Month: May 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Mizelle has sentenced Willard Green Porter (44, Tampa) to five years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Porter was also ordered to forfeit the firearm. He had pleaded guilty on January 18, 2022.

According to facts presented in court, on June 29, 2021, officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) observed a speeding vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign shortly before 1:00 a.m. Officers initiated a traffic stop around the corner on Terra Ceia Drive as the car pulled into a residential driveway. When the officers approached the vehicle, one of the officers observed the sole occupant—later identified as Porter—reach into the vehicle’s center console. The officer observed Porter put his hand on a black handgun in the console and the officer immediately alerted his partner. Porter was removed without incident and placed in handcuffs. He admitted to police that he was a convicted felon, that he knew he had the gun in his car, and that he kept the loaded gun “for protection.”

When Porter was searched, the officers located plastic baggies in his front pocket containing 3 grams of powder cocaine and 2 grams of crack cocaine. An additional 11.6 grams of crack cocaine, several scales, and empty baggies were recovered from inside the car. In addition, a black Springfield Armory .40 pistol was recovered from the center console of the car. The pistol was loaded with 15 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.

Law enforcement records showed that Porter had multiple prior felony convictions, including for possession of cocaine (2002); battery on a law enforcement officer (2004); obstructing an officer with violence (2004); possession of cocaine (2004); tampering with evidence (2004); and possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine (2004), for which he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Gestring.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

McALLEN, Texas – Three individuals have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import heroin and fentanyl into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Today, Liz Jomayra Diaz-Colon, 23, and Elias Herrera, 30, both admitted to their roles in the conspiracy. Their co-conspirator, Jonathan Guemez, 30, pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2021. All are from Nashville, Tennessee.

In 2021, Diaz-Colon, Herrera and Guemez began working with Mexican drug traffickers to coordinate transportation of multiple drug loads into the United States.

On Aug. 20, 2021, Diaz-Colon attempted to pass through a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. A K-9 alerted to her vehicle which resulted in the discovery of 4.66 kilograms of heroin concealed in the battery of her Jeep Cherokee.

The following day, Herrera attempted to enter the United States. Authorities also discovered narcotics in his vehicle – 4.76 kilograms of fentanyl in the car’s battery.

Guemez also attempted to bring drugs into the country. Law enforcement was able to seize 3.94 kilograms of heroin from his vehicle.

The investigation connected all three people. It revealed they had been communicating with each other through WhatsApp, referring to themselves as the “Suicide Squad.”

At the time of their pleas, they admitted that they had conspired together to import a total of 8.6 kilograms of heroin and 4.76 kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. The drugs have an estimated street value of approximately $1,622,880.

U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will sentence Diaz-Colon July 12, along with Herrera. Guemez will be sentenced May 3. At those times, each faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life with a possible $10 million maximum fine.

All three have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

HAMMOND- Charles Devon Byron Cook, 32 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James T. Moody on his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Cook was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, on July 15, 2020, law enforcement was dispatched to a disturbance and upon arrival, observed Cook toss a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol into a vehicle.  Law enforcement recovered a loaded extended firearm magazine from Cook’s pocket.  Cook’s criminal history indicates that he had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including failing to register as a sex or violent offender, auto theft, carrying a handgun without a license, and felon in possession of a firearm.  These convictions prohibited him for possessing a firearm or ammunition.          

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive/Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force with assistance of the East Chicago Police Department.   This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Padilla.      

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

FRESNO, Calif. — David Delgado Gonzalez, 38, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between September 2020 and March 2021, Gonzalez (also known as “Spider”) conspired with, among others, co-defendant Omar Alberto Navarro to acquire methamphetamine in Mexico, transport it to the Eastern District of California, unload the narcotics from “load cars,” store the narcotics, and sell and distribute the narcotics to others. For instance, on Oct. 29, 2020, at the behest of Navarro, Gonzalez transported approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine to a meeting in Bakersfield and sold the methamphetamine to Scott Gordon James, who is charged in a related case, for $6,200.

On March 26, 2021, in a storage unit in Bakersfield Gonzalez possessed with the intent to distribute to others approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Gonzalez agreed to forfeit three unserialized 9 mm handguns seized during law enforcement’s search of his Bakersfield residence on March 26, 2021.

On April 8, 2021, Gonzalez and eight other defendants were charged in three related indictments for trafficking and purchasing to sell methamphetamine from a conspiracy orchestrated by Navarro, 38, of Arvin. The other charged defendants are: Daniel Armendariz Mercado, 42, Miguel Angel Martinez, 27, Amayrani Jared Arreguin, 25, and Yvette Gallegos, 23, all of Bakersfield; Lizette Mendez, 32, of Delano; and James Scott Gordon, 47 of Chico. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Co-defendant Randal Jason Newell was sentenced on March 29, 2022, to three years and three months in prison for attempting to smuggle approximately 111 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico to Bakersfield.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Shafter Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Laura J. Berger are prosecuting the case.

Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on July 5, 2022. Gonzalez faces a maximum term of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

HAMMOND-Elizabeth Harris, 40, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James T. Moody on her plea of guilty to mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Harris was sentenced to 36 months’ probation with 12 months’ home detention and ordered to pay $192,659 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to documents filed in the case, in March 2009, Elizabeth Harris became a Representative Payee for her father, who received benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, and later the Retirement Insurance Benefits Program. As a representative Payee, Harris was responsible for using the money for the benefit of her father and was required to report any change in circumstances to the SSA.  Harris’ father died in September 2010, but she never reported his death to the SSA.  She continued to fraudulently collect benefit to which her deceased father was not entitled, in the total sum of $192,659.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang and former Assistant United States Attorney Molly Kelley.