US Department of Justice Archives

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Brian Leasor Sentenced For Child Exploitation Offense

Former Elizabethtown Police Officer, Brian Leasor Sentenced - For Second Time In Federal Court - To Imprisonment For Child Exploitation Offense LOUISVILLE, KY (STL.News) Brian Leasor, 54, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings on January 19, 2021, to 10 years in prison followed by a life term of Supervised Release for accessing with intent to view child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett. According to the Plea Agreement, in 2018, Leasor was serving a 10-year term of Supervised Release imposed in Criminal Action Number 3:05CR-003 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. In that case, Leasor had pled guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. While in...

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New York: Terrence Nealy Sentenced For Multiple Crimes

Second New York Man, Terrence Nealy Sentenced For Aggravated Identity Theft and Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud NEW ORLEANS (STL.News) U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announces the sentencing of TERRENCE NEALY, age 33, of Rockville Centre, New York, by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman. On January 20, 2021, Judge Feldman sentenced NEALY to 33 months in prison pursuant to his prior guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. NEALY was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $200 mandatory special assessment. NEALY is the last of two defendants to be sentenced in this case. These charges arose from NEALY’S June 2019 trip with his co-defendant, Myles Nicholas, to southeast Louisiana where t...

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John Michael Raley Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

Silver Spring Sex Offender, John Michael Raley Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography Violated His Supervised Release on Previous Federal Conviction for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography Less than Six Weeks After His Release from Prison Greenbelt, MD (STL.News) John Michael Raley, age 51, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2021, to possession of child pornography and to violating his supervised release for a previous federal conviction for distribution and possession of child pornography. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. According to his guilty plea, in 2012 Ral...

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Austin Hsu Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

Austin Hsu Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme (STL.News) A Washington man pleaded guilty to perpetrating a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Brian T. Moran, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington; J. Russell George, Inspector General of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration (SSA); Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General of the SBA, and Card...

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Charleston: Samantha Miller Sentenced For Multiple Crimmes

Charleston Woman, Samantha Miller Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Possession of Stolen Mail CHARLESTON, W.V (STL.News) United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Samantha Miller, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced to one year in federal prison for the felony offenses of bank fraud and possession of stolen mail matter. After Miller completes her sentence of federal incarceration, she will be placed on supervised release for a term of five years. Miller is also required to pay restitution back to the victim banks in the amount of $1,965.51. “Miller stole a number of checks from the mail and attempted to alter and cash them for herself,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “In addition to her one year prison sentence, she will also pay restitution to the victims...

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Gulf Coast: Cameron Malik Pleads Guilty to Firearms Offense

Gulf Coast Man, Cameron Malik Dajon Payton Pleads Guilty to Firearms Offense Gulfport, MI (STL.News) Cameron Malik Dajon Payton, 19, of Harrison County, Mississippi, pled guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. On September 2, 2020, law enforcement officers with the Biloxi Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Payton. As a result of the stop, officers located two loaded handguns, one of which was stolen, beneath the passenger seat. One of the firearms was a Glock 42 .380 caliber pistol. Additionally, officers found a...

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Chadlin Leavy Sentenced for Supplying SCO Gang with Drugs

Pittsburgh-area Man, Chadlin Leavy Sentenced for Supplying SCO Gang with Drugs PITTSBURGH, PA (STL.News) A resident of suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five years' imprisonment and eight years' supervised release on his conviction of narcotics trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Chadlin Leavy, 32. According to information presented to the Court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock borough of Pittsburgh and identified several members and associates of a neighborhood-based street gang, self-titled "SCO" that were responsible for distributing...

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John Michael Witzel pleaded guilty For Multiple Crimes

Illegal possession of firearm, home-made grenades sends Billings felon, Foster John Michael Witzel to prison BILLINGS (STL.News) A Billing man who admitted making grenades to blowup mailboxes and possessing a rifle after a felony conviction was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said. Foster John Michael Witzel, 31, pleaded guilty on Sept. 1, 2020 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and to possession of a destructive device. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The prosecution said in court documents that on Feb. 2, 2020, Witzel was peering into a Billings residence before a homeowner scared him off. Billings Police officers found Witzel nearby and in possession of i...

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Ryan Osinski Charged with Distributing Child Pornography

Camden County Man, Ryan Osinski Charged with Distributing Child Pornography CAMDEN, N.J (STL.News) A Camden County, New Jersey, man was charged today with allegedly distributing videos and images of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced. Ryan Osinski, 31, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, an Air Force officer, is charged by complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography. He appeared scheduled to appear by videoconference later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Williams. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In December 2020, law enforcement officers interviewed Osinski after receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that images of child sexual abuse were shared ...

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Queens: Joseph Miner Pleads Guilty to possessing a firearm

Queens Man, Joseph Miner Pleads Guilty to Purchasing Illegally Defaced Firearm (STL.News) Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Joseph Miner pleaded guilty via videoconference before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II, to possessing a firearm with obliterated serial numbers. When sentenced, Miner faces a maximum of five years’ imprisonment. Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea. “With today’s guilty plea, Miner has been held accountable and faces a prison sentence for possessing an illegal firearm with obliterated serial numbers that he purchased from an undercover agent,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “This Office, together with our federal and local partners, is worki...

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Christopher Golden Found Guilty of Child Pornography

Box Elder Man, Christopher Golden Found Guilty of Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography (STL.News) United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Christopher Golden, age 50, was found guilty of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography following a federal court trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 21, 2021. The convictions carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund, a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution. Evidence at trial established Golden knowingly received and possessed sexually explicit images of minor females between...

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NDTX Round-Up: January 15-21

NDTX Round-Up: January 15-21 GUILTY PLEA – JOHN THOMAS RUTLEDGE (STL.News) On January 19, John Thomas Rutledge, 55, plead guilty to three counts of bank robbery. During September and October of 2019, Rutledge robbed three banks in Dallas including: Legacy Texas Bank, Oakwood Bank, and Bank of America. During the commission of the robberies, Rutledge stole more than $17,000 in cash from the banks. Rutledge faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his crimes. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read is prosecuting this case. GUILTY PLEA – JOHN SANJIV MURGAI On January 21, John Sanjiv Murgai, 54, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Murgai owned a company that provided mobile x-ray services primarily in Lubbock, Texas. Mur...

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‘Money Mule’ indicted for mail fraud in scheme

‘Money Mule’ indicted for mail fraud in scheme that stole more than $400,000 from elderly victims Co-conspirators impersonated government agents claiming Social Security numbers had been compromised Seattle (STL.News) A 30-year-old SeaTac, Washington, man was indicted yesterday by a grand jury for two counts of mail fraud related to his participation in a scheme to defraud elderly victims across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. ARIFKHAN PATHAN was arrested on a criminal complaint January 4, 2021. According to the indictment, between August and December 2020, PATHAN played a role in defrauding victims of more than $400,000. “Many of us keep getting those calls from someone claiming our Social Security number has been ‘compromised,’ and the best action is to just ha...

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Matthew Blaine Till Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice

Former Selma Police Department Officer, Matthew Blaine Till Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice (STL.News) United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced defendant Matthew Blaine Till, 34, a former officer of the Selma Police Department, to five years’ probation for obstruction of justice by corrupt persuasion of a witness. Till pleaded guilty to three felony obstruction-of-justice charges on September 25, 2020. In connection with his guilty plea, Till admitted that on April 30, 2020, he used force against a citizen while on duty as a Selma police officer . On multiple occasions thereafter, Till instructed a fellow law enforcement officer not to say anything to anyone—including ...

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Muncie: Justin Mychal Smith Gets 17 Years in Prison

Armed Bank Robber, Justin Mychal Smith Gets 17 Years in Prison GRAND RAPIDS, MN (STL.News) U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Justin Mychal Smith, 28, of Muncie, Indiana, was sentenced to serve 17 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for participating in armed bank robbery and the brandishing of a pistol during the robbery. U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff also imposed a period of supervised release of 5 years and ordered Smith to pay $5,090 in restitution. In March 2020, Smith’s co-defendant, Trayshauon Raheim Atkinson, 22, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 11 years in prison. On November 30, 2018, Smith and Atkinson entered the PNC Bank on Stadium Drive in Kalamazoo. Atkinson handed the teller a handwritten note, which stated, “I HAVE A BOMB…DON’T MAKE...

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Mario Solomon Sentenced to Stage Automobile Accidents

Operation Sideswipe Spotter, Mario Solomon Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents In Order to Defraud Insurance and Trucking Companies NEW ORLEANS, LA (STL.News) United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced MARIO SOLOMON (“SOLOMON”), age 48, of New Orleans, was sentenced today for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans. According to documents filed in Federal Court, SOLOMON, along with his co-conspirators and others, beginning in approximately June 2017 and continuing through the present, conspired to commit wire fraud in connection with staged accidents, including two that occurred on June 6, 2017, and June 12, 2...

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John Frank Naber Sentenced For Multiple Crimes

Oldham County Man, John Frank Naber Sentenced To 132 Months In Prison For Distributing Narcotics On The Dark Web, Money Laundering LOUISVILLE, KY (STL.News) An Oldham County man was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court by United States District Judge Benjamin J. Beaton to 132 months (11 years) in prison for charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of firearms by a prohibited person, and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, announced Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett. John Frank Naber III, 21, was first charged by Complaint and was then indicted in April 2019. He pleaded guilty to the charges on October 7, 2020. Naber was sentenced Wednesday, January 20, 2021, in Louisville and remains in federal custody. As part of a...

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Matthew L. Richardson Sentenced For Possessing Firearms

Alton Man, Matthew L. Richardson Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison For Illegally Possessing Firearms (STL.News) Matthew L. Richardson, 32, of Alton, Illinois, has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Richardson pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2020. His prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) received information that Richardson was selling methamphetamine and firearms. On Nov. 8, 2019, a confidential informant purchased a shotgun and methamphetamine from Richardson. The transaction was captured on camera, and Richardson could be seen on the video sawing and filing the barrel of the ...