Month: June 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that three individuals, one who resides in South Dakota and two who reside in Colorado, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

Juan Francisco Alvarez-Soto, age 23 and originally from El Salvador; Deyvin Morales, age 27 and originally from Guatemala; and Lourdes Alondra Bonilla, age 23 and originally from Colorado, were indicted on May 19, 2022.  The defendants appeared before a magistrate judge in the District of Colorado, and each defendant pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.  The three defendants will be transported to the District of South Dakota for further court proceedings.

The maximum term of imprisonment upon conviction for each count is as follows: up to life for Kidnapping; up to fifteen (15) years for Carjacking; and a mandatory minimum of seven (7) years up to life for Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  Each count also has a maximum fine of $250,000. 

According to the indictment, on or about May 6, 2022, near Red Shirt, in the District of South Dakota, the defendants, Juan Francisco Alvarez-Sorto, a/k/a Juan Francisco Alvarez, a/k/a “Juanito R.,” a/k/a “Juan Jr.,”  Deyvin Morales, a/k/a Deyvin Eliabid Escriba Morales, a/k/a Deybi Eleabit Escriba Morales, a/k/a “Guate,” a/k/a “Watay,” a/k/a “Chapine,” and Lourdes Alondra Bonilla, a/k/a “Bhabie Doze,” a/k/a “Princess_Doze,” did willfully and knowingly kidnap and abduct a victim.  At the time, the victim was engaged in the performance of their official duties as a professional support employee with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The defendants also took the victim’s vehicle, with force, violence, and intimidation, and brandished a rifle during the commission of the charged criminal conduct.  It is alleged that the defendants aided and abetted each other in committing the charges set forth in the indictment.

The charges are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.   

The defendants were all detained pending further court proceedings in South Dakota.  A trial date has not been set.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Memphis, TN – A Memphis woman was charged for her role in a fraudulent scheme to obtain thousands of dollars in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for herself and others.  Joseph C. Murphy Jr., United States Attorney, announced the indictment today.   

On May 19, 2022, a federal grand jury charged Kenyatta Danielle Hooper, 34, in a six-count indictment with wire fraud.   Hooper was arrested on Friday, May 27, 2022.  

According to the indictment, the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The law authorized up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP.  In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.   

Hooper engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain thousands of dollars in PPP money for herself and others through numerous misrepresentations to financial institutions. Hooper both personally submitted and directed others to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications.  She also submitted fake and false documents in support of these applications.  Hooper also took kickbacks from the persons she assisted in filing fraudulent PPP loan applications.  She further falsely certified that she would only use PPP loan proceeds for permissible expenses – payroll, rent or mortgage payments, and utilities – and instead spent loan money on a Maserati automobile, personal travel, concerts, and gambling.  

“Congress funded the PPP program to provide a financial lifeline to struggling small businesses in West Tennessee and across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic”, said United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy.  “Bad actors unfortunately have targeted this critical assistance program and fraudulently diverted much needed resources.  Our office and our law enforcement partners will investigate all allegations of unlawful use of these funds and are committed to ensuring federal tax dollars are used for their intended purposes.” 

“The FBI takes particular interest in cases where individuals scheme for their own personal benefit, lining their pockets at the public’s expense,” said Douglas M. Korneski, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis Field Office. “The honest and law-abiding small business owners in this country should be assured by this indictment that the FBI is committed to working closely with its law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue anyone who would scheme to use critical assistance loans for their own avaricious desires.” 

“Scheming to fraudulently use SBA program funds is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.” 

“The Memphis Field Office of the United States Secret Service assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the arrest of suspect Kenyatta Hooper for COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program Fraud.  This investigation and subsequent arrest once again demonstrate the continued collaboration between the FBI and Secret Service to combat financial crime,” said Carl B. Hagins, Special Agent in Charge (Memphis Field Office), United States Secret Service. 

Hooper faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

The charges and allegations contained in indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. 

The case was investigated by the FBI, the United States Small Business Administration, and the United States Secret Service. 

Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

  
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Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jacksonville, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Adam Taylor (32, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to illegally purchasing firearms.  Taylor faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.  In addition, Taylor has agreed to forfeit the firearms traceable to the offense.  A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Taylor was intercepted on a state wiretap discussing the purchase of firearms with a member of a suspected drug trafficking organization (DTO). On August 18, 2021, Taylor purchased two Century Arms Draco 7.62 x 39mm pistols from a gun dealer in St. Augustine. Taylor lied to the gun dealer when he completed paperwork claiming that he was buying the firearms for himself. Shortly after purchasing the firearms, Taylor delivered the pistols to the DTO member.

On September 9, 2021, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the DTO member’s residence in St. Augustine. As a result of the search, the located and seized the two Century Arms, Draco, 7.62 x 39mm pistols that Taylor had purchased.

This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot. The forfeiture of assets is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.

This case is being 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.