Month: June 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to a total of 420 months in prison for transporting a young child in the bunk of his semi-truck across multiple states for the purpose of sexually assaulting the victim.

Joseph C. Gaines, 42, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to transporting a minor interstate with the intention of sexually abusing the victim, and committing a new offense against a minor as a registered sex offender.

According to court documents, during July and August of 2019, Gaines transported a minor who was approximately 7 years old from Ohio to numerous other states. While in those other states, Gaines sexually assaulted the child repeatedly and in a variety of ways.

Gaines was on parole when he committed the sexual assaults. He was convicted in Stark County Common Pleas Court in 2005 of raping a 13-year-old in 1998.

In 2000, Gaines was convicted in Florida of kidnapping and attempted aggravated assault after approaching a woman on the beach, placing a knife to her throat, and saying, “you’re coming with me.”

Gaines’ DNA also linked him to two other rapes. Around the time of the 1998 rape, the defendant approached a 15-year-old on the street in Canton, Ohio, and threatened her with a box cutter before taking her into the woods and raping her. Gaines’ DNA was found in the victim’s underwear. In 2002, a married couple was walking on the beach in Florida when the defendant approached them with a weapon covered by a towel and forced them to an abandoned building. Gaines raped the wife and forced the husband to watch.

“A multi-decade sentence is warranted for this defendant, whose ongoing actions reveal him to be a true predator,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Gaines spent much of the past 20 plus years – other than the times he was incarcerated – perpetrating dangerous sexual assaults. Now, he’ll spend the next 35 years in federal prison. This is the type of incorrigible conduct that prison walls are made for.”

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man convicted of assault of a federal employee was sentenced on June 21, 2022, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.

Richard Reuben Simon, age 28, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Simon was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 14, 2021.  He pled guilty on April 4, 2022.

On August 16, 2021, Simon forcibly assaulted, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with the victim, while the victim was employed as a federal health care professional with the Indian Health Service (IHS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, assigned to perform health care functions, while she was engaged in the performance of her official duties. 

The victim was working in an official capacity as a nurse practitioner for an IHS facility.  During an exam of the Defendant, he made inappropriate comments to and committed a simple assault against the victim, specifically including unlawful physical contact amounting to simple assault. 

This case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

Simon was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison Ramsdell announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force.

Jeffery Pickner, age 45, was indicted on June 14, 2022.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 24, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that between July 1994 and June 1997, Pickner sexually abused two victims, both of whom were under the age of twelve.  The Indictment further alleges that between November 2015 and September 2016, Pickner sexually abused a third victim by force, who had not attained the age of sixteen.

The charges are merely accusations and Pickner is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.   

Pickner was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on June 23, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Rayne Jackson, age 28, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and $60 restitution for drug testing costs.

Jackson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2020.  She pleaded guilty on January 14, 2022.  During her involvement in the conspiracy, methamphetamine was brought to South Dakota from out-of-state by the defendant, or by others through arrangements with her.  She then dispersed methamphetamine in South Dakota to others for use and distribution.  

This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.  Two co-defendants, Nathan Bellew and Eric Yockey, were previously sentenced.

Jackson was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies. 

Keyvon Hamilton Hogan Jr., age 22, was indicted on April 5, 2022.  He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollman on June 22, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.  Keyvon Hamilton Hogan  Jr. has been charged with three co-defendants: Antyon Hamilton Hogan Jr., age 24; Marvin Antuon Williams, age 31; and Giovanni Hamilton, age 23.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in custody for Bank Fraud Conspiracy, 20 years in custody for Money Laundering Conspiracy, and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution and forfeiture may also be ordered.

According to the Indictment, in 2020 and continuing until April 2022, all of the defendants conspired and agreed with others to knowingly conduct and attempt to conduct bank fraud and financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce.  Specifically, the co-conspirators knowingly conspired to execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud financial institutions throughout the Sioux Falls area and elsewhere, including, but not limited to, First Premier Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Levo Credit Union, First National Bank, First Bank and Trust, U.S. Bank, American Bank and Trust, American State Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pima Federal Credit Union, JP Morgan Chase, and Security National Bank of South Dakota.   These defendants, as alleged, schemed to obtain money, funds, and other property owned by, and under the custody and control of, the aforementioned financial institutions, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. 

After obtaining funds through fraud, the co-conspirators and others engaged in depositing, transferring, wiring, and withdrawing currency, and funds at financial institutions, which involved the proceeds of specified unlawful activity – that is, the bank fraud identified above.  These defendants knew that the transactions were designed in whole or in part to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of the proceeds of the fraud scheme.  While conducting and attempting to conduct such financial transactions, it is alleged that the defendants knew that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. 

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the following agencies: 

–        Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation;

–        Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations;

–        Sioux Falls Police Department;

–        U.S. Postal Service; and

–        South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.

Antyon Hogan, Williams, and Keyvon Hogan were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings and trial.  Giovanni Hamilton was released on bond.  A trial date of August 30, 2022, has been set.