Month: September 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced that on September 12, 2022, the Honorable Paul L. Maloney, United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan sentenced Adrian Romero Antunez (35), a Mexican national in the United States on a tourist visa, to 46 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute five (5) kilograms or more of cocaine.  Romero Antunez was the final defendant to be sentenced in a transnational and interstate cocaine ring that centered around New Buffalo, Michigan resident Ivan Huerta Hernandez (33).  Through conduits in Mexico, Huerta Hernandez was supplied by sources located in Chicago, Illinois, including Romero Antunez.  Huerta Hernandez then distributed cocaine to dealers in West Michigan and Northern Indiana. 

          On the morning of November 3, 2021, approximately 90 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers executed arrest warrants and six search warrants in four judicial districts: the Western District of Michigan, the Northern District of Indiana, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Central District of Illinois.  Investigators seized over 1.5 kilograms of cocaine.  Investigators also seized approximately $100,000 in cash, six vehicles, and two firearms.

          The men who have been convicted of felony charges are listed below: 

          For more information, please see the continuation in support of the criminal complaint available on the public docket.  United States v. Hernandez, et al., No. 21-MJ-551, ECF No. 1 (W.D. Mich.).   

          In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said, “The convictions and sentences in this case represent a significant victory against a transnational drug trafficking conspiracy.”  He continued: “My office is committed to combatting large-scale traffickers who bring these poisons to the Western District of Michigan.  This prosecution demonstrates the power of pooling the resources of federal, state, and local governments.  Drug trafficking organizations do not recognize political boundaries and we must continue to work together to combat drug trafficking organizations across Michigan, the Midwest, and the United States.”

          “An investigation like this can only be successful when law enforcement agencies at all levels work together to remove those who pollute local neighborhoods with dangerous drugs,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This investigation effectively dismantled a transnational, interstate drug trafficking organization that set up operations in the New Buffalo area. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to rid the streets of these criminals and make our communities safer for all citizens.” 

          “This sentencing should serve as a reminder that along with our Federal, State and local law enforcement partners, DEA is dedicated to identifying, investigating and dismantling drug trafficking organizations who look to profit from the suffering of others,” said Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

          “The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office is honored to partner with the FBI, DEA, and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the residents of southwest Michigan and the entire United States are protected from individuals and organizations that are trying to harm our residents and citizens,” said Berrien County Sheriff, L. Paul Bailey.  “The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office is proud of the hard work and dedication of all law enforcement personnel who took part in this investigation and brought it to a successful conclusion.”

          The case was investigated and prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that began in 2020 and has been led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service (USMS),  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Michigan State Police’s Southwest Enforcement Team (SWET), Berrien County Sheriff’s Department (BCSD), Pokagon Band Tribal Police, Michigan City Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Cook County Sheriff Department.

          OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

          Assistant United States Attorneys Vito S. Solitro and Daniel T. McGraw prosecuted the case. 

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Gregory William Hill, whose aliases include Gregory Allen Davis, Gregory William Davis, and John Martin Hill, age 37, of Georgia, has been charged by indictment with two counts of misuse of a social security number and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The indictment alleges that Hill impersonated a former graduate of Syracuse University and used that victim’s name and a false social security number for the purpose of obtaining information and documentation from Syracuse University by fraud.

The charges filed against Hill carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison for the social security fraud counts and mandatory two-year terms of imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft counts; a fine of up to $250,000 for each count; and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The defendant was arraigned today by videoconference before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and has been ordered detained pending a trial to be scheduled before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.

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

This case is being investigated by the FBI, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A man who sold K2 from a smoke shop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and who fled the country in 2014 after being charged with federal drug crimes was convicted by a jury on September 12, 2022, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Mohammad Al Sharairei, age 47, previously from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of maintaining a premises for the distribution of controlled substance analogues and one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substance analogues.  The verdict was returned yesterday afternoon following about five hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that in 2012 and 2013, Al Sharairei and his wife owned and operated a smoke shop on First Avenue in Cedar Rapids called Puff N Stuff II.  During June 2013, federal agents raided Puff N Stuff II and seized thousands of packets of K2 which were labeled as “novelty items,” “potpourri,” and “incense” and contained a warning that the products were “not for human consumption.”  Some names of the “potpourri” products were Bizarro, Grave Digger, Lights Out, and Mega Kush.  The substances in the packages were determined to contain synthetic cannabinoids called PB‑22 and 5F‑PB‑22.  Trial evidence showed that these synthetic cannabinoid substances are far more potent than marijuana and have been associated with severe psychological and physical effects, including death.  Trial evidence showed that, despite labeling the products as “not for human consumption” and having a store policy that customers could not talk about smoking the products, Al Sharairei himself smoked the “incense.” 

Seized store records from Puff N Stuff II showed that between January 2012 and June 26, 2013, the store had sold over $1.3 million in synthetic cannabinoid products.  Trial evidence also showed that after Al Sharairei was charged and appeared in federal court, he fled the country in 2014 prior to a scheduled hearing.  He remained a fugitive until he was extradited back to the United States from Brazil.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Al Sharairei remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Al Sharairei faces a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $1,500,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.  He also faces up to $425,000 in forfeiture of proceeds of his drug operation.

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.  The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff’s Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam Vander Stoep. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 14‑CR‑63‑LTS‑MAR.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jason Schofield, age 42, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with unlawfully using the names and dates of birth of voters to fraudulently apply for absentee ballots for elections held in Rensselaer County in 2021. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Schofield is an Elections Commissioner at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections. 

The indictment alleges that in 2021, Schofield unlawfully possessed and used the names and dates of birth of voters in connection with absentee ballot applications he submitted to a New York State Board of Elections web site.

The indictment alleges that Schofield applied for absentee ballots in the names of people who had no interest in voting in 2021; did not request absentee ballots, or Schofield’s assistance in voting or obtaining absentee ballots, in 2021; and/or did not know that Schofield was using their personal information. In some of these instances, according to the indictment, Schofield also took possession of the absentee ballots issued to these voters, brought the ballots to the voters, and had the voters sign absentee ballot envelopes but not actually vote; this allowed Schofield or another person to cast votes in these voters’ names, in Rensselaer County’s primary and general elections held in 2021. 

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

Schofield was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered released on his own recognizance pending a trial scheduled before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. 

On each of 12 counts, if convicted, Schofield would face up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.