Month: March 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentencings of Kenneth Ingram, 62, and Kadeem Ingram, 32, both of DeFuniak Springs. Kenneth Ingram was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Kadeem Ingram was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release.

Ingrams’ sentences were the result of being convicted following a jury trial on August 17, 2022, for the offenses of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Kadeem Ingram was also convicted of distribution of cocaine or cocaine base which occurred on two occasions in July 2019.

“This prosecution demonstrates the collaborative efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to remove addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “We are grateful for their dedicated public service and remain committed in our efforts to investigate and vigorously prosecute criminals bringing drugs into North Florida.”

Evidence introduced at trial revealed that the Ingrams conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. In 2019, the Ingrams took monthly trips to South Florida to procure large quantities of cocaine. The cocaine purchased, which was, in part, converted to cocaine base, was then distributed by Kadeem Ingram and a co-conspirator. A months-long investigation culminated in law enforcement seizing approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine from a vehicle the Ingrams possessed on July 13, 2019.

“Let these sentences be a warning to those who are participating in the attempted destruction of our communities by selling this poison,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “Our agency continues our effort not only to make drug arrests but to ensure these dangerous dealers are prosecuted and stay behind bars.”

“The success of this investigation is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the DEA in collaboration with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “DEA remains committed to these important partnerships to keep these dangerous drugs out of our North Florida communities and hold those who bring this poison into our neighborhoods accountable for their actions.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Office of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Lynn Haven Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, and the Panama City Beach Police Department. First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case. 

The prosecution, part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) OCDETF, is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach tocombat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to take down criminal organizations and seize assets.

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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A Utah man pleaded guilty today to willfully evading the proper assessment of income tax.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Ashley James Robinson, of Farmington, filed false tax returns for years 2016 through 2019 that did not report a total of approximately $1,163,818 in income. As a result, Robinson caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $427,145.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each tax evasion count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Boris Bourget of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Shaka Haltiwanger, 23, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder while armed and related charges stemming from a mid-morning shooting that took place on September 10, 2021 in an apartment building lobby in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Haltiwanger was found guilty by a jury on Mar. 22, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. The Honorable Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 10, 2021, just before 11:30 a.m., the victim, Anthony Kelley, 39, arrived at his father’s apartment building at 1400 29^th Street SE to take his father—who had suffered a stroke and could not drive—to the grocery store. When Mr. Kelley entered his father’s apartment, he found Haltiwanger on the living room couch.  Haltiwanger had been regularly selling crack cocaine to Mr. Kelley’s father. Mr. Kelley confronted Haltiwanger and physically removed him from the apartment. Haltiwanger and Mr. Kelley continued to argue in the hallway and stairwell of the apartment building until Mr. Kelley separated himself and began to walk away toward the building’s front door. Haltiwanger then removed a 9 mm “ghost gun” equipped with a 50-round magazine drum from his backpack and shot Mr. Kelley once in the back. The gun jammed after the first shot, and Haltiwanger fled the scene. Haltiwanger and others then proceeded to call multiple eyewitnesses to the shooting more than a dozen times using blocked phone numbers while the eyewitnesses were speaking to law enforcement on scene.

            Haltiwanger was arrested in the murder case on September 30, 2021. He has been in custody ever since. At the time of the murder, Haltiwanger was on release in a pending gun and drug case in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Section, and Dan Lenerz of the Appellate Section; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Robert Cephas, Marlon Hernandez, and Lesley Slade; Supervisory Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity and Grazy Rivera; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.  

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Charles R. Jones, who investigated, indicted, and prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Edward Brown, 60, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for slaying of 71-year-old man in an apartment building in Northwest Washington announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Brown was found guilty of first degree-murder while armed and second-degree murder while armed arising from the same set of facts. Each charge also carried a senior citizen enhancement. The verdict followed a trial in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rainey Brandt.

            Brown was arrested on February 27, 2018. He has been in custody ever since.

            On the morning of Feb. 5, 2018, the Metropolitan Police Department was called to an apartment in the 2300 block of 11^th Street NW for a report of an unconscious person. They discovered the victim, Michael Mahoney, inside his apartment, fatally stabbed in the neck. Brown, who was temporarily staying in the apartment, was the last person to be seen on video surveillance going into and out of the apartment before Mr. Mahoney’s body was discovered by his concerned and vigilant senior friends.

            Brown was arrested Feb. 27, 2018. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S Attorneys John Giovannelli, Sharon Donovan, Daniel Lenerz, and Jeffrey Wojcik; former AUSA Puja Bhatia, Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera, Kelly Blakeney, and Stephanie Siegerist; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce; Katina Adams-Washington, LaJune Thames, and Nikiya Burnette of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; former Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, sand Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Trigoso and Prava Palacharla, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Baltimore, Maryland – Robert Hopewell, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, on February 8, 2022, Baltimore Police Department officers performed a traffic stop after noticing that a vehicle, later found to be driven by Hopewell, had and illegally tinted windshield.  After stopping the car, officers noted a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and ordered Hopewell to exit the vehicle.  A search of the vehicle revealed shavings of suspected marijuana on the front passenger side of the vehicle and a plastic bag of suspected cocaine on the front driver’s side floorboard.  In the backseat area, the detectives noticed that the rear plastic plate cover for the center console appeared to be loose and readily removable.  Once the plate cover was removed, the detectives recovered a 9mm caliber pistol loaded with approximately 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition.  Hopewell admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition as a result of a previous felony conviction.

Hopewell and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Hopewell will be sentenced to no more than 78 months in federal prison.  Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. 

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.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei, who is prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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