Category: US Department of Justice

Source: United States Department of Justice News

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Blackwood, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for being the supplier in a drug conspiracy that stretched from New Jersey to Maryland to West Virginia.

Aquilino Javier Lorenzo-Rivera, 39, previously pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl. Lorenzo-Rivera admitted that he distributed nearly 34 grams of acetyl fentanyl (synthetic fentanyl) and more than 241 grams of a fentanyl mixture.

During today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh heard about Lorenzo-Rivera’s travels to and from the Eastern Panhandle to supply drugs to another dealer. During the investigation, officers found nearly 200 grams of fentanyl and nearly 300 grams of cocaine base that Lorenzo-Rivera had transported to a dealer in Harpers Ferry, as well as more than $12,000 in cash seized from a traffic stop. The judge discussed Lorenzo-Rivera’s continuous pattern of criminal conduct, which includes 14 felony convictions.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRIAN O’NEILL, a Maryland attorney and escrow agent, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni to nine years in prison for defrauding his clients of funds he was holding for them in escrow.  O’NEILL pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud in November 2022. 

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and matters included in public filings:

Beginning at least as early as August 2020, O’NEILL engaged in two related fraudulent schemes.

First, O’NEILL engaged in a scheme to defraud a medical equipment company (“Victim-1”) by falsely promising to hold over $5 million of the company’s funds in escrow.  Specifically, in August 2020, Victim-1 entered into an agreement with a Florida-based medical wholesale company (“Seller-1”) for the purchase of personal protective equipment (“PPE”).  In connection with the transaction, Victim-1 and Seller-1 entered into an escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) with O’Neill & Partners, the firm at which O’NEILL was the managing partner.  Pursuant to the Escrow Agreement, O’Neill & Partners was to act as escrow agent for the transaction and hold $5.1 million deposited by Victim-1 in escrow.  Instead of holding that money as required, however, O’NEILL secretly used the funds to execute personal deals for the purchase of PPE and completely dissipated the funds by approximately November 2020.   

In November 2020, Victim-1 cancelled the transaction and sent a letter to O’Neill & Partners requesting that the $5.1 million in escrowed funds be returned to Victim-1.  When O’Neill & Partners refused to return Victim-1’s money, Victim-1 filed a civil action in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Civil Action”).  In connection with the Civil Action, the Court ordered O’Neill & Partners to deposit the $5.1 million with the Clerk of the Court.  On September 22, 2021, O’NEILL deposited $3.3 million with the Clerk.   

The $3.3 million deposited with the Clerk, however, formed the basis of O’NEILL’s second scheme to defraud.  That money was neither part of the $5.1 million Victim-1 had deposited nor was it O’NEILL’s own money.  Instead, it consisted of funds being held by O’NEILL in escrow for a separate transaction.  In other words, O’NEILL stole $3.3 million from a separate set of escrow clients in an attempt to satisfy the Court’s order in the Civil Action and repay Victim-1. 

*                *                *

In addition to his prison term, O’NEILL, 49, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh, Amanda C. Weingarten, and Aline Flodr are in charge of the prosecution.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the filing of an information and plea agreement charging Dawn Drum, 54, Janesville, Wisconsin, with product tampering while employed as a Registered Nurse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Janesville in November 2021.

According to the information and plea agreement filed today, Drum tampered with vials of fentanyl by withdrawing the drug from the vials and replacing it with saline and then resealing the vial stopper with what appeared to be superglue. Drum then put the tampered vials back into a Pyxis machine, an automated medication dispensing system, so that the tampered fentanyl vials would be available for use with other patients at the hospital.  An audit of the Pyxis transactions in Drum’s name revealed that she had an excessive pattern of fentanyl overrides and wastes when compared to other employees in 2021. In November 2021, hospital management confronted Drum with this discrepancy and asked her to take a drug test. Drum refused and instead resigned from her position at the hospital.

According to the plea agreement, the parties are recommending the Court impose a sentence of 18 months imprisonment and a fine of $30,000 due and payable immediately at sentencing.  A date for Drum’s plea hearing has not been scheduled.  The statutory maximum penalties for the product tampering charge are 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The charges against Drum were the result of an investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration–Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration–Diversion Control Division.  The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

MADISON, WIS. – “My entire office and I join with all Wisconsinites in expressing our deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie Leising,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.  “Deputy Leising gave her life to protect and serve the people of St. Croix County.  Her sacrifice will not be forgotten.”

“This tragic loss comes just four weeks after we mourned the deaths of Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel,” U.S. Attorney O’Shea said.  “Every day, law enforcement officers throughout Wisconsin selflessly answer the call to service, knowing that at any moment they may be in harm’s way.  They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our support.”

The death of Deputy Leising has occurred at the beginning of National Police Week, a series of remembrances and events from May 9 through May 15.  Attorney General Merrick Garland and leaders of federal law enforcement agencies will lay wreaths at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C.  There will be a candlelight vigil at the Memorial on Saturday, May 13, and the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service will take place on Monday, May 15.  The annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds on Friday, May 19, 2023.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CONCORD – Philip A. DeVincent, the Administrative Officer at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was honored in Washington D.C. with a Director’s Award for his service to the District of New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

“Phil DeVincent was the standard-bearer for office administration during an unprecedented period in our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “His leadership skills and creative thinking ensured that the daily operations of the office continued during the pandemic, so that the people of the District of New Hampshire had the highest level of performance and response from the United States Attorney’s Office.”

Mr. DeVincent received the Superior Performance in Administration award for his exceptional leadership in managing staff and for providing excellent customer service through the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. DeVincent enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to continue to function at the highest level during the pandemic. Among other efforts, Mr. DeVincent facilitated remote work to keep federal prosecutors and support staff healthy and developed a system to test out-of-state witnesses for COVID before their court appearances. Mr. DeVincent’s administrative skills served as a model for all federal employees.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in the Great Hall of the U.S. Department of Justice, and was attended by the Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa M. Monaco, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young, and other U.S. Attorneys from across the country.

###