Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Ninth Defendant Pleads Guilty in TRICARE Scheme

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—A ninth defendant has pleaded guilty in connection with a $12 million scheme to generate prescriptions for expensive compounded drugs paid for by TRICARE. Kenneth Myers Jr., 43, of Alpharetta, Georgia (formerly of Little Rock), pled guilty to conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute today before United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.

      Myers collected nearly $70,000 for recruiting TRICARE beneficiaries to receive expensive compounded drugs, for which TRICARE paid over $340,000. Myers acknowledged offering TRICARE beneficiaries money to receive the drugs and that medical providers, including co-defendant Joe David May a.k.a. Jay May, 40, of Alexander, rubber stamped prescriptions without consulting the TRICARE beneficiaries.

      Upon learning a federal agent planned to interview a TRICARE beneficiary about his prescription, Myers instructed the man to lie by claiming he had been examined by a doctor before getting his prescription. When Myers was later interviewed, he lied to the FBI by claiming he played no role in securing prescriptions and instead directed beneficiaries to consult their own doctor.

       In pleading guilty to the kickback conspiracy, Myers joins Albert Glenn Hudson, 40, of Sherwood; Derek Clifton, 39, of Alexander; Donna Crowder, 66, of North Little Rock; Jennifer Crowder (formerly Bracy), 38, of Little Rock; Keith Benson, 50, of North Little Rock; Keith Hunter, 52, of Little Rock; Angie Johnson, 50, of North Little Rock; and Blake Yoder, 40, of Scott.

      Conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

      Trial of the 10th and final defendant, May, is set for December 6, 2021, before Judge Baker. May faces charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, violating the anti-kickback statute, aggravated identity theft, lying to the FBI, and falsifying records in a federal investigation.

      Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office, and Miranda Bennett, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the guilty plea.

      The investigation was conducted by the FBI and HHS-OIG. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander D. Morgan.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS

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Ohio Man Convicted of Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During January 6 Capitol Breach

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – An Ohio man was convicted today of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses, including assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. 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.

            Jonathan Joseph Copeland, 29, of Lima, Ohio, was convicted of six felonies and two misdemeanor offenses in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia following a bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich.

            Specifically, Copeland was convicted of the felony offenses of civil disorder, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, all with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Copeland was also convicted of misdemeanors for an act of physical violence in the Capitol building or grounds and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol Building.

            Judge Friedrich will sentence Copeland on Sept. 18, 2024 at 1 p.m.  

            According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Copeland traveled from Ohio to Georgia to hear then-President Trump speak, and then to Washington, D.C., where he attended portions of the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, at the Ellipse. Afterward, Copeland marched with others to the Peace Circle, located on U.S. Capitol grounds, where he walked around the downed barriers at the Peace Circle and moved towards the front of a line of rioters behind a bike-rack-style barrier manned on the opposite side by several U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers protecting the U.S. Capitol complex.

            At approximately 12:52 p.m., a group of rioters, including Copeland, advanced on the manned bike rack barricade. They pushed through the officers and the barricade to move closer to the building. Specifically, Copeland, with his arms outstretched, pushed on the backs of other rioters as those rioters pushed on the barricade. After the rioters overwhelmed the officers and trampled over the barricade, Copeland and his fellow rioters charged forward toward the West Plaza.

            At approximately 1:40 p.m., Copeland participated in pushing a large metal frame holding an oversized “TRUMP” sign into a defensive line of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and USCP officers, who were attempting to prevent a further advance towards the Capitol building. Copeland placed both hands onto the sign and pushed it into the line of officers.

            Court documents and trial testimony reflect that the all-metal frame was approximately eight feet tall and ten feet wide, welded with screws, and supported by large casters and wheels that were approximately the size of a person’s head. As described by one MPD officer who was a member of the defensive police line, the sign frame was heavy, with sharp metal angles jutting towards the officers.

            Also on the West Front, Copeland began arguing with a photographer within the crowd. Copeland shoved the cameraman several times and then a group of rioters attacked the photographer and pushed him off a ledge.

            Court documents and trial testimony reflect that Copeland entered the Capitol building at 2:25 p.m. via the Senate Wing Door. Once inside, he traveled through the Crypt and to the Capitol Visitor Center, repeatedly waving at other rioters to join him further inside the Capitol building. He finally exited the building at approximately 2:41 p.m. via a window next to the Senate Wing Door.

            The FBI arrested Copeland in Fort Shawnee, Ohio on Aug. 25, 2022.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio provided valuable assistance.

            The FBI’s Cleveland and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. The United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance.

            In the 40 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,424 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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Sheriff of Franklin County, Arkansas, Found Guilty of Assaulting Two Individuals in Custody

Source: US FBI

FORT SMITH – A federal jury convicted the Sheriff of Franklin County, Arkansas today on two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Anthony Boen, 51, of Ozark, used unreasonable force to punish pretrial detainees on two separate occasions.  On Dec. 3, 2018, Boen struck a detainee multiple times in the head with a closed fist while the detainee was sitting on the floor and shackled to a bench inside the Franklin County Jail.  On Nov. 21, 2018, Boen slammed a detainee onto the floor and ripped his hair during an interrogation.  Both detainees suffered bodily injury as a result of Boen’s actions.

“Anthony Boen swore an oath to support the United States Constitution and the State of Arkansas Constitution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas.  “His actions clearly violated not only the civil rights of these individuals but also the trust of the people of Franklin County. Cases like this are very important to our office because they involve the most personal and basic of civil rights: the rights to be protected and unharmed while in the custody of law enforcement officers. Today’s guilty verdict shows that justice will prevail in cases where a person’s civil rights are violated. We will continue to vigorously pursue cases involving the violation of basic civil rights that should be afforded to everyone.”

“The defendant abused his power as the top law enforcement officer in Franklin County, Arkansas, by assaulting people in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who abuse their authority to make clear that no one is above the law.” 

“The vast majority of law enforcement officers in the United States steadfastly protect and serve their communities,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James Dawson. “When officers charged with enforcing the law break their oaths and violate the rights of others, they gravely injure the public’s trust in law enforcement. Our FBI office remains committed to upholding the public’s trust by investigating all allegations of civil rights violations throughout Arkansas.”

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon T. Carter and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer prosecuted the case.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.

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Arkansas Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Interstate Transportation of a Minor

Source: US FBI

FORT SMITH – A Harrison man was sentenced yesterday to 200 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. The Honorable Judge P. K. Holmes III presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith.

According to court documents, in July 2020, Edgar Benjamin Davidson, 32, transported a minor, across state lines from Harrison, Arkansas to multiple states. During this time Davidson sexually assaulted the minor on multiple occasions. Davidson was arrested in November 2020 and pled guilty in March 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Williams prosecuted the case for the United States.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov

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Jury Finds Cincinnati Man Guilty of Sex Trafficking, Exploiting Two Teens

Source: US FBI

CINCINNATI – A federal jury has convicted Kelly Richards, 43, of Cincinnati, with sex trafficking minors, sexually exploiting children and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

Richards is also known as “Scorpio” and has a tattoo of a scorpion on the left side of his face. The jury found him guilty on all counts following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins.

According to court documents and trial testimony, investigators were alerted in March 2023 that two juveniles had been screened as potential sex trafficking victims.

Richards picked up two minor victims who had fled a group home in Dayton and drove them to an apartment complex in Cincinnati. At the apartment, Richards provided the minors with cocaine before sexually assaulting them.

Richards also enticed the females into having sex with other men for money that was paid to Richards. The defendant created prostitution advertisements online with explicit pictures of the minor victims and used physical violence against them. Court documents detail that one victim was prostituted up to four times per day in hotels and homes.

Sexually exploiting children is a federal crime punishable by a range of 15 to 30 years in prison. Sex trafficking minors carries a potential penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Illegal possession of a firearm in this case is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing.

Federal agents arrested Richards on May 16, 2023.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and other members of the FBI’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force announced the verdict returned the evening of April 30. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Megan Painter Gaffney are representing the United States in this case.

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FBI Elder Fraud Report Highlights Frauds and Scams Targeting Older Americans

Source: US FBI

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) today released the 2023 IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report to call attention to the high levels of frauds and scams impacting seniors over 60 years old.

“Scammers are targeting older Americans at an alarming rate,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “While the FBI will continue to investigate these crimes, it is important that we work to prevent them from occurring through education and awareness. The IC3 report helps us understand the types of scams being perpetrated and how to protect our loved ones from becoming victims.”

In 2023, total losses reported to the IC3 by those over the age of 60 topped $3.4 billion, an almost 11% increase in reported losses from 2022. There was also a 14% increase in the number of complaints filed by individuals over 60.

A total of 3,299 Ohio victims 60 or older reported losses of over $64 million to IC3 in 2023. Ohio was ranked sixth in the nation for the number of complaints filed by individuals over 60.

Tech support fraud was the top crime type impacting complainants over 60 in 2023, while investment scams continued to be the costliest to the elderly in terms of financial losses suffered.

Top Reported Frauds in 2023 by Number of Complaints Received:

  • Fraud Type: Tech Support
  • Number of Complaints: 17,696
  • Fraud Type: Personal Data Breach
  • Number of Complaints: 7,333
  • Fraud Type: Confidence/Romance
  • Number of Complaints: 6,470
  • Fraud Type: Payment Non-Delivery
  • Number of Complaints: 6,693
  • Fraud Type: Investment
  • Number of Complaints: 6,443

Top Losses Reported in 2023 in Dollars by Fraud Type:

  • Fraud Type: Investment
  • Losses in Dollars: $1.2 billion
  • Fraud Type: Tech Support
  • Losses in Dollars: $590 million
  • Fraud Type: BEC
  • Losses in Dollars: $380 million
  • Fraud Type: Confidence
  • Losses in Dollars: $350 million
  • Fraud Type: Government Impersonation
  • Losses in Dollars: $180 million

Confidence/Romance scams, which include those designed to prey on an individual’s emotional connection, also ranked high in terms of the number of complaints and the amount reported lost. In 2023, the IC3 received reports from 6,470 individuals over the age of 60 who experienced over $350 million in losses to Confidence/Romance scams. Contained within this category are Grandparent Scams, which occur when a criminal impersonates a panicked loved one, usually a grandchild, nephew, or niece of an older person, claiming to be in trouble and in need of money immediately.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of a scam or fraud can report it to IC3.gov. The full 2023 IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report is available here.

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Ohio Woman Found Guilty of Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to January 6 Capitol Breach

Source: US FBI

           WASHINGTON – An Ohio woman was found guilty in the District of Columbia on Friday, April 26, 2024, of felony and misdemeanor offenses related to her conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Her 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.

           A federal jury convicted Therese Borgerding, 61, of Piqua, Ohio, of a felony offense of civil disorder and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

           U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly will sentence Borgerding on Aug. 15, 2024.

           According to evidence presented during the trial, Borgerding traveled from her home in Ohio to Washington, D.C., with her husband, and codefendant Walter Messer, and made their way to the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Borgerding and her husband arrived at the East Plaza at 7:00 a.m. when the crowd was sparse. Borgerding carried a long pole with a circular sign with a big red “Q” affixed to the top and a small American flag sticking out of it.

           After reaching the barricades on the East Front, Borgerding and her husband remained immediately outside the restricted perimeter for several hours. At about 1:59 p.m., a large crowd had gathered and overrun the barricades at the East Front. Borgerding then approached the nearest barricades, unhooked two interlocking barricades, and pushed them apart, parting the way for herself and other rioters to run towards the Capitol. Borgerding then stood on the East steps near the Rotunda Doors for several minutes, joining chants and waving her sign in the air.

           At approximately 2:41 p.m., police officers inside the Rotunda Doors attempted to shut the doors to the U.S. Capitol, which had previously been opened by rioters inside and outside the building; however, the officers were confronted by rioters outside who forced the doors back open and pushed their way into the building. Borgerding was in the immediate vicinity of this confrontation.

           Still holding her “Q” sign, Borgerding pushed her way through the Rotunda Doors and walked straight into the Rotunda, where she remained for approximately two minutes. She then joined the large crowd near the Senate Wing Doors and later exited through one of the smashed windows onto the Northwest Courtyard of the Capitol Building around 2:49 p.m. Borgerding remained in the Northwest Courtyard at length, chanting and waving her large sign.

           The FBI arrested Borgerding on Aug. 6, 2021, in Dayton, Ohio.

           Codefendant Walter Messer was previously sentenced on Sept. 11, 2023, to 24 months of probation for his role in the events of January 6th.

           The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio provided valuable assistance.

           The FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Office investigated this case. The United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance.

           In the 39 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,385 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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Perry County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Exploitation Charges

Source: US FBI

Defendant solicited pornography from more than 250 minors while pretending to be teen girl on Snapchat

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Junction City, Ohio, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography.

Since 2018, Clay Thomas Wolfe, 28, obtained child pornography from more than 250 victims via the mobile application Snapchat.

His plea includes a recommended sentence of 18 to 23 years in prison.

Wolfe pretended to be a 15-year-old female on Snapchat and used this persona to solicit child pornography from primarily middle school and high school aged boys. The victims who have been identified thus far reside in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Chillicothe, Ohio, and other various cities in the Southern District of Ohio and across the United States. Wolfe’s Snapchat account also contained sexually explicit photographs and videos of minor males as young as 10 and 11 years old.

The investigation was initiated in April 2022, when law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania learned that a sixth-grade student was sharing a nude photograph of a classmate that he received from Wolfe, who was pretending to be a teenage girl.

As part of his online persona, Wolfe – acting as the username “Ally” on Snapchat – sent the male victims photos and videos of pubescent female’s naked breasts and genitalia that he found on adult pornography sites or public social media accounts. Wolfe would also extort the victims by threatening to send the nude images of his victims to their friends and family unless they sent him additional images.

In total, Wolfe received approximately 850 images and 570 videos depicting child pornography.

Wolfe was arrested and charged federally in June 2023.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Parker and Iatarola commended the cooperation of the Perry County Sheriff’s Office and Perry County Prosecutor. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch and are representing the United States in this case.

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Tempe Man Arrested for Antisemitic Email Threat to Execute Local Rabbi and “every other JEW I can find”

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jeffrey Mindock, 50, of Tempe, was arrested Saturday morning on a federal complaint and arrest warrant by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for making a threat to execute a local Rabbi and “every other JEW [sic] I can find tonight at midnight of your Sabbath.”

The complaint alleges that Mindock sent an email on the morning of Friday November 3, 2023, to a Rabbi at a local synagogue in Scottsdale, asking the Rabbi to “try to convince” a judge in Utah to “drop the charges against” Mindock in a state district court case in Utah. The email stated: “If you do not use your influence to right this wrong I will execute you and every other JEW [sic] I can find tonight at midnight of your Sabbath.” The email went on: “If you wish to communicate with me further, I will only meet in person,” listed an address for the sender in Tempe, and was signed “Shalom, Viktor Sitkevicz.”

The complaint alleges that Mindock’s address was listed in motor vehicle records as the same Tempe address listed in the email. The complaint further alleges that Mindock’s threatening behavior extended to another prior email threat to “hang” a judge sent from email addresses containing “sitkevicz” or “mindock,” and another threat made during a previous court appearance in 2021 to “execute” others.

“Civic engagement and civil dialogue help bind us together as a Nation,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We have no tolerance for those who send threatening communications to Jewish faith leaders or to any other people in America. We will continue to exercise our prosecutorial discretion and deploy our resources to charge threats cases here in Arizona.”

“The FBI takes all threats of violence seriously,” said Chad Alvarado, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners must take people who make threats at their word and intervene, because protecting human life is our absolute priority.”

A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The United States will have up to 30 days from arrest to seek an indictment of Mindock.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Tempe Police Department and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, is handling the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           23-05579MJ
RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-171_Mindock

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

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Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Exchanging Child Pornography on Dark Web, Transporting Obscene Videos & Images of Child Torture, Murder

Source: US FBI

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A registered sex offender admitted in federal court today that he transported images and videos depicting child torture, child mutilation and child murder. The defendant obtained the material on the dark web and traded it for images and videos of sexual abuse of young children.

Jeremiah Morrison, 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography and transporting obscene matter. He faces a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison.

Morrison was twice previously convicted of crimes against children, including a 2012 conviction for filming an 11-year-old boy under a bathroom stall at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

The Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information in April 2023 related to Morrison uploading child pornography.

While executing a search warrant in June 2023, investigators discovered Morrison’s cell phone contained 3,000 images and 900 videos of child sexual abuse material. The images and videos depicted the sexual assault of infants and children ages 0 to 6 years old. For example, one video shows an adult man sexually assaulting a three-month-old baby.

In addition to the child sexual abuse material recovered on the device, investigators also discovered numerous images and videos depicting torture, mutilation and deceased children. For example, one image depicted an approximately 6-year-old girl who was nude and dismembered.

Morrison was arrested in September 2023 and has remained in custody since.

Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the charges.; and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.

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