Month: June 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 21-year-old Hidalgo County man has been sent to federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Matthew Ethan Joseph Castillo pleaded guilty Feb. 10.

Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Castillo to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Castillo transported cocaine numerous times in the past, having delivered narcotics to Houston and Dallas as well as Atlanta, Georgia, and New York City. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the significant quantity of cocaine that Castillo was smuggling.

At the time of his plea, Castillo admitted he knowingly attempted to smuggle the narcotics past a U.S. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint.

On Sept. 29, 2021, Castillo was traveling on a Tornado commercial passenger bus that entered the primary inspection area of the checkpoint near Falfurrias. There, a service canine alerted to a specific piece of luggage in the lower compartment of the bus. Authorities identified Castillo as the owner.

They searched the item and found two wooden tortilla presses, each containing two bundles of cocaine. They had been individually wrapped in carbon paper and coffee and sealed in plastic. 

The drugs had an estimated street value of more than $300,000.

Castillo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri after law enforcement officers seized approximately 29 pounds of methamphetamine.

Brian E. Hall, 44, of Aurora, Mo., and Jacqueline Aldrete Bojorquez, 28, and Jeffrey L. Hughley, 37, whose addresses are unknown, were charged in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed on May 2.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hall’s residence on April 28, 2022, as part of an ongoing methamphetamine investigation. Officers seized seven pounds of methamphetamine, a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, approximately $57,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia used for the packaging and sale of methamphetamine.

When Bojorquez and Hughley arrived at Hall’s residence later that night, they were taken into custody as well. Officers searched their vehicle and found approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine in the trunk and a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the floorboard of the front passenger seat.

Today’s indictment charges Hall, Bojorquez, and Hughley with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Barry County and elsewhere from Jan. 1 to April 28, 2022.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Hall is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bojorquez and Hughley are charged together in one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, and the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office.

Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

This case 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            CONCORD – Heather Dubeau, 38, of Enfield, Andrew Hutchins, 43, Lebanon, Eli Margolis, 40, of Grantham, and Gary Sewell, 40, of Enfield have pleaded guilty this month in federal court to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants were involved in a conspiracy to ship methamphetamine from Arizona to New Hampshire.  In May of 2019, Drug Enforcement Administration agents were alerted to suspicious parcels sent from Sewell and Dubeau in Arizona to two different addresses in New Hampshire.  Investigators obtained a warrant to open the packages and found that one contained over 336 grams of methamphetamine and the other contained over 665 grams of methamphetamine. 

            After obtaining an anticipatory search warrant for the New Hampshire addresses, investigators conducted controlled deliveries of each package with the drugs removed from the package.  Investigators observed Margolis collect one package after it was delivered.  Investigators learned that Hutchins provided co-defendants Sewell and Dubeau with an address to ship the methamphetamine.  The methamphetamine was intended for further distribution. 

            Dubeau pleaded guilty on May 4, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2022.  Hutchins pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2022.  Margolis pleaded guilty on May 27, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2022.  Sewell pleaded guilty on May 6, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 24, 2022. 

            Two other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty.  Dylan Miles pleaded guilty on February 15, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2022.  Chad Rombow pleaded guilty on January 26, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2022. 

            This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Drug Enforcement Administration.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Yasin Abdul-Mattin, age 50, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for firearms and drug trafficking offenses.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on January 20, 2022, in Lackawanna County, Abdul-Mattin possessed a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition and also possessed methamphetamine for further distribution.  It is also alleged that Abdul-Mattin is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher are prosecuting the case.

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.

Under federal law, for the firearms charge, Abdul-Mattin faces a maximum sentence of ten years, a term of supervised release and a fine.  For the drug charges, Abdul-Mattin faces a maximum sentence of twenty years, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle today sentenced Samuel Storey (43, Sarasota) to 17 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The court also ordered Storey to forfeit a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard semi-automatic firearm and seven rounds of ammunition related to the offense. Storey had pleaded guilty on December 3, 2021.

According to court documents, on August 22, 2020, Storey got into altercation with a customer at a convenience store in Sarasota County, during which Storey pointed a firearm at the customer. Storey left the store shortly after the altercation and officers from the Sarasota Police Department responded to the store. Storey returned to the store as the officers were beginning the investigation. One of the officers detained Storey and found a loaded Smith & Wesson firearm in Storey’s pocket during a pat down search. Storey was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and selling and possessing with the intent to deliver cocaine. He is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.

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.