PECOS, Texas – A federal grand jury in Pecos returned an indictment today charging an Odessa man with importation and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

According to the affidavit attached to a complaint, Angel Vargas-Valdivia, 23, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on Aug. 8.  During a Customs and Border Protection inspection, officers noticed evidence of tampering on the rear quarter panels of Vargas’s vehicle, as well as abnormally heavy vehicle doors.  X-ray imaging revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s quarter panels, side doors, rear cargo door, trunk and roof.  Further inspection revealed 154 bundles weighing approximately 72.2 kilograms.  A crystal-like substance extracted from the bundles tested positive for properties of methamphetamine.

Vargas-Valdivia made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Fannin of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig accepted a plea of guilty from Deven Strauther, age 30, on today’s date for knowingly attempting to rob Robinson Jeweler’s on May 25, 2019.  A grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri previously indicted Strauther in July 2019.  Judge Fleissig set sentencing for May 4, 2022. 

 

According to the plea agreement, on May 25, 2019, Strauther and at least two other individuals arrived on the parking lot of the Robinson’s Jewelers in a stolen vehicle with the intent to commit an armed robbery.  Strauther and another individual were armed as they attempted to enter the jewelry store.  The business is equipped with two entry doors that allow entry into the business. As a security measure, the second door must be opened electronically by the staff.

 

Strauther entered the first door of the business as another suspect followed. Strauther and the other individual were not able to gain complete entry into the business because staff did not electronically open the second door. When Strauther was unable to gain entry through the second door, he kicked out the lower portion of the glass on the door to try and get in.

 

Fearing for their safety, the business owner and an off-duty police officer, who were both armed with firearms, fired at Strauther. In response, Strauther discharged his weapon as he and the other individual ran from the business.  Strauther was located approximately 30 minutes after the shooting at an area hospital with two gunshot wounds to his abdomen.

 

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives are investigating this case.

DETROIT – A federal jury convicted seven defendants today of federal civil rights offenses arising out of their blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on Aug. 27, 2020. The defendants were each convicted of a felony conspiracy against rights and a Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offense. Two defendants were convicted of a second FACE Act offense arising out of a blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Saginaw, Michigan.  

“These defendants orchestrated an unlawful clinic blockade and physically obstructed patients seeking access to their doctors, without regard to the serious medical needs of the women they blocked from accessing reproductive health care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These defendants intentionally broke the law. One woman’s fetus experienced fatal abnormalities and the defendant’s coordinated campaign of physical obstruction posed a grave and real threat to her health and fertility. Make no mistake: every American enjoys the right to obtain and provide reproductive health services free from physical obstruction, and the Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those that oppress the free exercise of that right. We thank the jury for the time, attention, and careful consideration of the facts of this case.”

“My office is committed to protecting all of the legal rights of our district’s citizens, including the right to access reproductive health care,” said Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. “The defendants convicted today sought to interfere with that right by physically blocking the doors of clinics providing such services.  These defendants are entitled to their views, but they are not entitled to prevent others from exercising the rights secured to them by the laws of the United States. This case is about the rule of law, and today’s verdict is a victory for that principle.”

According to evidence presented at trial, Calvin Zastrow, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Caroline Davis, Joel Curry, Justin Phillips, Eva Edl and Eva Zastrow engaged in a conspiracy to prevent clinic employees from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services, a civil right secured by the FACE Act. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants participated in the “Michigan Holiness Revival Tour,” a camping tour organized by Calvin Zastrow with the express purpose of blockading a reproductive health clinic during the second week of the tour.  

During the blockade, the defendants sat or stood in front of the entrances to the clinic so that patients and employees could not enter. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendants blocked a patient, S.S., from entering. The evidence showed that S.S. and her husband had made an appointment at the clinic after learning that their fetus suffered fatal abnormalities, and that attempting to continue carrying the pregnancy carried serious risks to S.S.’s health and fertility. The defendants blocked S.S. from obtaining reproductive health care.  

The evidence further proved that Calvin and Eva Zastrow followed a clinic employee around the building in order to prevent her from entering an emergency exit, and that Gallagher and Edl attempted to stall the Sterling Heights Police Department in order to prolong the blockade. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and patients because the clinic was providing, and patients were seeking, reproductive health services.  

According to evidence presented at trial, Edl and Idoni physically obstructed access to a second clinic, in Saginaw, Michigan, on April 16, 2021. The evidence proved that Edl obstructed access by sitting in front of one entrance with a doorstop wedged under the door such that the door could not be opened from the inside, while Idoni used a bicycle lock to chain herself in front of a second door. The evidence proved that Edl and Idoni violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and patients because the clinic was providing, and patients were seeking, reproductive health services.

A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date.

The FBI’s Detroit Field Office and Bay City Resident Agency investigated the case.  

Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Sunita Doddamani for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.

A federal jury convicted seven defendants today of federal civil rights offenses arising out of their blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on Aug. 27, 2020. The defendants were each convicted of a felony conspiracy against rights and a Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offense. Two defendants were convicted of a second FACE Act offense arising out of a blockade of a reproductive health care clinic in Saginaw, Michigan.  

“These defendants orchestrated an unlawful clinic blockade and physically obstructed patients seeking access to their doctors, without regard to the serious medical needs of the women they blocked from accessing reproductive health care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These defendants intentionally broke the law. One woman’s fetus experienced fatal abnormalities and the defendants' coordinated campaign of physical obstruction posed a grave and real threat to her health and fertility. Make no mistake: every American enjoys the right to obtain and provide reproductive health services free from physical obstruction, and the Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those that oppress the free exercise of that right. We thank the jury for the time, attention, and careful consideration of the facts of this case.”

“My office is committed to protecting all of the legal rights of our district’s citizens, including the right to access reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “The defendants convicted today sought to interfere with that right by physically blocking the doors of clinics providing such services.  These defendants are entitled to their views, but they are not entitled to prevent others from exercising the rights secured to them by the laws of the United States. This case is about the rule of law, and today’s verdict is a victory for that principle.”

According to evidence presented at trial, Calvin Zastrow, Chester Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Caroline Davis, Joel Curry, Justin Phillips, Eva Edl and Eva Zastrow engaged in a conspiracy to prevent clinic employees from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services, a civil right secured by the FACE Act. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants participated in the “Michigan Holiness Revival Tour,” a camping tour organized by Calvin Zastrow with the express purpose of blockading a reproductive health clinic during the second week of the tour.  

During the blockade, the defendants sat or stood in front of the entrances to the clinic so that patients and employees could not enter. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendants blocked a patient, S.S., from entering. The evidence showed that S.S. and her husband had made an appointment at the clinic after learning that their fetus suffered fatal abnormalities, and that attempting to continue carrying the pregnancy carried serious risks to S.S.’s health and fertility. The defendants blocked S.S. from obtaining reproductive health care.  

The evidence further proved that Calvin and Eva Zastrow followed a clinic employee around the building in order to prevent her from entering an emergency exit, and that Gallagher and Edl attempted to stall the Sterling Heights Police Department in order to prolong the blockade. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and patients because the clinic was providing, and patients were seeking, reproductive health services.  

According to evidence presented at trial, Edl and Idoni physically obstructed access to a second clinic, in Saginaw, Michigan, on April 16, 2021. The evidence proved that Edl obstructed access by sitting in front of one entrance with a doorstop wedged under the door such that the door could not be opened from the inside, while Idoni used a bicycle lock to chain herself in front of a second door. The evidence proved that Edl and Idoni violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and patients because the clinic was providing, and patients were seeking, reproductive health services.

A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date.

The FBI’s Detroit Field Office and Bay City Resident Agency investigated the case.  

Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Sunita Doddamani for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.

Defendant smashed glass of the Senate Wing Door windowpane and window, allowing the mob to climb into Capitol Building

            WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania man was found guilty in the District of Columbia today of ten felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Leo Brent Bozell IV, 44, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of 10 charges, including five felonies. The verdict followed a bench trial before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 9, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, Bozell attended the rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021, then proceeded to the Capitol grounds. Bozell, also known as Zeeker, was wearing a red and white hat and a distinctive blue sweatshirt emblazoned with “Hershey Christian Academy” across the front. Bozell was caught on video and in photos Bozell ransacking inside the U.S. Capitol.

            After the rally, the Bozell marched with the crowd to the Capitol grounds and made his way past police barriers. Bozell approached the Northwest Stairs, lined with bike racks and police officers trying to prevent the mob from accessing the Capitol. Bozell used a bike rack as a makeshift ladder to ascend to the landing platform. Once there, Bozell waved others up the steps as he stood face-to-face with United States Capitol Police (USCP). While at the front of the mob,  another rioter coordinated the crowd by yelling, “ARE YOU READY TO PUSH? LET’S PUSH! . . . PUSH!” The rioters – Bozell at front – barreled through the police line. Once at the top of the stairs, the mob overtook another police line, gaining a path to the Capitol building.

            When Bozell reached the Senate Wing doors, Bozell bashed an exterior windowpane ten times with a hard object, causing it to crack and break. Bozell moved a couple feet over to another window directly north of the Senate Wing Door, and bashed that window eleven times until glass shattered. At about 2:15 p.m., Bozell, with scores of other rioters, clambered through the window that he helped break.

            Bozell and other rioters marched towards the Senate Wing as nearby Senate staffers hurried away from the mob. A USCP officer respond to the breach. The mob, Bozell included, chased the officer up a staircase. The responding officer led the rioters into the Ohio Clock Corridor where a line of other officers awaited. Bozell separated from the group and made his way down a hall and entered a meeting room for Senators.

            Around that time, two USCP Officers checking rooms for staffers in hiding discovered Bozell in the room. The officers escorted Bozell out, and he rejoined the rioters in the Ohio Clock Corridor and walked deeper into the Capitol building eventually making his way to the Office of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. As he exited the Speaker’s office, Bozell appeared to be carrying something in his hand. He proceeded to the Rotunda doors where he joined the rioters to force the doors open, allowing another flood of rioters into the building.

            Soon after, Bozell was videoed on the balcony of the U.S. Senate Chamber. As the mob chanted “Treason! Treason!” Bozell unpacked a bag that he found filled with emergency supplies. While still in the Senate Gallery, he climbed over railings and reached a pair of CSPAN cameras. Bozell pointed one camera at the ground, obstruction its recording ability, just as rioters made it to the Senate Floor. Bozell made it to the Senate floor shortly thereafter.

            Bozell left the Capitol Building at 3:07 p.m. having spent almost an hour inside.

            Bozell was arrested on Feb. 21, 2021, in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

            On April 26, 2023, a grand jury returned a ten-count indictment charging Bozell with five felonies: obstructing an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; two counts of destruction of government property and aiding and abetting; civil disorder; and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; as well as various misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building and grounds.

            The felony obstruction charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The misdemeanor offenses carry a combined statutory maximum of 3 ½ years of incarceration and potential financial penalties. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.

            The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Field Office's Capital Area Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

         In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,146 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 398 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

      The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota, through Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl, acting under authority conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced today that the Department of Justice has started delivering payments to individuals harmed by the lack of accessible features at West Fargo and Grand Forks properties that were the subject of a recent federal lawsuit alleging violations of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Those individuals were identified through a process established in a settlement between the United States and the defendants in the case.

      The federal lawsuit, filed in March 2020 by the Department of Justice, alleged that Hampton Corporation Inc. and several other individuals and entities violated the FHA and ADA by failing to design and construct multifamily residential properties and an associated rental office so that they are accessible to people with disabilities. As part of settlement agreements resolving this lawsuit, the defendants agreed to contribute to a settlement fund totaling $120,000 for people who suffered harm due to the lack of accessible features at the properties; it is from this fund that the Department of Justice is distributing compensation to the individuals who suffered harm.

      As required by the settlement agreement, the defendants are also in the process of correcting inaccessible features in the common areas of the properties and within the individual units, including: removing steps; installing handrails on ramps; replacing steeply-sloped walkways; adding accessible routes to mailboxes and site arrival points; ensuring that obstacles do not protrude into the circulation path; installing lever handles on doors; widening doorways; retrofitting bathrooms so they are accessible for wheelchair users; and relocating outlets and controls to within a wheelchair user’s reach range. The defendants have also attended fair housing training and agreed that any future housing they design or construct will comply with the FHA.

      “The people receiving compensation as a result of this settlement were harmed by accessibility violations at these properties in profound ways,” said Assistant United States Attorney Tara Iversen. “Steps leading up to apartment building entrances forced some to use unsafe, homemade ramps to get into their homes, or rely on others to lift them and their wheelchair over a step. Too narrow doorways led some residents using walkers or wheelchairs to remove interior bathroom and bedroom doors entirely. And in addition to daily hardships, some individuals suffered real physical injury related to inaccessible features. While we applaud the defendants for their monetary contributions to the settlement fund, timely retrofits to the properties to ensure their accessibility are also critical. Those improvements already completed have positively impacted residents’ experiences at the properties. We encourage the defendants to continue to comply with the requirements of the settlement agreement so residents and their guests can safely enjoy their homes.”

      The properties included in the settlement agreement include:

• Townhomes at Charleswood, located at 1908 Burlington Drive in West Fargo, North Dakota;

• Steeples Apartments, located at 2850 and 2950 36th Avenue South in Grand Forks, North Dakota;

• South Hampton Townhomes, located at 3174, 3274 and 3374 36th Avenue South in Grand Forks, North Dakota;

• Carrington Court Townhouse Apartments, located at 3383 Primrose Court in Grand Forks, North Dakota; and

• The rental office serving Carrington Court Townhouse Apartments, South Hampton Townhomes, and Steeples Apartments, located at 3001 36th Avenue South in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

      The Justice Department, through the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Among other protections, the FHA requires that multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic physical accessibility features, including, among other things, accessible routes without steps to all single-story, ground-floor units and to all units in a building served by an elevator. The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in public accommodations, including the rental office at issue in this case. The full and fair enforcement of the FHA, the ADA, and their mandates to integrate individuals with disabilities are major priorities of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota and the Civil Rights Division.

      More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov.

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Memphis, TN – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Ronald Sandlin, 35, of Millington, Tennessee, was sentenced in the District of Columbia.

According to court documents, Sandlin and two co-conspirators – Nathaniel DeGrave and Josiah Colt – planned to interfere with the peaceful transition of presidential power, beginning in December 2020. For example, on Dec. 31, 2020, Sandlin posted to Facebook that he was organizing a caravan to travel to Washington and sought donations on a GoFundMe site. The same day, he, DeGrave, and Colt began a private chat on Facebook to plan for Jan. 6. In the chat, they discussed “shipping guns” to Sandlin’s residence in Tennessee, where they planned to meet prior to their trip.

On Jan. 4, 2021, before heading to Washington, Sandlin posted to Facebook a picture of Colt lying on a bed holding a firearm, with the caption, “My fellow patriot sleeping ready for the boogaloo Jan 6.” Sandlin understood at the time that the term “boogaloo” referred to civil war.

On Jan. 6, after watching live television coverage of the “Stop the Steal” rally near the Ellipse, at a nearby restaurant, Sandlin live-streamed a video in which he called on “other patriots” to “take the Capitol.” In the video, Sandlin stated four times that “freedom is paid for with blood.”

Sandlin, DeGrave, and Colt then traveled together to the Capitol wearing protective gear, including gas/face masks, helmets, and shin guards. Sandlin was armed with a knife, while DeGrave carried bear spray. The trio then marched towards the Capitol. After arriving on the Capitol grounds, the men scaled dismantled bike barricades and past law enforcement officers, pushing past members of the crowd to get closer to the Capitol Building. Sandlin repeatedly yelled things such as “we’re not here to spectate anymore,” “the time to talk is over,” and “if you’re not breaching the building, move out of the way.”

The three men entered the Capitol through the Upper West Terrace door, at approximately 2:35 p.m. While inside, Sandlin and DeGrave pushed against officers guarding an exterior door to the Capitol Rotunda, slowly forcing the door open and letting a mob stream inside. Sandlin shouted at the officers, “you’re going to die, get out of the way,” before later grabbing an officer’s helmet.

The three men then went together up a set of stairs and to a hallway outside the Senate Chamber. Sandlin incited others in the mob to prevent U.S. Capitol Police officers from locking the doors to the Senate Gallery, shouting “grab the door.” He began shoving officers in an attempt to keep the doors open. As he did this, his hand made contact with the side of an officer’s head. The trio and dozens of other rioters then gained access to the Senate Gallery, where Sandlin recorded a selfie-style video with his cellphone, exclaiming: “We took it. We did it.”

After leaving the Senate Gallery, Sandlin smoked a marijuana joint in the Rotunda of the Capitol. He also stole a book from a desk in a Senate-side office, which he later described to Colt as a “souvenir.” He also picked up an oil painting from the Capitol and slung it over his shoulder before others in the mob took it off his shoulder. He finally exited the Capitol at approximately 3:16 p.m.

Shortly after the riot, Sandlin deleted photographs and messages regarding the events of Jan. 6 from his group chats with Colt, DeGrave, and others.

Colt, 35, of Meridian, Idaho, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2021, to obstruction of an official proceeding. DeGrave, 33, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty on June 27, 2022, to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. Both are awaiting sentencing.

In addition to the term of incarceration, Sandlin was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s

National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Nevada and the Western District of Tennessee.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Memphis Field Offices, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 23 months since Jan. 6, 2021, close to 900 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more 270 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

LAREDO, Texas – A Laredo federal grand jury has returned two separate and unrelated indictments which involve transporting and/or smuggling of large groups of undocumented aliens via tractor trailers, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

 

David William McKeon, 67, Laredo, and Ramiro Leija-Urbina, 31, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, are charged in a three and two-count indictment, respectively. They are both expected to appear for their arraignments before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the near future.

 

Both were originally charged by criminal complaint and have remained in custody.

 

The first indictment alleges that on April 20, McKeon drove a tractor trailer to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35. During initial inspection, law enforcement heard noises coming from inside of the trailer, according to the charges. They opened the doors and allegedly discovered 124 non-U.S. citizens including two unaccompanied minors. The indictment alleges all were determined to be illegally present in the country.

 

McKeon had an expired commercial driver’s license and was to be paid for driving the vehicle to San Antonio, according to the charges.

 

A separate, but similar indictment against Leija-Urbina alleges he attempted to drive a tractor trailer though the Interstate Highway 35 BP checkpoint in Laredo. There, a K-9 allegedly alerted authorities to the presence of concealed humans, according to the charges.

 

Upon further inspection, law enforcement allegedly discovered 160 non-U.S. citizens in the trailer. All were determined to be illegally present in the United States, according to the charges.

 

Leija-Urbina is a also non-immigrant visa holder and could face removal proceedings if convicted.

 

McKeon is charged with human smuggling and faces up to 30 years in prison, while Leija-Urbina faces up to 10 years, upon conviction for illegally transporting undocumented aliens.  

 

Both could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines.

 

Homeland Security Investigations conducted both investigations with assistance from BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew and Matthew Isaac are prosecuting the McKeon and Leija-Urbina cases, respectively.

 

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

LAREDO, Texas – A 32-year-old U.S. citizen has been ordered to federal prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of rounds of ammunition to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jesus Alberto Olivares pleaded guilty May 2 to attempting to export 5,680 rounds of pistol ammunition.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Olivares to serve 75 months in federal prison less than one year after he served a sentence for a drug distribution conspiracy. 

While imposing the sentence, Judge Garcia Marmolejo noted there was likely only one purpose for this ammunition:  to be delivered into the hands of cartel members in Mexico for their use, including killing people.

“This sentence sends a clear message: the Justice Department will be relentless in bringing to justice those responsible for smuggling illegal firearms and ammunition across our southern border,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “We will continue to take aggressive action to combat the gun violence that endangers law enforcement and devastates communities in both Mexico and the United States.”

“The Mexican drug cartels are a threat to the residents and communities of the Southern District of Texas, in part because of their access to illicit firearms and ammunition,” said Hamdani. “Olivares’ decision to hide almost 6,000 rounds of ammunition in the panels of a truck as he attempted to cross a bridge into Mexico will send him to a federal prison for over six years and is a cautionary tale for anyone else who feels compelled to follow in his footsteps.”

On Feb. 27, Olivares drove his black PT Cruiser to the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge on his way home to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Authorities noted one of the vehicle’s doors seemed unusually heavy and rattled slightly as if something was hidden in them.

A subsequent search of all four of the Cruiser’s door panels yielded a total of 5,680 live rounds of pistol ammunition in assorted calibers - 3,600 rounds of .40 caliber S&W, 900 rounds of .380 caliber, 900 rounds of .45 caliber, 100 rounds of 9-millimeter and 180 rounds of .38 SPL +P ammunition.

Olivares admitted he had agreed to smuggle the ammunition into Mexico and had just received the ammunition a few hours prior. He personally hid the ammunition throughout the vehicle’s door and rear panels.

He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assigned to the HSI-Laredo Border Enforcement Task Force, working in coordination with the Laredo Police Department’s Texas Anti-Gang Task Force (TAG) conducted the investigation with the assistance of  Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted this case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

            WASHINGTON – A New York man pleaded guilty today to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            James Weeks, 55, of Sodus, New York, pleaded guilty to a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell. Judge Howell will sentence Weeks on Sept. 27, 2024.

            According to court documents, at approximately 3:02 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, Weeks was seen on video footage entering the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. The Tunnel was created by the construction of a stage for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration and was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day. After entering the Tunnel, Weeks made his way through a crowd of rioters and toward the police line.

            After reaching the police line, and as the crowd of rioters continued to violently fight the police, Weeks reached his arm through the broken pane of glass of one of the gold doors inside the Tunnel behind which the police line was located as if to grab a nearby Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer. As he attempted to grab the officer, Weeks yelled, "Shove it up your a—! You fat f—! I'm gonna shove that up your a—!" and "We're gonna f— you up!"

            Seconds later, Weeks moved around the doors so that he was directly in front of the police. Other rioters in the crowd called out, "Get that door open!" and, in response, Weeks pushed the door open, allowing more rioters access to the police line in the Tunnel. After opening the door, court documents say that Weeks struck an MPD officer using his hands and body. Shortly after, another rioter sprayed Weeks with a chemical irritant, causing him to exit the Tunnel.

            After leaving the Tunnel, Weeks approached the Northwest Courtyard on the Upper West Terrace outside the Capitol building. There, Weeks joined a crowd of rioters gathering outside a set of windows in that area. As other rioters climbed up on the windowsill, kicked, punched, or otherwise struck the panes of glass and/or boards covering the windowpanes, Weeks cheered them on. Weeks then approached the window himself, waved a black can of OC spray through one of the broken panes of glass, and banged it several times against the edges of the window. He then struck the window several times with a wooden stick in conjunction with other rioters, causing the window to break.

            The FBI arrested Weeks on Feb. 1, 2024, in Albany, New York.  

            The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York provided valuable assistance. 

            The FBI's Buffalo and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 41 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,450 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

PECOS – An Odessa man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Angel Vargas-Valdivia, 23, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on August 8.  During a Customs and Border Protection inspection, officers noticed evidence of tampering on the rear quarter panels of Vargas’s vehicle, as well as abnormally heavy vehicle doors.  X-ray imaging revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s quarter panels, side doors, rear cargo door, trunk and roof.  Further inspection revealed 154 bundles weighing approximately 72.2 kilograms.  A crystal-like substance extracted from the bundles tested positive for properties of methamphetamine.

Vargas pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. A sentencing date has not been set.  Vargas faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola, El Paso Division, made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Van Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.

###

SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 124 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.A sample of border-related arrests this week:On April 28, Jose Maria Murillo Estrada, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Federal Officers and reentry after deportation. According to a complaint, the assault happened after Murillo attempted to make entry into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro Port of Entry by running through vehicle primary lanes and was intercepted by officers.On April 27, Emma Alejandra Medina, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Medina was captain of a boat that was transporting eight undocumented immigrants on San Diego Bay.On April 26, Jorge Alexandro Tellez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Tellez was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection officers after he attempted to cross the border in his vehicle in the San Ysidro Port of Entry’s SENTRI lane with 286 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in all four doors, the seats, the spare tire, the tailgate, and in multiple tool bags located inside the vehicle.Also this week, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:On May 1, Juan Morales-Lopez, a Mexican national who was last deported in November 2024 and immediately returned on December 10th, was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in custody consecutive to 12 months custody for violating the terms of his supervised released for his earlier illegal entry conviction, for a total of 30 months in custody. Morales-Lopez has 10 illegal entry felony convictions in total and has been removed from the United States a total of 35 times.On May 1, Jose Ramon Ochoa-Monteverde, a Mexican national living in the United States on a Visa, was sentenced in federal court to 84 months in custody for his role as a coordinator and courier for a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico, Imperial Valley, and the Central District of California. In one instance, Ochoa-Monteverde loaded a tractor trailer with duffel bags containing 106.38 kilograms of methamphetamine at a truck stop in Brawley, CA.On April 28, Alejandro Gutierrez-Aguilar, who was previously convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute in 2014, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally.Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Seattle – Two men, who were in state custody on other charges, have been indicted federally for RICO and RICO Conspiracy for a series of violent home invasion robberies targeting Asian families, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.  28-year-old Kevin Thissel and 23-year-old Christopher Johnson are in state custody and have or will be transferred to federal custody.  The RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) indictment outlines a pattern of violent crimes allegedly committed by Thissel, Johnson, and their co-conspirators.

“The indictment alleges that in the summer of 2022, these men targeted certain families for robberies. To create a climate of fear, these men burst into their homes in the middle of the night, dressed in black, claiming to be police, and with guns drawn,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The primary motive for this robbery crew was money – stealing any valuables they could ransack from these homes. Tragically, they shot and killed one young mother as her 7-year-old child lay next to her in bed. This indictment seeks to hold them accountable for the terror they visited on our community.”

“These traumatic robberies and assaults occurred in the victims’ own homes where their families should have been safe," said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "During these crimes, children were restrained and were present during the violence, including the death of one child’s mother. I’m proud of the work of our investigators and prosecutors to ensure those responsible are held accountable, building a case across jurisdictions and with multiple law enforcement partners.”

The indictment details that the robbery crew often targeted Asian families and committed the robberies between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM in King, Snohomish, and Skagit Counties. The conspirators would kick in doors or windows and disable any security cameras. The robbery crew dressed in black and wore masks. They would often yell “Police” when entering the homes to confuse the victims into thinking it was a law enforcement raid.  The robbers would restrain all the victims, even children as young as nine years old, with zip ties. On one occasion, the robbers kidnapped a woman and forced her, at gunpoint, to go to bank ATMs in the middle of the night in an effort to withdraw funds from her bank account.

Each member of the robbery crew had a certain job: surveilling the target homes; serving as a driver; kicking in the door; corralling the family; holding the victims at gunpoint; and ransacking the homes for valuables. Some of those participating in this violent robbery scheme were juveniles.

Count one of the indictment lists seven distinct racketeering acts:

May 24, 2022 – the armed robbery of a family in Mount Vernon, Washington.

May 24, 2022 – the kidnapping of a young boy in connection with the Mount Vernon robbery.

July 14, 2022 – the armed robbery of a couple in Burien, Washington.

July 28, 2022 – the armed robbery of a woman in Kent, Washington.

July 28,2022 – the abduction of the victim in the Kent robbery to force her to obtain cash from ATMs.

August 19, 2022 – the Everett armed robbery of a couple and their child.

August 19, 2022 – the murder of one of the Everett robbery victims.

RICO and RICO conspiracy are punishable by up to life in prison.

“These senseless acts of violence have profoundly affected our community, leaving a young child without his mother,” said Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson. “This investigation was exceptionally complex, and we would not have reached this point without the dedicated efforts of numerous agencies working together to identify the suspects and hold them accountable. We extend our sincere thanks to the Kent Police Department, the FBI, the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their invaluable assistance in this homicide investigation.”

“This indictment demonstrates those who victimize members of our community will be held accountable,” said Chief Daniel Christman of the Mount Vernon Police. “I am very proud of the work Mount Vernon police detectives did to advance this case, and the partnerships with other Washington law enforcement agencies (both local and federal) that were a force multiplier for administering the rule of law, and ensuring those who engage in criminal activity are tirelessly pursued and aggressively prosecuted.”

Johnson was in custody in Snohomish County serving a more than 90-month prison sentence for domestic violence convictions. He was transferred to federal custody this morning and will appear on the indictment today. Thissel has a pending federal charge for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Thissel is prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior convictions, including three counts of Assault in the Second Degree involving a firearm. He is pending trial in Pierce County for Assault in the First Degree for another shooting. Thissel is currently in custody in Pierce County.

“Any crime targeting a particular group of people is particularly disturbing and atrocious,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “Joining forces with fellow law enforcement agencies is key to our efforts in stopping such violent acts. We are grateful to have played a part in bringing these criminals to justice and hope this can help bring even a small comfort to the affected families.”

“The indictments of the two violent repeat offenders for RICO is a significant step towards bringing justice to the families that were victimized by this criminal group in Kent and across our region,” said Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla. “I am incredibly grateful for the immense work done by our detectives to identify and establish criminal charges for the portion of the crime spree that impacted Kent Residents. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for stepping in and seeking indictments at the federal level. Our communities benefit from the strong partnerships and collaboration amongst the local and federal public safety entities in Washington State.”

The charges contained in the indictment 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 case is being investigated by the FBI with significant assistance from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Kent Police Department, and the King County Sheriff’s Office. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Hobbs and Mike Lang are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.





thissel-johnson_indictment.pdf

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States has settled its federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) lawsuit against BEDFORD DEVELOPMENT LLC, CARNEGIE CONSTRUCTION CORP., JOBCO INC., ROBERT PASCUCCI, and WARSHAUER MELLUSI WARSHAUER ARCHITECTS, P.C. (collectively, “Defendants”).  The settlement requires Defendants to pay up to $195,000 for retrofits at the Sutton Manor condominium in Mount Kisco, New York, in order to make the individual units and the common areas of the building more accessible to individuals with disabilities, and to pay $330,000 to compensate aggrieved persons and to reimburse attorneys’ fees.  The resolution of this lawsuit was approved today by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas. 

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “For almost 30 years, the Fair Housing Act has required newly built residential buildings to be accessible to people with disabilities, but some housing providers continue to disregard that requirement.  The flouting of the accessibility requirements was particularly egregious here, where the condominium was specifically advertised to older New Yorkers.  This Office will continue to use all legal tools available to enforce the Fair Housing Act and ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to residential buildings in this district.”

The Fair Housing Act’s accessible design and construction provisions require new multifamily housing complexes constructed after 1991 to have basic features accessible to persons with disabilities.  According to the allegations in the complaint, Sutton Manor was designed and constructed by Defendants with numerous inaccessible features, including insufficiently wide door openings, lobby doors requiring excessive force to operate, excessively high thresholds at the entrances to the patios or balconies, insufficiently wide doors leading to patios or balconies in individual units, excessively high thresholds at the entrance to showers, and insufficiently clear floor space in the hallways and kitchens for maneuvering by persons who use wheelchairs.

Among the aggrieved persons who will be compensated through this settlement are Michael and Linda Tracey, Mark and Gloria Koller, and Ina Grober (“Intervenor-Plaintiffs”), who each purchased and moved into units at Sutton Manor in 2007, in part because certain of the Defendants advertised Sutton Manor as being accessible to persons with disabilities.  The Intervenor-Plaintiffs initiated this action by filing an administrative complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) and then, after HUD determined that there was reasonable cause to believe that the Fair Housing Act had been violated, electing to have HUD’s determination resolved in federal court.  In these circumstances, the Fair Housing Act authorizes the Department of Justice to commence an action in the United States District Court on behalf of the complainants and assert other claims as warranted. 

Other aggrieved persons may be entitled to monetary compensation from the fund created through today’s settlement.  Aggrieved persons may include those who:

Were discouraged from living at Sutton Manor because of the lack of accessible features;

Have been hurt in any way by the lack of accessible features at Sutton Manor;

Paid to have an apartment at Sutton Manor made more accessible to persons with disabilities; or

Otherwise were discriminated against on the basis of disability at Sutton Manor as a result of the inaccessible design and construction of the properties.

Any individual who may be entitled to compensation can file a claim by contacting the Civil Rights Complaint Line at (212) 637-0840, using the Civil Rights Complaint Form available on the United States Attorney’s Office’s website http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/civilrights.html, emailing us at USANYS-CivilRights@usdoj.gov, or by sending a written claim to:

                        U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York

                        86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor

                        New York, New York  10007

                        Attention:  Chief, Civil Rights Unit

Since 2010, the Office has filed nearly 30 lawsuits to enforce the FHA to combat racial, gender, and disability discrimination in housing, including in the areas of design and construction, sexual harassment, and fair lending.

Mr. Berman thanked HUD for its efforts in the investigation.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine S. Poscablo is in charge of the case.

            WASHINGTON — A New Jersey man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting law enforcement and other charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.            Predrag Jovanovic, 64, of Pilesgrove, New Jersey, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.            In addition to the felonies, Jovanovic is charged with four misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.            The FBI arrested Jovanovic on Oct. 3, 2024, in New Jersey, and he made his initial appearance in the District of New Jersey.            According to court documents, Jovanovic was identified through body-worn camera, open-source, and surveillance video footage near the Lower West Terrace Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day.            Jovanovic previously attended the “Stop the Steal” rally near the Ellipse before making his way toward the Capitol and ascending the scaffolding on the northwest side of the building. After ascending the scaffolding, Jovanovic reached the Inauguration platform outside the Tunnel.            At approximately 2:41 p.m., surveillance footage depicted Jovanovic entering the Tunnel and approaching the inner doorway leading directly into the Capitol building. At approximately 2:43 p.m., surveillance footage showed Jovanovic rushing a line of police officers on the other side of the doorway. One of the officers used his baton against one of the rioters directly in front of Jovanovic.            In the ensuing scuffle, Jovanovic was forced back behind one of the glass doors. About 20 seconds later, Jovanovic forced open one of the doors, allowing rioters to surge forward and attack the police line. Seconds later, Jovanovic advanced further into the Tunnel and pushed directly against a police officer’s riot shield. Meanwhile, police officers commanded rioters to move back and used their batons and riot shields to defend themselves against the surging mob. At one point in the scuffle, Jovanovic reached out with his right hand and grabbed an officer’s baton, then pulled on the baton, dragging the officer towards the mob.            Jovanovic remained in the Tunnel for approximately the next 15 minutes, continuing to push against the police line at various points before exiting the Tunnel at about 3:01 p.m. Jovanovic remained unlawfully within the restricted area on the West Side of the U.S. Capitol for approximately another two hours before police cleared the area.           This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.            This case is being investigated by the FBI's Philadelphia and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.            In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.



jovanovic_sof.pdf

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that the last of three individuals involved in a 2019-armed robbery of a Rally’s restaurant in Elyria was sentenced on Monday, November 1, 2021, for her role in the incident.

Alonda Bryant, 24, of Cleveland, was sentenced by Judge Dan Aaron Polster to 24 months imprisonment after Bryant pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery in April of 2021.

Previously sentenced in this matter was James. A. Jackson, 29, of Cleveland, to 130 months imprisonment and DeMario J. Horton, 32, of Cleveland, to 120 months.

According to court documents, on June 11, 2019, Jackson, armed with a box-cutter, and Horton, armed with a firearm, entered a Rally’s restaurant in Elyria at approximately 2:45 a.m. and forced the store manager and other employees into a supply closet while they committed the robbery.  Elyria Police observed Jackson and Horton exit the restaurant shortly after the robbery and stopped the vehicle that the two were occupying.

After searching the vehicle, police discovered claw hammers, latex gloves, a semi-automatic magazine with .45 caliber rounds in the glove box, a wallet belonging to the Rally’s store manager and clothing matching the description of the suspect’s clothing from the robbery. The following day, officers located an empty semi-automatic firearm in a bush behind the door where Horton and Jackson entered and exited the building. 

While reviewing surveillance footage of the incident, police noticed a Rally’s employee, Alonda Bryant, opening the side restaurant doors to allow Jackson and Horton into the building and later fleeing the scene.  After an investigation, police learned that Bryant had listed co-defendant DeMario Horton as her spouse and emergency contact on her employment application. 

After fleeing the scene, Bryant placed a diversionary call to 911 for a location approximately a half-mile away in an attempt to obstruct police. However, police dispatch determined that the call actually came from the location of the Rally’s restaurant.

Jackson pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in November of 2020.

Horton pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in February of 2020.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Elyria Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Bryson N. Gillard.

 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kailyn Leroy Flack, 29, of Rutherfordton, N.C., was sentenced today to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 26, 2022, North Carolina probation officers were attempting to locate Flack, after the defendant, who was on state probation for a drug trafficking conviction, had removed his electronic ankle monitor. When the probation officers arrived at Flack’s residence, they observed Flack’s vehicle in the driveway with all the doors open. The probation officers drove to a nearby location and waited for back up. While they were waiting, Flack drove up to the probation officers and was subsequently placed under arrest. When law enforcement searched Flack, they found a handgun holster on his hip. Law enforcement then searched Flack’s vehicle, where they found multiple firearms, including a Smith & Wesson, model M&P, .40 caliber pistol, a Sig Sauer, model 516, 556/.223 caliber rifle loaded with a 30-round magazine, a Smith & Wesson, .38 special revolver, and a Taurus, model The Judge, .45/.410 caliber revolver. Three of the four recovered firearms had been reported stolen.On June 27, 2024, Flack was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon following a bench trial. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.The investigation was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Division of Community Supervision, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.  Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.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.

INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man, Jalen Howard, 29 was indicted in August of 2019 for felon in 

possession of a firearm. In May 2021, a jury found Howard guilty, and he was sentenced to 6 years 

in prison for his crime.

According to court documents, in June 2019, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police 

Department  responded  to  several  different  calls  of  gunshots  around  16ᵗʰ  Street  and  

Tacoma Avenue. Each time, officers were unable to locate any suspects, but determined there were 

several males with guns in the area. On the fourth call to the same area, a witness indicated that 

the shooters were in front of a vacant house. Officers located the individuals and immediately saw 

firearms on two of the suspects. In total, four firearms were located on four people. One of the 

individuals in possession of a firearm was Jalen Howard. Howard had previous felony convictions for 

theft and battery.

Two other individuals with Howard at the scene previously plead guilty to illegally possessing a 

firearm and have been sentenced in federal court.

•    Brandon Alexander, 32, Indianapolis

•    Tyler Guigere, 28, Indianapolis

“Gun related crime is devastating the neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis,” said Acting U.S. 

Attorney John E. Childress. “Crimes like these not only put innocent bystanders in harm’s way but 

also tear at the very fabric of the community.  We will continue to work with IMPD and our federal 

partners to address the problem with convicted felons with guns and utilize the rule of law to 

ensure they face the greatest penalty possible.”

“ATF is committed to combating gun violence in our communities,” said Roland H. Herndon, Jr., 

Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “We will continue to work with our law

enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those using firearms to cause violence in our

community, with the goal of a safer Indianapolis for us all.”

“We want to recognize the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers who ran toward the 

gunfire during this incident in June 2019, not knowing the dangers they would face. We also must 

recognize the residents and innocent bystanders who witness gun violence right outside their front 

doors and called the police. IMPD along with our federal and state partners will continue to do all 

we can until the cycle of violence ends,” said IMPD Chief Randal Taylor.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the 

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. Hilton and Kyle M. Sawa prosecuted the case.

This  case  is  being  prosecuted  as  part  of  the  joint  federal,  state,  and  local  Project  

Safe Neighborhoods  (PSN),  the  centerpiece  of  the  Department  of  Justice’s  violent  crime  

reduction efforts.    PSN   is   an   evidence-based   program   proven   to   be   effective   at  

 reducing   violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify 

the most pressing violent  crime  problems  in  the  community  and  develop  comprehensive  

solutions  to  address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most 

violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

BOSTON – A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a conspiracy to harass and intimidate a journalist employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and the journalist’s parents.  

Michael Waselchuck, 36, of Seabrook, N.H., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and the use of a facility of interstate commerce before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2024. Waselchuck was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 along with co-conspirators Tucker Cockerline and Keenan Saniatan. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury along with Eric Labarge in September 2023. Cockerline previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in December 2023.

According to the charging documents, an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an article in March 2022 detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting, Labarge — who is alleged to be a close personal associate of Subject 1 — Saniatan, Cockerline and Waselchuck allegedly agreed to harass and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members. Among other things, the indictment alleges that:



On or about April 22, 2022, Labarge solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s former residence in Hanover, N.H., using a brick and red spray paint. Thereafter, on the evening of April 24, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and allegedly threw a brick through an exterior window of the home;

On or about April 22, 2022, Saniatan allegedly agreed to vandalize Victim 2’s home in Concord, N.H., and Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint. Thereafter, on the evening of April 24, 2022, Saniatan allegedly spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home; and he allegedly threw a softball-sized rock through a front exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home;

On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge allegedly solicited Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in Hampstead, N.H., and Victim 1’s home in Melrose, Mass., using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, allegedly recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence; and

On the evening of May 20, 2022, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck allegedly threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house.



Each charge in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

          WASHINGTON – A Massachusetts man was convicted of felony and misdemeanor offenses related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.          Michael St. Pierre, 46, of Swansea, Massachusetts, was found guilty on Oct. 9, 2024, of one felony and three misdemeanor offenses in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following a bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb.          Specifically, St. Pierre was convicted of felony offense of civil disorder and three misdemeanor offenses, including destruction of government property, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and committing an act of physical violence on the Capitol grounds.          Judge Cobb will sentence St. Pierre on March 14, 2025.          According to court documents, in the days leading to Jan. 6, 2021, St. Pierre posted on social media regarding his actions and intent for Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. In one such post, St. Pierre wrote that he was “off to Washington, DC until Jan 7th to help save our Constitution . . . and hopefully help stop the certification of a crooked, dementia patient who is so deep in China’s pockets it’s insane!!”          On Jan. 6, 2021, St. Pierre arrived at the Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C., wearing a body armor vest and carrying a megaphone. St. Pierre approached the west side of the Capitol grounds and recorded a video on his phone, which was later posted to his Facebook page. In the video, St. Pierre pointed the camera at the Capitol building and said, “That’s where the meeting ground is. Hopefully they bust through, and I’ll join them, to rush the Capitol and go grab Nancy Pelosi by the hair and f—ing twirl her around.”          St. Pierre traveled across the west front and climbed on top of a wall of the exterior façade of the West Plaza next to the Northwest stairs. While there, he yelled through his megaphone as the packed crowd filled the steps next to him and the Plaza below. St. Pierre then made his way to the Upper West Terrace and eventually arrived at the North Doors on the northern exterior wall of the Capitol building.          Here, while the Metropolitan and Capitol Police Officers were outside the North Doors attempting to prevent the crowd from entering the Capitol building, St. Pierre waved the crowd forward towards the Capitol and the outnumbered officers and then pushed on the backs of other rioters who were directly battling with police. While St. Pierre pushed, rioters in front of him sprayed bear spray and used flag poles as clubs and spears against the police officers. Eventually, the crowd charged the officers, and the officers retreated inside of the Capitol building. St. Pierre joined the crowd chasing the officers and cheered on the attack through his megaphone.          While rioters continued to battle police outside the North Doors, St. Pierre attempted to incite the crowd through his megaphone, saying, “Come on everybody, let’s go everybody, we got to get everybody tight. We got to get tight! Let’s go guys! We are going to storm this bitch!”  At one point, while police attempted to deploy fire extinguisher smoke to clear the area of rioters, St. Pierre threw a metal flagpole top at one of the glass windows in the door while officers were directly behind the doors.          The FBI arrested St. Pierre on July 27, 2023, in Fall River, Massachusetts.          The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts provided valuable assistance.          The FBI’s Boston and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. The United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance.          In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.          Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

            WASHINGTON – A Kentucky man was sentenced in the District of Columbia today after he was convicted of multiple felonies and misdemeanors related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Isreal James Easterday, 23, of Munfordville, Kentucky, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to 30 months in prison, 500 hours of community service, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

            A U.S. District Court jury found Easterday guilty of six felonies and three misdemeanors on Oct. 26, 2023, including civil disorder; two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, all felonies.

            In addition to the felonies, Easterday was also convicted of three misdemeanor offenses, including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

            According to evidence presented during the trial, Easterday traveled from Kentucky to Washington, D.C., because he was upset about what he perceived as government corruption related to the 2020 presidential election. He then joined the mob that stormed the Capitol building’s east side while wearing a black beanie with the logo “I ♥ TRUMP” and carrying a Confederate battle flag.

            At approximately 2:30 p.m., members of Congress, Senators, and their staffs were still inside the Capitol building and in the process of being evacuated. At that same time, Easterday was among the mob of rioters just outside the Capitol building’s East Rotunda doors as rioters persistently tried to enter the building, using objects like a flagpole, among other items, to smash the windows of those doors. A small group of U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers, with their backs literally against the wall, were all that stood in the rioters’ way.

            As one of those USCP officers dealt with another rioter, Easterday blasted the officer in the face with pepper spray at point-blank range, injuring and temporarily incapacitating the officer. A few minutes later, the officer collapsed and temporarily lost consciousness, which enabled another rioter to steal his baton. Even after the officer regained consciousness, his vision was compromised for hours afterward.

            Soon thereafter, an unknown rioter handed Easterday a second can of pepper spray, which Easterday—smiling—used to indiscriminately spray another small group of officers, hitting at least one of them in the face. That officer, too, was temporarily incapacitated and suffered pain for hours.

            A few minutes later, the rioters succeeded in breaching the East Rotunda doors. At approximately 2:39 p.m., Easterday illegally entered the Capitol building through those doors and then grabbed multiple other rioters and pulled them into the building with him. From there, Easterday climbed the Gallery Stairs to the Capitol building’s third floor, which he roamed before returning to the East Rotunda doors and exiting at about 2:51 p.m.

            FBI agents arrested Easterday on Dec. 8, 2022, in Miami, Florida.

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Kentucky, the Southern District of Florida, and the Middle District of Florida.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Louisville and Washington Field Offices, which identified Easterday as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #177 on its seeking information photos. Significant assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 39 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,385 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

MEDFORD, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging six Texas men for conspiring with one another to travel from Texas to Southern Oregon to commit an armed robbery of marijuana while disguised as agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Nevin Cuevas Morales, 21, Michael Ray Acuna, 20, Jose Manuel Lopez, 22, Alan Jaasiel Lopez, 19, Jordan Allen Gammage, 19, and Juan Carlos Conchas, 20, all of San Antonio, Texas, have been charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, in the afternoon of March 12, 2022, local law enforcement officers were dispatched to a rural address in Josephine County, Oregon after receiving reports of a possible armed robbery in progress. Minutes later, officers arrived on scene to find a residence with a closed driveway gate and two empty vehicles running in the driveway with all their doors open. The officers observed multiple individuals running toward the back of the property. Victims found in the residence told the officers that multiple armed individuals dressed in DEA attire and wearing body armor arrived at the property and restrained several of the victims with zip ties and duct tape.

The officers quickly cleared the residence and outbuildings and proceeded to search the property and idling vehicles. Inside the residence, garage, and outbuildings, they found numerous plastic totes containing packaged marijuana. They found more packaged marijuana in the vehicles and body armor, badges, firearms, ammunition, and shell casings dumped along the path the suspects fled on near the rear of the property. The badges located resembled those carried by DEA agents. Nearly all the outbuildings on the property appeared to be broken into.

Law enforcement conducted an extensive investigation to determine the identity of the robbers. They soon learned that, in late February, the group traveled from San Antonio, Texas to Southern Oregon, staying in multiple hotels. After arriving in Oregon, the group put on their DEA attire and posed, with firearms, for a photo in a hotel room. Investigators located and seized the incriminating photos and multiple text message conversations in which the conspirators discussed their robbery plans.

Local authorities arrested Alan Lopez the same day as the robbery in Josephine County. On October 14, 2022, after being transferred to federal custody, he made his first appearance in federal court in Medford and remains detained pending further court proceedings.

On October 6, 2022, Morales and Acuna were located and arrested in San Antonio. One week later, on October 13, 2022, Conchas and Jose Lopez were also arrested in San Antonio. All four made their first appearances in federal court in the Western District of Texas and were ordered detained pending transfer to the District of Oregon.

Jordan Gammage is currently at large and believed to be in the San Antonio area.

Conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana are punishable by up to 10 and 40 years in prison, respectively. Using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by up to life in prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Boccato and Amy Potter are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

            WASHINGTON— A New York man was sentenced to prison today after he previously pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.            James Weeks, 55, of Sodus, New York, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,774.00 in restitution and a $5,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell. Weeks previously pleaded guilty to a to single felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers on June 27, 2024.            According to court documents, at approximately 3:02 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, Weeks was seen on video footage entering the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. The Tunnel was created by the construction of a stage for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration and was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day. After entering the Tunnel, Weeks made his way through a crowd of rioters and toward the police line.            After reaching the police line, and as the crowd of rioters continued to violently fight the police, Weeks reached his arm through the broken pane of glass of one of the gold doors inside the Tunnel behind which the police line was located as if to grab a nearby Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer. As he attempted to grab the officer, Weeks yelled, "Shove it up your a—! You fat f—! I'm gonna shove that up your a—!" and "We're gonna f— you up!"            Seconds later, Weeks moved around the doors so that he was directly in front of the police. Other rioters in the crowd called out, "Get that door open!" and, in response, Weeks pushed the door open, allowing more rioters access to the police line in the Tunnel. After opening the door, court documents say that Weeks struck an MPD officer using his hands and body. Shortly after, another rioter sprayed Weeks with a chemical irritant, causing him to exit the Tunnel.            After leaving the Tunnel, Weeks approached the Northwest Courtyard on the Upper West Terrace outside the Capitol building. There, Weeks joined a crowd of rioters gathering outside a set of windows in that area. As other rioters climbed up on the windowsill, kicked, punched, or otherwise struck the panes of glass and/or boards covering the windowpanes, Weeks cheered them on. Weeks then approached the window himself, waved a black can of OC spray through one of the broken panes of glass, and banged it several times against the edges of the window. He then struck the window several times with a wooden stick in conjunction with other rioters, causing the window to break.            The FBI arrested Weeks on Feb. 1, 2024, in Albany, New York.            The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York provided valuable assistance.            The FBI's Buffalo and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.            In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Defendant Was First Rioter to Open Rotunda Doors, Letting Mob Inside

            WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison on two felony charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

            George Amos Tenney III, 36, of Anderson, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2022, in the District of Columbia to interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. According to court documents, in December 2020, Tenney made plans to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. He sent a Facebook message on Dec. 28, 2020, that stated, among other things, “It’s starting to look like we may siege the capital building and congress if the electoral votes don’t go right.”

            On Jan. 6, 2021, Tenney illegally entered the Capitol Building. He moved to the area inside the Rotunda Doors, arriving there at approximately 2:24 p.m. Rioters had amassed outside the doors and were struggling against the police officers attempting to secure the building. Tenney tried to open the Rotunda Doors to allow the rioters inside, and he had contact with multiple federal employees while doing so. He succeeded in opening one of the doors.  A police officer who was outside tried to push them closed, and Tenney resisted, pushing against the door to try to keep it open. An employee of the House Sergeant at Arms then ran towards Tenney, pushing him aside in an effort to close the door. Tenney grabbed the employee by the shoulder. He and other rioters surrounded the employee, and a heated conversation began. A rioter from outside the doors forced his way inside and pushed the employee of the House Sergeant at Arms away.

            Tenney, meanwhile, continued to stand in the doorway, and locked arms with a Capitol Police officer who was just outside the doors. He and the officer moved inside, towards the Rotunda. Tenney pushed away the officer’s hand. While in the Rotunda, he yelled, “Stand up, Patriots, stand up!” He then returned to the Rotunda Doors, where he assisted rioters entering the building, patting them on the back and helping them move forward. When another Capitol Police officer entered the area, Tenney pushed him to the side. Tenney ultimately had to be pulled back inside so that the Rotunda Doors could be closed to keep other rioters from entering. He then retreated to the Rotunda and exited the Capitol through a window at approximately 2:32 p.m.

            Tenney was arrested on June 29, 2021, in Anderson, South Carolina. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay $2,000 in restitution.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

            The FBI’s Columbia, South Carolina Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department

            In the 22 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 900 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 275 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

            WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who were involved in the May 16, 2017, fatal shooting of Isabelle Duval in Southwest Washington.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, including interviews of civilian and law enforcement witnesses, and the review of body worn camera (BWC) and other video footage; autopsy and toxicology reports; District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences’ reports, photographs, and diagrams; audio transmissions; and physical evidence collected on the scene and from Ms. Duval’s vehicle, including an operable Ruger SR 22 .22LR semi-automatic pistol; an operable .45 caliber Zenith Zig 1911 semi-automatic pistol loaded with six .45 caliber GECO cartridges; a black magazine loaded with ten .22 caliber REM cartridges; an extended clip magazine loaded with nineteen 9mm cartridges of various brands; and three empty magazines.

            According to the evidence, on May 16, 2017, at approximately 6:26 p.m., two Seventh District officers were dispatched to the Bald Eagle Recreation Center located at 100 Joliet Street SW, for the report of a “woman with a gun.”  Several moments earlier, Ms. Duval had driven her gray Nissan Altima into a tree next to the recreation center, after previously leaving the scene of an accident six tenths of a mile away.  Civilian witnesses approached Ms. Duval’s smoking vehicle to help her get out.  Although Ms. Duval appeared to have a broken leg, she told the witnesses that she did not want them to call 911 because she had a warrant for her arrest.  Ms. Duval then pulled out an operable Ruger SR 22 .22LR semi-automatic pistol, and started crawling and scooting towards the front door of the recreation center.  As one witness called 911, two other witnesses moved the children who were on the adjoining playground and inside the recreation center to safety.  When Ms. Duval reached the front door, she tried to get into the building, but the doors were locked.  She then sat down in front of the entrance with the weapon in her hand.

            When the two Seventh District officers arrived at the recreation center, they observed Ms. Duval sitting in front of the recreation center with the weapon still in her hand.  The officers, and two other officers who had arrived on the scene, approached Ms. Duval and repeatedly ordered her to drop the weapon, but she did not comply.  At approximately 6:32 p.m., as one of the officers repositioned his cruiser onto the grass next to the sidewalk so that the officers could use the doors of the cruiser as ballistic shields, Ms. Duval rose up on her knees and pointed her weapon at the officer in the cruiser.  The initial two responding officers, both of whom were positioned in front of Ms. Duval with civilians to their rear, immediately fired their weapons in response.  Ms. Duval was struck once in the center of the chest and once in the left buttock, and a bullet grazed her thigh and groin.  She fell to the ground and dropped the weapon by her side.

            The officers immediately holstered their weapons and ran towards Ms. Duval to render medical assistance, but she no longer had a pulse when personnel arrived from the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.  Ms. Duval, 41, was then transported to Howard University Hospital, where she was officially pronounced dead.  The autopsy report indicates that the cause of Ms. Duval’s death was the gunshot wound to her chest, and the toxicology report revealed that Ms. Duval was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.

            Department of Forensic Sciences technicians recovered Ms. Duval’s operable Ruger SR 22 .22LR pistol with an empty magazine inserted into the weapon’s well, and another weapon and multiple rounds of ammunition, from her vehicle.  They also recovered seven cartridge casings that were fired by the two shooting officers.   

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers used excessive force under the circumstances. To the contrary, there is sufficient evidence that the officers were acting in self-defense and defense of others at the time of the shooting.

Use-of-force investigations generally

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.  To prove such violations, prosecutors must be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary.  Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden.  Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.  A conclusion that “there is insufficient evidence” is not meant to suggest anything further about what evidence, if any, exists.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.

 

Jackson, Miss. – Tonya Danielle Ham, 36, was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to one year probation, including 30-days of home confinement, for disposal or transfer of a firearm to a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin.

In and around 2015, the Defendant’s husband, Wilmer Ham, was arrested and incarcerated at Madison County Jail.  While in jail, Tonya Ham spoke with her husband about his charges.  At the time, Wilmer Ham was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm (a felony) and discharging a firearm within the city limits (a misdemeanor).  In one particular conversation, Tonya Ham acknowledged that Wilmer should not have had the gun.  In another conversation, Tonya spoke to her husband about his prior drug offense and possession of a weapon offense.  At the time of the call, Wilmer Ham was indeed a convicted felon and had previously been convicted in the Bronx County Criminal Court for the felony offense of Criminal Sale of Controlled Substance and for the felony offense of Criminal Possession of a Loaded Firearm.

Approximately two years after those phone calls, on September 30, 2017, Tonya Ham purchased a Taurus, model PT738 TCP, .380 caliber pistol.  Nine months after that, on June 1, 2018, Tonya Ham purchased a second firearm, a Ruger, model LCP, .380 caliber pistol.

On September 14, 2018, a Jackson Police officer responded to a call at Tony’s Food Mart located on Highway 80 in Jackson.  Upon arrival, the officer noticed the store clerk frantically waving his hands in an attempt to get the officer’s attention from inside the store.  Upon entering, the officer noticed the store was in disarray and a male, later identified as Wilmer Ham, was standing beside the fountain drinks.  The officer attempted to speak with Wilmer Ham, but his behavior led the officer to call for backup.  Before assistance could arrive, Wilmer Ham rushed the officer in an attempt to exit.  As the officer tried to stop Wilmer Ham, they struggled and a firearm fell from Ham’s pocket.  The firearm was later determined to be the Ruger .380 caliber pistol purchased by Tonya Ham. 

Later that day, at approximately 2:55 p.m., Tonya Ham and Wilmer Ham both arrived at Tony’s Food Mart.  Upon entering the store, the clerk recognized Wilmer Ham to be the same individual from the morning.  Surveillance video depicts what happens inside and outside the store.  The clerk armed himself with his weapon, locked the doors to the store, and dialed 911.  While awaiting the arrival of police, the video shows Wilmer Ham remove a firearm out of his pocket and then put it back in his pocket.  Wilmer Ham is also shown on video continuing to push the door trying to get it open.  At some point, Wilmer Ham successfully gets the door to open just enough to remove the firearm from his pocket and toss it out the door.   

Upon arrival, officers observe the front door partially open with Wilmer Ham in the doorway holding the door open with his foot.  Officers quickly detained Wilmer Ham after confirming he was the same individual from that morning.  When officers begin looking for the gun, they were informed that Tonya Ham had picked up the handgun and put it in her purse.  Officers checked Tonya Ham’s purse and confirmed that the gun was indeed inside her purse. The gun was determined to be the Taurus pistol purchased by Tonya Ham on September 30, 2017. Both Tonya Ham and her husband were taken into custody.

After being Mirandized and waiving her rights, Tonya Ham gave a statement to police.  In that statement, Tonya Ham stated she told her husband to throw the gun outside.  She also stated that she handed the Taurus to her husband while they were in the car before the incident.  The interview was audio and video recorded.

In August 2019, Wilmer Ham was charged in a federal criminal indictment with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  He pled guilty and was sentenced by Judge Reeves on February 24, 2020, to 60-months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and fined $1500. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paul Fortenberry.

This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

 

          GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Anthony Bradell McMillan, 37, of Norton Shores, Michigan was sentenced to seven years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine pills, cocaine, and MDMA. U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering noted at sentencing that McMillan’s possession of a gun during his offense and his history of domestic violence precluded her from granting McMillan’s request for a shorter sentence.

          “Mr. McMillian helped flood our communities with potentially lethal drugs and has a history of domestic violence, including the circumstances that gave rise to this case,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Disrupting the flow of poisons that are taking so many lives and protecting victims of gender-based violence are central to our mission.”

          On January 21, 2024, officers from the Norton Shores Police Department responded to McMillan’s home after 911 dispatchers received complaints that McMillan was inside and reportedly abusing his girlfriend. Upon arriving, officers knocked on the front door and several other doors and windows with no answer. After several attempts, McMillan’s girlfriend eventually emerged. Officers observed injuries, confirmed that McMillan had been beating her, and learned that during the assault, he threatened her with a pistol. As a previously convicted felon, McMillan was not allowed to possess firearms.

          Officers obtained a warrant to search McMillan’s residence. Inside the house, officers seized a digital scale, controlled substance packaging material, MDMA pills, and two digital scales. In the yard, officers found a black trash bag that McMillan had discarded after police arrived. The trash bag contained a .45 caliber Glock 21 pistol, over 2,700 methamphetamine pills, over 100 grams of cocaine, and a banking card with McMillan’s name on it. McMillan was located and taken into custody without incident.

          McMillan was subsequently charged by indictment and, in April 2024, pled guilty to the charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. 

          The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Norton Shores Police Department, Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office, and Muskegon Heights Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Fauson prosecuted it.

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           WASHINGTON – A New York man was found guilty in the District of Columbia on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, of felony obstruction of an official proceeding and other charges related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

           Philip Sean Grillo, 49, of Queens, New York, was found guilty of five charges, including one felony, by a federal jury in Washington, D.C. Grillo was convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony, and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

           U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth will sentence Grillo on a date to be determined by the Court.

           According to evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, Grillo was present at the front of a group of rioters facing the police line on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol grounds. Shortly after he was seen on the grounds, Grillo was observed illegally entering the Capitol building via a broken window near the Senate Wing door at about 2:20 p.m. carrying a megaphone. Grillo then made his way up the stairs to the Rotunda. While ascending the stairs, Grillo was interviewed by an individual inside the Capitol, who recorded the interview on video. This individual asked Grillo, “Look at me and tell me what you’re here for?” Grillo responded, “I’m here to stop the steal. It’s our F— House!” Grillo then made his way further into the Capitol.

           Grillo was then seen on surveillance video footage about 15 minutes later with a mob of rioters attempting to exit the Rotunda and gain entry to a foyer that contained doors leading outside, where more rioters were gathered. However, the rioters’ movement was prohibited by United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers attempting to stop the rioters’ progress. Eventually, the mob, including Grillo, forced their way past the officers and made their way towards the Rotunda’s exterior entryway doors. Grillo was among the first few individuals to get past the officers.

           The mob, of which Grillo was a part, then approached the Rotunda’s exterior entryway doors, which were guarded by three Capitol Police officers. Grillo and the mob eventually pushed past the officers and opened the exterior doors, allowing numerous additional  rioters inside the building. Grillo briefly went through the doors to the terrace area on the East Front of the Capitol where numerous other rioters were gathered.  Grillo made several recordings of himself on his cell phone. In one recording, Grillo stated, “We f— did it! We got to the Capitol building. We f—did it! We f— did it, baby! We f— did it, you understand? We stormed the Capitol. We shut it down! We did it! We shut the mother..!.”

           Grillo proceeded to enter and exit the Capitol three more times and can be seen in multiple instances pushing up against police officers.  In another recording from his cell phone, he can be seen smoking marijuana inside the Capitol. In this video, Grillo stated, among other things, “Our House!” He asks, “Who’s smoking grass?” and, “Can I get a hit it of that s—?” Another video depicted Grillo high-fiving other rioters after smoking marijuana inside the Capitol.

           During trial, the defendant testified that he had “no idea” Congress met inside the Capitol building, but also admitted that he is running for election to the U.S. House to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

           Grillo was arrested on Feb. 23, 2021, in New York by the FBI.

           This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

           This case is being investigated by the FBI’s New York and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In the 35 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,230 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

           Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

NEWARK, N.J. – a Newark, New Jersey man was sentenced today for his role as the leader of an expansive drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of drugs and used firearms to protect their drug operation in Newark, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.Shaheed Blake, a/k/a “Sha Gotti,” a/k/a “Sha,” a/k/a “Bruh,” 41, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark, New Jersey.  He was the last among his 25 co-defendants to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark. Blake’s 25 conspirators were previously sentenced as follows:Anderson Hutchinson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment;Jabaar Blake was sentenced to 163 months’ imprisonment;Jason Colon was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment;Keyenn Rodgers was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;William Teal was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment;Brian White was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment;Todd Garrett was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;Anthony Bowens was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment;Dorrell Blake was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;Daquan Lockhart was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment;Aldoray McClain was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;Sharif Davis was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;Roger Thomas was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment;Lamont Pugh was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;David Rogers was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Hanif Yarrell was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Aaron Watson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Marquise O’Neal was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Jaleel Metz was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment;Bernard Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Jesse Scott was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Rasheem Langley was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Shadesasha Ford was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;Linwood Lyles was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment; andAndrew Knox was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.This case was the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Newark Police Department.According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:Defendants were members and associates of a Bloods-affiliated gang that called itself the “CKarter Boys,” a play on “the Carter”—the name of the drug distribution building in the 1991 film New Jack City.  As Bloods members, the CKarter Boys used the letters “CK” to signify “Crip Killer,” a sign of disrespect to their rival street gang, the Crips.The investigation revealed that the organization’s leaders—Blake and Anderson Hutchinson, a/k/a “Murda Rah”—operated a massive drug market that flooded the streets of Newark with heroin and crack cocaine 24 hours per day, seven days per week.Blake, Hutchinson, and members of their organization sold heroin and crack cocaine to customers out of two neighboring houses near the Newark-Irvington border.  These drug dens were located in the heart of a residential community, just two blocks from the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, a public school serving children from Pre-K to Fifth Grade.  On average, just one of these locations, which Blake controlled, generated approximately $10,000 per day in revenue from narcotics sales, and, on at least one occasion, revenue exceeded $13,000 in a single shift.One of the abandoned residences was virtually impenetrable due to the organization’s efforts to fortify the structure by boarding up all doors and windows. The defendants gained access to the residence through a second-floor window by way of a ladder that conspirators then brought inside the residence.  Once inside the abandoned residence, the defendants would sell heroin and crack cocaine through a small hole that was cut out on a first-floor outer wall, allowing customers to purchase narcotics in exchange for cash, similar to a restaurant’s drive-through window.  In a backyard shed, the defendants stored narcotics, a communal cell phone that was used to operate the business, multiple firearms, and several boxes of ammunition.The investigation resulted in charges against 26 defendants, including Blake, two other leaders, middlemen who assisted with transporting drugs and drug proceeds, distributors, and suppliers.Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Irvington Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Belleville Police Department, the West Orange Police Department, the Livingston Police Department, the Nutley Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Verona Police Department.The CKarter Boys were prosecuted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”).  The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark.  As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community.  The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Essex County Correctional Facility, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.                                                           ###

WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man pleaded guilty today to two felony charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

George Amos Tenney III, 35, of Anderson, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. According to court documents, in December 2020, Tenney made plans to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. He sent a Facebook message on Dec. 28, 2020, that stated, among other things, “It’s starting to look like we may siege the capital building and congress if the electoral votes don’t go right.”

On Jan. 6, Tenney illegally entered the Capitol Building. He moved to the area inside the Rotunda Doors, arriving there at approximately 2:24 p.m. Rioters had amassed outside the doors and were struggling against the police officers attempting to secure the building. Tenney tried to open the Rotunda Doors to allow the rioters inside, and he had contact with multiple federal employees while doing so. He succeeded in opening one of the doors.  A police officer who was outside tried to push them closed, and Tenney resisted, pushing against the door to try to keep it open. An employee of the House Sergeant at Arms then ran towards Tenney, pushing him aside in an effort to close the door. Tenney grabbed the employee by the shoulder. He and other rioters surrounded the employee, and a heated conversation began. A rioter from outside the doors forced his way inside and pushed the employee of the House Sergeant at Arms away.

Tenney, meanwhile, continued to stand in the doorway, and locked arms with a Capitol Police officer who was just outside the doors. He and the officer moved inside, towards the Rotunda. Tenney pushed away the officer’s hand. While in the Rotunda, he yelled, “Stand up, Patriots, stand up!” He then returned to the Rotunda Doors, where he assisted rioters entering the building, patting them on the back and helping them move forward. When another Capitol Police officer entered the area, Tenney pushed him to the side. Tenney ultimately had to be pulled back inside so that the Rotunda Doors could be closed to keep other rioters from entering. He then retreated to the Rotunda and exited the Capitol through a window at approximately 2:32 p.m.

Tenney was arrested on June 29, 2021, in Anderson, South Carolina. He is to be sentenced on Oct. 20, 2022. He faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison in prison on the civil disorder charge and up to 20 years in prison on the obstruction charge. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

The FBI’s Columbia, South Carolina Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department

In the 17 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 840 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.  

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov

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            WASHINGTON – A Kansas man was sentenced to prison today after he previously pleaded guilty to two felonies related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            William Chrestman, 51, of Olathe, Kansas, was sentenced to 55 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Chrestman pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and threatening a federal officer, both felonies, on Oct. 16, 2023.

            According to court documents, Chrestman, a second-degree member of the Proud Boys in the organization's Kansas City chapter, made plans with other members of the group to travel to Washington, D.C., to, among other things, show their support for then-President Trump and protest Congress' certification of the Electoral College vote. On Jan. 5, 2021, Chrestman and other Proud Boys members arrived in Arlington, Virginia, where they stayed at a rental home that Chrestman described as the "safe house."

            On Jan. 6, 2021, Chrestman traveled from Arlington to Washington, D.C., with others and met up with a larger group of Proud Boys near the Washington Monument. Chrestman was wearing a tactical vest and protective gloves and carried a gas mask and a wooden axe handle with a flag attached to it.

            After joining the large group of Proud Boys, Chrestman marched with them in the street near the U.S. Capitol while shouting, among other things, "Whose streets? Our streets." The group ultimately made their way to the west side of the Capitol's grounds, outside of the restricted, fenced-off perimeter made up of barricades guarded by uniformed United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers.

            At about 1:00 p.m., the crowd breached the line of barriers and surged toward the Capitol building. Chrestman and other Proud Boys he had been marching with moved forward as part of this crowd surge during this initial breach. Chrestman then moved to the front of the crowd, where he encouraged other rioters by waving them forward and shouting, "Go! Go! Go!"

            Chrestman remained on the West Front of the Capitol for more than one hour, failing to leave the area and remaining unlawfully on the restricted grounds. For much of this time, he remained at the front of the crowd. While positioned here, Chrestman stood directly next to a line of USCP officers attempting to hold a perimeter. Behind that police line, from an elevated position, other USCP officers were firing less-lethal "pepper-ball" rounds at specific agitators in the crowd who were physically engaging with police.

            Court documents say that Chrestman pointed his finger at the officers armed with less-lethal munitions, gestured toward them with his axe handle, and shouted in their direction, "Hey, if you shoot, I'll f— take your a— out." When the defendant shouted this, he stood several feet away from multiple USCP officers.'

            Chrestman eventually entered the Capitol building via the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:25 p.m. Once inside, he and others, including other members of the Proud Boys, moved about the building and made their way to the Crypt. Here, Chrestman and others took steps to ensure that a large metal overhead door near the Crypt would remain open, allowing other rioters to move freely about the building. Specifically, Chrestman used his axe handle to prop open the door. After successfully obstructing the barrier, Chrestman and others progressed into the Capitol Visitor Center and eventually left the building via the Senate Wing Door.

            At the Capitol Visitor Center, an altercation broke out between police officers and a rioter that the officers attempted to arrest. Chrestman stepped in and prevented the arrest.

            Chrestman later said of his actions, "We had the cops running through the f— State Building [sic], dude, trying to slam the emergency doors, like, the big garage door-type ones that segregate off the rooms, and we were throwing f— chairs under there to block it dude, to keep going down… The cops were legitimately scared for their f— lives."

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia with assistance provided by the Justice Department's National Security Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas.

         This case was investigated by the FBI's Washington and Kansas City Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

         In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

         Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jatinbhai Naresh Bhakta, 31, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 4 years in prison and ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment of over $1 million for using a facility of interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in 2015, Bhakta purchased and began operating the Desert Star Motel at 516 South Union Avenue in Bakersfield. Bhakta lived in a unit at the motel. Co‑defendant Roy Gene Drees, 45, also lived at the motel and was employed as a handyman and general manager.  During Bhakta’s ownership from at least 2018 to 2020, the Desert Star primarily catered to prostitutes and their actual and potential clients. Bhakta communicated with pimps by telephone and messaging applications, and would check in on prostitutes when asked to do so by the pimps.  Depending on the time of day, it was not unusual to see most, if not all, of the doors to motel rooms wide open with suspected prostitutes in lingerie standing outside, waving to drivers and approaching their vehicles. Prospective customers would park directly in front of the room of the prostitute they desired, and the prostitute would either direct them into the room immediately or meet the customer outside to arrange a deal. There were approximately 20 to 25 rooms available for rent, most of which were occupied by prostitutes, with very few, if any, used for legitimate overnight residency. Bhakta routinely charged rates of $120-140 per room per night in cash. From 2018 through January 2020, Bhakta deposited over $1 million in cash into his bank accounts, at a typical rate of approximately $30,000 to $40,000 per month.

In May 2019, two minor females were rescued from the property after having been trafficked by Darnell Edwards, 33, of Antioch at the Desert Star. On Jan. 22, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Desert Star, and 15 prostitutes and three pimps were encountered. Drees and Bhakta were arrested at that time.

On Nov. 10, 2022, Bhakta pleaded guilty. On May 1, 2023, Edwards was sentenced to 19 years and seven months for sex trafficking of the two minors.

Charges are pending against Drees, who is scheduled for trial on March 23, 2024. If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bakersfield Police Department, and the Parole Division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Algernon Tamasoa, 28, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to eight years in prison for his participation in a methamphetamine trafficking organization and for selling dangerous assault rifles, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

On January 11, 2017, Tamasoa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and dealing firearms without a license.

According to court documents, Tamasoa conspired with co-defendant Epati Malauulu, 42, of Suisun City, and others to purchase high quality methamphetamine in California and ship it into Hawaii where it sold at a large profit on Oahu, an area hit particularly hard by the crystal methamphetamine epidemic.

Co-defendants John Ortiz, 44, of Vallejo; and Francisco Poloai, 45, of Dixon, were also charged in the drug conspiracy in the Eastern District of California. Ultimately, the drug investigation led to 44 defendants being charged in the District of Hawaii and four being charged in the Northern District of California (San Francisco).

According to court documents, between February 6, 2015, and May 27, 2015, Tamasoa sold 11 assault rifles to an undercover agent. Several of the rifles had high-capacity magazines. Tamasoa provided ammunition in addition to the firearm in the first four firearm sales. These assault weapons shoot high-velocity bullets that go through the bulletproof vests that most law enforcement officers wear. They also can go through walls and doors in an urban setting. Two of the assault rifles were manufactured by unlicensed gun makers and lacked serial numbers, making them untraceable.

On April 26, 2017, Malauulu was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and on May 17, 2017, Ortiz was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the methamphetamine trafficking activity. Poloai, the sole remaining defendant in the drug trafficking case, is scheduled for trial on September 25, 2017. The charges against Poloai are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Solano County Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Fairfield Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department, the Honolulu Police Department, and others. Assistant United States Attorney Richard Bender is prosecuting the Sacramento case.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

CONTACT:    Barbara Burns

PHONE:    (716) 843-5817

FAX #:    (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Khaled Abughanem, 50, and Waleed Abughanem, 32, both of Lackawanna, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to kidnap persons in a foreign country. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins, who are handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, in December 2022, the FBI began investigating the travel of an adult American citizen (Victim), who investigators believe was tricked into traveling from the Buffalo area to Yemen in an attempt to force her into an arranged marriage. The complaint states that defendant Khaled Abughanem, the Victim’s father, and her brother, Waleed Abughanem, discussed killing her if she did not abide by their wishes.

Subsequent investigation determined that in September 2021, without her family’s knowledge, the Victim traveled to Mexico. After learning where she was, the Victim’s family traveled to Mexico and physically forced her, involuntarily, to return to the United States. According to the Victim, her father stated, “she would be traveling outside the United States whether she liked it or not, or he would bury her in the backyard.” The Victim attempted to flee her residence only to find that all doors had been locked. She was also forced to withdraw as a student from the University at Buffalo, lost all access to the internet and social media, and was under constant threat of harm. The Victim was told if she did not comply and agree to an arranged marriage, she would be locked up in her home without contact with the outside world forever and her fiancé, who her family disapproved of, would be killed. 

On September 17, 2021, the Victim’s fiancé called the Lackawanna Police Department stating he had not been able to contact the Victim for over a week. Lackawanna Police responded to the Abughanem residence and advised the family to contact the Victim’s fiancé. Subsequently, The Abughanem family, with the Victim, left Lackawanna and traveled to Sanaa, Yemen, where the Victim is currently being held by family. According to the Victim, her father stated that “you are no longer in the West, you are in the Middle East, women like you are killed.” The Victim stated that her father proposed a marriage for which he would be paid $500,000, but she refused, and as a result was physically assaulted. The Victim’s fiancé continued to call the Lackawanna Police, who responded to the Abughanem residence but were told the Victim is fine and to stop making welfare checks. In April 2022, some members of the family left Yemen and returned to the United States, leaving the Victim in Yemen, under the supervision of two of her brothers. 

The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and are being held pending a detention hearing on February 17, 2023.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Darren Cox, Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. Additional assistance was provided by CPB in Boston, Massachusetts, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

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

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A Missouri man pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for setting fire to a house of worship.According to court documents, Christopher Scott Pritchard, 48, pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with arson for setting fire to the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on April 28, 2021. Pritchard admitted that he intentionally set fire to the church and that the fire he set caused a complete structural loss and obstructed the church’s congregants in the free exercise of their religious beliefs, as the city had to relocate and rent space from the city to hold its religious services.“This defendant is being held accountable for viciously setting fire to and burning down the Church of Latter-Day Saints, a house of worship that served as a meeting place for LDS community members in Cape Girardeau,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Before this tragic fire, the church opened its doors to all, helped to feed the hungry, and support the needy. Attacks on houses of worship in our country undermine the fundamental right to practice one’s religion free from fear or violence. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce federal laws that protect all houses of worship from violent, hate-fueled attacks.”“An attack on a church is devastating, for the community and even more so for the members of that church,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “Christopher Pritchard’s guilty plea today is the first step toward bringing justice for this crime.”“No one should live in fear because of their religious beliefs,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough. “Today’s guilty plea serves as a reminder that justice will prevail when acts of hate threaten our communities. The FBI will vigorously pursue anyone who attempts to infringe upon the ability of congregants to exercise their constitutional right to religious freedom.”“We are grateful no one was physically hurt when the church was destroyed by arson,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Heeb of the FBI St. Louis Field Office. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue those who try to deny congregants of any house of worship from exercising their rights to religious freedom.”“ATF will always provide expertise and resources to investigate arsons, and no case is that expertise more critical than a fire such as this,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard G. Hansen of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division. “When a house of worship is intentionally destroyed by fire, it is not only that congregation that suffers, but the entire community. Religious centers, churches and mosques are often at the center of our neighborhoods, offering sanctuaries of peace and caring to those in need. Today’s guilty plea is a direct result of local, state, and federal law enforcement working together to ensure justice in this unthinkable act.”Pritchard will be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for violating the Church Arson Prevention Act and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison for arson of a building affecting foreign or interstate commerce. Pritchard also faces a fine of up to $250,000 with respect to each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The FBI St. Louis Field Office, ATF, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hahn for the Eastern District of Missouri prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

LAREDO, Texas – A 32-year-old U.S. citizen has pleaded guilty to smuggling goods from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jesus Alberto Olivarez admitted to attempting to export 5,680 rounds of assorted pistol ammunition.  

“All too often, the smuggling of illegal firearms and ammunition to Mexico is used to fuel a scourge of violence that threatens law enforcement and security officials, as well as the communities they serve,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “To protect our law enforcement partners and the people of both our nations, the Justice Department will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to stop those who would traffic illegal guns and ammunition to Mexico.”

“Olivarez was about to drive into Mexico with almost 6,000 rounds of live ammunition until the expertise and keen ear of a law enforcement officer thwarted his plan,” said Hamdani. “Stopping the illegal flow of firearms and ammunition into Mexico saves lives and will always be a priority of the Southern District of Texas and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

On Feb. 27, Olivarez drove his black PT Cruiser to the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge on his way home to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Authorities noted one of the vehicle’s doors rattled as if something was hidden in it and seemed unusually heavy.

A subsequent search of all four of the Cruiser’s door panels yielded a total of 5,680 live rounds of pistol ammunition in assorted calibers - 3,600 rounds of .40 caliber S&W, 900 rounds of .380 caliber, 900 rounds of .45 caliber, 100 rounds of 9-millimeter and 180 rounds of .38 SPL +P ammunition.

Olivarez admitted he had agreed to smuggle the ammunition into Mexico and had just received the ammunition a few hours prior. He personally hid the ammunition throughout the vehicle’s door and rear panels.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing Aug. 9. At that time, Olivarez faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assigned to the HSI-Laredo Border Enforcement Task Force, working in coordination with the Laredo Police Department’s Texas Anti-Gang Unit, conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury in McAllen has convicted a 27-year-old Mexican citizen for conspiracy and harboring and transporting aliens within the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

The jury deliberated for approximately an hour before convicting Silverio Moreno-Calderon following a two-day trial.

Moreno-Calderon illegally resided in a stash house on West 1st Street in Mission. On Feb. 2, authorities observed Moreno-Calderon exit the residence and meet with a driver in a black sport utility vehicle.

At that time, Moreno-Calderon prepared the vehicle for transportation of the undocumented individuals by rearranging the vehicle’s contents and viewing it from all angles with the doors both open and closed.

The jury heard that Moreno-Calderon directed three individuals into the vehicle and concealed them with blankets, boxes and various items. Soon after, the loaded vehicle departed from the residence. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and found the undocumented individuals in the car. They were later determined to be illegally present in the United States.

Authorities searched the residence and discovered an additional 24 people who had been smuggled into the country and were awaiting further transportation.

At trial, two of the aliens provided testimony describing how Moreno-Calderon confiscated their cell phones upon arrival to the house, enforced rules they needed to follow and determined when they would be able to contact their families. One of individuals testified how Moreno-Calderon punched him in the face for attempting to use his cell phone without permission.

Moreno-Calderon’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty to transporting aliens within the United States. One of whom, the driver, testified how he had driven from Houston the day before and planned to transport four aliens back to the area. However, he and Moreno-Calderon were only able to fit three people in the vehicle due to their size. He also told the jury how he followed Moreno-Calderon’s advice as it seemed like he had done this many times. He testified how Moreno-Calderon told him that he was planning on walking a group north following the driver’s departure.

The defense attempted to convince the jury that Moreno-Calderon was just an alien who was also smuggled, not a smuggler. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge Miceala Alvarez presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 3. At that time, Moreno-Calderon faces up to 10 years on each conviction as well as a possible $10 million maximum fine.

Moreno-Calderon has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric D. Flores and Lee Fry are prosecuting the case.  

         WASHINGTON — A Maine man has been arrested on felony charges, including civil disorder, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

         Lincoln Deming, 44, of Kittery, Maine, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with civil disorder, a felony; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; entering and remaining in the Gallery of Congress; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, picketing, or demonstrating in a Capitol building. 

         Deming was arrested on May 11, 2024, in Maine. He is expected to make his initial appearance later today in the District of Maine.

         According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Deming was on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol, where police officers had erected barricades made of interlocking metal bike racks to prevent the crowd from advancing closer to the Capitol building. Video shows Deming pulling on a bike rack barricade in an apparent attempt to infiltrate the police line and allow rioters to overtake the West Plaza. He fell while apparently using his body weight to pull on the barrier. Body-worn camera footage shows Deming re-approached the police line. At approximately 2:07 p.m., Deming threw an object toward officers on the West Plaza. Deming left the West Plaza and made his way up a set of stairs to the Upper West Terrace at approximately 2:18 p.m. 

         Deming entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:23 p.m. and remained inside the Capitol for approximately 33 minutes. He made his way to the third floor, where he attempted to open several locked doors, including the Dome Bulfinch Door.  He also entered the Senate Gallery.

         Deming exited the Capitol through the Rotunda Doors at approximately 2:56 p.m.

         This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.

         The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Portland (Maine) and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

         In the 40 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,424 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

         Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

         A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

In San Antonio this afternoon, a federal judge sentenced 54-year-old Raul Ramos (aka “Alto,” “Naranjo,” “GQ”) to life in federal prison for his leadership role in a conspiracy to extort money from drug traffickers operating in their territory without permission, announced U.S. Attorney John Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ordered that Ramos pay a monetary judgement in the amount of $275,500 representing a portion of the profits derived from the criminal scheme.

On May 2, 2018, Ramos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. 

According to court records, Ramos assumed the rank of Texas Mexican Mafia (TMM) Free World General based in San Antonio on or before January 1, 2015.   The TMM leadership controls and directs collection of the drug tax.  All members who participate in the collection of the tax, and the leaders who direct them, understand and agree that drug dealers are not permitted to sell drugs without paying the tax.  Dealers have no choice; payment of the tax is mandatory and this rule is enforced through violence.

Once a drug dealer is identified, this information is passed up to the leadership.  The leadership will make an effort to confirm this information, usually through a purchase from the drug dealer.  If the information is confirmed, TMM soldiers are instructed to visit the drug dealer.  If the dealer denies dealing in TMM territory without permission he is ordered to pay more.  If the dealer refuses, he usually is robbed and beaten immediately. If the first visit does not convince the dealer to comply, the second visit will be a “door kick.”  The front door is kicked in, armed gang members storm the home, all occupants are beaten and sometimes tied up, and anything of value is taken such as narcotics, jewelry, electronics, guns, and automobiles.  After a “door kick,” all dealers begin paying the tax.

This prosecution has resulted in 37 convictions of members and associates of the Texas Mexican Mafia; 21 of which have resulted in sentences ranging from 63 months to life in federal prison.  Sixteen (16) defendants are awaiting sentencing.

“Dismantling violent gangs is a continuing priority for the FBI. We share a long commitment with our law enforcement partners to address the dangerous threat facing our communities.  Today's sentence should send a clear message to those who are involved in gang related enterprises - we will not tolerate the violence, fear and intimidation you inflict on our neighborhoods,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Combs.

This federal indictment stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the FBI, New Braunfels Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and the San Antonio Police Department.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) assisted in this investigation.

The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

SAN ANTONIO – An El Indio man pleaded guilty today to transportation of undocumented non-citizens.

According to court documents, on March 22, 2021, Luis Enrique De La Cerda, 55, was identified as the driver of a tractor trailer traveling through Pearsall.  Witnesses reported to law enforcement that multiple body parts were observed sticking out from the rear of the trailer, including the head of a male child.  The tractor trailer parked in an abandoned parking lot near the outskirts of town where De La Cerda opened the rear trailer door, allowing multiple individuals to stream out of the trailer.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Pearsall Police Department were at the scene and apprehended De La Cerda.  In addition, 69 undocumented non-citizens, including five unaccompanied minors, were detained from the tractor trailer.  Many complained of difficulty breathing due to no ventilation and hot temperatures in the trailer.

De La Cerda pleaded guilty today to one count of transporting illegal aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2022 and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. United States District Judge Jason K. Pulliam will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden made the announcement.

HSI, with assistance from DPS and the Pearsall Police Department, is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew W. Kinskey is prosecuting the case.

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – On January 3, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Isrrael Millan, 19, of San Luis, Arizona, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Importation of Methamphetamine.

The indictment alleges that, on December 9, 2022, Millan applied for entry into the United States from Mexico, at the San Luis Port of Entry near Yuma, Arizona. At the Port, Customs and Border Protection officers conducted a search of Millan’s vehicle and discovered 170 cellophane-wrapped packages concealed in the quarter panels, doors, rocker panels, firewall, and dashboard. In total, the officers found over 175 pounds of methamphetamine in Millan’s vehicle.

A conviction on each charged offense carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.

An indictment 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.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-23-00006-PHX-SPL

RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-005_Millan

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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.

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man who fatally shot a cab driver in Hazelwood, Missouri in 2022 to 22 years in prison. 

Trishawn Jones, 20, was one of four teens involved in the robbery of Dewight Price, 54, on April 24, 2022. All four pleaded guilty and two await sentencing. Coron Dees, 20, and Jeremiah Allen, 20, pleaded guilty to a robbery charge. Jones and Tywon Harris, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting in the commission of a murder. Judge Autrey sentenced Dees to 17 years in prison in April. 

After leaving a party in downtown St. Louis, the four teens stopped at a downtown gas station and called for a cab at 5:23 a.m. They planned to take the taxi to a fake address near Allen’s home, then run away without paying. After learning that they would have to prepay, they began discussing plans to rob Price.

They told Price to drive to Hazelwood Central High School, thinking there would be no witnesses there at that time.  Dees and Jones then robbed Price at gunpoint. Price begged the teens not to shoot. After Price handed cash to Jones, Price grabbed a firearm he kept in his door. Allen warned the others that Price had a gun.  

Price began to get out of the cab, but Harris opened his door, knocking Price to the ground. Jones saw Price’s gun and fired once, striking Price in the torso. The teens then ran away without rendering aid to Price or calling for help.

In a letter to Judge Autrey, one of Price’s daughters wrote that her father “was the happiest joyful person just trying to get his customers to their destinations safely and satisfied.”

The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel is prosecuting the case.

Three Miami-based wildlife traffickers were recently sentenced to prison for trapping and selling migratory birds.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Edward Grace, Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Region; Alfredo Escanio, Major/Regional Commander, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Division of Law Enforcement, South B Region; Martin G. Wade, Director, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations, Miami Air and Marine Branch; Pedro Ramos, Superintendent, Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks (NPS); and Antonio J. Gomez, Postal Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division made the announcement.

In April of this year, law enforcement announced the filing of federal charges against six individuals, in six separate cases, for their involvement with the trafficking of over 400 migratory birds.   Each of the six defendants pled guilty to various criminal offenses involving migratory birds.  Three of the defendants, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, a/k/a “El Doctor,” Miguel Loureiro and Hovary Muniz were recently sentenced to prison for their crimes.  The three other defendants, Corbo Martinez (Case No. 17-CR-20596-WILLIAMS), Reynaldo Mederos (Case No. 18-CR-20140-LENARD) and Carlos Hernandez (Case No. 17-CR-20759-MARTINEZ), are pending sentencing. 

United States v. Juan Carlos Rodriguez, a/k/a “El Doctor,”

Case No. 18-CR-20141-MOORE

On July 30, 2018, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 54, of Homestead, was sentenced to six months in prison.  Previously, he pled guilty to three counts of selling, offering for sale, bartering, and offering to barter migratory birds.

According to court documents, between May 2014 and November 2016, Rodriguez trafficked in migratory birds, including Puerto Rican Spindalises (Spindalis portoricensis), Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), Puerto Rican Bullfinches (Loxigilla portoricensis), Yellow-faced Grassquits (Tiaris olivaceus), Blue Grosbeaks (Passerina caerulea), Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea), Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus), Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis), Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris), Summer Tanagers (Piranga rubra), Screech-Owls (genus Megascops), and Sharp-shinned Hawks (Accipiter striatus).  

Rodriguez used an array of methods to trap migratory birds.  Rodriguez deployed wooden-and-wire bird traps with multiple pitfall doors baited with seed and a “bait bird.” Rodriguez positioned these traps at numerous regional collection points throughout Miami-Dade County.  Rodriguez employed limesticks coated in adhesive materials known as “pega” to catch particular species of birds.  Rodriguez also erected ten-foot high, 100-foot long mist nets at the edge of fields during migration season.  He flushed birds into the mist net by driving his truck across the field towards the nets, and, while many of the birds did not survive this process, the mist nets captured large numbers of migratory birds.  Rodriguez captured these migratory birds to sell them.  He sold hundreds of birds to undercover agents.  After a determination that the release of the seized wildlife was safe and appropriate, USFWS released the birds into the wild.  Rodriguez also shot hawks and sold their frozen corpses.  In total, undercover agents purchased approximately 181 birds from Rodriguez. 

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the USFWS, FWC, CBP, CBP Air and Marine Operations and USPIS in this matter.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Raich.

United States v. Miguel Loureiro,

Case No. 18-CR-20164-MARTINEZ

On August 10, 2018, Miguel Loureiro, 27, was sentenced to nine months in prison.  Previously, he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in migratory birds.

According to court documents, beginning in January 2016 and ending in December 2017, Loureiro and a co-conspirator trafficked in migratory birds, including Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea), Blue Grosbeaks (Passerina caerulea), Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus), Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris), White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys), Clay-colored Sparrows (Spizella palida), and Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum).  Loureiro deployed sixteen wire and wooden bird traps augmented by solar-powered electronic birdcall broadcasting systems in order to trap migratory birds.  Three of those traps were in secluded areas of forest near Everglades National Park.  He sold his illegally captured migratory birds to buyers throughout the United States.  During the execution of a search warrant at Loureiro’s residence, law enforcement discovered over 100 illegally-captured migratory birds in cages.  After a determination that the release of the seized wildlife was safe and appropriate, USFWS returned these birds into the wild. 

In the course of his migratory bird trafficking, Loureiro forcefully threw a Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) against a wall because he believed it was a threat to his inventory of migratory birds for sale.  He then affixed it to a wooden cross.  Loueriro filmed this activity and uploaded the images onto a private internet chat group that he used to advertise migratory birds for sale.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the USFWS, FWC, and NPS.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Raich.

United States v. Hovary Muniz,

Case No. 18-CR-20355-UNGARO 

On July 23, 2018, Hovary Muniz, 42, of Miami, was sentenced to a total of fifteen months in prison.  Previously, he pled guilty to five counts of knowingly selling and offering migratory birds for sale.

According to court documents, Muniz pled guilty in 2016 to smuggling migratory birds from Cuba into the United States in a fanny pack.  In 2017 and 2018, while on probation for that wildlife trafficking offense, Muniz offered Yellow-faced Grassquits (Tiaris olivacea) and other migratory birds for sale. 

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the USFWS and CBP in this matter.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaime Raich and Tom Watts-FitzGerald.

The public is encouraged to report any instances of illegal wildlife trapping and trafficking to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at (305) 526-2610 or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 888-404-3922 or by email or text to Tip@MyFWC.com.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Shane McMillan (51, Texas) to 25 years in federal prison following jury verdicts finding McMillan guilty of assault with the intent to commit murder and possession of a prohibited object by a federal inmate.According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, McMillan was an inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On July 9, 2023, McMillan followed another inmate into a cell, closed the door, and then stabbed the victim approximately 10 times with a shank. Another inmate heard screaming and opened the cell door, which allowed the victim to escape. The victim suffered multiple puncture wounds to his neck, chest, and torso. The victim was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital where he eventually recovered from the injuries. When interviewed by the FBI, McMillan admitted that he wanted to kill the victim. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.