked to bring these criminals to justice to restore some measure of safety to Harlem residents. Their work is among the reasons why New York City experienced a record low in shootings and murder last year.”
As alleged in the superseding indictment unsealed today and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:
From at least 2009 through May 2012, members of the crew sold significant street level quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana in Harlem, New York. Members of the crew used firearms, threats of violence, and violence to protect their drug business.
Additionally, in November 2011, Key and others recruited and hired individuals to shoot and kill a victim. During the assassination attempt, one of Key’s co-conspirators, however, shot and hit an innocent bystander, who was standing near the intended victim’s car. The innocent bystander survived.
A chart containing the ages, residency information, and charges against the defendants, as well as the maximum penalties, is at the conclusion of this release.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. He also thanked the New York County DA’s Office for sharing evidence that ultimately led to today’s charges. He added that the investigation is continuing.
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The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail Kurland, Adam Fee, and Santosh Aravind are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Ten Members of Violent Bronx Drug Trafficking Crew Charged

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Raymond W. Kelly, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), today announced charges against 10 members of a criminal organization based on Wyatt Street in the Bronx, New York. Nine of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. The crew’s alleged ringleader, Anibal Ramos, and one of its members, Anibal Soto, were charged in the original, July 2012 indictment with kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and the brandishing of a firearm in connection with, and in furtherance of, the kidnapping. Ramos and Soto are alleged to have kidnapped and tortured an individual, including by burning the victim with an iron. The superseding indictment adds narcotics charges against Ramos and also charges him and three of the new defendants with possessing firearms in connection with, and in furtherance of, the crack cocaine and heroin conspiracy.
All eight of the new defendants charged were taken into custody today as part of a coordinated operation involving federal and local law enforcement officers. Ramos, who was arrested in August 2012, and Soto, who was arrested in July 2012, remain detained. All the defendants arrested today will be presented in Manhattan federal court this afternoon.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, for far too long, these defendants were a bloody blight on a Bronx community, contaminating it with poisonous and highly addictive drugs and the guns and brutal violence that are part and parcel of the drug trade. This case demonstrates our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who engage in this conduct and to expand cases previously charged when we develop new evidence. With the charges we bring today in two separate cases against 19 defendants, the Bronx neighborhoods in which they ran amok are safer places for their residents.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos, “This case highlights once again the dual threat posed to our communities by the illegal drug trade. The drugs themselves are poison, with life-altering and lethal consequences. And violence almost always comes with the territory. We remain committed to restoring our communities to their law-abiding residents.”
NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, “The depraved acts of torture described in the indictment need no further characterization, other than to observe that the nexus between drug trafficking and violence is well-established, and the commitment among police and prosecutors to bring its practitioners to justice is unyielding.”
As alleged in the superseding indictment unsealed today and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:
From at least 2000 through August 31, 2012, Ramos was the leader of a drug crew that operated on Wyatt Street in the Bronx and sold significant street level quantities of crack cocaine and heroin. In addition, members of the drug trafficking organization used firearms, threats of violence, and violence to secure and enforce their drug territory, including the kidnapping and brutal torture committed by Ramos and Soto.
Ramos, Joel Cabrera, William Zacchi, Christopher Hernandez, Michael Aviles, Latrell Riddles, Charitza Quintana, Yasmine, Zelayandia, and Jacqueline Hernandez are charged with conspiring to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, crack cocaine and heroin.
Ramos, Aviles, Riddles, and Zelayandia are also charged with possessing firearms in connection with, and in furtherance of, the crack cocaine and heroin conspiracy.
A chart containing the ages, residency information, and charges against the defendants, as well as the maximum penalties they face is at the conclusion of this release.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD. He added that the investigation is continuing.
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The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Hadassa Waxman and Timothy D. Sini are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Harford County Oxycodone Dealer Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Ronnie Stocks, age 34, of Bel Air, Maryland, today to 126 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Harford County Sheriff L. Jesse Bane; and Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly.
According to Stocks’ guilty plea, in 2010 and 2011, Stocks was obtaining oxycodone from approximately 12 sources and was distributing those pills, in amounts no less than $100 at a time, to about 36 individuals. During an investigation by the Harford County Drug Task Force, several of Stocks’ customers provided information about the number and frequency of purchases of oxycodone made from Stocks, where those purchases occurred, and how many pills would be purchased at one time. A wiretap of Stocks’ cell phone in early 2011 captured Stocks conducting dozens of drug transactions. In April 2011, law enforcement also learned that Stocks sold a firearm. On April 14, 2011, Stocks was arrested and his home and vehicle were searched, recovering over 40 oxycodone pills.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, and all the members of the Harfod County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Mushtaq Gunja, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

New Orleans Man Sentenced for Heroin Conspiracy

NEW ORLEANS—Devin Morgan, age 20, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced to four years (48 months) of incarceration by U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Zainey imposed three years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violated any terms of his supervised release.
Morgan was arrested and indicted for conspiracy to distribute heroin pursuant to the FBI Ninth Ward Initiative, which focuses on violent offenders in the Lower Ninth Ward section of New Orleans. According to court documents, Morgan admitted to buying and reselling at least 20 grams of heroin from April 2012 through May 14, 2012.
The case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force with assistance of the New Orleans Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera.

Owner and Employee of All Sunshine Head Shop Sentenced to Federal Probation

BOISE—U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced today that Janet Elaine Shirley, 39, of Boise, Idaho, the former owner and operator of All Sunshine LLC; and Antonio Ricardo Mendoza, 34, also of Boise, an employee, are the latest defendants in Operation Not for Human Consumption to be sentenced over the past several months for offering drug paraphernalia for sale.
Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Shirley today to two years’ probation and ordered her to complete 120 hours of community service. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge sentenced Mendoza to three years’ probation and ordered him to complete 80 hours of community service. Both Shirley and Mendoza pleaded guilty to the charge on September 5, 2012.
Operation Not for Human Consumption includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; Boise Police Department; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; and the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office. The U.S. Marshals Service and Idaho State Police provided assistance.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on January 7, 2013, Martin Tellez Montoya, 22, of Lincoln, was sentenced to three years and one month (37 months) in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine between July 2011 and April 2012. Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Montoya was responsible for the distribution of at least 20 grams of methamphetamine mixture, at least five grams of actual methamphetamine, and less than 25 grams of cocaine during that time frame in the Lincoln area. On five occasions in January and February 2012, Montoya helped his co-defendant, Martin Daniel Sanchez Martinez, deliver methamphetamine and/or cocaine to an undercover Lincoln Police officer. Montoya accompanied Martinez to the locations where the transactions occurred and acted as a translator between the officer and Martinez.
Following the prison term, Montoya will serve four years on supervised release.
The matter was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, which includes officers of the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department.

McLaughlin Man Sentenced on Drug Charge

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a McLaughlin man convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon was sentenced on January 4, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann. Nathan Martin, age 30, was sentenced to 109 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
Martin was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2012. He pled guilty to two counts of a superseding indictment in October 2012.
The conviction stems from Martin knowingly and intentionally conspiring to distribute and possess a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance in 2011, and aiding and abetting a co-defendant who kicked a victim with shod feet and forced a firearm into the victim’s mouth.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Martin was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Leader of Nevada-Alaska Oxycodone Ring Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit Over $1.2 Million

LAS VEGAS—A Las Vegas man who operated an illegal drug trafficking organization that transported prescription drugs from Las Vegas to Anchorage, Homer, Kenai, Soldotna, and Wasilla, Alaska, and laundered over $1 million through bank accounts in Las Vegas, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his guilty pleas to conspiracy, drug, and money laundering charges, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Nicholas Ghafouria, 28, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roger L. Hunt. In addition to the prison time, Ghafouria was also ordered to forfeit over $1.2 million in cash and property and must serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. Ghafouria pleaded guilty on October 1, 2012, and was the last of the 27 defendants charged in the scheme to be sentenced, most of whom were sentenced to prison. Nineteen of those defendants were from Alaska and eight were from Las Vegas.
“Over the last several years, we have been working with state and local law enforcement and health care providers to attack the growing prescription drug abuse problem in Nevada,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Since January 2010, over 100 individuals, including four doctors and a pharmacist, have been charged in Nevada with unlawfully distributing highly addictive prescription painkillers.”
Between May 2009 and October 2010, Ghafouria organized and led a group of individuals who distributed over 4,000 oxycodone pills in Alaska and laundered at least $1.2 million in cash proceeds from the unlawful distribution of the drugs. Ghafouria and his co-conspirators used various ways to get the drugs to Alaska, including sending them in packages and transporting them on airplane flights. Ghafouria sold the pills for approximately $65 each in Alaska. Co-conspirators in Alaska either provided money directly to couriers who delivered it to Ghafouria in Las Vegas, or they deposited money into bank accounts in Alaska, which was withdrawn in Las Vegas by individuals under Ghafouria’s direction.
The cases were investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation in Las Vegas; the FBI in Las Vegas and Anchorage; DEA in Las Vegas and Anchorage; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in Anchorage; Department of Homeland Security in Anchorage; Las Vegas OCDETF; Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; United States Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska; Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement; Alaska State Troopers (Soldotna SERT, Soldotna ABI, Anchor Point Troopers); Alaska Wildlife Troopers; Kenai Police Department; Anchorage, Kenai, and Mat-Su Judicial Services; Kenai District Attorney’s Office; Soldotna Police Department; Kenai Adult Probation; Alaska Department of Corrections; United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and Alaska National Guard. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Walsh and Kishan Nair.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Former Police Chief Admits Accepting Cash in Return for Protecting Drug Deals, Purchasing Restricted Police Equipment

PITTSBURGH—A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating the Hobbs Act, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Donald Abraham Solomon, 56, of 145 Lemoyne Avenue, Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Solomon was the Chief of Police of East Washington Borough, Pennsylvania. He received payments from a purported drug dealer, who was an undercover FBI agent, to protect drug shipments and to purchase law enforcement restricted police equipment.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for May 3, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 60 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Mr. Solomon on bond.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Cessar and Lee J. Karl are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Donald Abraham Solomon.

Duquesne Man Charged in Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

PITTSBURGH—A resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on January 2, named Shane Brooks, 26, of 807 Oak Street, Duquesne, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, from December 2010 to January 2012, Brooks conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Enticing a Child and Conspiring to Distribute Heroin

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Robert Chin, 65, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin to young women in return for sexual favors, including enticing a child into engaging in sexual activity.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Barry Barnard, Acting Chief of the Prince William County Police Department, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.
Chin pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor and conspiracy to distribute heroin, which both carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 5, 2013. Chin will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, from 2007 until his arrest in November 2012, Chin conspired with others to bring heroin and oxycodone into the Washington Metropolitan Area. Chin would then distribute the drugs to young women, including at least one minor, in return for sexual favors. In June 2012, Chin filmed at least some of the encounters with the minor girl in which she performed a number of sex acts with different individuals after receiving drugs from Chin.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Prince William County/Manassas City/Manassas Park Narcotics Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney John Eisinger is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was 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 the 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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.