US and World News

Skechers says escorted Ye out of LA office after rapper arrived ‘unannounced’

by Reuters
By Reuters

(Reuters) – Skechers USA Inc said on Wednesday its executives escorted Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, out of a Los Angeles corporate office, after the rapper and fashion designer “showed up unannounced and uninvited”.

The footwear maker “has no intention of working with West,” it said in a statement.

Skechers’ comments come a day after sportswear brand Adidas AG ended its partnership with West, following a series of antisemitic comments from the celebrity.

“We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech,” Skechers said.

Reuters was not immediately able to contact Ye’s representatives for comment.

Apparel company Gap Inc, which terminated its tie-up with West in September, is also taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap products from its stores and shut down YeezyGap.com.

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Shares of California-based Skechers were up nearly 1% in extended trading, after closing down nearly 10% on Wednesday.

The company on Tuesday forecast current-quarter sales below Wall Street estimates after missing third-quarter earnings expectations, dented by higher operating costs and a hit from foreign exchange rates.

(Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

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ANZ’s annual earnings climb on home loan boost, higher interest rates

by Reuters
By Reuters

By Harshita Swaminathan

(Reuters) -Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd on Thursday reported a rise in annual cash profit, surpassing market expectations, as its home loans business improved and higher interest rates boosted margins in the second half.

ANZ said its home loan application times were back in line with industry peers, following an overhaul to address processing delays that had kept the lender from cashing in on a COVID-driven housing boom.

Shares, however, dropped as much as 4.6% to A$24.67 in their worst intraday loss since June, against a broader financial index that was down 1.4%, as the lender also flagged headwinds arising from wage and vendor cost inflation.

“Despite higher costs we see upside to consensus FY23 core earnings as the NIM leverage has become more obvious,” analysts at Citi said in a note.

The lender also aims to introduce a fully automated digital home loan to further bolster its mortgage loans business, and is planning a pilot programme of a digital home loan in the coming weeks.

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ANZ’s group net interest margin, a key measure of profitability, grew 10 basis points from the first half to 1.68% in the second half of the year.

Runaway inflation has pushed the Australian central bank to pursue its most aggressive tightening cycle in decades, boosting margins for banks that had grappled with record-low interest rates for the past two years.

The bank said it expects the environment to be supportive for margins in the first half, although any change from the exit margin is likely to be more modest.

Annual cash profit from continuing operations was A$6.52 billion ($4.23 billion), beating a Visible Alpha consensus estimate of A$6.31 billion.

The bank proposed a final dividend of 74 Australian cents per share, compared with 72 cents last year.

($1 = 1.5408 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Harshita Swaminathan and Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

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Darrell Brooks convicted in deadly Wisconsin Christmas parade attack

by Reuters
By Reuters

By Brendan O’Brien

(Reuters) – Darrell Brooks, a Wisconsin man who killed six people and injured dozens of others when he drove his SUV into a Christmas parade near Milwaukee last year, was found guilty on Wednesday of intentional murder and other charges.

A 12-member jury convicted Brooks, 40, of more than 76 charges, including six counts of intentional homicide, each of which carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison.

Brooks, wearing a suit and tie and a blue surgical mask over his nose and mouth, bowed his head against his clasped hands while Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow read the verdicts.

Brooks was accused of deliberately driving his sport utility vehicle through police barricades on Nov. 21 and plowing into crowds of people participating in the annual parade in Waukesha, about 15 miles (25 km) west of downtown Milwaukee.

The dead ranged in age from 8 to 81, and more than 60 others were injured, including at least 18 children. Among the casualties were members of a dance troupe known as the “Dancing Grannies.”

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Brooks, a Milwaukee resident, represented himself during the three-week trial.

During his closing argument on Monday, Brooks told the jury that he had no intention of hurting anyone. He said he sounded the vehicle’s horn as he drove through the crowd, attempting to warn people to get out of the way.

“When you ride through a parade route and roll over children … your intent is known, Mr. Brooks,” Waukesha County District Attorney Sue Opper said during closing arguments. “That’s not an accident.”

Before the verdicts were read on Wednesday, Brooks asked the judge to rule on several motions, including a request for a mistrial. She denied all of them as she waited for the jury to return to the courtroom.

On numerous occasions during the proceedings, Dorow admonished Brooks for failing to follow court rules and arguing with her. She removed Brooks from the courtroom several times, sending him to another room where he watched the proceedings.

At one point, Brooks took off his shirt in the other room, before Dorow, seeing him on a camera feed visible in the courtroom, stopped the proceedings and gave the court a break, journalists covering the trial reported.

At the time of the attack, Brooks was out on bail on a domestic abuse charge. He was arrested near the scene and has been in custody ever since.

(Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Editing by Howard Goller)

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“They shut the door on us”: Venezuelans ask Mexico for humanitarian flights home

by Reuters
By Reuters

By Lizbeth Diaz

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Ana Villalobos remembers what she went through to get from Venezuela to the United States: going hungry, sleeping in the open and crossing rivers and forests with her young son.

She cries upon reflecting on the journey, knowing it bore no fruit. Now, Villalobos is asking for a humanitarian flight to return to her homeland. 

Tens of thousands of Venezuelan migrants are now stranded in Mexico or its southern neighbors after a new plan was announced by the United States that, in practice, has closed the door to Venezuelans fleeing on foot.

Dozens of Venezuelans like Villalobos and her eight-year-old son arrived on Tuesday night at a migrant house in Mexico City funded by the Catholic Church while awaiting a seat on a humanitarian flight.

“I want to return to my country because they shut the door on us, in our faces,” the 27-year-old said.

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Villalobos, a single mother, left the western Venezuelan state of Zulia a few months ago with her only son.

After working for a few months in Colombia, she managed to save enough money to start the long journey to the United States, even crossing the dangerous Darien Gap, an almost-impassable mountainous rainforest between Panama and Colombia.

In recent years, 7.1 million Venezuelans have left their country, according to United Nations figures, escaping the protracted economic and social collapse of the once-prosperous oil nation.

Human rights advocates have criticized the fact that Mexico continues to sign agreements with the United States when it does not have space to receive more migrants or displaced nationals who also hope to migrate to the United States.

“Everything seems easy to them, simply saying ‘leave them here,’ but where? In the streets?” said Luis Carbajal, director of the Human Mobility Pastoral movement in the Archdiocese of Mexico.

‘IT’S ALWAYS ‘NO”

A dozen migrants interviewed by Reuters at a shelter in Mexico City said that their nation’s embassy had told them that it would seek support from the Mexican government to launch humanitarian flights to Caracas.

A first flight returning Venezuelan migrants from Mexico departed on Tuesday, two Mexican officials told Reuters. Travelers paid a reduced rate of $200 per person, the officials said.

Since 2018, the government of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro has implemented a voluntary repatriation plan called “Return to the Homeland” to facilitate the return of migrants who lack the means to do so themselves.

Through June of this year, some 30,000 Venezuelans had returned home from 19 Latin American countries, according to government figures.

The Mexican foreign ministry told Reuters a flight paid for by the Mexican government carrying Venezuelan migrants was scheduled to leave on Wednesday.

The announcement was made while dozens of Venezuelans protested outside Mexico’s foreign ministry in Mexico City, demanding help.

“It’s been terrible because it’s always ‘no’ in Mexico. I can’t work, the doors are closed to us, we can’t leave, we can’t enter, they don’t let us cross into the United States,” said Kerlyn Mora, a Venezuelan migrant at the protest.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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Islamic State claims Iran shrine attack, Iran vows response

by Reuters
By Reuters

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) -The militant group Islamic State said it carried out an attack on a Shi’ite Muslim shrine in Iran on Wednesday which killed 15 people, escalating tensions in a country reeling from a wave of protests and prompting warnings of a response from Tehran.

Iranian officials said they had arrested a gunman who carried out the attack at the Shah Cheragh shrine in the city of Shiraz. State media blamed “takfiri terrorists” – a label Tehran uses for hardline Sunni Muslim militants like Islamic State.

The group has claimed previous attacks in Iran, including deadly twin bombings in 2017 which targeted Iran’s parliament and the tomb of the Islamic Republic’s founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Wednesday’s killing of Shi’ite pilgrims came on the same day that Iranian security forces clashed with increasingly strident protesters marking the 40-day anniversary since the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi blamed the protests sweeping Iran for paving the ground for the Shiraz attack, and President Ebrahim Raisi said Iran would respond, according to state media.

“Experience shows that Iran’s enemies, after failing to create a split in the nation’s united ranks, take revenge through violence and terror,” said Raisi, speaking before Islamic State released its claim of responsibility.

“This crime will definitely not go unanswered, and the security and law enforcement forces will teach a lesson to those who designed and carried out the attack.”

The semi-official Tasnim news agency said the attacker shot an employee at the shrine entrance before his rifle jammed and he was chased by bystanders.

He managed to fix his gun and opened fire on his pursuers, before entering a courtyard and shooting worshippers. Several women and children were among the dead, it said.

A witness at Shah Cheragh told state television: “I heard sounds of gunfire after we prayed. We went to a room next to the shrine, this lowlife came and fired a barrage of shots. Then (the bullet) hit my arm and leg, it hit my wife’s back, but thank God my child was not hit, he is seven years old.”

DAY OF CLASHES

The attack in Shiraz took place at the end of a day of confrontations across the country between security forces and protesters, with video footage showing some of the most violent clashes in more than a month of unrest following Amini’s death.

The demonstrations have become one of the boldest challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution. A wide range of Iranians have come out on to the streets, with some calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic and the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Security forces opened fire at mourners in Amini’s Kurdish home town of Saqez on Wednesday, according to a witness.

“Riot police shot mourners who gathered at the cemetery for Mahsa’s memorial ceremony … dozens have been arrested,” the witness said. Iranian authorities were not available to comment.

The semi-official ISNA news agency said about 10,000 people were at the cemetery, adding that the internet was cut off after clashes between security forces and people there.

Videos on social media showed crowds packing streets in many cities and the bazaars of Tehran and some other cities shut down with people chanting “Death to Khamenei”.

1500tasvir, a Twitter account focused on Iran protests with 280,000 followers, reported a “brutal crackdown” on protesters in multiple locations in Tehran, including a gathering at the Tehran Medical Association.

Video footage on social media appeared to show members of the Basij militia shooting at protesters in Tehran.

Other videos showed protesters chasing riot police and throwing stones. They also showed protesters in the holy Shi’ite city of Mashhad setting fire to a riot policeman’s motorbike. In Tehran, a protester hit a policeman, while in the city of Qazvin riot police opened fire on protesters.

Some protesters chanted: “We will fight, we will die, we will get Iran back” from its clerical rulers.

Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the footage.

State news agency IRNA said a member of the elite Revolutionary Guards was shot dead “by rioters” in the western city of Malayer.

An Iranian former pro-reform official said the spread of the protests appeared to have taken authorities by surprise and contrasted with the establishment’s assertions that support for the Islamic system is overwhelming.

While some analysts said prospects for the imminent dawn of a new political order are slim, activists said a wall of fear had fallen and the path to a new revolution was not reversible.

Students have played a pivotal role in the protests, with dozens of universities on strike. Hundreds of schoolgirls have joined in, chanting “Freedom, Freedom, Freedom,” despite fierce crackdowns by security forces.

State media and hardline officials have branded protesters “hypocrites, monarchists, thugs and seditionists”.

Rights groups said at least 250 protesters had been killed, including teenage girls, and thousands had been arrested.

The authorities, who have accused the United States and other Western countries of fomenting what they call “riots”, have yet to announce a death toll but state media have said around 30 members of the security forces have been killed.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi and Dominic EvansEditing by Michael Georgy, Nick Macfie and Alistair Bell)

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Australia’s Fortescue quarterly iron ore shipments, costs rise

by Reuters
By Reuters

By Jaskiran Singh

(Reuters) -Australia’s Fortescue Metals Group reported a 4.2% rise in first-quarter iron ore shipments on Thursday, boosted by higher production at its key operations in Western Australia, and said rising prices of diesel and labour bumped up costs.

The production report from the world’s No.4 iron ore miner came against the backdrop of sliding prices of the steel-making commodity as top consumer China’s strict COVID-19 curbs and under-pressure property sector have slammed its economy.

Last week, rival Rio Tinto forecast annual iron ore shipments at the lower end of its earlier forecast, while BHP said it expected macro-economic uncertainties to continue to affect supply chains, energy costs and labour markets in the short term.

Iron ore prices are on track to end 2022 at their lowest in the last three or four years and are expected to remain weakened next year too, a Reuters survey showed earlier this month.

Fortescue shipped 47.5 million tonnes (mt) of iron ore in the quarter ended September, compared with 45.6 mt a year earlier. RBC Capital Markets analyst Kaan Peker said the quarterly result was broadly in line with the brokerage’s estimates.

However, the miner’s direct costs jumped 16% to $17.69 per wet metric tonne (wmt).

The company kept its full-year guidance unchanged, expecting to ship between 187 mt and 192 mt of ore in fiscal 2023.

The miner said its Iron Bridge project would deliver 22 mt per annum of high grade magnetite concentrate, with first production scheduled for the March 2023 quarter, and reaffirmed its cost estimate at between $3.6 billion and $3.8 billion.

Fortescue’s shares inched up 0.8% to A$16.26 by 2327 GMT, while the broader market rose 0.3%.

(Reporting by Jaskiran Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli, Devika Syamnath and Rashmi Aich)

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Final defendant pleads guilty to wrap up prosecution of Middle Georgia methamphetamine-trafficking conspiracy

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

DUBLIN, GA:  With a final guilty plea to federal charges entered in U.S. District Court, all charges have been resolved against 30 defendants involved in a Laurens County methamphetamine-trafficking ring indicted just over a year ago.

Robert Anthony Justice, 38, of Chester, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Use of Communication Facility, related to using a cell phone to conduct illegal drug trafficking activity, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. With Justice’s plea, 25 of 30 indicted defendants in Operation Monroe Doctrine have pled guilty; four defendants entered Pre-Trial Diversion; and one defendant passed away.

“Operation Monroe Doctrine is a textbook example of a well-coordinated law enforcement operation to identify and shut down a major drug-trafficking conspiracy and alleviate the violent crime it spawned throughout the Dublin area,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “It speaks volumes that every defendant admitted guilt without trial, and all of them are now being held accountable.”

The indictment of 30 defendants in USA v. Monroe et. al, dubbed Operation Monroe Doctrine, was handed down by a U.S. District Court Grand Jury in July 2021. The operation was the culmination of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation that identified a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy throughout Laurens and Telfair counties and beyond, operating from at least January 2020 through January 2021.

As described in court documents and testimony, the defendants coordinated to import and distribute illegal drugs throughout the greater Dublin and Laurens County community. Key sentences in the operation include:

  • David Alex Monroe, 32, of Dexter, Ga., the leader of the local drug trafficking organization, is serving 84 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Monroe forfeited a machine gun, an illegal short-barrel rifle, and two silencers seized during the investigation, and abandoned his interest in 54 additional firearms.
  • Jorge Hernandez-Pena, 46, of Atlanta, the conspiracy’s source of supply, is serving 240 months in prison, followed by deportation, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
  • David Kates, 46, a Jamaican citizen who was incarcerated at Rogers State Prison, is serving 108 months in prison, followed by deportation, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
  • Christopher Forbes, 31, of Dublin, is serving 97 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Forbes forfeited his interest in 21 firearms and two silencers seized during the investigation.
  • Carl Davis, 48, of Jacksonville, Fla., is serving 88 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.

“Prior to the people of Laurens County electing me as sheriff, I promised I would work hard to eliminate the dangerous drug dealers from our community,” said Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean. “I have and will continue to do so. My deputies will continue to work with other agencies on the local, state and federal level to ensure strong, swift convictions to the ones who choose to peddle dope here. My hat goes off to everyone who had a role in this case, from my staff all the way to the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I thank you all.”

“The insidious drug methamphetamine destroys families and communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to protect and serve those communities. This investigation was a success because of the collective effort between DEA, and its local, state and federal law enforcement counterparts.”

“There is no initiative more critical to ATF than increasing the safety of our communities. Cases which result in the arrests and prosecution of criminals are fundamental to continuing this initiative while simultaneously shows criminals that ATF and its law enforcement partners will not falter in this mission.” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “We will pursue criminals such as these wherever they may operate, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

The case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III, Frank M. Pennington II, and Southern District of Georgia OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.

 

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Lawrence Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Firearms Offenses

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday for the unlawful possession of firearms stemming from his illegal dealing of rifles and handguns.

John H. Morales, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf, to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On April 7, 2021, Morales pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

“Our Commonwealth has strict requirements and thorough vetting processes to legally purchase, sell and carry firearms for a reason – they are dangerous and deadly weapons. Keeping illegal firearms off the street and out of the hands of prohibited individuals is at the core of combating the continued rise in violent crime we have seen across our nation,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Despite being a convicted felon strictly prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, Mr. Morales illegally delt 14 firearms – including a high-powered semi-automatic rifle with two 30 round magazines – within just four short months. His conduct is alarming and each of those firearms and the ammunition have been taken off the street. Each of those bullets is a potential gun violence victim. We are committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of Massachusetts residents and removing individuals like Mr. Morales from our communities is a step in the right direction.”

“The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force is working with our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of illegal firearms and whether it’s through takedowns of violent gun-toting gangs or, one by one, arresting felons like Mr. Morales, a criminal in possession of 14 firearms and ammunition – including an SKS rifle – we will continue to do all we can to make our neighborhoods safer. There is little doubt these guns would have ended up in the hands of gang members had we not obtained them, resulting in serious danger to the public,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.

In early 2019, federal law enforcement opened an investigation into Morales’ illegal firearm dealing. The investigation revealed that between February 2019 and May 2019, Morales sold a cooperating witness 14 firearms – including pistols, concealable weapons and a high-powered SKS rifle accompanied by two 30 round magazines – which were seized during the investigation. Morales was arrested in November 2019 and has been in custody since that date.

Due to prior felony convictions from 2010 and 2016, Morales is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Middle District Of Florida Prosecutes Over 300 Defendants For Federal Firearms And Violent Crime Offenses As Part Of Project Safe Neighborhoods Strategy

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

Tampa – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the fourth quarter results of the Middle District of Florida’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy.  Over the last fiscal year, ending September 30, 2022, the United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted more than 325 defendants and seized approximately 685 firearms, 9 silencers, and 1,813 autosears. During the last quarter in particular, prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida have prosecuted 120 defendants for federal firearms and violent crime offenses, removing more than 192 firearms from our streets in the process. (See chart below for case details) The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also engaged in community outreach efforts aimed at violent crime prevention throughout the year. Those efforts in the fourth quarter involved more than 800 people. 

“Our office is committed to reducing violent crime throughout the Middle District of Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners and community stakeholders as part of our joint effort to make our communities safer.”

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. This evidence-based program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in communities and developing comprehensive solutions that reduce crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based reentry programs to reduce recidivism.

Q4 PSN case highlights:

United States v. Harris et al (Fort Myers)

Marvin Harris, Jr., and Latrel Jackson have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire and murder for hire as a result of murder that was committed in Fort Myers in November 2019. According to court records, Harris, Jr. was the leader of a drug trafficking organization operating in Lee County. As a result of the conspiracy between Harris, Jr., and Jackson, “K.U.” was murdered on November 2, 2019, in Fort Myers. Harris, Jr. caused Jackson to travel from Illinois to commit the murder in exchange for a promise and agreement to pay money. The trial is currently scheduled for December 2022.

United States v. Christopher Dozier (Jacksonville)

In September 2022, Christopher Dozier was sentenced to 18 years and 8 months in federal prison for two violent armed robberies of Jacksonville businesses. In the first robbery, Dozier physically struck an employee before binding the employee’s hands with wire. During the second robbery, Dozier disarmed a security guard, stealing his firearm and almost $2,000 from the business. Dozer fled to Massachusetts where he was arrested and eventually returned to Jacksonville. Dozier’s girlfriend acted as his driver in both robberies. She was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for her role in the robberies.

United States v. Tyree Townsel (Ocala)

On August 29, 2022, Benjamin Tyree Townsel (22, Ocala) was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for possessing of firearms as a convicted felon and for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court records, between August 2020 and February 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department discovered Townsel near firearms during three separate traffic stops. In each instance, Townsel had been linked to other criminal activity, including a shooting and a high-speed chase with law enforcement. An FBI DNA comparison conclusively showed Townsel’s DNA on all the recovered firearms, one of which also had an obliterated serial number. Townsel, a member of the “Bloods” street gang, had four prior state felony convictions, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

United States v. Raul Reyes Vazquez (Orlando)

In July 2022, Raul Reyes Vazquez was sentenced to 27 years and 3 months in federal prison for committing bank robberies while on federal supervised release related to a bank robbery he had committed in New York in 2008. According to court documents, in July 2008, Reyes Vazquez robbed a Chase Bank in Manhattan and was later convicted and sentenced for that offense in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He also committed a series of bank robberies in 2006 in Hialeah and Miami for which he was sentenced in 2019. On February 16, 2022, Reyes Vazquez robbed a Trustco Bank branch in Orlando. Six days later, Reyes Vazquez robbed a Wells Fargo bank branch in Orlando. At sentencing, Reyes-Vazquez was determined to be a career offender under federal sentencing rules.

United States vs. Ma’at Malik Darius Lee (Tampa)

In August 2022, a federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Ma’at Lee with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of attempted wire fraud, and possessing a stolen firearm. The indictment alleges that from July 9 to October 27, 2021, Lee robbed three individuals at gunpoint and carjacked a fourth. When a deputy from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office located Lee in the stolen vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, Lee responded by firing at least eight rounds and fleeing the scene. If convicted, Lee faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The trial is scheduled for January 2023.

An indictment or criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

These cases are being prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys in all five divisions throughout the Middle District of Florida. For additional information on Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit our website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/project-safe-neighborhoods-0.   

Project Safe Neighborhoods Update

(July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022)

Charged Cases

Defendant(s)

(Age)

Charges

Minimum/Maximum Terms of Imprisonment

Firearms Seized

Fort Myers Division

4th Quarter

Marvin Harris, Jr. (24)

 

Latrel Jackson (25)

Conspiracy to commit murder for hire

Maximum Prison Term: Life

 

Murder for hire

Maximum Prison Term: Life

0

James Blanks (26)

Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Jontavious Griffin (33)

Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon

Maximum Prison Term: 15 years

1

Doumy Joseph (26)

Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: life

2

Giovanni Francois (23)

Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

These PSN cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSAs Simon Eth, Mike Leeman, Trent Reichling, and Mark Morgan

Jacksonville Division

4th Quarter

Ronald Bernard Thomas, Jr. (45)

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

2

Paul Bryan McCorkle (54)

 

Felon in possession of an explosive

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

0

Cory Lee Kelly (34)

 

Possession of a machine gun

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Felon in possession of a firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 15 years

1

Derrick Irving Gordon (47)

 

Material false statements related to purchase of a firearm

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

0

Sule Pedro (46)

 

Distribution of methamphetamine

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: 40 years

0

These PSN cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSAs Laura Taylor, Michael Coolican, Tysen Duva, and David Mesrobian

Ocala Division

4th Quarter

Michael Latrelle Simpson (21)

Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Ralph Fontil, Jr. (24)

 

Making a materially false statement in connection with the purchase of firearms

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Causing a Federal firearms licensee to maintain false information

Maximum Prison Term: 5 years

3

Alexander Timothy Rosa (30)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Justin Heath Griffin (34)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Timothy James Roberts (28)

Possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 15 years

1

Lewis Tinson, Jr. (29)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

4

Brandon Jamal Alex Grant (22)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 15 years

2

These PSN cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSAs William Hamilton, Sarah Swartzberg, Hannah Nowalk, and Robert Bodnar, Jr.

Orlando Division

4th Quarter

Curtis Tyrone Johnson (34)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 10 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Daniel Steven King (28)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

9

Ramondo Zavious Williams (41)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Anthony Quantarius Brooks (21)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Bobby H. Bridges (48)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Jonathan J. Pilgrim (28)

Possession with intent to distribute control substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Possession of firearm by previously convicted Felon

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Possession of Machine gun

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Use or Carry firearm during drug trafficking offense

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

These PSN cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Betty Gonzalez, John M. Gardella, Shannon R. Laurie, Courtney D. Richardson-Jones, and Terry B. Livanos

Tampa Division

4th Quarter

Marques Howard (31)

 

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Hobbs Act Robbery

Maximum Prison Term:10 years

Discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 10 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term:10 years

1

Robert Frascella (55)

 

Bank Robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

0

Ma’at Darius Lee (21)

 

Carjacking

Maximum Prison Term: 15 years

Brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 7 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Attempted wire fraud

Maximum Prison term: 20 years

Aggravated Identity Theft

Maximum Prison term: 2 years

Possession of a stolen firearm

Maximum Prison term: 10 years

1

 

Johnny Flores  (44)

 

Interference with commerce by robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 7 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

0

Donald Robert Smith (27)

 

Interference with Commerce by robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Brandishing of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 7 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Discharging of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 10 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Felon in Possession of a Firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Dempsey Gilmore (31)

 

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: 40 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term:10 years

0

Dyonnie Alvarez (24)

 

Christopher Alvarez (18)

 

Enrique Marquez (26)

 

Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Interference with Commerce by Robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 7 years

Maximum Prison Term:10 years

0

James Junior Williams (44)

 

Bank Robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

0

Thaddeus Howard (29)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Reggie Harris, Jr. (30)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Cedrick Durham (21)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Adam Saed (31)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Patraic Setzer (28)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Stephen Sherlock (58)

 

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 10 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: 40 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Isaac Bautista Gonzalez (20)

 

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 10 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Eddie Winman Thomas, III (32)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Jonathan Anton Williams (38)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (47)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 15 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Meccos Donta Allen (38)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Mandatory Minimum Prison Term: 15 years

1

These PSN cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Samantha Newman, Samantha Beckman, Maria Guzman, Diego Novaes, David P. Sullivan, David Chee, and Michael Kenneth

Adjudicated Cases

 

Defendant(s)

(Age)

Charges

Minimum/Maximum Terms of Imprisonment

Firearms Seized

Fort Myers Division

4th Quarter

Ronald Perkins (44)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Distribution of a controlled substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

1

Otis Marchman IV (28)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Brown Dimas III (27)

Making a false statement in records required to be kept by a firearms dealer

Maximum Prison Term: 5 years

4

These PSN cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSAs Simon Eth and Mark Morgan

Jacksonville Division

4th Quarter

Dontae Edwards (30)

Making a materially false statement in connection with the purchase of firearms

Maximum Prison Term: 5 years

0

Raymond Samuel Reeves (22)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

2

Stephan Leon Marshall (22)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Brandon Bayne (25)

Conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 7 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Michael Lajaune Smith (44)

Distribution of a controlled substance

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

0

Hinduwah Sama (18)

Possession of a stolen firearm

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

James Robert Lewis (54)

Making a materially false statement in connection with the purchase of firearms

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Darnell Rice, Jr. (28)

Possession and transfer of a combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Making a materially false statement related to the purchase of a firearm

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

0

These PSN cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSAs Frank Talbot, John Cannizzaro, Laura Taylor, Julie Hackenberry, Chip Corsmeier, and Michael Coolican

Ocala Division

 

                   4th Quarter

 

Aaron Haa (42)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 15 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

3

Demuntray Cox (39)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Rey Daniel Facio-Garcia (29)

Illegal alien in possession of a firearm

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Keo Ibua Mike (29)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

2

James Clay Bexley (34)

Possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Possession of a firearm in violation of a domestic violence injunction

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

18

Troy Nix (29)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Michael Tyrone Young (32)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

These PSN cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSAs Robert Bodnar, Jr, Tyrie K. Boyer, and Will S. Hamilton

Orlando Division

4th Quarter

Mandel Lamont Stewart (23)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

2

Rossonno Borders, Jr. (25)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Isaac Millan Sepulveda (21)

Conspiracy to distribute Fentanyl

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: 40 years

7

Charles Palmatier (74)

Unlawful distribution and dealing of firearms

Maximum Prison Term: 5 years

18

These PSN cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Ranganath Manthripragada, Terry B. Livanos, and Betty Gonzalez

Tampa Division

4th Quarter

Deoin Rashaud Brown (26)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 15 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

1

Uriah Waggerby (24)

Sylvanis Brice (30)

Johan Holder (25)

Conspiracy to interfere with Commerce by robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

0

Raequan Nelson (24)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

William Shumaker (38)

Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Troy Dollman (45)

Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 10 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 5 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

2

Delon Adams (50)

Interference with commerce by robbery

Maximum Prison Term: 20 years

Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

Minimum Mandatory Prison Term: 7 years

Maximum Prison Term: Life

Possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

Mailing a threatening communication

Maximum Prison Term: 2 years

0

Antwan Brown (22)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

Damien Boatwright (23)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

1

 

These PSN cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Risha Asokan, Mike Sinacore, Michael Kenneth, David Chee, Samantha Beckman, Diego Novaes, and Chris Murray

Sentenced Cases

Defendant(s)

(Age)

Charges

Sentence Imposed

Firearms Seized

Fort Myers Division

4th Quarter

Romeo Lenell Battle (25)

 

Felon in possession of firearm

Sentence imposed: 57 months

1

Eric Maurice Brown (32)

Possession with intent to distribute 40 or more Grams of Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Cocaine Base

Sentence imposed: 164 months

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence imposed: 120 months

2

Serdarryel Dave English, Jr. (39)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence imposed: 72 months

1

Robert Reese Lyons (24)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence imposed: 46 months

1

Herman Fleming (29)

Felon in possession of firearm

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

Sentence imposed: 120 months

1

Nickolas Rock (56)

Possession of an unregistered destructive device

Sentence imposed: 6 months

1

These PSN cases from the Fort Myers Division were handled by AUSAs Simon Eth, Michael Leeman, and Trent Reichling

Jacksonville Division

4th Quarter

Vershaun Lamar Puzie (34)

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking

Sentence Imposed: 10 years

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking

Sentence Imposed: 10 years

2

                         

Jeromy Washington (25)

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 70 months

1

Edrick Jackson (28)

Distribution of a controlled substance

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence imposed: 5 years

2

Brett Amante (39)

Bank Robbery

Sentence imposed: 30 months

Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

Sentence imposed: 84 months

3

Christopher Dozier (41)

Interference with commerce by robbery

Sentence imposed: 140 months

Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

Sentence imposed: 84 months

2

Johnny Davis (46)

Making a materially false statement in connection with the purchase of firearms

Sentence imposed: 3 months

0

These PSN cases from the Jacksonville Division were handled by AUSAs Laura Taylor, John Cannizzaro, Michael Coolican, David Mesrobian, and Cyrus Zomorodian

Ocala Division

4th Quarter

D’Andra Miller (21)

Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Sentence imposed: 32 months

1

Benjamin Townsel(22)

Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number

Sentence imposed: 144 months

3

Jonathan Jermaine Thomas (33)

Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Sentence imposed: 460 months

1

Nathanael Santiago (28)

Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon

Sentenced imposed: 84

1

Miguel Vargas-Narez (44)

Possession of a firearm by an illegal alien

Sentenced imposed: 180 months

1

Roddrick Anthony (33)

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Sentence imposed: 460 months

1

Timothy Ivory (44)

Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon

Sentenced imposed: 90 months

2

Tevaughn Johnson (28)

Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon

Forcibly assaulting a federal officer with injury

Sentence imposed: 100 months

1

Samuel Alexander Glover (30)

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Sentence imposed: 420 months

2

Dean Dumont (23)

Possession of an unregistered NFA weapon

Sentenced imposed: 24 months

1

Ronrico Lionel Farmer (33)

Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon

Sentenced imposed: 64 months

1

Marty Eugene Days (33)

Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon

Sentenced imposed: 27 months

1

These PSN cases from the Ocala Division were handled by AUSAs Michael P. Felicetta, Robert Bodnar, Jr., William S. Hamilton, Hannah Nowalk and Tyrie K. Boyer.

Orlando Division

4th Quarter

Raul Reyes-Vazquez (50)

Bank Robbery

Sentence Imposed: 240 months

Bank Robbery with forced accompaniment

Sentence Imposed: 300 months

0

       

Yunis Isaac Mejia (28)

Possession of an unregistered firearm

Sentence Imposed: 21 months

1

       

Jarvis Jackson (31)

Hobbs Act Robbery

Sentence Imposed: 6 months

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence Sentence Imposed: 60 months

Aggravated identity theft

Sentence Imposed: 24 months

1

Zachary Nichols (28)

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Sentence Imposed: 84 months

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Sentence Imposed: 60 months

2

Christopher DaSilva (25)

Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon

Sentenced imposed: 57 months

1

These PSN cases from the Orlando Division were handled by Dana Hill, Shawn Napier, Chauncey Bratt, Jennifer M. Harrington, and Ranganath Manthripragada.

Tampa Division

4th Quarter

Devin Kelly (27)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentenced imposed: 46 months

1

 

Malachi Deloch (23)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentenced imposed: 4 years 7 months

4

Elijah Howard (23)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 96 months

1

Wilbur B. Simpson IV (23)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: Time served

15

Hector Kirkland (40)

 

Interference with commerce by robbery

Sentence imposed: 57 months

Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

Sentence imposed: 84 months

0

Devontae Hunter (24)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 57 months

1

Xavier Jones (27)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 120 months

1

Chris Boone (25)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 120 months

3

Derek Owens (34)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 51 months

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

Sentence imposed: 60 months

2

Timothy Mills II (38)

 

Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance

Sentence imposed: 151 months

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 120 months

0

Cecil Hickox (46)

 

Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 120 months

0

Javeon Jacobs (22)

 

Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence

Sentence Imposed: 21 years

1

Reginald Wester, Jr. (23)

 

Felon in possession of ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 15 months

1

Ryland Hicks (41)

 

Felon in possession of firearm/ammunition

Sentence Imposed: 84 months

1

                       

These PSN cases from the Tampa Division were handled by AUSAs Daniel Marcet, Samantha Beckman, Jim Preston, David Chee, Craig Gestring, Charlie Connally, and Mike Sinacore

Outreach Activities

4th Quarter

Date

Event

Number of Attendees

Division

July 7, 2022

Boys & Girls Club at Marshall Middle School

84

Tampa

July 7, 2022

Boys & Girls Club at

Shields Middle School

66

Tampa

July 7, 2022

Association of Florida Colleges’ Campus Safety Symposium

10

Orlando

July 16, 2022

Orange Sheriff’s Office Back-to-School Resource Fair

600

Orlando

August 2, 2022

Fort Myers Success Academy

31

Fort Myers

September 26, 2022

Westbrooke Elementary Rising Stars Mentoring Group

27

Orlando

Total Number of Events for 4th Quarter: 6

Total Number of Attendees for 4th Quarter: 818

 

 

 

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Clearfield Mail Carrier Received Meth and Marijuana for Drug Trafficking Organization

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.

Amy Bortot, age 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and a quantity of marijuana before United States District Judge

Christy Criswell Wiegand. Bortot was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Bortot used her position as a United States mail carrier to receive parcels on behalf of Derek Hillebrand, the leader of the drug trafficking organization, that were shipped from California to the Western District of Pennsylvania. In total, Bortot received parcels containing approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and 80 kilograms of marijuana.

Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Bortot on Feb. 28, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $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.

The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Cambria County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Blandburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.

Kenneth Gillam, age 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine before United States District Judge

Christy Criswell Wiegand. Gillam was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Gillam was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine from Derek Hillebrand as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users. Gillam also obtained a quantity of cocaine from Hillebrand that he unsuccessfully attempted to sell.

Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Gillam on March 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, 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.

The court ordered that the defendant remain detained pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Man Sentenced To Prison For Threatening Emergency Dispatch

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

Caller placed approximately 143 calls, tied up sheriff’s dispatch line for three hours

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten today announced that Jonathan Joshua Munafo, 35, most recently of Winter Park, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff to 24 months in prison and three years’ supervised release for threatening emergency dispatch personnel and tying up an emergency phone line for three hours.

          “Violence, threats of violence, or intimidation is never the answer,” said U.S. Attorney Mark A. Totten. “My office will not tolerate this behavior, especially when it interferes with the life-saving duties of first responders and jeopardizes the public’s safety. Our public servants on the front lines should never be subjected to this type of harassment for simply doing their jobs.”

          On January 5, 2021, Munafo called the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office demanding to speak to a sheriff’s deputy or sergeant. Munafo identified himself only as “Yankee Patriot” and aggressively berated the dispatcher. When her supervisor took over the conversation, Munafo said, “Put a … cop on the on the phone now … or it’s going to go way worse for your family.” He added, “I’m telling you, this isn’t a … threat, it’s a promise. … I’m gonna cut your throat. I’m gonna make you eat your … nose. I’m gonna hurt you bad for this.”

          “Today, Jonathon Munafo is being held accountable for threats made to a Calhoun County dispatcher and her family,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Public servants – particularly those who work in already stressful positions – should not be threatened or intimidated for doing their jobs. This type of behavior will not be tolerated by the FBI, and we will investigate those who threaten our community with violence.” 

          Munafo placed approximately 143 calls to the dispatch center, even though the supervisor pleaded with him to clear the line for emergency calls. Munafo said the dispatcher was risking lives by letting him tie up the line and that after the “Insurrection Act” he was coming to her house first. Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and FBI investigators determined that Munafo placed the call from a truck stop in North Carolina. The next day (January 6, 2021), Munafo allegedly participated in the assault on the U.S. Capitol.

          Munafo has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. for multiple offenses, including assaulting a U.S. Capitol Police officer.                                

# # #

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Georgia Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking and Extorting Women for Sexually Explicit Interactions and Photographs

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

BOSTON – A Georgia man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for engaging in a cyberstalking and extortion campaign in which he used anonymous social media accounts to harass and victimize women, including a Boston-area woman whom he cyberstalked and extorted for videos, photographs and communications of a sexual nature.

Gary E. Leach, 25, of Athens, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In December 2021, Leach pleaded guilty to two counts of cyberstalking and one count of extortion through interstate threats. Leach was arrested and charged on April 23, 2021 and has been on home detention since he was released from custody on May 18, 2021.

“Justice was served today. Mr. Leach is a coward who hid behind anonymous online accounts to harass, exploit, and terrorize women for his own sick gratification. His disturbing and calculated conduct caused immeasurable trauma on multiple victims – one of whom was kept in a persistent state of fear for over a year,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Cyberstalking is a serious offense that has profound consequences for victims – many of whom are women. My office and our law enforcement partners will not stand idly by. Everyone has a right to feel safe and secure in their community – whether that community is in-person or online. The cloak of internet anonymity is not impenetrable. Bad actors who cyberstalk and victimize innocent individuals will be identified, prosecuted and brought to justice.”

“The victims in this case did not let fear silence them. They courageously came forward and worked with the FBI to help bring Gary Leach’s cruel cyberstalking campaign –one that inflicted intense trauma—to an end. We’d like to encourage other victims of online threats to do the same,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Sadly, the FBI is seeing a surge in sextortion cases, with people of all ages being targeted. It’s a serious crime, and we will continue to work hard to unmask predators like Leach to ensure they are held accountable for their cowardly acts.”

From October 2019 until his arrest in April 2021, Leach, then a graduate student at the University of Georgia, targeted a Boston-area woman in an online cyberstalking and extortion campaign. Leach used anonymous Instagram accounts to obtain private video calls and photographs of a sexual nature from the victim – falsely promising payment in exchange – and surreptitiously recorded the victim during these calls. Leach subsequently resurfaced under a different anonymous account and threatened the victim that he would send the recording to the victim’s family if she did not comply with his demands. These demands included participating in sexual and degrading acts over video calls with Leach and sending photographs similar in nature upon his request. In exchange for her unwilling compliance, Leach promised the victim that he would delete the previous recording. However, during the subsequent interactions, Leach surreptitiously gained additional recordings and photographs of the victim which he used to repeatedly extort the victim for more sexual and degrading interactions under new Instagram aliases.

Leach also cyberstalked other women on social media, including a woman residing in Canada. Leach recorded a video call of a sexual nature with this victim and sent the recording to her roommate. He repeatedly contacted the victim and used the recording to attempt to solicit additional interactions with her. Throughout 2019 and 2020, Leach attempted to solicit video performances of a sexual nature from at least a dozen Instagram users. Additionally, Leach initiated unsolicited video calls with at least 20 other Instagram users for the purpose of exposing himself masturbating and sent unsolicited photographs and/or videos of himself masturbating to users who did not answer the video calls.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that,  on October 25, 2022,  DEVIN CHANEY (“CHANEY”), age 32, agreed to plead guilty to one count of Armed Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and (d) (Count 9); and one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a) (Count 3).  In pleading guilty to the Armed Bank Robbery, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of twenty-five (25) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to five (5) years; a fine of up to $250,000.00; and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. In pleading guilty to the Hobbs Act Robbery, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years; a fine of up to $250,000.00; and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. In exchange for pleading guilty, the government has agreed to dismiss the remaining counts in the superseding indictment.

As part of his plea, CHANEY admitted that on Christmas Eve 2021, he entered the Capital One Bank located on Carondelet St. in New Orleans. He presented a demand note to one teller and received some money but was disappointed in the amount. CHANEY then approached a second teller, pointed a firearm at the teller, and received additional money before leaving the bank. In total, CHANEY robbed the Capital One of approximately $2,506.00. Additionally, on December 12, 2021, CHANEY entered the Subway sandwich shop located on North Broad Street, New Orleans, pointed a firearm at the cashier, and demanded the money in the register. The cashier handed over approximately $600.00 to CHANEY.

Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for February 21, 2023,  before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force and New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Long and Charles Strauss.

 

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Department of Justice Press Releases

LaPorte Man Convicted by Jury of Drug and Gun Offenses

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

SOUTH BEND – Donta Bridges, 38 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was found guilty following a three-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Bridges was found guilty of two counts of distributing heroin; possessing with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine; an attempted distribution of heroin; and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to documents in this case, the charges stemmed from events occurring in September and November of 2019.

Bridges sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 6, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.  Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the LaPorte County Drug Task Force.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Jerome W. McKeever.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

 

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Eleven people arrested in Washington and California in connection with cartel connected drug trafficking schemes

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

Seattle – Three significant drug trafficking groups responsible for trafficking more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills are facing federal charges tonight, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Two indictments charging a total of eleven defendants were unsealed late yesterday following law enforcement activity in two states. Six additional defendants were indicted and arrested in September. Despite the arrests tied to a wire-tap investigation, the traffickers named in the most recent indictments continued their trafficking activities.

“These individuals were bringing large loads of meth, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from Mexico across the border and up I-5 to the Pacific Northwest,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “Even when an RV loaded with drugs was pulled off the highway and seized by law enforcement, they weren’t deterred. The wiretap revealed various organizations continued to recruit drivers and vehicles to transport their drugs throughout our District.”

“Dangerous people are filling our streets with guns and drugs – and people are dying,” said Seattle Police Chief Adrian Z. Diaz. “The entire SPD, including its officers and investigators, have made getting firearms and illegal narcotics off our streets a top priority. We know this months-long investigation, arrests, and seizures will result in lives saved. With more than 350,000 fentanyl pills taken by SPD’s narcotics unit alone this year and shootings in Seattle up 29% in 2022, we thank our local and federal partners for their help in prioritizing this life-saving work.”

Even before yesterday’s search of 14 locations in Washington and California, the drug, gun, and cash totals seized by law enforcement were significant:  1,016 pounds of meth; 9 kilos of fentanyl powder and 330,000 fentanyl pills; 25 kilos of cocaine; and 15.5 kilos of heroin. Law enforcement seized 43 guns and more than $1 million in cash.

“This operation would be considered a success purely by the volume of illegal drugs taken off the streets” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “When we consider a drug trafficking organization was dismantled and the number of illegal firearms recovered through our federal and local partnerships, the positive impact to the Puget Sound region will be immediately felt.”

“The amount of dangerous narcotics seized during this investigation is staggering,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division. “Just looking at the fentanyl seized, since four out of 10 fake pills contain a lethal dose, that was enough to kill 132,000 people. This investigation shows our state, local and federal partnerships are needed so we can keep our communities safe, healthy, and free from these dangerous narcotics.”

Those named in the indictments unsealed yesterday include:

  • Jose Paleo, 29, of La Mirada, California
  • Octavio Guzman, 24, of Huntington Park, California
  • Glauco Guardado Rodriguez, 25, of Seattle
  • Araceli Salas, 30, of Maywood, California
  • Maria Rangel Aguilar, 44, of Huntington Park, California
  • Miguel Thomas, 33, of Tukwila, Washington
  • Tad Fulton, 48, of Seattle
  • Ryan Holmquist, 34, of Issaquah, Washington
  • Timothy Hursh, 38, of SeaTac, Washington
  • Ryan Terry, 44, of Duval, Washington
  • Abel Cruz, 32, of Des Moines, Washington

Six defendants were arrested earlier this year on a September 21, 2022, indictment:

  • Agustin Gutierrez Valencia, 32, of Kent, Washington
  • Daniel Vazquez Arroyo, 32, of Kent, Washington
  • Rosalio Reynoso Arellano, 51, of Los Angeles
  • Ernesto Casillas, 46, of Los Angeles
  • Benigno Hernandez aka Ivan Santos Arellano, 32, of Kent, Washington
  • Jesus Toledo Pardo, 56, of SeaTac, Washington

Two additional defendants were arrested on criminal complaints yesterday:

  • Luis Valenzuela-Haro, 32, of Seattle
  • Michael Kinzel, 37, of Renton, Washington

As for totals from the searches yesterday, law enforcement seized more than two kilos of fentanyl, 4.5 kilos of heroin, ten pounds of methamphetamine and 67 firearms. Also taken by law enforcement: high-capacity rifle magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition, two sets of body armor, one ballistic shield.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Because of the amount of drugs involved, many face a mandatory minimum ten years in prison. One defendant is charged with carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, which leads to an enhanced sentence. One group of defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The charges contained in the indictment and criminal complaints are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The investigations were led by the FBI field offices in Seattle and Los Angeles, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seattle Police Department, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and Homeland Security Investigations, both the LA and Seattle offices.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the

strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti, Lyndsie Schmalz, and Marci Ellsworth.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ricky Lee Clark Jr., 29, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2021, Clark was carrying a loaded Davis Industries, model P380, .380-caliber pistol in his waistband when law enforcement officers encountered him on a residential street in St. Albans.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Clark was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Kanawha County Circuit Court on June 24, 2020.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-59.

 

 

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Mystic Restaurant Owner Sentenced for Federal Tax Offense

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YI DI LIN, also known as “Johnny Lin,” 49, of Mystic, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to three years of probation, and was ordered to pay restitution of more than $92,000 and a $5,500 fine, for a federal a federal tax offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court today, Lin owns and operates Peking Tokyo, a restaurant in Mystic.  In operating the restaurant, Lin regularly paid several employees wholly or partially in cash.  In mid-2019, Lin began using a payroll processing company to issue payroll checks for certain employees, make appropriate tax withholdings, and file Forms 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns) with the Internal Revenue Service.  Lin subsequently failed to inform the payroll company about the existence of the employees he only paid in cash and the amount of cash he paid to employees.  As a result, the payroll company prepared and filed false Forms 941 for four quarters in 2019 and 2020, and appropriate payroll taxes were not remitted to the IRS.  The resulting loss to the IRS was $92,093.

On July 28, 2022, Lin pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. 

Lin has paid $92,093 in restitution.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen Firearm

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man who was inebriated when he fired a pistol from his apartment patio pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing a stolen firearm.

Reggie L. Teagues, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to one count of possessing a stolen firearm.

By pleading guilty today, Teagues admitted that he possessed a Kel-Tec 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 12, 2020. Independence police officers were called to his residence at approximately 4:05 p.m. that day in response to a neighbor’s 911 report of shots fired. The neighbor heard three gunshots, which he originally thought were fireworks. When he went out to his patio to investigate, he saw Teagues holding a handgun.

When officers arrived, Teagues was slumped over on the living room floor in his apartment, near the sliding glass door leading to the patio. Teagues told officers he had consumed approximately one pint of tequila since noon that day, as well as using PCP. Teagues had an injury to his elbow, which he apparently received when he fell into the bedroom window while on the patio. Officers found two spent shell casings on the patio and another spent shell casing on the floor beside Teagues.

Teagues’s girlfriend told officers the firearm belonged to her and that she had it secured in her bedroom closet on a shelf where Teagues had taken it without permission. She had rushed home after getting a frantic phone call from her daughter. She saw the firearm lying on the kitchen table, put it in her purse, and was attempting to get Teagues into the bedroom when officers arrived.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Teagues agree to a sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson, who is a cross-designated prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General’s office as part of the Safer Streets Initiative to combat violent crime. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Keene Woman Sentenced to 60 Months for Drug Trafficking

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

            CONCORD – Jennifer Bosworth, 31, of Keene, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 1, 2021, law enforcement officers conducting surveillance of Ms. Bosworth observed her travel by car from her residence in Keene, New Hampshire, to Lawrence, Massachusetts, picking up an associate along the way.  Once in Lawrence, she stopped at an ATM and made multiple cash withdrawals.  She then drove to an area in Lawrence known for its drug activity. Law enforcement observed Ms. Bosworth interact with an individual who walked up to Ms. Bosworth’s vehicle but did not get inside.  Ms. Bosworth then drove back to Keene. Ms. Bosworth was on probation at the time and had violated its terms by traveling out of state, so law enforcement conducted a stop of her car.  After removing Ms. Bosworth from her car, law enforcement observed a baggie containing roughly 15 grams of crack cocaine. A later search of Ms. Bosworth’s car resulted in the seizure of over 85 additional grams of crack cocaine, over 80 grams of fentanyl, and roughly 10 grams of powder cocaine, along with $1,220 in an Arizona Tea can “hide” compartment, and ATM receipts showing numerous large cash withdrawals totaling thousands of dollars. 

            “Drug dealers like the defendant who traffic fentanyl, crack cocaine and other dangerous drugs across our state borders for distribution will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Young.  “Through the efforts of Homeland Security and local law enforcement working with our office, the defendant will no longer be able to sell these lethal drugs that are poisoning residents of Keene and other New Hampshire communities.” 

            This matter was investigated by the Keene Police Department with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande.

           

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Barton Residence Searched and Woman Arrested on Federal Drug Charges

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Vermont resident Erika Desormeaux, 36, was arrested and held in federal custody following the search of her residence on Maple Hill Road in Barton, Vermont this morning. Desormeaux is charged in a criminal complaint alleging she conspired with two other individuals, Nathaniel Jamal “JJ” Jones and Jermaine R. “Bear” Douchette, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including cocaine and fentanyl, between August 28, 2022 and today. Jones and Douchette—both formerly of Springfield, Massachusetts—were not located during the search of the Barton residence, and warrants remain active for their arrest in this case. Desormeaux is scheduled to make her initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle in the Burlington federal courthouse tomorrow.

According to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, Desormeaux distributed controlled substances from her Barton residence and allowed other individuals to do the same—including Jones and Douchette, whom she regularly hosted at the residence. Investigators arranged the purchase of cocaine and fentanyl from the defendants on multiple occasions between August and October 2022, and most of those transactions occurred at Desormeaux’s residence. As alleged in the affidavit, witnesses described the conspirators’ possession and acquisition of firearms during the investigation, and Desormeaux herself purchased a firearm in June 2022 that she traded for fentanyl.

The charges in the criminal complaint against Desormeaux, Jones, and Douchette are accusations only, and they are each presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in further proceedings. If convicted of the crime of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, each defendant would face a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentences, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force (NVDTF) and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for planning and executing this morning’s search. NVDTF and ATF also collaborated with and received support from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, the Newport Police Department (NPD), and Homeland Security Investigations.

“This case involves not only the distribution of deadly substances but also the acquisition and transfer of firearms to the drug distributors,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest. “Our community is too familiar with the drug-fueled violence that has made its way into our cities and into smaller towns throughout Vermont. We will continue to investigate and charge the individuals who host drug dealers in their homes and straw purchase firearms for them.”

Orleans Sheriff Jennifer Harlow commented on the property and violent crime resulting from drug trafficking in Orleans County.  “The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department is committed to working with our state and federal partners to combat drug and firearms trafficking,” she said. “Drug addiction and the often-violent drug dealers taking advantage of our community have a perilous impact on all of us. It is important for us to collaborate to fight dangerous drugs and to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would do harm with them.” 

“We know that violence and drug trafficking are frequently associated with each other,” said Paul Massock, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “By working with our local, state, and federal partners in operations like the one today, ATF is one step closer toward reversing the devastating trends of overdoses and drug-related violence threatening Vermont. ATF will continue to work diligently alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that our communities are safe from drug and firearm trafficking, and the violent crime that often goes along with it.”

The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Lasher. Natasha Sen, Esq. has been appointed to represent Desormeaux for her initial appearance. Counsel will be selected by or appointed for Jones and Douchette upon their arrests and initial appearances.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn

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Department of Justice Press Releases

22-Year-Old Man Charged for Assaulting a Customs and Border Protection Helicopter Pilot

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

TUCSON, Ariz. –On October 13, 2022, United States Border Patrol (USBP) agents arrested Hugo Alexander Garcia-Sales, 22, of Guatemala, for Assault on a Federal Officer With a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Improper Entry by an Alien.

The complaint alleges that on October 13, 2022, USBP agents responded to a remote area near Henrick’s Well after receiving reports of two suspected undocumented noncitizens. When agents arrived on the scene, the individuals ran, and a USBP helicopter was called in to assist in the search. While the pilot hovered above the ground, Garcia-Sales threw five softball-sized rocks at the helicopter. Although Garcia-Sales failed to hit the helicopter, one rock came within several feet of striking the aircraft, creating a severe risk of injury or death to the victim pilot. USBP agents arrested Garcia-Sales and confirmed he was a non-U.S. citizen without legal permission to enter or remain in the United States. The other individual evaded apprehension.

Assault on a Federal Officer carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Improper Entry by an Alien carries a maximum penalty of six months in federal prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

 

CASE NUMBER:            MJ-22-07776-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2022-191_Garcia-Sales

 

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Local Physician and LPN with Illegally Obtaining and Distributing Controlled Substances

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

SHREVEPORT, La. – Dr. Jeffrey L. Evans, Jr., 65, of Mansfield, Louisiana, and Debra E. Craig, 66, of Converse, Louisiana, were each indicted by a federal grand jury in Shreveport today for illegally obtaining and distributing controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.

Evans was a physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of Louisiana with an office in Mansfield, and Craig was an LPN who worked in the medical clinic and was assigned to work with Evans.  The indictment alleges that beginning on or about January 2, 2014 and continuing until on or about March 9, 2022, Evans and Craig conspired together and with other persons to obtain hydrocodone and Adderall, both Schedule II controlled substances, by fraud.

It is alleged in the indictment that Evans would write prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances to an unnamed person identified as “Individual 1” and to his co-defendant and LPN, Craig. The controlled substances prescribed included hydrocodone-acetaminophen tablets, hydrocodone-homatropine syrup, and Adderrall.  According to the indictment, Individual 1 would fill the prescriptions at a Mansfield, Louisiana area pharmacy and then provide the Adderrall to Evans, who would split the controlled substance containing hydrocodone with Individual 1.

The indictment further alleges that Craig would fill the prescriptions at a Mansfield, Louisiana area pharmacy using the name “Debbie Craig.” Evans would provide cash to Craig to pay the pharmacy for the Schedule II controlled substances and after filling the prescriptions, Craig would in turn provide them to Evans.

It is alleged in nine counts in the indictment that Evans obtained controlled substances by fraud from December 2017 through August 2018.  In addition, Evans and Craig are both charged with five counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud between September 2020 and March 2022. Finally, the indictment alleges that Evans distributed controlled substances through prescriptions that were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose between February 2018 and August 2018.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, Evans faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.  If convicted, Craig faces a sentence of up to 4 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. 

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Alexander C. Van Hook, Special Counsel to the United States Attorney.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Convicted Felon Sentenced to 10 Years on Gun Charge

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

Jackson, TN – Tommarion Latrez Williams, 28, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for 
being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney, announced the 
sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on February 11, 2020, at approximately 10:45 p.m., 
officers with the Bolivar Police Department were dispatched to a disturbing the peace call at E. 
Margin St. in Bolivar. After responding to the scene, one of the officers knocked on the front door 
while another officer walked to the back of the residence. The officer that went to the rear of the 
home heard people talking inside the residence and they appeared to be arguing.

That officer then stepped off the porch and began walking toward the north side of the residence to 
speak with his fellow officers about what he had observed, when he heard someone open the back 
door. The officer pointed his Taser in that direction and observed a man, later identified as the 
defendant, Tommarion Latrez Williams, walk through the back door onto the porch with a gun aimed at 
him. The officer determined that it was too late to draw his firearm, so he deployed his Taser at 
Williams, and Williams fired his gun directly at the officer. Fortunately, Williams did not hit the 
officer with his fired round.

Officers were soon able to subdue Williams and placed him in custody. Williams’ firearm was located 
next to a tree in the backyard. The gun, a Taurus Model PT-111 Millenium Pro, 9mm pistol, was 
reported stolen during an automobile burglary in Bolivar on August 16, 2016.

A check of Williams’ criminal history revealed that he is a convicted felon.  On May 8, 2013, 
Williams was previously convicted of aggravated burglary in Madison County, Tennessee, and he was 
convicted of the same offense in Hardeman County, Tennessee, on May 24, 2017. As a result of his 
prior felony convictions, Williams is prohibited from
possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

An ATF agent conducted an analysis of Williams’ firearm and determined that it was
manufactured outside the state of Tennessee.

On April 7, 2022, Williams pled guilty to being a convicted felon-in-possession of a firearm in 
violation of federal law.

On October 19, 2022, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Williams to 120 months’ 
imprisonment — the highest sentence allowed by law for this offense — to be followed by three 
years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Bolivar Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
(FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @ WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
 

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Jury Convicts Mounds Man of Shooting a Former Girlfriend in 2021

by DOJ Press
By DOJ Press

A federal jury convicted a Mounds man Wednesday in federal court for shooting his girlfriend when she tried to end their relationship in 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Jeffrey Sutton, 54, was found guilty of carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assault with dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.

“More than 4 million American women have reported being threatened with a firearm in homes with domestic violence. Access to firearms by a domestic abuser makes it five times more likely that an abuser will kill his partner,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thankfully, the victim in this case survived Jeffrey Sutton’s attack and testified against him at trial. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Briden and Kristin Harrington’s dedication to protecting domestic violence victims is to be commended. Together, with our law enforcement partners, they ensured Mr. Sutton’s conviction this week in federal court.”

On December 2, 2021, the defendant, Jeffrey Sutton returned to his Mounds home and found that his girlfriend, the victim, had moved her belongings out onto the front lawn. She had decided to move out of the house after multiple arguments occurred between the two.

Sutton and the victim argued outside their residence. Then Sutton drew a 9mm handgun and fired at least eight times toward the victim. One of the shots stuck the victim in the chest near her armpit. She retreated into the house, and Sutton chased her, threatening to kill her and “all her people in Bixby.”

Sutton continued to threaten to shoot the victim while in the house and refused to call 911.

The victim then fled outside to her neighbor’s house. Sutton again chased her and shouted toward the neighbors, “I’m not trying to shoot you; I’m just trying to shoot her.” The neighbors allowed the victim inside, hid her in a closet and called 911.

A deputy from the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department was the first to respond to the scene and found Sutton in the front lawn. Sutton was still carrying the firearm, which was empty at that point. He called the victim an expletive and stated that she “was trying to kick me out of the house.” Sutton was taken into custody.

Law enforcement applied pressure to the victim’s wound at the crime scene and described the victim as “in shock.” She was then transported to the hospital, where it was determined that her chest injury had an entry wound and then a graze pattern, but the bullet was no longer inside her. She was treated and later released from the hospital.

An investigator from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was called to the scene and identified eight shell casings outside near Sutton’s truck. He further found multiple bullet holes and defects in the front of the house, in the victim’s belongings on the front lawn, and inside the house.

A trajectory analysis showed that several shots were fired from the direction of the truck that struck the residence door where the victim was retreating to.

In closing arguments, the defense argued that the victim was not credible and that Sutton was only trying to protect himself and deescalate the situation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden reminded the jury that Sutton was the owner of a Bixby gun store and trained in handling a firearm, and that the only one trapped and scared during the shooting incident was the victim. Sutton, he argued, picked out a firearm from his vehicle that was fully loaded with a 17-round magazine then closed the distance between himself and the victim when he chased her and fired at her again and again. He then reminded the jury that the victim’s testimony, witness testimony, and the trajectory analysis at the crime scene all pointed to the same thing— that Sutton was guilty on all counts.

The FBI, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven J. Briden and Kristin F. Harrington are prosecuting the case.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men report having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. Further, about 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men have experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner. Data from U.S. crime reports suggest that over half of female homicide victims in the United States are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.

To learn about domestic violence resources or seek help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233; https://www.thehotline.org/  In a domestic violence emergency, dial 911.

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