Month: January 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Tavaris East, 42, of Pensacola, Florida, pled guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer when purchasing a firearm. The plea was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

On April 27, 2022, East purchased a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer and checked the box “yes” that he was “the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm” on the ATF Form 4473. However, East purchased the firearm for Kennon Farrow, a convicted felon.  The firearm was recovered by law enforcement on May 24, 2022, after it was used by Kennon Farrow to commit a homicide. 

Sentencing in this case is set for March 30, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. East faces 10 years in prison.  

The case resulted from an investigation by the Pensacola Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

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.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Davenport, IA – Jayvontae Dashwan Bland Robertson, age 29, of Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced on January 4, 2023, to 96 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and felon in possession of a firearm. Following his term of imprisonment, Robertson was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court records, in 2021, law enforcement investigated Bland Robertson for fentanyl and marijuana trafficking. In July 2021, Bland Robertson was found in possession of over 13 grams of fentanyl during a traffic stop. In August 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bland Robertson’s residence, locating additional evidence of drug trafficking and a loaded firearm. In February 2022, police had contact with Bland Robertson and again he had a loaded firearm, along with fentanyl and marijuana. The investigation determined that Bland Robertson received and trafficked at least 6 kilograms of marijuana and over 240 grams of fentanyl.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department’s Tactical Operations Bureau along with the Iowa State Patrol investigated the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Johnstown, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 30 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Anthony Andrews, age 41, on January 5, 2023.

According to information presented to the court, from on or about April 2019, to on or about July 2021, Andrews did conspire to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Ms. Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Andrews. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 33 months in prison for committing securities fraud to obtain over $2.8 million from victim investors, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Mark Marchi, 55, of Red Bank, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of securities fraud. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence on Jan. 4, 2023, in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Marchi, who was previously barred from the securities industry, purported to provide investment adviser services to clients. Beginning in December 2015, he managed and controlled Precipio Capital LLC, after previously managing and controlling a different investment company called Global Alliance Capital, LLC. Through Global Alliance, Marchi solicited investments from multiple investors, and when he ceased operating Global Alliance, Marchi represented to those investors that he rolled over their accounts into Precipio. Marchi also solicited investors to invest directly into Precipio. 

Instead of using the funds on legitimate investments, Marchi diverted approximately $2.8 million of those funds from victim investors for other purposes, including paying back previous Global Alliance investors and his own use. Marchi made repeated misrepresentations to the victim investors, which included false claims about the status and performance of investments and false assurances to victims that their investments were profitable. Marchi also provided victims with falsified records, including trading records, performance reports, and K-1s. 

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Marchi to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $2.87 million. 

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possessing quantities of heroin and cocaine he intended to distribute, and possessing several firearms, including an AM-15 rifle, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Cedric Lewis, 32, of Bloomfield, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to a superseding information charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On Sept. 20, 2020 investigators learned that Lewis was in a car in the Newark/Elizabeth area while he possessed a quantity of heroin and cocaine he intended to sell, as well as an AM-15 rifle with a high-capacity magazine that contained 30 rounds of .300 caliber ammunition. Law enforcement officers subsequently lawfully searched Lewis’s apartment recovered a 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine; a .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine; drug paraphernalia and a scale; $800 in cash, and heroin and cocaine that Lewis intended to sell. 

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Lewis to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; and deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the Northern District of Georgia, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Michael S. Yeager, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Bloomfield Police Department for its assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.