Month: December 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The United States Attorney’s Office stated Cameron Yee, 21, of South Burlington, was arrested yesterday based upon a one count indictment charging him with making a materially false statement in connection with his acquisition of a Glock handgun from a South Burlington federally licensed firearm dealer.  Yee will be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon at 2:30 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.  

Court filings state that Yee purchased a Glock .40 on October 11, 2022, and the weapon was recovered less than 24 hours later at the scene of a shootout in Springfield, Massachusetts, that resulted in the death of two men.  According to Court records, when Yee acquired the gun he falsely stated to the gun store that he was the actual purchaser/transferee, when he actually was purchasing the weapon on behalf of a man who supplied him with money to make the purchase.  

The indictment is an accusation only and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If Yee is convicted of the charged offense, he will face a maximum possible prison sentence of 10-years, but the sentence would be informed by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.  

The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives lead the investigation, in coordination with the South Burlington, Vermont, and Springfield, Massachusetts Police Departments.  

Michael P. Drescher is the Assistant United States Attorney.  Yee is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.  

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.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Rayshonne Marbley, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to an eight-year prison term on charges stemming from a series of break-ins and thefts in Northwest Washington in June 2022.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Marbley pleaded guilty in October 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of second-degree burglary.  The Honorable Michael O’Keefe sentenced Marbley today to an aggregate term of eight years’ imprisonment. Following his prison term, Marbley will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 6, 2022, shortly after 3:00 p.m., Marbley entered an occupied home in the 3000 block of 11th Street NW. The resident’s child was awoken to the sound of her bedroom doorknob being turned and observed Marbley looking at her from another bedroom door. Marbley took various electronics before leaving the house. Marbley then entered another occupied home in the area before being chased out by the resident. Marbley again took various electronics on his way out of the house. A short time later, police were able to locate and apprehend Marbley. In his possession were various electronics taken from the two residences.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of those investigating the cases from MPD.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson and Victim Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams. 

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shalin Nohria, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kori Ann Moreno (26, Ponte Vedra Beach) with theft of mail over an eight-month period. If convicted, Moreno faces up to five years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims in the case. She was arrested on November 29, 2022, by agents from the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General and subsequently released on a bond.  

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Justin Kelly (35, New Port Richey) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, three counts of possession/distribution of fentanyl, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Due to his six prior felony convictions for cocaine distribution in two separate cases, Kelly faces a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 17, 2023. Kelly had been indicted on June 24, 2021.

According to evidence presented at trial, Kelly was a supplier of fentanyl in Pasco County. He used addicts to sell the drug for him and yielded profits of thousands of dollars per day. In the early hours of November 18, 2020, “E.L.” was found face down in his kitchen in New Port Richey by his wife, while his stepchildren were asleep a few feet away. Detectives from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office learned that a dealer named Steven Kinney had supplied the fentanyl. Kinney identified Kelly as his supplier and made recorded purchases of fentanyl from him. Search warrants executed at Kelly’s motel room and a storage unit resulted in the seizures of additional fentanyl, cash, kilogram presses, digital scales, and an M&P 15 rifle. Cellphone records corroborated that Kelly was the supplier of the fentanyl that Kinney had distributed to “E.L.” before he died.

This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tarpon Springs Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stoia and Dan Baeza.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

MIAMI— A federal magistrate judge has unsealed an 18-count superseding indictment charging West Palm Beach, Fla., resident Dion De Cesare, 52, and five others with operating an illegal sports gambling business, conspiracy to use cellular telephones to carry out gambling and prostitution activities, conspiracy and substantive money laundering, and evading taxes.

The superseding indictment alleges that from around April 2008 and continuing to around November 2022, De Cesare and his front company, HERE LLC, used two commercial establishments, Whispers All Girls Staff and NXT, both of which provided an array of prostitution services to customers.

In addition, from May 2015 through September 2021, De Cesare allegedly conspired with others, including his co-defendants Josh Peasley, 62, of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Kelly Lizza, 41, of West Palm Beach, to operate a sports gambling business through dldsportsbook.com, a website out of Costa Rica where wagers on sporting events take place. 

The superseding indictment also alleges that from 2011 to 2017, De Cesare owned Renegades, a restaurant and nightclub in West Palm Beach where between 2011 and 2013, and 2015 to 2016, he and his business partner failed to pay personal and payroll taxes which resulted in a substantial amount of tax debt due.  

 De Cesare allegedly conspired with Peasley, Lizza, and co-defendants Aundrey Aarons, 41, and Mark Paolantonio, 62, both of West Palm Beach, to launder his gambling proceeds by having gamblers who owed him money pay through third party entities and individuals. Nine West Palm Beach properties and one vehicle are subject to criminal forfeiture according to the superseding indictment.   

De Cesare faces up to 50 years in prison for gambling, prostitution and money laundering.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is a charging instrument containing allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office; Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO); and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI, West Palm Beach Office; IRS-CI, Miami Field Office; and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto and Trial Attorney Francesca Bartolomey from the Tax Division at the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Laserna and William Zloch are handling asset forfeiture.

You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.