Month: May 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a large drug conspiracy involving heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Joe Daniel Davila pleaded guilty July 23, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Davila to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed Davila’s role as a distributor of narcotics at various drug houses located within Corpus Christi and Robstown.

Davila was selling the narcotics at drug premises aka “trap houses” which the Texas “Mexikan” Mafia (TMM) operated. Many of these homes were equipped with electronic security systems and had doors reinforced with braces to make possible law enforcement entry difficult. Authorities also found firearms in some of these “trap houses.” Davila would oversee the selling of drugs at some of these houses and make sure the profits of the sales would go to the leadership of TMM.

The investigation began in Robstown in 2015. Law enforcement was eventually able to discover the TMM was operating these houses in both Robstown and Corpus Christi and maintaining the premises as one of their sources of income.

The TMM has a constitution that governs the enterprise which states that 10% percent of the profits from any member’s business or interest shall be contributed to the organization. TMM collects this fee, referred to as “the dime,” from members, prospective members and sympathizers. These individuals also earn their income by trafficking in illegal drugs on their own which TMM then distributes – to include heroin, meth and cocaine.

Nine others have been convicted as part of the overall conspiracy.

Robert Martinez Hinojosa, 63, Alice; and Matthew John Sayles, 42, Raul Benavides, 48, Juan Lebrado Pena, 31, and Gilberto Saldana Jr., 41, all of Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to violating the Racketeer Influence Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute. Hinojosa received 268 months, while Sayles, Benavides, Pena and Saldana received respective sentences of  90, 108, 210 and 271 months.

Four others were convicted of conspiring to distribute narcotics – Sergio Pena, 26, Danny Ray Martinez, 32, and Serenity McCracken, 44, all of Corpus Christi; and Raul Valdez, 47, San Antonio. Pena and Martinez each received 120 month-prison terms, while McCracken is serving 36 months. Valdez is pending sentencing.

All have been and remain in custody. Davila is pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S Marshals Service; IRS – Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation known as Operation Charco Trece. Also providing assistance were sheriff’s offices in Nueces and Victoria Counties and police departments in Corpus Christi, Ingleside, Aransas Pass, Robstown and Portland. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany L. Jensen and Michael Hess prosecuted the case.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

BOSTON – A Saugus woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to defraud her elderly uncle of his life’s savings.

Jayne Carbone, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Carbone was also ordered to pay $493,279 in restitution and forfeiture. On Oct. 12, 2021, Carbone was convicted by a federal jury of four counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

Carbone was the caretaker for her uncle for over a decade from 2017 to 2018. Carbone systematically defrauded her uncle of $493,279, by using her uncle’s name and Social Security number to withdraw the funds from his bank accounts. To conceal the scheme, Carbone intercepted her uncle’s mail, removed his bank statements and then delivered him fake statements reflecting inflated balances. Once the scheme was uncovered, Carbone refused to return the funds and made various threats against her uncle and other family members.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham, James R. Drabick and Leslie Wright of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SAMUEL KLEIN, 66, of Greenwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding investors of nearly $1.5 million.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Klein controlled several different entities, including Visual Group LLC; O.S. Management, LLC; KF Pecksland LLC; Four Pines Holdings, LLC; and Payton Lane NH, Inc.  In 2018, Klein made false representations to a victim investor, including that the victim’s funds would be invested in distressed debt, when Klein knew that all of the investment funds would not be used for the stated purposes.  Based on these false representations, the victim investor wrote a check in the amount of $200,000 to Visual Group LLC for the purpose of making a purported investment in distressed debt.  Klein caused the check to be transported from New York to Connecticut and deposited into a bank account in the name of Visual Group LLC.  Klein subsequently solicited and received approximately $50,000 in additional funds from the victim investor.

The investigation further revealed that, from approximately July 2016 through at least June 2019, Klein defrauded three additional victim investors of a total of more than $1.2 million by making multiple false statements and misrepresentations.

Klein knew that all of the funds solicited from the victim investors would not be used for his stated purposes, and instead would be utilized by Klein for personal and other expenditures.

Judge Hall ordered Klein to pay restitution in the amount of $1,497,797.52.

On August 30, 2021, Klein pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and one count of money laundering.

Klein, who had been released on bond, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of today’s court proceeding.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Laraia and David T. Huang.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

BOSTON – A Providence man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester in connection with drug trafficking activities involving fentanyl and heroin. 

Darwin J. Gonzalez Reyes a/k/a “España,” 36, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Sept. 29, 2021, Gonzalez Reyes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin, one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin.

In June 2019, Gonzalez Reyes coordinated the delivery of 200 grams of fentanyl to an individual and, in August 2019, coordinated the delivery of another 300 grams of fentanyl and 40 grams of heroin to the same individual. Gonzalez Reyes directed another individual to make both deliveries on his behalf. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Worcester Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Providence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Eugene McDonald, of Elkins, West Virginia, was indicted today on firearms and drug charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.

McDonald, 45, was indicted today on one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” McDonald is accused of distributing methamphetamine in December 2020 in Marion County. McDonald, a person prohibited from having firearms because of prior convictions, is accused of having a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in December 2020 in Marion County.

McDonald faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug charge and faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. ATF and the West Virginia State Police investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.