Month: March 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

DETROIT – A Tipton, Michigan resident was indicted by a grand jury today for using Twitter to threaten to kill Jewish government officials in Michigan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. 

Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the indictment, on February 17, 2023, Jack Eugene Carpenter, III, 41, of Tipton, Michigan, using Twitter while located in Texas, made threats against Jewish government officials in Michigan. Carpenter’s post read, in part: “I’m heading back to Michigan now threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is jewish in the Michigan govt if they don’t leave, or confess.”

The indictment also alleges that the Grand Jury found that Carpenter intentionally selected Jewish members of the Michigan government as the objects of his threat because of the actual and perceived religion of those individuals.

Carpenter is currently being held in detention pending trial in this case.       

“Hate and bias-related crimes poison our communities and make people afraid simply because of who they are or what they believe,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will not tolerate such actions, and we will prosecute those who engage in them to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Investigating crimes based on religious bias is one of the FBI’s highest priorities because of the devastating impact they have on individuals and communities,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The victims in this case were specifically targeted because of their religion. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to detect and prevent violent incidents motivated by bias or hate. We also urge the public to report any suspected hate crimes to the FBI and local law enforcement.”

Based on the charges in the indictment, Carpenter faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted.  Carpenter is subject to aa Hate Crime Motivation penalty enhancement under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.    

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hank Moon and Frances Carlson.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

DETROIT – A former Detroit resident was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murdering a rival gang member and an innocent 13-year-old bystander as part of a racketeering conspiracy, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division. Carlo Wilson, aka “Los,” age 29, received the sentence from the United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.

At his guilty plea, Wilson admitted to being a member of the “6 Mile Chedda Grove” gang, which is a street gang that operated on the eastside of Detroit. 6 Mile Chedda Grove was a violent organization responsible for murders, assaults, robberies, and narcotics trafficking in the Detroit metropolitan area and in other states. The gang used violence to retaliate against rivals and to advance members’ positions within the gang.

As a part of his plea, Wilson admitted to participating in the 2015 murder of a rival gang member and an innocent bystander. According to plea documents, Wilson was with another gang member, Edwin Mills, when they saw the rival in a car outside of a market on the eastside of Detroit. Wilson and Mills killed the rival gang member and an innocent bystander when they fired multiple shots at the vehicle. Wilson and Mills also seriously injured two children who had been sitting on the hood of the car driven by the rival gang member.  Mills also pled guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing in the case.  

“Today’s sentence is a stark reminder of how gun violence devastates our community and is robbing innocent children of their future.  It also serves as a warning to those who use guns to commit violence: I will use every resource of the federal government to seek justice for all of the people in this district,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.

“We are extremely proud of the outstanding work done by our Violent Gang Task Force, which is committed to countering violent crime, illegal drugs, and organized criminal activity in our communities by investigating gang members like Mr. Wilson, ”said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.  “The continued success and impact of this Task Force is persuasive evidence of how interagency collaboration results in tangible public safety benefits to the citizens who live in the Detroit metropolitan area.”

The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Moran and Andrew R. Picek.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

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UPDATE

This press release has been updated to reflect the current charges against Rafaraci.

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The chief executive officer (CEO) of Company 1, a multi-national corporation headquartered in Malta and with operations in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and the United States was charged with bribery in an indictment returned on September 30, 2019.

According to the indictment, between 2013 and 2021, Rafaraci gave, offered, and promised money to Public Official 1, a Marine Liaison Officer for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, in exchange for Public Official 1 using his official position to take action benefitting Company 1 as opportunities arose.

“Frank Rafaraci allegedly bribed a Navy official for years,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division remains committed to combating corruption in defense contracting around the world.”

“This defendant is alleged to have engaged in a long-running scheme to bribe a public official for his own gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue and hold accountable those that seek to take advantage of our military through corruption.”

“The criminal case against Rafaraci is the result of painstaking investigative efforts by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) agents, and our partner agencies,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the DCIS Transnational Operations Field Office. “Let today’s action serve as a sobering reminder to those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of the U.S. military and American taxpayers. DCIS is resolutely committed to ensuring the integrity of the DoD’s global procurement operations.”

“Rafaraci’s alleged long-running criminal scheme cheated the U.S. taxpayer and wasted tremendously valuable resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Maddox of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to root out bribery and corruption that threaten to diminish the operational readiness and warfighter superiority of the Navy and Marine Corps.”

If convicted of bribery, Rafaraci faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Rafaraci was provisionally arrested in Malta on Sept. 27, 2021, at the request of the United States. Proceedings in Malta concluded upon his voluntary return to the United States on Oct. 18.

DCIS, NCIS, IRS-CI, and Army Criminal Investigative Division are investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Malta Police Force, Malta Office of the Attorney General, Essex Police, and U.K. International Crime Cooperation Center.

Principal Assistant Chief Justin Weitz, Trial Attorney Michael P. McCarthy of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn are prosecuting the case. Former Deputy Chief Brian R. Young of the Fraud Section participated in the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.

Anyone with information relating to fraud or corruption should contact the NCIS anonymous tip line at www.ncis.navy.mil or the DoD hotline at www.dodig.mil/hotline, or call (800) 424-9098.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Ronald Eugene Watson, also known as Sabir Muhammad, age 59, of Brandywine, Maryland, today on 23 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.  

The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Watson was a self-employed tax return preparer operating SW Accounting Associates (“SWAA”) in Largo, Maryland.  The evidence proved that from at least 2015 to at least 2017, Watson prepared and electronically filed with the IRS fraudulent Forms 1040 and related Schedules A and C for his taxpayer-clients.  Watson included inflated and fictitious tax deductions and fraudulent business profits and losses in order to obtain larger tax refunds to which the taxpayer-clients were not entitled.  According to witness testimony, Watson varied his preparation fees depending on the amount of the refund requested, with fees typically ranging from approximately $500 up to approximately $1,500.

“With filing season underway, the conviction of Mr. Watson is a timely reminder of the importance of choosing an honest, trustworthy preparer.  This conviction should also put unscrupulous preparers on notice about the consequences that await those who do not play by the rules,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter. 

Watson faces a maximum of three years in federal prison for each of the 23 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.   U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Barron and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended the IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron and Mr. Goldberg also thanked Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Morgan, Jr. and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, who are 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 and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

            CONCORD – Jared Stottlar, 43, of Tilton, was sentenced to 144 months of imprisonment today for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, during an investigation law enforcement learned that Stottlar was dealing in significant quantities of methamphetamine.  Police executed searches and seized over approximately 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine and 11 firearms, several of which were stolen, from Stottlar.  Law enforcement also recovered over $100,000 from the defendant.  Stottlar was arrested on federal charges on June 9, 2020 and has been detained since then.  

            “The defendant, armed with firearms, trafficked methamphetamine into our communities for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Young.  “The sentence imposed by the court today demonstrates that such criminal activity will not be tolerated and will result in more than a decade of incarceration.  Working with our law enforcement partners, this office will continue to actively prosecute armed criminals who traffic dangerous drugs into our communities.”           

             The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tilton, Franklin, and Sanbornton Police Departments.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski, Alexander S. Chen, and Seth R. Aframe.

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