Month: May 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A Florida man and self-identified Proud Boy was found guilty in the District of Columbia of all charged felony and misdemeanor counts for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election. 

            Christopher Worrell, 51, of Naples, Florida, was found guilty on May 12, 2023, of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon, obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, and obstructing, impeding, or interfering with officers during the commission of a civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, engaging in physical violence with a deadly or dangerous weapon all felonies, and an act of physical violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings, a misdemeanor.  The verdict followed a five-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, who commented in reading the verdict that the defendant’s defense that he had been pepper spraying other violent rioters, instead of U.S. Capitol Police officers, was “preposterous” and that the defendant’s testimony presented an “unbelievable” and “false narrative” that was “undermined by the contradictions and post-January 6 false statements identified by the government during Mr. Worrell’s cross-examination and the government’s rebuttal case.”  Judge Lamberth scheduled sentencing for August 18, 2023.

            The evidence at trial showed that, on January 6, 2021, Worrell was a member of the “Hurricane Coast Zone 5” Proud Boys chapter.  In the weeks leading up to January 6, Worrell and other members of the Proud Boys shared their animosity toward the police in an encrypted chat application.  On the morning of January 6, Worrell, dressed in a tactical vest and carrying two canisters of pepper gel, marched with other Proud Boys from the Washington Monument to the United States Capitol.  He passed U.S. Capitol Police officers and warned them not to resist, saying “honor your oaths, on your knees,” and “don’t make us go against you.”  Worrell and other “Zone 5” members breached the restricted perimeter and reached the West Plaza of the Capitol by approximately 1:00 p.m.  He then filmed himself calling the U.S. Capitol Police officers “scum,” “piece[s] of “sh**,” and “commies,” among other expletives and insults.

            At approximately 1:31 p.m., he stepped forward and sprayed pepper gel at a line of police officers trying to defend the Capitol from the mob on the West Plaza.  Worrell later bragged that he had “deployed a whole can” and was “f****** handing it to them.”  A photojournalist present at the Capitol witnessed Worrell spraying toward the officers, and took a photograph that captured the moment.  

            Approximately twenty minutes later, Worrell’s fellow Zone 5 Proud Boy member and co-defendant Daniel Scott shoved two USCP officers who were defending a staircase leading to the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol.  Mr. Scott’s assaults collapsed the police line, allowing a large group of rioters to make their way up the stairs to the Capitol building, where they became the first group of rioters to break into the building itself. Worrell and other members of Zone 5 celebrated Scott’s assault, with Worrell turning the camera on himself to say: “Yeah! Taking the Capitol!”

            Worrell was arrested on March 12, 2021, in Naples, Florida.

            Worrell faces up to 20 years in prison for each felony count, plus potential financial penalties. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Tampa Field Office-Fort Myers Resident Agency and the Sarasota Resident Agency and the Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 28 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Bridgeport, West Virginia, woman has admitted to possessing more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

Courtney M. Oliverio, 42, pled guilty today to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. According to court documents, during a traffic stop in Harrison County Oliverio had nearly 60 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” and more than $3,000 cash. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers also found digital scales and other drug paraphernalia.

Oliverio is facing at least 10 years and up to life in prison. She is being held in the Central Regional Jail pending sentencing. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Bridgeport Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Defendant Pretended to Collect for Charities But Only Paid Himself

            WASHINGTON – James Trankle, 55, previously of Churchton, Maryland, was convicted today of conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, and five additional counts of bank fraud all stemming from a scheme in which he created fake charities, solicited donations, and then stole the identities of the donors he tricked into giving funds.

            The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector-in-Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 29, 2023.

            The offenses of conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, and the five further counts of bank fraud, each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and financial penalties.

            According to evidence presented in court, from 2013 to 2018, Trankle and his co-defendant, Stephen Sibert, were charged with creating fake charities and registering those entities with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (“DCRA”) and then presenting them as legitimate charities. Examples included the “Disabled and Paralyzed Veterans Fund,” the “National Breast Cancer Awareness Fund,” and the “Children’s Leukemia of America Fund.”

            Trankle used a post office box address in Washington, D.C., as the claimed official mailing address for the fraudulent charities.  He opened numerous bank accounts in the names of the fraudulent charities.  And he sent solicitations via U.S. mail to thousands of potential donors—i.e., victims—nationwide asking the recipients to send personal checks as donations. Through the scheme, Trankle obtained over 1,600 personal checks from victims making charitable donations, which he then deposited into bank accounts that the conspirators Trankle and Sibert controlled.

            In addition, Trankle and his conspirator purchased check making supplies such as stock paper and printing equipment. Using the bank account and routing information from the victims’ checks, the conspirators printed additional unauthorized counterfeit checks payable to their fraudulent charities that were drawn against the victims’ personal checking accounts. The conspirators deposited those unauthorized counterfeit checks into the bank accounts they  controlled.  They later withdrew and spent the funds for various personal expenses. 

            The fraudulent charities did not perform any of the charitable work described in their solicitations, nor did the fraudulent charities provide any significant funds to other charities that did so.

           This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Brian Kelly, and Paralegal Specialist Gina Torres Trujillo.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A 16-count indictment was unsealed today charging a Georgia husband and wife with conspiring to commit labor trafficking, in addition to forced labor and alien smuggling, in connection with their operation of two Mexican restaurants, Sabor A Mexico at 805 Floy Farr Parkway, Fayetteville, Georgia, and Sabor A Mexico at 7860B Ella Lane, Fairburn, Georgia. 

According to the indictment, between March 2021 and October 2022, Efrain Gonzalez, 40, and Estella Gonzalez, 34, both of Peachtree City, conspired to commit labor trafficking. The indictment alleges that the couple used force, threats of force, coercion and abuse of law and legal process to compel victims to engage in forced labor. The indictment further alleges that the couple engaged in alien smuggling for commercial gain, alleging five counts of alien smuggling against Efrain Gonzalez and one count against Estella Gonzalez. 

The charge of forced labor carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger of HSI Atlanta made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise Peters and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. 

Anyone who believes that they may have been a victim of this case or may have relevant information to share is asked to  call the HSI tip line at 866-DHS-2423. 

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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