Month: June 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A Colorado man was sentenced to prison today for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 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 2020 presidential election.

            Robert Gieswein, 26, of Woodland Park, Colorado, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered 36 months of supervised release, and restitution of $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Gieswein encountered a small group of Proud Boys members in downtown Washington, D.C. Gieswein was dressed in a camouflage paramilitary kit, and he was carrying a baseball bat. These individuals invited Gieswein to stay with them throughout the day. At some point, one of the Proud Boys members gave Gieswein a piece of orange duct tape to place on his helmet for the purpose of identifying him as a “friendly.” Gieswein walked with the small group of Proud Boys to the area surrounding the Washington Monument, where he encountered a large group of individuals who identified as Proud Boys members, as well as others.

            Shortly after 10 a.m., Gieswein marched with the group of Proud Boys from the Washington Monument to the Capitol. After marching with the Proud Boys group for nearly three hours, Gieswein arrived at the Peace Monument shortly before 1:00 p.m. A large mob, including the defendant, rushed into the restricted area of the Capitol grounds and ultimately to the plaza to the west of the Capitol. While in the west plaza, Gieswein participated with other rioters in, among other things, pushing on a barricade held by police that they were using to set a line between themselves and the rioters. Gieswein was stopped by a man with a microphone and asked how he was doing. In response, Gieswein stated, among other things, that “this” was “crazy,” and that he “would die for this.” Asked what the solution was to “this right here,” Gieswein stated, to “execute these fascists.” Moments prior to making the statement, the defendant threw a water bottle at a line of police officers.

            Shortly before 2:00 p.m., the crowd pushed up the stairs under the Inauguration scaffolding that led from the west plaza to the upper west terrace, and Gieswein joined in this push. At the top of the stairs, the defendant sprayed an aerosol irritant at three members of the U.S. Capitol Police, who were attempting to prevent the crowd from further advancing toward the Capitol building.

            Defendant Gieswein continued to advance with the crowd toward the Capitol building and, again, met a line of officers attempting to prevent the crowd from advancing. Gieswein sprayed his aerosol canister at a line of officers at the top of the stairs leading to the upper west terrace. Gieswein was one of the first rioters to reach the façade of the building, and he watched as the window adjacent to the Senate wing door was breached at approximately 2:13 p.m. He entered through that window, and he was one of the first rioters to enter the building. At approximately 2:29 p.m., the defendant again sprayed his aerosol substance at two other Capitol Police officers.

            At approximately 2:34 p.m., the defendant sprayed his aerosol substance at a group of officers who were in the process of arresting another rioter. At least one officer was hit by the spray and experienced a bodily injury. In response, officers attempted to arrest Gieswein, and a scuffle ensued. Gieswein attempted to punch at least one officer.

            Inside the Rotunda, shortly after 3:00 p.m., Gieswein participated with other rioters in pushing against a group of police officers who were trying to prevent the rioters from advancing up a hallway that led to the House Speaker’s office. Gieswein and others were unable to break through the line of officers and were pushed back into the Rotunda. Shortly thereafter, the defendant exited the Capitol.

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Denver Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Gieswein as #10 in its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 29 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 nearly 350 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

GPS and Other Evidence Led to Defendant’s Arrest

            WASHINGTON – Isaac Moye, 46, of Washington D.C., was convicted today of second-degree murder in connection with the October 2010 disappearance of Unique Harris, a 24-year-old woman who disappeared from her home and whose body has never been found. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            “More than a decade ago, two children lost their mother to a killer who had no regard for anyone’s needs but his own,” said US Attorney Graves. “Thanks to dogged police work by the Metropolitan Police Department detectives who worked this case, and the dedicated, tireless efforts of the prosecution team, a jury held this defendant accountable for this heinous murder.”

            “I want to offer my deepest condolences to the family of Unique Harris. I commend the hard work of everyone involved in this case, especially our homicide detectives who never give up fighting for our victims and ensuring offenders are held accountable,” Interim Chief Benedict said. “This case is a prime example of our detectives’ dedication and tireless work.”

            According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 9, 2010, Unique Harris hosted a sleepover for her young children and their nine-year-old cousin at her home in Southeast Washington, D.C. At approximately 9:30 p.m. that night, Harris put the children to bed. At 10:39 p.m., Isaac Moye, a man she had known for only two months, arrived at her home, calling her on her cell phone just moments before entering her building. The next morning, the three children awoke to find their mother gone. Her cell phone and keys were also missing. Her purse and all its contents, including her identification and credit cards were left behind. The eyeglasses she never left home without were also there in the home. Her sofa had been mutilated, a hole cut in the fabric, a section of foam removed. There was no blood, no sign of struggle. And she was never seen or heard from again. 

            Over the course of the next few years, Isaac Moye was interviewed multiple times by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. He changed his story between interviews – denying, then admitting, then denying that he and Unique Harris had ever been intimate, denying that he had ever been in her home overnight, and denying that had seen her the day that she went missing. Moye’s semen was identified on the mutilated sofa cushion and his GPS records placed him at the decedent’s home for the entire night. Moye also made statements to another person, who testified that Moye said there was a missing girl, but that police were “never going to find her” because he “did it, but did it the right way.” Ms. Harris was reported missing on Oct. 10, 2010. Moye was arrested and charged with the murder on Dec. 19, 2020. He has been in custody ever since.

            Moye faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and five years of supervised release.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Vinét Bryant and Erin DeRiso.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON –Milomir Desnica has been extradited from Austria to face charges of running a criminal darknet narcotics marketplace. The charges, unsealed on May 25, 2023, were announced today by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Sarah Linden, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Desnica, 33, of Smederevska Palanka, Serbia, was indicted on July 26, 2022, by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes. Desnica will be arraigned on the charges on a date to be determined by the Court.

            According to the indictment, in late 2019, Desnica launched and operated a darknet marketplace, known as Monopoly Market (“Monopoly”), for the purpose of selling illicit narcotics including opioids, stimulants, psychedelics, and prescription medications, among other drugs. Vendors had to complete an application to sell their products on Monopoly, which included providing descriptions of the drugs they wanted to sell, photographic proof of their inventory, and an agreement to pay a commission for sales completed through Monopoly. As the operator of Monopoly, Desnica reviewed and approved these applications and was aware that vendors were selling narcotics on his website.  

            In 2021, law enforcement within the United States placed and received numerous orders for narcotics on Monopoly from various vendors. Authorities were able to order more than 100 grams of methamphetamine on Monopoly.

            In December 2021, in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners in Germany and Finland, the computer server hosting Monopoly was seized and taken offline. Through analysis of the seized server, law enforcement identified records of the narcotics sales facilitated by Monopoly, financial records documenting cryptocurrency payments on Monopoly, an online forum associated with Monopoly, communications from the Monopoly operator to vendors, commission payment invoices and more. Through extensive analysis of these records, Desnica was identified as the operator of Monopoly.

            It is further alleged that between at least April 2020 and July 2022, Desnica used at least two cryptocurrency exchange services to exchange his illicit cryptocurrency, moving between blockchains used to document all cryptocurrency transactions to “clean” his illicit proceeds. Desnica then sold the illicit cryptocurrency to Serbia-based peer-to-peer traders in exchange for fiat currency — all in an effort to launder the proceeds of the illicit narcotics sales.

            In November 2022, in coordination with the Austrian Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) and the Public Prosecutors Office Vienna, Desnica was located and arrested in Austria. Law enforcement conducted a search of his residence and vehicle, seizing electronics and cash.

            The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The charge of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force and Germany’s Zentrale Kriminalinspektion (ZKI) Oldenburg Cybercrime Unit. The Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force is composed of FBI agents, analysts, and task force partners, including special agents and officers of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and detectives from local assisting police agencies. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious darknet marketplaces and the vendors operating on the marketplaces who are engaged in the illegal acquisition and distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other opioids.

            Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation; Europol; Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt; Austria’s Bundeskriminalamt Cybercrime Competency Center, FAST team, and Public Prosecutors Office Vienna; and the Republic of Serbia High-Tech Crimes Prosecutor. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Wang and Nihar Mohanty of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A father and son were sentenced to prison today for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their 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 2020 presidential election.

            Jason Douglas Owens, 50, and his son, Grady Douglas Owens, 22, both of Blanco, Texas, were each sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell. Grady Owens was sentenced to 37 months in prison, two years of supervised release, restitution of $2000, $110 special assessment, and a $1,000 fine. Jason Owens was sentenced to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of $2000, $100 special assessment, and a $2,000 fine. Grady Owens also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and was sentenced to 6 months in prison concurrent to his 37-month sentence.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Jason and Grady Owens illegally entered the west lawn area of the Capitol grounds. Court records state that, at about 2:00 P.M., a group of officers walked through the crowd of rioters on their way to the lower west terrace, and as the officers attempted to get by, Grady Owens turned, raised a skateboard in the air, and struck an officer on the side of his body. 

            Around the same time, court documents say that Jason Owens shoved an officer in the face hard enough for the officer’s head to snap back. A skirmish then erupted between other officers and rioters, resulting in additional assaults on other officers.

            While on the west side, Grady Owens made several video recordings of his time on Capitol grounds and made statements such as, “We will not concede,” and “You can’t stop us.”

            The two men then made their way to the east side of the Capitol, joining a crowd that attempted to push their way into the east rotunda doors without success at approximately 3:28 P.M. According to court documents, Jason Owens skirmished with another officer near the doors by grabbing his baton and fighting over it.

            Jason Owens was arrested on April 16, 2021, in Austin, Texas, and Grady Owens was arrested on April 1, 2021, in Winter Park, Florida. 

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Texas and the Middle District of Florida.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Grady Owens as #109 on its seeking information photos, and the FBI’s San Antonio and Tampa Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 29 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 nearly 350 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

            WASHINGTON – A Michigan man was found guilty at a stipulated trial in the District of Columbia on Thursday, June 22, 2023, of two felony charges 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.

            Michael Joseph Foy, 32, of Wixom, Michigan, was convicted of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting. The stipulated trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Nov. 6, 2023.

            According to the stipulated facts, on Jan 6, 2021, Foy traveled from his home of Wixom, Michigan, to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally on the Ellipse. After the speeches concluded at the rally, Foy made his way to the U.S. Capitol grounds intending to stop or prevent Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote results. At approximately 2:00 p.m., Foy joined the crowd gathering on the west front of the U.S. Capitol grounds and marched with others past “AREA CLOSED” signs and discarded bike racks that once had been a barrier and went onto the scaffolding with other rioters. He carried in his hand an ice hockey stick, which he brought from home and with which he would assault a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officer.

            According to court records, sometime after 4:00 p.m., Foy made his way to the lower west terrace of the Capitol and stood at the front of the line of rioters facing members of the U.S. Capitol Police and the MPD. Court documents say that Foy then willfully and deliberately used his hockey stick to assault MPD Officer and tossed a metal pole in the direction of law enforcement. Video captured from that area of the Capitol shows Foy using his hockey stick to repeatedly strike an MPD Officer in the face, head, neck, and body area.

            Additional images of video taken from the Capitol breach show Foy crawling through a broken window into the Capitol and present at various locations inside and outside the building.

            The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Detroit Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 350 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.