Month: September 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Luis Perez Rodriguez, 34, of Allentown, PA, was sentenced to 120 years of in prison and a lifetime of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson for his convictions on multiple child exploitation offenses.

In December 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to four counts each of manufacturing and distributing child pornography. The charges stemmed from Rodriguez’ sexual abuse of two pre-pubescent children, aged 3 and 10 years old, and his recording of the abuse of each child. The defendant then distributed those images and videos over the internet to groups of other child sex offenders, and encouraged those offenders to redistribute them further to even more people on the internet. The defendant also solicited tips on what kind of child exploitation images to produce from other members of chat groups focused on creating such horrific illicit material. The videos and images not only depicted Rodriguez’ sexual abuse of each child, but also showed the faces of each child victim. The defendant was arrested in May 2020, shortly after distributing the child exploitation images to an online chat where one of the participants was an undercover FBI agent.

“Rodriguez sexually assaulted two very young children and then distributed images of those assaults online, where they will exist indefinitely,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “For that depravity, this defendant will now spend more than a lifetime in prison; securely confined and unable to victimize any more children. Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting these heinous crimes in order to hold people like Rodriguez accountable.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Jones.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman made her initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler for allegedly trafficking in more than 3,000 counterfeit designer handbags, clothes, and other merchandise which she offered for sale at her beauty supply store.

Amie Kamara (31) is charged with two counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods. A jury trial has been scheduled for November 14, 2022 before U.S. District Judge Cristina D. Silva.

According to allegations made in the indictment, Kamara owned and operated Aminic Beauty Supply in Las Vegas. At the store, she possessed and intended to sell items bearing counterfeit marks that were identical to the genuine trademarks from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, and other designer brands.

If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a monetary fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Watkins for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas made the announcement.

The case was investigated by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

To report possible violations of intellectual property rights, including counterfeiting, IP Theft and piracy, contact the National IPR Coordination Center, at www.iprcenter.gov/referral/report-ip-theft-form.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

POCATELLO – Ryan Arthur Burton, 43, of Rupert was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.

According to court records, Burton was arrested April 10, 2021, after deputies with the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a possible domestic violence incident in the City of Burley. Deputies contacted the Defendant and found that he was in possession of a loaded firearm. Defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction. Defendant was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2021. Defendant entered a guilty plea on May 5, 2022.

Burton was sentenced by the Honorable B. Lynn Winmill, District Court Judge, to federal prison on September 14, 2022 and was ordered to complete three years of supervised release after his prison sentence is finished.

U.S. Attorney Hurwit, of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, which led to charges.

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, andmeasuring the results.

This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.

The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.

This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 199 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 26 have been indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 8,650 months (approximately 721 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 53.7 months (4.47 years). Defendants indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm serve, on average, approximately 40.7 months (3.4 years) in federal prison.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARVEL JOHNSON, 50, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Derby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for making false statements to receive Medicaid benefits.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2008 and 2020, Johnson used false social security numbers to enroll and maintain his enrollment in the Connecticut Medicaid health care benefits program known as “Husky.”  In November 2015, called Access Health CT, the agency responsible for administering Medicaid/Husky enrollment for Connecticut, and provided false social security numbers in an attempt to receive retroactive insurance coverage for his recently-born son.  Johnson did not receive the retroactive coverage for his son, but he and his family continued to remain enrolled in Husky.  In 2018, following a verification request by Access Health CT for a citizenship document, Johnson mailed a false New Jersey birth certificate bearing his name.  Johnson was, in fact, born in Jamaica.

Judge Meyer ordered Johnson to pay restitution of $150,380.83

Johnson was arrested on November 19, 2020.  On April 28, 2022, he pleaded guilty to making false statements in health care matters.

Johnson, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 1.

This investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security; the U.S. Department of State, Office of Inspector General; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, joined the Spokane legal community, area law enforcement, and the Hyslop family in mourning the death of former U.S. Attorney William D. Hyslop, who passed away on September 11, 2022. Mr. Hyslop is the only person to serve two separate terms as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. In 1991, he was appointed by President George H.W. Bush. Twenty-eight years later, Mr. Hyslop again was appointed to lead the United States Attorney’s Office, serving in that position until early 2021.

Mr. Hyslop grew up in Spokane and devoted significant time to the Spokane community. He attended Shadle Park High School, graduated from Washington State University, and attended the Gonzaga School of Law. His voluntary activities included, among other things, serving as the co-chair of the effort to remodel Lewis and Clark High School and as the vice chair of the Use of Force Commission, which was formed to implement changes to police training and procedure.

For more than 40 years, Mr. Hyslop practiced law in Washington State, serving as the President of the Washington State Bar Association and working as a principle at the Spokane law firm of Lukins & Annis. While Mr. Hyslop greatly enjoyed his career in private practice, he remarked that “serving our great Country as the United Sates Attorney has been the highest honor and most fulfilling duty of my professional career.”

U.S. Attorney Waldref, who succeeded Mr. Hyslop as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in Eastern Washington, stated, “We were saddened to learn of Bill’s passing, and our hearts go out to his wife, two children, and grandchildren. Bill was a lifelong friend to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and a dedicated public servant. I was honored to serve with Bill, and I was impressed with his passion for serving the Spokane community. We will miss him greatly.”

Timothy J. Ohms, an Assistant United States Attorney who served under Mr. Hyslop, expressed his gratitude for Mr. Hyslop’s leadership: “Bill absolutely loved being a lawyer. He was passionate about the law and government service. I had the privilege of serving with Bill when he was a new U.S. Attorney in the early 1990s and again when Bill was reappointed in 2019. Bill was a thoughtful leader, who sought to achieve a just result in each and every case.”

Earl A. Hicks, who has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Spokane for more than forty years, stated, “It was an honor to work with Bill during both of his appointments as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in the Eastern District. He was a strong leader, who devoted his career to serving others. Bill was particularly good at working with law enforcement – bringing together federal, state, tribal, and local leaders to address difficult issues and serving side by side with law  enforcement to keep Eastern Washington safe. Our community will surely mourn his loss.”

At the time of Mr. Hyslop’s resignation as the United State Attorney in 2021, Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl stated, “U.S. Attorney Hyslop has been a constant partner with SPD in our efforts to keep Spokane the safe community that we all long to live in and raise our families. His engagement with local law enforcement, and commitment to safety first through prevention, education and enforcement, is second to none. We honor his commitment to justice through compassion and accountability, with the needs of the community being his priority.” Upon learning of Mr. Hyslop’s passing, Chief Meidl added, “Bill was thoughtful and reflective in how he approached community safety, an issue that was close to his heart. He closely partnered with the Spokane Police Department on many different programs, including fentanyl awareness and community engagement. He was a mentor and friend, and his passing will leave a gap that cannot be filled. I will miss him greatly.”

In February 2021, as he completed his service as the United States Attorney, Mr. Hyslop stated, “I intend to work to the last day on behalf of the people of Eastern Washington.” He then added, “I want to continue to do all I can to advocate for law enforcement and the hard work they do for us every day to keep us safe.” Mr. Hyslop was true to his word. Following his service as the United State Attorney, Mr. Hyslop became a founding board member of the Spokane Alliance for Fentanyl Education (“SAFE”). In his role at SAFE, Mr. Hyslop continued to work closely with state and federal law enforcement to help the community to better understand the significance and danger of fentanyl in Eastern Washington.

Mr. Hyslop will be sorely missed by the law enforcement community, especially those in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who served alongside Mr. Hyslop at various points over the past three decades.