CHARLESTON, WV—A 49-year-old man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Charleston for threatening to murder United States Senator Joseph Manchin, III. According to the four-count indictment, Steven Anthony Major, of Barboursville, West Virginia, is alleged to have made four separate threats to murder Senator Manchin from March 17 through March 20, 2014.
Major was arrested on Friday, March 21, 2014, on a federal criminal complaint. The complaint alleged that Major made multiple calls to Senator Manchin’s Charleston and D.C. offices. During the calls, Major identified himself and made violent threats against Senator Manchin and his family members.
Major faces up to 10 years in prison on each count, if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Capitol Police, and the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Last Defendant Sentenced for Counterfeiting Guitars
PHILADELPHIA—Randy Gray, 27, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to traffic in counterfeit guitars carrying the marks of C.F. Martin and Company Guitars, Guild Guitars Incorporated, and Gibson Guitar Corporation. The counterfeit goods bore marks that were identical with and substantially indistinguishable from genuine marks in use and registered for those goods on the principal register in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and which are found on genuine guitars and the use of which was meant to deceive. The scheme resulted in 165 counterfeit guitars being sold to unsuspecting pawn shops, which paid a total of approximately $56,000 for the items.
Gray is one of four defendants charged in the case, each of whom pleaded guilty. In addition to one day in jail and three years of supervised release, the judge ordered the following: Gray was ordered to pay $7,617 in restitution; co-defendant Bruce Alford, 41, of Fort Worth, Texas, was ordered, on December 5, 2013, to pay $8,701 in restitution and a $100 special assessment; co-defendant Josh Davis, 39, of Galveston, Texas, was ordered, on January 15, 2014, to pay $22,047.60 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement; and co-defendant Romeo Rondeau, 44, of Fort Worth, Texas, was ordered, on November 7, 2013, to pay $7,133.93 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement.
The case was investigated by the FBI-Allentown Resident Agency and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gallagher.
Gray is one of four defendants charged in the case, each of whom pleaded guilty. In addition to one day in jail and three years of supervised release, the judge ordered the following: Gray was ordered to pay $7,617 in restitution; co-defendant Bruce Alford, 41, of Fort Worth, Texas, was ordered, on December 5, 2013, to pay $8,701 in restitution and a $100 special assessment; co-defendant Josh Davis, 39, of Galveston, Texas, was ordered, on January 15, 2014, to pay $22,047.60 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement; and co-defendant Romeo Rondeau, 44, of Fort Worth, Texas, was ordered, on November 7, 2013, to pay $7,133.93 in restitution and serve six months of home confinement.
The case was investigated by the FBI-Allentown Resident Agency and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gallagher.
Thirty-Nine Indicted Following Marion Drug Investigation
MARION, OH—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Steven M. Dettelbach, Federal Bureau of Investigation Cleveland Division Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, Marion Police Chief Bill Collins, Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey, and Marion County Prosecutor Brent Yager announced today that more than three dozen people are now facing charges as a result of a large-scale investigation focusing on the trafficking and possession of drugs in Marion, Ohio.
Thirty-nine individuals were indicted on a total of 125 felony and misdemeanor charges last week. The indictments, which were unsealed today, primarily surround the sale and/or possession of heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin, and Xanax. The charges follow the February indictments of 19 others who are facing federal charges in connection with the investigation.
Investigators served arrest warrants on the suspects this morning as part of Operation Buyers’ Remorse. Prosecutors with Attorney General DeWine’s Office will prosecute the cases.
“Today’s indictments and arrests focus on the mid-level traffickers and the addicts who are fueling the demand for drugs being brought into Marion County,” said Attorney General DeWine. “While we know we cannot arrest our way out of the drug abuse problem, those who break the law must face the consequences. It is our hope that those arrested today will use this as a wake-up call to turn their lives around.”
“Today is just another example of agencies working together for the common good of our community, and as I have stated month after month, we are not done yet,” said Chief Collins. “This will continue to be the way we fight our drug problem in Marion, Ohio. We know we are just a piece of the puzzle in solving the heroin epidemic that has plagued our community, but we have shown time and again that we are committed 100 percent to making our piece of the puzzle happen day in and day out.”
“I want to thank everyone involved in this investigation for their hard work in yet another wave of arrests in our continuing push to drive drugs out of our community,” said Prosecutor Yager. “Let this be a message to the individuals still slinging their poison in our community that we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will prosecute you.”
“The teamwork by local, state, and federal authorities that went into this investigation was outstanding,” said Sheriff Bailey. “Those who want to come to our community and deal drugs need to ask themselves if they really want to risk being arrested, because this case is proof that we are watching, and we will come after you.”
“These indictments are an important step in our efforts to shut down the pipeline of heroin, pills and cocaine into Marion,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach. “This case is another example of the continued partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement when it comes to keeping our communities safe.”
“This interstate drug trafficking organization brought danger and violence to the community through multiple shootings, overdoses, and continued addiction for citizens in Marion,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “The FBI, along with the numerous agencies that brought this group to justice, will continue collaborative efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug traffickers.”
Investigators began investigating the suspects after an influx of drugs started coming into the community from Detroit and Fort Wayne, Indiana. The investigation involved electronic surveillance, which assisted in both the federal and state indictments.
In addition to the FBI, Marion Police Department, and Marion County Sheriff’s Office, authorities with the MARMET Drug Task Force, METRICH Drug Task Force, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Highway Patrol, and United States Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.
A complete list of those indicted by the Marion County Grand Jury, as well as five additional individuals charged in Marion Municipal Court, can be found on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.
Thirty-nine individuals were indicted on a total of 125 felony and misdemeanor charges last week. The indictments, which were unsealed today, primarily surround the sale and/or possession of heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin, and Xanax. The charges follow the February indictments of 19 others who are facing federal charges in connection with the investigation.
Investigators served arrest warrants on the suspects this morning as part of Operation Buyers’ Remorse. Prosecutors with Attorney General DeWine’s Office will prosecute the cases.
“Today’s indictments and arrests focus on the mid-level traffickers and the addicts who are fueling the demand for drugs being brought into Marion County,” said Attorney General DeWine. “While we know we cannot arrest our way out of the drug abuse problem, those who break the law must face the consequences. It is our hope that those arrested today will use this as a wake-up call to turn their lives around.”
“Today is just another example of agencies working together for the common good of our community, and as I have stated month after month, we are not done yet,” said Chief Collins. “This will continue to be the way we fight our drug problem in Marion, Ohio. We know we are just a piece of the puzzle in solving the heroin epidemic that has plagued our community, but we have shown time and again that we are committed 100 percent to making our piece of the puzzle happen day in and day out.”
“I want to thank everyone involved in this investigation for their hard work in yet another wave of arrests in our continuing push to drive drugs out of our community,” said Prosecutor Yager. “Let this be a message to the individuals still slinging their poison in our community that we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will prosecute you.”
“The teamwork by local, state, and federal authorities that went into this investigation was outstanding,” said Sheriff Bailey. “Those who want to come to our community and deal drugs need to ask themselves if they really want to risk being arrested, because this case is proof that we are watching, and we will come after you.”
“These indictments are an important step in our efforts to shut down the pipeline of heroin, pills and cocaine into Marion,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach. “This case is another example of the continued partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement when it comes to keeping our communities safe.”
“This interstate drug trafficking organization brought danger and violence to the community through multiple shootings, overdoses, and continued addiction for citizens in Marion,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “The FBI, along with the numerous agencies that brought this group to justice, will continue collaborative efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug traffickers.”
Investigators began investigating the suspects after an influx of drugs started coming into the community from Detroit and Fort Wayne, Indiana. The investigation involved electronic surveillance, which assisted in both the federal and state indictments.
In addition to the FBI, Marion Police Department, and Marion County Sheriff’s Office, authorities with the MARMET Drug Task Force, METRICH Drug Task Force, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Highway Patrol, and United States Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.
A complete list of those indicted by the Marion County Grand Jury, as well as five additional individuals charged in Marion Municipal Court, can be found on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.
Three Texas Men Indicted for Possessing More Than 100 Pounds of Cocaine
A federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a one-count indictment charging three Texas men with possession with the intent to distribute approximately 51 kilograms of cocaine, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Indicted are Guadalupe J. Zarate, age 42, of Penitas, Texas; Jesus Alberto Flores, age 25, of Pharr, Texas; and Noe Romero Salinas, age 32, of Rio Grande, Texas.
The men were in possession of the drugs in the Northern District of Ohio on April 4, 2014, according to the indictment.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any; the defendant’s role in the offense; and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Akron Police Department, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, and the Akron-Summit County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel A. Yannucci.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Indicted are Guadalupe J. Zarate, age 42, of Penitas, Texas; Jesus Alberto Flores, age 25, of Pharr, Texas; and Noe Romero Salinas, age 32, of Rio Grande, Texas.
The men were in possession of the drugs in the Northern District of Ohio on April 4, 2014, according to the indictment.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any; the defendant’s role in the offense; and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Akron Police Department, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, and the Akron-Summit County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel A. Yannucci.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Lawyers and Office Worker Convicted of Immigration Fraud Offenses Following Jury Trial in Manhattan Federal Court
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Feng Ling Liu, Vanessa Bandrich, and Rui Yang were found guilty yesterday in Manhattan federal court of one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. Liu, Bandrich, and Yang, who were initially charged in December 2012, were convicted following a 19-day jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As the jury found, Feng Ling Liu, Vanessa Bandrich, and Rui Yang assisted immigrants in obtaining asylum status under false pretenses, including by using concocted tales of persecution. These defendants will now join the 27 others who have been convicted in connection with this sprawling immigration fraud scheme.”
According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, public court filings, and the evidence admitted at trial:
Liu, a lawyer, operated two law firms—the Law Offices of Feng Ling Liu and Moslemi and Associates Inc.—both of which assisted aliens from China in obtaining asylum status through fraud. Liu and her employees profited by creating and submitting asylum applications containing false stories of persecution purportedly suffered by alien applicants. Bandrich worked as a lawyer at one of Liu’s firms, Moslemi and Associates Inc. In that capacity, she prepared certain clients to tell false stories of persecution in immigration court proceedings related to their asylum application. Bandrich also opened a separate law firm, Bandrich and Associates Inc. (Bandrich firm), that assisted clients in obtaining asylum status through fraud. Yang was an office worker at the Bandrich firm and helped the firm’s clients prepare their false asylum applications.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Mermelstein, Robert Boone and Patrick Egan are in charge of the prosecution.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As the jury found, Feng Ling Liu, Vanessa Bandrich, and Rui Yang assisted immigrants in obtaining asylum status under false pretenses, including by using concocted tales of persecution. These defendants will now join the 27 others who have been convicted in connection with this sprawling immigration fraud scheme.”
According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, public court filings, and the evidence admitted at trial:
Liu, a lawyer, operated two law firms—the Law Offices of Feng Ling Liu and Moslemi and Associates Inc.—both of which assisted aliens from China in obtaining asylum status through fraud. Liu and her employees profited by creating and submitting asylum applications containing false stories of persecution purportedly suffered by alien applicants. Bandrich worked as a lawyer at one of Liu’s firms, Moslemi and Associates Inc. In that capacity, she prepared certain clients to tell false stories of persecution in immigration court proceedings related to their asylum application. Bandrich also opened a separate law firm, Bandrich and Associates Inc. (Bandrich firm), that assisted clients in obtaining asylum status through fraud. Yang was an office worker at the Bandrich firm and helped the firm’s clients prepare their false asylum applications.
***
The defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. Liu, 48, of Manhattan, New York, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Abrams on July 25, 2014. Bandrich, 34, of Manhattan, New York, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Abrams on July 31, 2014. Yang, 30, of Flushing, New York, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Abrams on August 1, 2014. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the judge.Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Mermelstein, Robert Boone and Patrick Egan are in charge of the prosecution.
Retired Buffalo Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Injured on Duty Program
BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Patrick S. O’Mara, 52, of Buffalo, New York, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before Chief U.S. District Judge William M Skretny. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trini E. Ross and John E. Rogowski, who are handling the case, stated that on February 16, 2004, the defendant, a Buffalo Police officer, was placed on Injured on Duty status (IOD) by the city of Buffalo. O’Mara was placed on IOD status for exacerbation of cervical and lumbar strains previously suffered while on duty. The defendant remained on IOD status until October 18, 2004, when he was ordered to return to light duty. O’Mara again claimed to have injured his right arm on March 21, 2005, while lifting two reams of copy paper. While the defendant did not report the injury to his superiors until 23 days later, the defendant was placed on IOD status once again on September 6, 2005, where he remained until he retired.
While the defendant’s primary care physician did not recommend that O’Mara return to work, several independent medical exams concluded that the defendant was not permanently disabled. One doctor noted that the defendant walked into his office using a cane but later witnessed O’Mara walking in the parking lot without any limp. In addition, the investigation determined that the defendant worked as a paid musical director and church organist during most, if not all, of the time that he has been on IOD status. Such work would have involved the use of his right arm.
The defendant retired from the Buffalo Police Department effective March 31, 2012, following an independent medical exam and administrative hearing. During an interview with special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on May 9, 2012, the defendant stated (among other things) that he was capable of performing light duty and had been playing the organ for a church. Nevertheless, the defendant stated there was no incentive to return to work on light duty status because “it is demeaning to sit at a desk and answer phones, and I consider it to be punishment,” and “the pay on IOD status, which is without taxes, is actually an incentive to stay off-duty in IOD status.”
“The IOD program is an important way in which injured officers continue to receive compensation for their difficult and oftentimes heroic work,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “When the program is abused, however, more than taxpayers suffer. Those officers who remain faithfully at their post are forced to work longer hours, more often, and in turn have an even greater chance of experiencing injury. While the vast majority of officers are honest and exemplify the highest ideals of their profession, this office will not hesitate to act when, as here, it finds evidence of fraud.”
O’Mara’s is one of two Buffalo Police officers charged with defrauding the IOD Program. On May 9, 2012, Robert Quintana, who has been on IOD status since March 2005, was arrested and also charged with mail and health care fraud. 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.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.
Sentencing is scheduled July 30, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trini E. Ross and John E. Rogowski, who are handling the case, stated that on February 16, 2004, the defendant, a Buffalo Police officer, was placed on Injured on Duty status (IOD) by the city of Buffalo. O’Mara was placed on IOD status for exacerbation of cervical and lumbar strains previously suffered while on duty. The defendant remained on IOD status until October 18, 2004, when he was ordered to return to light duty. O’Mara again claimed to have injured his right arm on March 21, 2005, while lifting two reams of copy paper. While the defendant did not report the injury to his superiors until 23 days later, the defendant was placed on IOD status once again on September 6, 2005, where he remained until he retired.
While the defendant’s primary care physician did not recommend that O’Mara return to work, several independent medical exams concluded that the defendant was not permanently disabled. One doctor noted that the defendant walked into his office using a cane but later witnessed O’Mara walking in the parking lot without any limp. In addition, the investigation determined that the defendant worked as a paid musical director and church organist during most, if not all, of the time that he has been on IOD status. Such work would have involved the use of his right arm.
The defendant retired from the Buffalo Police Department effective March 31, 2012, following an independent medical exam and administrative hearing. During an interview with special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on May 9, 2012, the defendant stated (among other things) that he was capable of performing light duty and had been playing the organ for a church. Nevertheless, the defendant stated there was no incentive to return to work on light duty status because “it is demeaning to sit at a desk and answer phones, and I consider it to be punishment,” and “the pay on IOD status, which is without taxes, is actually an incentive to stay off-duty in IOD status.”
“The IOD program is an important way in which injured officers continue to receive compensation for their difficult and oftentimes heroic work,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “When the program is abused, however, more than taxpayers suffer. Those officers who remain faithfully at their post are forced to work longer hours, more often, and in turn have an even greater chance of experiencing injury. While the vast majority of officers are honest and exemplify the highest ideals of their profession, this office will not hesitate to act when, as here, it finds evidence of fraud.”
O’Mara’s is one of two Buffalo Police officers charged with defrauding the IOD Program. On May 9, 2012, Robert Quintana, who has been on IOD status since March 2005, was arrested and also charged with mail and health care fraud. 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.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.
Sentencing is scheduled July 30, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
Deborah Williamson Pleads Not Guilty to Embezzling from Grocery Employer
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Deborah Williamson, 36, a former resident of Wheelock who now lives in Florida, pleaded not guilty yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge that she embezzled about $70,000 from her ex-employer. U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy released Williamson on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
On March 20, 2014, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a one-count indictment accusing Williamson of mail fraud. According to the indictment, Williamson was employed as the manager of White Market, a grocery store in Lyndonville. Her duties included regularly cashing checks drawn against the company’s local bank account to obtain one dollar bills and coins for the cashier’s cash registers. The indictment alleges that between 2010 and 2012, Williamson stole nearly $70,000 in cash from the store’s safe. She allegedly tried to cover up these thefts by not recording or underreporting the amount of cash and coins received from the bank in the store’s computerized accounting system.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty.
If convicted, Williamson faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Lyndonville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Williamson is represented by Brooks McArthur. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
On March 20, 2014, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a one-count indictment accusing Williamson of mail fraud. According to the indictment, Williamson was employed as the manager of White Market, a grocery store in Lyndonville. Her duties included regularly cashing checks drawn against the company’s local bank account to obtain one dollar bills and coins for the cashier’s cash registers. The indictment alleges that between 2010 and 2012, Williamson stole nearly $70,000 in cash from the store’s safe. She allegedly tried to cover up these thefts by not recording or underreporting the amount of cash and coins received from the bank in the store’s computerized accounting system.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty.
If convicted, Williamson faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Lyndonville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Williamson is represented by Brooks McArthur. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
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