IDICTMENT* – Joseph McDonell, 40

On Dec. 18, a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment against Joseph Heath McDonell, of Dallas, charging access device fraud and identity theft.  McDonell was found in possession of credit and debit card making equipment, stolen personal identifying information, thousands of counterfeit credit card numbers, and several counterfeit Texas DPS drivers permits.  If convicted, Mr. McDonell faces up to more than 4 years in federal prison.  The FBI and Dallas Police Department investigated the case.

INDICTMENT* – Vinson Burnett, 53

On Dec. 18 a federal grand jury indicted Vinson Burnett of Mesquite, Texas for using a peer-peer file sharing program to share and receive child pornography. Two different law enforcement agencies were able to download child pornography from Burnett over a two month period.  Upon execution of a search warrant, child pornography was found on a cell phone and a computer hard drive.  If convicted, Mr. Burnett faces up to 40 years in federal prison.  The Mesquite Police Department and HSI investigated the case.

INDICTMENT* - Quentin Amoako, 30

On Dec. 18, a federal grand jury indicted Quentin Amoako, of Dallas, for possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine.  Amoako was also indicted for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.  If convicted, Mr. Amoako faces up to 25 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 5 years in federal prison.  The FBI investigated. This case stemmed from a  Project Safe Neighborhood investigation, an initiative bringing together federal and local law enforcement to stem violent crime in hard-hit communities.

INDICTMENT – RXpress owners & marketers

Eight Dallas-area pharmacy owners and marketers were indicted for their roles in a scheme involving approximately $92 million in compound drug claims to TRICARE and the U.S. Labor Department, which were allegedly the product of over $9.1 million in illegal kickbacks. DCIS, HHS, the FBI, and the VA – Inspector General investigated the case. Release here.

INDICTMENT* – Katie Jeanne Johnson, 30

On Dec 18, a federal grand jury indicted Katie Jeanne Johnson for intent to rob a Bank of America in Garland, Texas.  If convicted, Ms. Johnson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The FBI investigated the case. 

SENTENCING -- Kenneth Wines, 44

On Dec. 17, Kenneth Wines was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment for his role in a prison bribery scheme.  Wines, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute at Seagoville, Texas, was serving a 35-year sentence for drug trafficking when he and another inmate bribed a prison employee to smuggle contraband, including cigarettes and K2, into the prison in exchange for money.  The court ordered Wines to serve the 13-month sentence consecutive to his undischarged 35-year sentence. 

* An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.