Month: August 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal jury convicted a Texas physician of engaging in a scheme that fraudulently billed TRICARE, the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, for toxicology and genetic tests that were not provided as represented and/or were medically unnecessary.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Sekhar Rao, 51, of Austin, was the medical director of the ADAR Group LLC. Rao authorized toxicology and genetic testing, including cancer genetic testing, for TRICARE beneficiaries without seeing, speaking to, or otherwise treating patients, and without incorporating the test results into ongoing treatment. In some cases, the patients did not know what they were being tested for. TRICARE beneficiaries were enticed to provide urine or saliva specimens in exchange for $50 gift cards. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Rao was paid in exchange for signing off on medically unnecessary and repetitive toxicology and genetic tests.   

Rao was convicted of two counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each health care fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Dallas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Steven Grell of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen of the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.

DCIS, HHS-OIG, FBI, DOL-OIG, and VA-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Shy Jackson and Lee Michael Hirsch of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Health Care Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has found Michael Tyrone Young (32, Ocala) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Young faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 15, 2022. Young had been indicted on December 7, 2021.

According to the evidence presented during the bench trial, on the night of August 31, 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department encountered Young in the hallway of a building at a local public housing complex. The officers were patrolling the area because of recent shootings at the complex. The officers confronted Young after seeing him drop and retrieve what appeared to be a weapon. As they spoke with him, the loaded firearm fell out of Young’s pants and onto the floor. Young admitted that he had the firearm because he had been “looking for a certain person” who was “fixin’ to get him.” A records check showed that Young had three state felony convictions for drug distribution. As a convicted felon, Young is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Edrick D. Jackson (28, Lake City) to five years in federal prison for distributing cocaine base (“crack” cocaine) and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  The court also ordered Jackson to forfeit the ammunition and firearms involved in the offenses. Jackson had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.

According to court documents, on three separate occasions, Jackson sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement.  The sales took place at Jackson’s home in Lake City. After obtaining a federal search warrant, investigators searched Jackson’s home and located crack cocaine, two digital scales, a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol that had previously been reported stolen, and a Glock 9mm pistol with an extended magazine, loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. Jackson had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and therefore is prohibited by law from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Michael J. Coolican.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nyree Letterlough, a/k/a “Gram” or “Grammie,” age 51, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 29, 2022, to 111 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for cocaine trafficking and weapons offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in November 2021, a jury convicted Letterlough of drug trafficking, possessing a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a stolen gun. These items were seized during a February 1, 2018, sweep of her home and other properties associated with her and her fellow drug trafficker, Saqueena Williams, a/k/a “Queenie,” following a years-long investigation.   

Williams, the operator of Queenies Café, was convicted at the same trial of running a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2012 to 2018. The jury found that Williams trafficked in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, and that she possessed guns in furtherance of her drug trafficking operation.

Letterlough surrendered her interests in Grams Grill, located in Harrisburg, and other property. Williams also surrendered her interests in Queenies Café, located in Harrisburg, as well as the liquor license and other properties.

At Letterlough’s sentencing, issues regarding the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines were resolved after hearing argument from the parties. The sentence of 111 months’imprisonment imposed by Judge Conner was within the sentencing guideline range

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrisburg Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio and Samuel Dalke are prosecuting the case.

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