Month: May 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Robert Jackson Wyatt, Jr., age 54, of Fallston, Maryland, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography.  Wyatt had a previous federal conviction for possession of child pornography.  Judge Gallagher ordered that, upon his release from prison, Wyatt must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler and Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey.

According to his guilty plea, on August 31, 2021, members of the Maryland State Police (“MSP”) were conducting an investigation into offenders sharing child pornography using a communication protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing that enables users to distribute data and electronic files over the Internet in a decentralized manner.  An IP address that was sharing suspected child pornography was identified as belonging to Wyatt and a search warrant for his home was executed on October 1, 2021.  Investigators learned that Wyatt was not home but was at a nearby marina on his boat where he often spent time.  Investigators went to the marina and watched as Wyatt walked from his boat to his car.  Wyatt then drove back to his residence, where he was confronted by investigators.

Wyatt consented to a search of his cell phone and an MSP digital forensic examiner found several files of child pornography on the phone.  A peer-to-peer filesharing program was installed on the phone, as well as a virtual private network application and an anti-forensic application.  On a chat application, Wyatt belonged to chat groups including “Incest and Little Girl” and “mommy and daughter.”  On October 26, 2022, a search warrant was executed on Wyatt’s boat.  Two thumb drives were found with multiple images and videos of child pornography, including several known series involving depictions of babies, toddlers, and sadomasochistic abuse of children.  Several of the files located on Wyatt’s devices matched those that were distributed during the MSP investigation via the peer-to-peer file sharing originating from the suspect IP address.

Wyatt admitted that he was the person who shared the files with the MSP investigator on August 31, 2021.  In total, over 1170 images files and over 170 video files were located on Wyatt’s devices.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.       

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, who prosecuted the case.

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

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

JUNEAU – A Washington family has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Indian Arts and Crafts Act for crimes committed when they owned and operated several businesses in Ketchikan, Alaska, involving the sale of Philippine produced stone carvings and wood totem poles as authentic Alaska Native produced artwork. 

According to court documents, between April 2016 through December 8, 2021, Cristobal “Cris” Magno Rodrigo, 59, Glenda Tiglao Rodrigo, 46, and Christian Ryan Tiglao Rodrigo, 24, operated Alaska Stone Arts, LLC, Rail Creek, LLC, and Rodrigo Creative Crafts.  During the course of the conspiracy the Rodrigos operated Alaska Stone Arts, LCC, which primarily sold stone carvings, and Rail Creek, LLC, that primarily sold wood totem poles in Ketchikan, Alaska.  Those carvings were sourced from Glenda Rodrigo’s company, Rodrigo Creative Crafts, located in the Philippines. This Philippine business was created for the sole purpose of producing carvings featuring Alaskan Native designs and motifs through the use of Philippine labor.  The carvings were shipped to the United States and subsequently to the Rodrigo’s stores in Ketchikan, and were then sold as authentic Alaskan Native art to unsuspecting customers in Alaska and elsewhere.         

As part of the conspiracy, the Rodrigos also hired Alaskan Natives at Alaska Stone Arts, LLC and Rail Creek, LCC to represent and sell Philippine produced artwork as their own authentic Alaskan Native artwork in order to deceive customers into believing they were purchasing authentic Alaskan Native produced carvings.  The investigation is still ongoing.                      

The defendants were arraigned and pled guilty on April 28, 2023, before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew S. Scoble. If convicted, the Rodrigos face a maximum of 10 years in prison. A sentencing hearing has been set on August 17, 2023, before Senior District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess in federal district court.  The judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“This type of fraud directly affects Alaska Native artisans and their ability to make a living and is an affront to Alaska Native artists that have produced these beautiful works throughout the history of their culture” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work to protect this cultural heritage, protect unwitting consumers, and prosecute and hold accountable those who perpetrate this type of fraud.”

“Protecting Alaska Native and American Indian culture and traditions is a critical part of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a dedicated team of special agents that work on Indian Art and Crafts Act violations on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Their investigative efforts protect consumers from those who choose to misrepresent Indian arts and crafts products. This exploitation of Alaska Natives for personal and financial gain is unacceptable. We thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their assistance with this investigation.”

“Alaska has a very rich cultural heritage in which Alaska Native arts and crafts play a central role, including the passing down of cultural traditions from generation to generation.  Accordingly, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) is very pleased that these defendants have been brought to justice for their roles in producing as well as selling counterfeit Tlingit totem poles and stone carvings,” said U.S. Department of the Interior IACB Director Meridith Stanton.  The IACB is responsible by statute for administering the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, an anti-counterfeiting statute enacted to rid the Alaska Native and American Indian arts and crafts market of fakes like those being misrepresented by defendants Cristobal M. Rodrigo, Glenda T. Rodrigo, and Christian Ryan T. Rodrigo.  “Cases like these, particularly in popular Alaska tourist destinations which attract consumers from all over the world, are critical to preserving the integrity and viability of authentic Alaska Native art and craftwork, culture, and economies,” Director Stanton added. “The IACB applauds the diligent work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Indian Arts and Crafts Act Enforcement Division in investigating and prosecuting these important cases.”

The Department of Interior – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Office of Law Enforcement lead the investigation with the assistance of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.

If you were a customer of Alaska Stone Arts, LLC or Rail Creek, LLC and purchased a stone carving or wood totem pole believing that it was an authentic Alaskan Native artwork, please contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife Special Agent Sherrell at 907-586-7545.

If you suspect potential Indian Arts and Crafts Act violations being committed, a complaint may be submitted through the Indian Arts and Crafts Board’s online complaint form, www.doi.gov/iacb/should-i-report-potential-violation, email, iacb@ios.doi.gov, or toll free number, 888-278-3253.

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