Month: November 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Three men, all from Washington, D.C., have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a series of armed robberies and carjackings that took place in Maryland and the District of Columbia over a period of less than two months earlier this year.

            Tyrell Jordan Stewart, 24, Joenathan Nelson, 25, and Azriel Echavarria, 20, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, and various related offenses. The indictment was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Stewart was arrested today and made his initial court appearance this afternoon. Nelson and Echavarria previously were in custody.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Malik Aziz, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Department, and Marcus G. Jones, Chief of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department.

            According to the indictment, the defendants wore dark clothing and often wore masks or other clothing over their faces while committing the crimes. As alleged in the indictment, they used various vehicles, including stolen vehicles, to facilitate the robberies or flee from scenes. The crimes typically took place in the early morning, between 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. In addition to stores, targets included people accosted while in their cars, at work, or on the street.

            The indictment includes charges related to crimes from Jan. 19 through March 4, 2022. They include three robberies at convenience stores, 14 robberies of individuals, an armed carjacking, and three car thefts. On Feb. 18, 2022, for example, four armed robberies were carried out within 95 minutes in Northwest and Northeast Washington. On Feb. 20, 2022, two armed robberies took place within 10 minutes at convenience stores in Rockville and Kensington, Maryland. On March 4, 2022, four armed robberies took place within 35 minutes in Northeast and Northwest Washington.

            Stewart was indicted on a total of 14 charges, including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, six counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, five counts of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, and a firearms offense.

            Nelson was indicted on a total of 21 charges, including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, 11 counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, six counts of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, and a firearms offense.

            Echavarria was indicted on a total of five charges, including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, two counts of armed robbery, and a firearms offense

            Nelson has been detained pending other court proceedings in Montgomery County. Echavarria is incarcerated after pleading guilty in the District of Columbia on April 28, 2022, to a charge of carrying a pistol without a license.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.

            The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lynch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kinskey and David T. Henek, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted Charles Porterfield, 37, of Springville, NY, of production of child pornography and committing the offense as a registered sex offender. The charges carry a mandatory penalty of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan P. Cantil and Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in 2011, Porterfield was convicted in Erie County Court of Engaging in a Course of Sexual Conduct in the 2nd Degree and sentenced to five years in prison and three years post release supervision. Porterfield was also required to register as a sex offender for life. Less than one month after completing his post release supervision, Porterfield paid a 13-year-old girl (Victim) to engage in an online sexual relationship. Porterfield used the Victim to produce images and videos of child pornography.

The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury, and the Northern York County Regional Police Department. 

Sentencing is scheduled for May 23, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Richard J Arcara, who presided over the trial of the case.  

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

On November 22, 2022, Justin Haubrich, 46, from Milford, Iowa, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison.

Haubrich pled guilty June 28, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from May 2018 through January 2019, Haubrich was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 2500 grams of methamphetamine.  Haubrich was supplied methamphetamine from sources in Denison and Council Bluffs, Iowa for further distribution in Northwest Iowa.  During a traffic stop in January 2019, Haubrich was found in possession of a .45 caliber handgun and was known to keep and store firearms during his drug trafficking activities.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Haubrich was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of three years supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Haubrich remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, the Okoboji, Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.   

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

The case file number is 21-4097. 

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

A man who possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and who possessed a firearm as an unlawful drug user, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Joshua Ryan Gorrell, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location, and one count of possession of a firearm as an unlawful drug user.

In a plea agreement, Gorrell admitted that, on July 22, 2022, he made a 911 call regarding an overdose that occurred at his home in Cedar Rapids.  When first responders arrived, they found a deceased overdose victim.  Officers searched Gorrell’s home and found $123,038 in U.S. Currency and over two pounds of actual (pure) methamphetamine, 43 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, 68 grams of marijuana, and 238 grams of THC wax.  Officers found some of the drugs and cash in ductwork inside of Gorrell’s home.

Gorrell also admitted in a plea agreement that on August 22, 2022, law enforcement officers searched his home again and found a firearm, $15,253 in U.S. Currency, approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately 252 grams of marijuana.  Later that day, Gorrell’s urine tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Gorrell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. 

For possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location, Gorrell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and the following maximum penalties: not more than life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; a fine of not more than $20,000,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; and a term of supervised release of at least 10 years and up to life.  For possessing a firearm as a drug user, Gorrell faces the following maximum penalties: not more than 15 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole; a fine of not more than $250,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years. 

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.  It was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Marion Police Department, and Linn County Sheriff’s Office. 

This case is also 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.          

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

The case file number is 22-CR-59.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that four defendants were arrested and charged in two separate criminal complaints with selling cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and firearms in the Medina, NY, area.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in October 2021, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Ebony Shine, 36, of Rochester, NY, Nasir Shine, 20, Emmanual Taylor, 19, and Darrell C. Shine, 37, both of Medina, NY.

According to the complaint against Ebony Shine, Nasir Shine, Emmanual Taylor, between October 2021 and October 2022, the Task Force conducted a total of 14 controlled purchases, to include cocaine and fentanyl, and three firearms.  Ebony and Nasir Shine and Emmanual Taylor are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances, and face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Darrell C. Shine, 37, of Medina, NY, is charged in a separate complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years.  Between October 2021, and November 2022, investigators conducted six controlled purchases to include methamphetamine, cocaine, and a firearm.  In November 2006 and February 2011, Darrell Shine was convicted in Orleans County court of felony drug charges and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

During the course of the investigation and the execution of three search warrants at residences associated with the four defendants, investigators recovered six firearms, including an assault rifle and a tactical shotgun, ammunition, a quantity of cocaine, and drug packaging materials.  Investigators also recovered approximately a pound of fentanyl, a half-pound of cocaine and $29,000 in cash, $20,000 of which was for one sale of over ¼ kilogram of fentanyl.

The complaints are the result of an investigation by the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force, under the direction of the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Joseph Cardone, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke, the Medina Police Department, under the direction of Chief Chad Kenward, the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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