Month: April 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

TUCSON, Ariz. – Zachary Zane Stephenson, 45, of Tucson, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 10 years in prison. Stephenson previously pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Child Pornography. 

On October 28, 2020, Stephenson, who was on supervision at the time in connection with a similar prior conviction, was charged after he was found to be using his cellphone to access graphic child sexual abuse material. Upon release from prison, Stephenson will be placed on lifetime supervised release with stringent conditions of supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender and to complete a sex offender treatment program. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Homeland Security Investigations, Tucson, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Erica L. Seger, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution

CASE NUMBER:           CR-20-02257-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER:    2022-051_Stephenson

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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.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Tarik Chambers, 20, and Nikeem Leach-Hilton, 22, both of Philadelphia, PA were charged by Indictment with conspiracy, three counts of carjacking, three counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and related charges in connection with a spate of armed carjackings in Philadelphia and Delaware County late last year.

The Indictment alleges that in the early morning hours of December 19, 2021, the defendants carjacked two victims at gunpoint in the Lawncrest section of the city. Then, approximately 20 minutes later, the defendants carjacked two more victims at gunpoint in the Germantown section. Finally, the Indictment also alleges that defendants used a privately made “ghost” gun to carjack yet another victim at gunpoint about six hours later in the rear parking lot of a retail store along Baltimore Pike in Springfield Township. The defendants then fled from the police, leading officers from multiple agencies on a high-speed car chase through Delaware County before crashing into the car of another motorist, who suffered severe, life-threatening injuries including broken bones and significant head trauma.

Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney Williams announced that the defendants had been charged by Criminal Complaint with the Delaware County carjacking. This Indictment returned by a federal grand jury now formally charges them with all three carjackings and related offenses.

“The charges announced today against these two defendants exemplify the type of rapid results we have promised to deliver through the Carjacking Task Force and the ‘All Hands On Deck’ initiative,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “These two terrorized no less than six victims in three different neighborhoods across our region in roughly six hours — actions which are being met with very serious federal charges. Enough is enough – if you commit a serious violent crime in our city, you can expect the feds to show up on your doorstep.”

“ATF’s main objective will always be keeping our citizens safe,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This indictment is indicative of ATF’s continued efforts working with our partners and proudly serving as part of the joint carjacking task force, being led by the Philadelphia Police Department. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners in making sure violent individuals are held accountable when they threaten the safety of the community.”

The swift action to investigate and federally charge these defendants is the result of the newly formed Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, which is comprised of members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Philadelphia Police Department. The goal of the Taskforce is to stem the wave of armed carjackings and violent crimes through investigative and enforcement techniques meant to identify and refer for federal prosecution all who terrorize innocent victims through commission of these offenses within Philadelphia and surrounding areas.

If convicted on all charges, the defendants face a mandatory 21 years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of life.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield Township Police Department, and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra M. Urban.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment in White Plains federal court charging ADAM BELARDINO, the Chief Executive Officer of the Maddox Group, a financial advisory firm in New York City and elsewhere, with wire fraud in connection with his embezzlement of more than $313,000 from a Maddox client, a 64 year old New Rochelle resident.  BELARDINO was arrested this morning and will be presented in White Plains federal court later today. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Adam Belardino abused the trust his client placed in him by stealing more than $313,000 the client gave him to be invested.  Clients like the victim in this case need to be able to entrust their money to financial advisors with confidence that the money will be invested in a manner that is appropriate for them.  This Office will aggressively pursue financial advisors and others who steal money entrusted to them by clients.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said:  “Belardino is charged today for allegedly stealing several hundred thousand dollars from a client in an illegal investment fraud scheme. Financial crimes of this nature can cause significant disruptions to the lives of those who are victimized. We urge everyone to exercise their due diligence when investing their money and to report suspicious activity to authorities as soon as possible.”

According to the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court[1]:

BELARDINO had managed the victim’s investments at another firm before he founded Maddox in July 2019.  In August 2019, BELARDINO convinced the victim to liquidate some of her portfolio and to transfer the liquidated funds to Maddox for investment.  The victim then transferred more than $313,000 to Maddox in eight separate transactions between August 2019 and October 2020.  Instead of investing the victim’s money as he had promised, BELARDINO used the victim’s money to pay the operating expenses of Maddox, including payroll and office rent; to pay down prior debt; to pay credit card charges, which consisted primarily of personal items; and to pay for personal travel. 

In September 2021, the victim directed BELARDINO to transfer her portfolio at Maddox to her brokerage account at another firm.  From September 2021 to February 2022, BELARDINO sent the victim and members of her family emails and texts in which he said he was liquidating the portfolio and would return the funds shortly.  BELARDINO also provided the victim’s family with documents suggesting that a wire transfer of the funds to the victim’s bank account was imminent or pending.  BELARDINO also deposited checks drawn on a checking account held by Maddox into the victim’s bank account for what he claimed was the full value of the victim’s portfolio. 

The victim never received any funds by wire and the checks BELARDINO deposited into her bank account were returned because the Maddox account did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks.  BELARDINO sent members of the victim’s family emails and texts in which he said in substance and in part that he was working with bank officials to resolve the problem and that his family would repay the victim if he was unable to do so.  BELARDINO also sent members of the victim’s family a document that falsely stated that the Maddox bank account had sufficient funds to repay the victim.

BELARDINO, 37, of New York City, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

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Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI.

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

RICHMOND, Va. – A Denver, Colorado, man was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for committing at least two armed robberies of commercial businesses. 

According to court documents, Lloyd E. Rhodes, II, 59, committed robberies at establishments both in Richmond and in Colorado Springs, Colorado. On August 3, 2019, Rhodes entered the Old Chicago restaurant, located in Colorado Springs and asked to speak with the restaurant manager. Rhodes was armed with a Taurus handgun and pointed the firearm at the manager and demanded money from the safe. The manager attempted to run out of the office and close and lock the door, but a struggle between Rhodes and the manager ensued, during which Rhodes discharged the firearm at the manager, striking him in the hand. After shooting the manager, Rhodes fled the scene.

On March 13, 2020, after traveling to Richmond, Rhodes entered the Virginia Horseplay, an off-track betting facility, and was seen interacting with other customers for several hours. Once the employees took the cash proceeds into an adjacent room to count the money from the evening business, Rhodes entered the room, displayed what appeared to be a firearm, and ordered the two employees onto the floor. In fear for their lives, the employees relinquished the money they had been counting. Rhodes then proceeded to empty the nearby safe, which contained additional cash proceeds from Virginia Horseplay. In all, Rhodes took over $40,000 in U.S. currency. As part of the plea agreement, the Colorado authorities agreed not to pursue four additional robberies in their jurisdiction.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Duffey prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-139.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Greensboro, NC – Jose Mondujano-Hernandez, 25, was sentenced on April 27, 2022, to a total of 300 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement.

According to court documents, in September 2020, an undercover officer (UC) was introduced to an unknown person located in Mexico who began negotiating a sale of crystal methamphetamine. On September 28, 2020, the UC was contacted by another unknown individual to coordinate the drug transaction in Winston-Salem. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Greensboro conducted surveillance on the meeting location where the transaction occurred and was video recorded. Mondujano-Hernandez sold the UC one kilogram of suspected methamphetamine, and a laboratory test confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine. On October 13, 2020, and November 5, 2020, the UC made additional controlled drug purchases from Mondujano-Hernandez for three kilograms of methamphetamine. In the following weeks, the UC was involved in further transactions involving Mondujano-Hernandez and his co-defendants for additional purchases that totaled approximately 16 kilograms of methamphetamine. Mondujano-Hernandez and four other co-defendants were charged by Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in February 2021.

The Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder sentenced Mondujano-Hernandez to 300 months imprisonment. After imprisonment, Mondujano-Hernandez will be subject to supervised release for ten years.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Terry M. Meinecke. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration were involved in the investigation of the case and were assisted by several local and state agencies.

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