Month: July 2022

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Security News: Marion County Felon Convicted Of Drug Conspiracy And Illegal Firearm Possession

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Nishera Remon Johnson (41, Silver Springs Shores) guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana) and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Johnson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, and up to life in federal prison, for the firearm offense and a minimum mandatory 10 years, and up to life imprisonment, for the drug offense. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2022. A grand jury had indicted Johnson on September 2, 2020.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on November 26, 2019, investigators searched a vehicle belonging to Johnson and found nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. They also found evidence of a marijuana grow operation at Johnson’s residence. When that home was searched pursuant to a warrant in December 2020, agents located numerous firearms and ammunition along with nearly half a kilogram of powder cocaine. In a shed behind the home, agents discovered the hidden marijuana grow operation. Johnson had been living at the home with her minor child and a co-defendant. Johnson, a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the City of Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

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.

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Security News: Jury Convicts Father And Son Of Multiple Conspiracies In Extensive Food Stamp Fraud Scheme

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Federal Jury Found Defendants Conspired to Defraud Government’s SNAP Program Over Several Years

OAKLAND – A federal jury yesterday convicted son Ali Mugalli Hassan and father Mugalli Ahmed Hassan of multiple counts involving government benefits fraud and conspiracies to commit such fraud, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Western Region Special Agent in Charge Dustin Cladis. The verdicts follow a one-week jury trial before United States Chief District Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton in Oakland. 

Ali Mugalli Hassan, 32, of Alameda, and Mugalli Ahmed Hassan, 50, also of Alameda, were charged on March 14, 2019, in a multiple count superseding indictment along with another family member, co-defendant Ahmed Ahmed Hasan Dharahan, 41, of Oakland. The superseding indictment alleged the defendants defrauded the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) by unlawfully trafficking federal food stamp benefits from 2014 through 2017.  

Yesterday afternoon, a jury convicted son Ali and his father Mugalli of all four charges against them. Specifically, son and father were each convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States; government benefits fraud greater than $5,000; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and wire fraud. 

According to evidence presented at trial, Ali Mugalli Hassan owned and operated a convenience store on International Boulevard in Oakland. Members of Ali’s family served as cashiers at the store, including his father Mugalli Ahmed Hassan and his uncle Ahmed Ahmed Hasan Dharahan. The convenience store was an authorized vendor for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. SNAP helps economically disadvantaged persons pay for essential food items for themselves and their families. Program recipients receive their benefits via an electronic benefits transaction (EBT) card, which operates much like a debit card but limits purchases to program-eligible items. The store conducted a high-volume of SNAP transactions, including redeeming over $2.3 million in SNAP benefits between August 2014 and November 2017. 

Trial evidence showed that the defendants conducted fraudulent SNAP transactions through the convenience store by charging purchases on the customers’ EBT cards, when in reality the customers received few or no SNAP-eligible products. The defendants kept approximately half the value of the fraudulent transactions and returned the remainder in cash to the customers. As part of the scheme, the defendants also kept customers’ EBT cards and used the federal benefits assigned to those cards at other stores to purchase items to sell at their own convenience store. 

Evidence at trial described numerous instances of this fraud over multiple years. For example, evidence showed that the defendants engaged in 10 fraudulent transactions with undercover agents as well as over a hundred additional fraudulent transactions shown on surveillance video. The evidence further showed that the defendants’ store engaged in over $2.3 million in SNAP transactions over an approximately three-year period, in contrast to the average medium grocer in Alameda County that redeemed just $520,000.

The federal jury today convicted Ali Mugalli Hassan and Mugalli Ahmed Hassan of one count of conspiracy to commit benefits fraud and to defraud the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. Ali Mugalli Hassan and Mugalli Ahmed Hassan were each also convicted of one count of benefits fraud greater than $5,000 in violation of 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b), one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Before trial began Mugalli Ahmed Hassan also pleaded guilty to nine other charged counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Each conviction of a violation of 7 U.S.C. §2024(b) and of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 and 1343 carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment. All of the above counts of conviction carry a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence for these convictions will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. 

United States Chief District Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton scheduled a sentencing hearing for both defendants on December 8, 2022. Both defendants remain out of custody pending sentencing. 

Co-defendant Ahmed Ahmed Hasan Dharahan’s case is still pending. A trial date has not yet been set in his case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham Fine and Molly Priedeman prosecuted the case at trial with the assistance of Patricia Mahoney, Kay Konopaske, and Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USDA-OIG with the assistance of the Oakland Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
 

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Security News: Convicted Felon Indicted For Possessing A Firearm

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Marquvius Trevon Dixon (26, Clearwater) with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Dixon faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Dixon that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm traceable to his offense.

According to the indictment, on July 8, 2021, Dixon possessed a firearm. At the time of the incident, Dixon had multiple prior felony convictions for the sale of cocaine and possession of cocaine. As a previously convicted felon, Dixon is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clearwater Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

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.

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Security News: Four Jacksonville-Area Men Sentenced To Federal Prison Terms For Drug Offenses

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Orlando Pina (31, Atlantic Beach), Tawfiq Goggans (25, Jacksonville), Juan Carlos Muniz-Alvarez (33, Jacksonville), and Juan Carlos Muniz-Alvarez (33, Jacksonville) have been sentenced to federal prison terms for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of pure/actual methamphetamine in the Jacksonville area.

According to court documents, between December 2018 and September 2020, Pina supplied Goggans with two to six pounds of methamphetamine every week or two in Jacksonville. When arrested, Pina, having been previously been convicted of a felony offense, unlawfully possessed a firearm which was seized by law enforcement officers. In March 2022, Pina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of pure/actual methamphetamine. On June 23, 2022, Pina was sentenced to 13 years and 8 months in federal prison. He was held accountable for distributing at least 1.5 kilograms and up to 4.5 kilograms of pure/actual methamphetamine.

On March 9, 2022, Goggans pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of pure/actual methamphetamine. He was sentenced on June 7, 2022, to 5 years in federal prison. Goggans was held accountable for distributing at least 1.5 kilograms and up to 4.5 kilograms of pure/actual methamphetamine.

On February 25, 2022, Muniz-Alvarez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of pure/actual methamphetamine. He was sentenced on June 1, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison. Muniz-Alvarez was held accountable for distributing at least 1.5 kilograms and up to 4.5 kilograms of pure/actual methamphetamine.

On April 1, 2021, Windle pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of pure/actual methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on July 12, 2021.

“The illicit opioid crisis continues to ravage our communities, prematurely end lives, and tragically destroy families at the seams,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge John Condon. “The sentencings of these criminals to a combined 428 months in a federal penitentiary is a testament to the partnerships we have with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to stop the peddling of poison.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hackenberry.

 

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Security News: Albuquerque man pleads guilty in armed robberies of letter carriers

Source: United States Department of Justice News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Cisco Casaus-Alires pleaded guilty on June 29 to robbery of mail, money and other property of the United States and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence. Casaus-Alires, 21, of Albuquerque, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Nov. 7, 2020, Casaus-Alires robbed a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier at gunpoint in southeast Albuquerque, demanding the letter carrier’s cell phone, USPS keys and mail. On Dec. 26, 2020, in southwest Albuquerque, Casaus-Alires robbed another letter carrier at gunpoint. Casaus-Alires demanded the letter carrier’s wallet, phone and USPS keys, and then demanded that the letter carrier load parcels into Casaus-Alires’ vehicle.

On Dec. 28, 2020, in south Albuquerque, Casaus-Alires robbed a third letter carrier at gunpoint, demanding the letter carrier’s wallet, phone and USPS keys. As Casaus-Alires took mail and parcels from the USPS vehicle, he asked the letter carrier where “the good stuff” is delivered, then fled the area.

By the terms of the plea agreement, Casaus-Alires faces 16 to 20 years in prison.

The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.

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