Month: March 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A former IRS employee pleaded guilty today to tax evasion for filing false tax returns and providing fabricated records to the IRS in an attempt to obstruct an audit of those returns.

According to court documents, Wayne M. Garvin, 57, currently of Columbia, South Carolina, was a long-time IRS employee who most recently worked as a Supervisory Associate Advocate with the IRS’s Taxpayer Advocate Service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the years 2012 through 2016, Garvin prepared and filed with the IRS individual income tax returns on which he claimed false deductions and expenses associated with rental properties he owned, fictitious real estate taxes on his personal residence and made-up charitable contributions. On his 2013 tax return, Garvin also deducted nearly $16,000 in false expenses associated with his employment with the U.S. Army Reserves. Although Garvin was formerly a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, he did not perform any reservist duty in 2013 and was not entitled to deduct any expenses related to that employment. In total, Garvin admitted to causing a loss to the IRS of more than $74,000.

Court documents also show that after the IRS began an audit of Garvin’s 2013 and 2014 tax returns, Garvin attempted to obstruct the audit by submitting fictitious documents to the IRS. For example, to justify the false deductions and expenses on his tax returns, Garvin created and submitted receipts from a church, invoices from a contractor and a letter from the Department of the Army. After learning he was under criminal investigation, Garvin later submitted some of the same fraudulent documents to IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Garvin is scheduled to be sentenced on July 6. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Melissa S. Siskind of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Three members of a violent criminal gang were convicted today in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) by a federal jury for RICO conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, robbery, and drug dealing.

According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, the Paul Girard criminal enterprise committed murders and was involved in other acts of violence, targeted jewelry stores and banks for robberies, and distributed illegal drugs.

“These defendants terrorized the U.S. Virgin Islands through violence and theft,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdicts, and the guilty pleas of seven additional co-defendants in this case, demonstrate that the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to combating the threat of gang violence.” 

“Today’s verdict makes clear that the people of the Virgin Islands will not tolerate violent criminal activity directed against their fellow islanders,” said U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert for the U.S. Virgin Islands. “These convictions mark the dismantlement of the Paul Girard criminal enterprise. This was a team effort. We are hugely grateful for the dedication of the prosecution team.”  

“The use of violence and intimidation by these gang members to try and assert power over the people of the Virgin Islands failed,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “These criminals thought they were untouchable, but today’s verdict demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the FBI to investigate and disrupt criminal enterprises like this and demand justice for their victims.”

“There is no greater threat to our nation than that of violence and fear in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “With this verdict, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands can rest assured in the FBI’s commitment to work aggressively to curtail violence in our streets. I’d like to thank our local partners for their work on this case and their continued support to the FBI mission.”

Evidence presented at trial showed that Paul Girard, aka Bogus, 34, of St. Croix, USVI, was the leader of the group. Girard ordered shootings against rival gang members, as well as individuals he believed had stolen from or otherwise disrespected the gang. Girard planned, and his crew executed, several armed robberies including of the Divi Racino Casino in St. Croix, as well as Gems and Gold Corner jewelry store, Signatures Jewelry, and 3Gs Jewelry and Repair located in St. Thomas. Most of the criminal activity was orchestrated by Girard from prison, where he is currently serving sentences for multiple prior criminal convictions.

According to evidence presented at trial, Tyler Eugene, aka Lucc, 24, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang, including murdering a rival gang member outside a convenience store at Girard’s direction. Kareem Harry, aka Crumbull, 34, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang including participating in the murder of a victim who was believed to have stolen money from the Girard gang. Harry also set up the shooting death of a rival gang member outside of the victim’s child’s daycare.

Girard was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of the use of a firearm resulting in death, three counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and four counts of using of a firearm during a crime of violence. Eugene was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of the use of a firearm resulting in death, two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Harry was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of use of a firearm resulting in death, and one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering. Because each defendant was convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, each faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Seven additional defendants indicted in the same case have already pleaded guilty to various racketeering charges.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Virgin Islands Police Department.

Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Edwards for the U.S. Virgin Islands prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Chico Terrell Bell, 41, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced by Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 112 months (9 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Bell pleaded guilty to the charge on October 14, 2021. According to information presented in court, law enforcement agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on September 2, 2020 at Bell’s home in Shreveport. Bell was found inside the home and had one bag of methamphetamine, methamphetamine tablets, and a large sum of cash on his person. A search of the residence resulted in the recovery of two digital scales, nine bags of methamphetamine tablets containing approximately 914 tablets, two additional bags containing approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine, and a bag containing 9mm ammunition.

This case was investigated by the DEA and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Boulder, Colorado, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on March 21, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

James Ruttledge, age 50, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Ruttledge was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 11, 2020.  He pled guilty on December 30, 2021.

The convictions stem from a conspiracy which began in March, 2020, in which Ruttledge conspired with others to knowingly and intentionally distribute methamphetamine in and around central South Dakota.  Rutledge brought large amounts of methamphetamine from Denver, Colorado, to the Winner, South Dakota, area to be distributed.  As part of the conspiracy, Ruttledge was involved in a traffic stop on August 28, 2020, in Tripp County, South Dakota, wherein 200 grams of pure methamphetamine and a firearm were found in Ruttledge’s possession.  Ruttledge is felon and an unlawful user of a controlled substance making him a prohibited person.  

This case is part of 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

This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Tripp County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.

Ruttledge was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.