Month: August 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Michael John Dean Nopah, 42, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 70 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Twenty-five months of Nopah’s federal sentence was ordered to run consecutive to a California sentence he is currently serving. Nopah previously pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

On April 24, 2020, in Parker, Arizona, Nopah was found in possession of a Glock model 30S, .45 caliber pistol capable of accepting a large capacity magazine. Nopah is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

The FBI and CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-21-00546-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER:    2022- 149_Nopah
 

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 140 months in prison for possessing several Glock switches, or autosear kits, that convert handguns into fully automatic machineguns, as well as a Glock handgun that he used protect his marijuana-distribution efforts.

According to court documents, Karon Rayosha Howard, 28, sold Glock switches, or autosear kits, that convert handguns into fully automatic machineguns. One of his customers, Shy’Quan Dodson, was a Kai Gang member who used a Glock machinegun in a shootout on July 18, 2021, in downtown Norfolk, then was involved in a high-speed chase with police officers that resulted in his vehicle crashing. He threw the Glock out the car window, but officers recovered it and saw that it had been illegally modified with a 3D-printed Glock switch, and evidence from Dodson’s phone indicated that Howard had sold him the device.

On September 1, 2021, officers secured and executed a search warrant for Howard’s residence, where they recovered two more Glock switches, another firearm, and marijuana packaged for distribution. Howard admitted to possessing all the recovered contraband and told the police: “I’m always gonna go to jail for firearms. You feel me? I’m gonna have a gun on me.”

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Jackson and Joe Depadilla, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Graham Stolle prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-2.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PORTLAND, Ore.—With at least two notable seizures in the last several days in the Portland Metropolitan Area, officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration are warning Oregonians to be on the lookout for “rainbow fentanyl,” a brightly-colored version of the highly-toxic synthetic opioid responsible for hundreds of fatal overdoses every day in the United States.

Rainbow fentanyl has appeared recently in several forms in cities across the country. A version seized recently in the Portland area resembles thick pieces of brightly-colored sidewalk chalk. Some versions seized elsewhere in pill or tablet form resemble candy.

If you or someone you know encounter any version of fentanyl, please refrain from handling it and call 911 immediately.

“We urge all Oregonians to be on the lookout for fentanyl in our community and respect the highly-toxic nature of this substance,” said Steve Mygrant, Chief of the Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “Fentanyl is commonly disguised in fake prescriptions pills. If you find or come in contact with pills not dispersed by a licensed pharmacist, assume they are fake and potentially lethal. Fake pills are indistinguishable from real pills.”

“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we face today,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Jacob D. Galvan from the Seattle Field Division. “It doesn’t matter what color, shape or form it comes in; just two milligrams of fentanyl – the equivalent of 10 to 15 grains of salt – is enough to kill someone. DEA’s Portland Office is seizing record amounts of fentanyl and we will continue this important work because we know American lives are at stake.”

Opioid abuse affects communities across the nation. Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that there were more than 107,000 fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2021, an increase of nearly 15% from the previous year. Synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) accounted for more than three quarters of these deaths. Drug overdose continues to be the leading cause of injury or death in the United States.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8am and 11pm Pacific Time daily.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Summerset, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Attempted Exploitation of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity.

Emily Nicole Yeary, age 24, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on August 22, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The charges relate to Yeary attempting to sexually exploit a 14-year-old and transporting the minor across state lines for sexual activity.  The charges are merely an accusation and Yeary is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Galena Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.

Yeary was detained pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that four individuals from Sisseton, South Dakota, who were all convicted of Robbery and Aiding and Abetting, have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.

Tiffany Bernard, age 30, was sentenced on August 22, 2022, to 15 years in federal prison – the maximum possible sentence – followed by three years of supervised release.  She was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution was also ordered for $300,358.89, relating to the victim’s medical expenses and lost wages.

In late 2021, Bernard’s three co-defendants were sentenced for their respective roles in the robbery and assault.  On October 4, 2021, Brendon Javon Jacob Rodlund, age 32, was also sentenced to the maximum of 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Rodlund is also serving a separate federal sentence of approximately 13 years in federal prison for sexual assault.  His robbery sentence will be served consecutively to his prior sentence for sexual assault.

Andrew David Renville, age 34, was sentenced on November 1, 2021, to the maximum of 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Renville was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Randall Delbert Pumpkinseed, age 33, was also sentenced on November 1, 2021, to 13 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Pumpkinseed was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

According to court documents, between November 16 and 17, 2015, Bernard, Rodlund, Pumpkinseed, and Renville assaulted by force, violence, and intimidation, and did take and attempt to take things of value from the victim.  The robbery and assault took place at Dry Wood Lake near Sisseton, and all defendants aided and abetted each other in perpetrating these crimes.

This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement, the FBI, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

All defendants are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.