Category: MIL-OSI

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Durango Teacher Charged with Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Possession of Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Benjamin Vincent Smith, 28, of Durango, Colorado, was charged by complaint with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography.

According to the complaint, Smith was a former music teacher at Escalante Middle School in Durango. In July 2024, Smith allegedly posed as a 16-year-old female on the social media service SnapChat under username “MTNCHICK69.” Via SnapChat, Smith contacted Minor #1 under the ruse that Smith was a 16-year-old female, and enticed Minor #1 to meet him in a parking lot for a sexual encounter. After meeting Smith, Minor #1 reported the incident to law enforcement, who were able to identify Smith as the suspect. During the investigation, law enforcement seized Smith’s phone and searched it pursuant to a warrant. Smith allegedly possessed numerous photographs of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, apparently belonging to over two dozen school-age minors living in the Durango area. 

The charges contained in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges unless and until proven guilty.

The United States Attorney’s Office encourages anyone with information related to this investigation or who had any contact with “MTNCHCK69” to contact the Homeland Security Investigation tip line at: 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.

The case is being investigated by HSI with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Durango Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves.

Case Number: 24-mj-00185-JMC

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Activity in the U.S. Attorney’s Office Recent Sentencings

Source: US FBI

Drug Trafficking
Amanda Rose Brown, 40, of Riverton, Wyoming was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2023, agents conducted a controlled buy of 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from Brown for $150 on the Wind River Indian Reservation. A review of Brown’s Facebook account showed she was contacted by multiple parties looking for “blues” (fentanyl) and either she had them or sought to get them; she also advised she had methamphetamine and could get “bud”. She was indicted on May 16, pleaded guilty on July 1, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 26, in Cheyenne. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00081

Firearm Offenses
John Otis Marsh, 57, of Wamsutter, Wyoming was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment with two years of supervised, release for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. According to court documents, on June 8, 2022, deputies were called to a Love’s convenience store in Wamsutter to investigate an injured man. The victim said he was threatened with a gun, punched, and dragged by a man who shared a trailer with Marsh. The victim stayed, with the permission from Marsh, in a camper across the road, on Marsh’s land. The investigation led the deputies to the trailer where they found multiple guns and ammunition. Both Marsh and his roommate are convicted felons and unlawfully possessed the firearms. Marsh was indicted on July 19, 2023 and pleaded guilty on July 12. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 25. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigate the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case. Case No. 23-00099

Littlefawn Lebeau, 41, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison with three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Dec. 23, 2023, law enforcement was called to Lander Sage West Hospital for a report of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The defendant denied she had shot herself in the foot at first because she knew she was a felon and illegally possessed the firearm, but later admitted to the accident. She was indicted on Jan. 4, pleaded guilty on July 12, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 25, in Cheyenne. This crime was investigated by the FBI and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore. Case No. 24-CR-00018

Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien

Jesus Montano-Martinez, 32, of Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings, for illegal reentry of a previously deported alien into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 20, Montano-Martinez was arrested by Wyoming Highway Patrol in Carbon County for driving under the influence of alcohol and not having valid immigration documents permitting him to be in the U.S. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Montano-Martinez was in the U.S. illegally. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 24, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00127

About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:

Environmental Justice

The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Project Safe Childhood

Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.

Victim Witness Assistance

The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.

To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking

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Election Officer Named for District of Colorado’s Effort to Ensure Voting Integrity

Source: US FBI

DENVER – Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch announces that Assistant United States Attorney Alison Connaughty will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.

AUSA Connaughty has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Colorado, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

“Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy, and our office takes seriously its role in making sure that everyone who is entitled to vote gets to vote,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch.

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English.

In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the District Election Officer will be on duty in the District of Colorado while the polls are open and can be reached at (303) 454-0159.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .

In the event of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

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San Francisco Man Faces Federal Charges for Embezzling More Than $1.2 Million From His Employers

Source: US FBI

Law Firm CFO Used Stolen Money to Pay for Three Houses in California and Other Personal Expenses

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a San Francisco man with bank fraud and other crimes relating to a scheme in which he embezzled more than $1.2 million from his employers, local law firms.

U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California and FBI San Francisco Division Special Agent-in-Charge Robert K. Tripp made the announcement.

According to the indictment unsealed today, Tony Archuleta-Perkins, 48, started a non-profit organization called “Murrieta Valley High School 1994” (MVHS 1994), in 2013.

From 2017 to 2023, Archuleta-Perkins worked for two San Francisco law firms. He held various roles at the firms, eventually becoming Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As the CFO, Archuleta-Perkins was in a position of trust and had access to the law firms’ end-to-end payments automation platform.

The indictment alleges that from at least May 2018 through December 2023, Archuleta-Perkins used the access he had as an employee in a position of trust at the law firms to cause the law firms to make false and fraudulent payments to MVHS 1994 that had not been authorized by the law firms’ management and were not for any legitimate business purpose.

Once the stolen funds were in MVHS 1994’s bank account, Archuleta-Perkins would sometimes directly issue payments to vendors and accounts for personal expenses that had nothing to do with the stated purposes of MVHS 1994 or the law firms. On other occasions, he wrote checks from MVHS 1994 to himself and deposited those checks into his personal bank account.

Additionally, on at least one occasion, Archuleta-Perkins falsely endorsed a $41,663.69 U.S. Treasury check made out to one of the law firms, deposited it into a bank account belonging to MVHS 1994 and then wrote himself a check for the same amount.

The indictment further alleges that Archuleta-Perkins used the stolen money for personal expenses, including payments on Best Buy and Home Depot credit cards, and towards the purchase, renovation, and improvement of at least three properties in California.

In sum, the indictment charges Archuleta-Perkins with eight counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2), and five counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity (otherwise known as money laundering), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Archuleta-Perkins faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison on each of the bank fraud counts and a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison on each of the money laundering counts. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Special Agents of the FBI arrested Archuleta-Perkins in San Francisco this morning. He subsequently appeared in federal court and was released pending trial on a $500,000 bond.

Archuleta-Perkins’s next court appearance is scheduled on July 31, 2024 before United States District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lisa H. Miller of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided valuable assistance. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. 

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Three Hells Angels Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes

Source: US FBI

A Jury Concluded in June of 2022 that Defendants Participated in an Enterprise that Engaged in a Broad Array of Violent Crimes Including Murder, Assault, Robbery, Extortion, and Witness Intimidation

SAN FRANCISCO – Jonathan Nelson, a/k/a Jon Jon; Brian Wayne Wendt; and Russell Taylor Ott, a/k/a Rusty, were all sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison. The sentences were handed down by the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Judge after a jury concluded in June of 2022 that the defendants were guilty of murder in aid of racketeering as part of their participation in a criminal enterprise involving their membership in and association with the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HASC).

“The record in this case describes a brutal brotherhood whose deeds should shock the conscience of us all,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. “While the life sentences cannot reverse the harm done to the defendants’ victims, it should bring some comfort to our communities to know these three defendants will never again have the ability to continue their destructive activities on our streets.”

“These three Hells Angels members were the most violent of the dozens convicted in this investigation. They used violence and fear to intimidate our community, but their brutality and disregard for human life have now earned them life in prison,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “Today’s announcement is the direct result of years of persistence, dedication, and collaboration with our partners at the California Highway Patrol and Santa Rosa Police Department. Today, these individuals have faced the consequences of their actions, and today, we are a step closer in fulfilling our mission of eradicating organized criminal activity and keeping our neighborhoods safe.”

Nelson, 46, of Santa Rosa; Wendt, 45, of Tulare; and Ott, 70, of Santa Rosa were all members or associates of HASC. As set out in the indictment, the Hells Angels is a transnational violent outlaw motorcycle gang and the HASC is a subset of the gang whose members primarily operate in Sonoma County, Calif. On October 10, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted eleven members and associates of the HASC, charging the defendants with being part of a conspiracy whose members furthered the aims of the enterprise by engaging in a broad swath of criminal activity. The indictment described murder, narcotics distribution, assaults, robberies, extortion, illegal firearms possession, and obstruction of justice as being some of the activities in which the enterprise engaged to further its aims. The indictment also described how HASC members worked cooperatively with other Hells Angels chapters to engage in criminal activity. On September 11, 2018, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding a charge of murder related to the killing of HASC member Joel Silva.

The charges against Nelson, Wendt, and Ott were the subject of a nine-week trial that culminated in guilty verdicts against all three defendants. In finding all three defendants guilty, the jury concluded that each conspired to further the aims of the criminal conspiracy and that each played a role in carrying out the July 15, 2014 murder of HASC member Joel Silva. At trial, the government submitted evidence describing the role of each defendant in the murder. All three defendants concluded for various reasons that Silva should be killed. Nelson, who was then the president of HASC, arranged for Ott to take Silva to Fresno, and Silva agreed to travel there with Ott. After the two arrived at the Hell’s Angels Fresno clubhouse, Wendt, then president of the Fresno Hells Angels charter, shot Silva in the back of the head. On the morning of July 16, 2014, Silva’s body was delivered to a local crematory and was incinerated. In addition to the Silva murder, the evidence at trial included proof that HASC engaged in assaults, witness intimidation, extortion, drug trafficking, and robbery. For example, witnesses testified that HASC created a reputation for threatening anyone who goes to the police about HASC activity. In addition, testimony demonstrated that Nelson, Wendt, and other HASC members and associates threatened the lives of witnesses and their families to make clear that harm will come to anyone who cooperates with law enforcement.

In sum, the jury convicted all three defendants of participating in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1); and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5). In addition, Nelson also was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3), and use or possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A).

Five other defendants pleaded guilty to charges of RICO conspiracy and have been sentenced to terms in prison of up to 84 months. Two defendants were convicted after trial of participating in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5), assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3), and witness intimidation 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b).

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ajay K. Krishnamurthy and Kevin Barry are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Santa Rosa Police Department, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol.

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San Jose Restaurant Owner Sentenced to Two-and-a-Half Years in Prison in Multi-Million-Dollar COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

Source: US FBI

Defendant Admitted He Fraudulently Obtained and Misused Millions in Pandemic Relief Aid and Was Ordered to Pay More Than $3.3 Million in Restitution

SAN FRANCISCO – A San Jose restauranteur who fraudulently obtained and misused millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; and Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Western Region. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.

David Tai Leung, 58, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty in February 2024 to three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, in connection with fraudulently obtained loans he received from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). He was originally indicted on those charges in August 2022.

According to his plea agreement, Leung—who co-owned and controlled the finances of a San Jose restaurant—submitted an application in May 2021 for $5 million in RRF funds that he certified he would use for approved business-related expenses like payroll, business rent or mortgage costs, and business maintenance expenses and utilities. However, Leung admitted he knew when he made these certifications that, in fact, he intended to use the RRF funds for purposes other than those he had indicated on the application. In reliance on the statements and certifications in Leung’s application, the SBA granted the application and funded the loan in full in June 2021. Leung admitted he then transferred $3.5 million to a personal investment account he controlled and used RRF funds to purchase securities and pay fees associated with the refinancing of the mortgage on his personal residence in Sacramento, all in violation of RRF program requirements restricting the use of RRF funds to specified eligible business-related uses.

In his plea agreement, Leung also admitted that he had previously applied for and received two PPP loans that he had misused to enrich himself—one for $257,100 that was funded in April 2020 and a second for $360,055 that was funded in March 2021. Rather than use those funds for approved business-related expenses, Leung admitted he used the money to enrich himself, including by making payments to a Lexus dealership and spending money at a casino in Northern California.

Ultimately, Leung admitted he received approximately $5.6 million in RRF and PPP funds and that he unlawfully used $3,359,701.28 of those funds. Leung agreed, and was ordered, to pay that amount in restitution.

The PPP was administered by the SBA as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a federal law enacted in 2020 to provide billions of dollars in emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The RRF was administered by the SBA as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal law enacted in 2021 to provide funding and support to restaurants, bars, and similar businesses serving food and drink that suffered revenue losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and related mitigation measures. The PPP and RRF provided forgivable loans and grants to small businesses for job retention and certain other qualified business expenses.

In addition to sentencing Leung to prison and ordering him to pay more than $3.3 million in restitution, Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ivana Djak and Alethea Sargent are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and SBA OIG.

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Man Who Plundered Investors’ Money in $8.1 Million Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 22, 2024

SAN DIEGO – Richard Lee Ramirez was sentenced in federal court today to seven-and-a-half years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme that resulted in millions of dollars in losses to investors.

Between 2018 and 2022, Ramirez and his company, JMJ Capital Group (JMJ), obtained more than $8.1 million from dozens of investors and caused more than $5.4 million in losses through his scheme and misrepresentations.

Ramirez was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022 and pleaded guilty to securities fraud and money laundering charges in August 2023. In addition to Ramirez’s prison sentence, the court ordered forfeiture of $8,188,928 and restitution to 34 victims totaling $5,440,192.50.

The defendant solicited investments by lying to investors. Ramirez made several different misrepresentations, telling various investors, for instance: JMJ purchased and resold personal protective equipment (PPE); factored accounts receivable; sold furniture to major home improvement retailers; and contracted with a cruise line to rebuild and refurbish ships’ air conditioning units. JMJ did no such business.

Ramirez promised investors high short-term and medium-term returns on their money—between 10 and 30 percent—but they never received those returns. Ramirez also falsely told investors they could withdraw their money at any time, and sent them fake funding agreements and falsified account statements to carry out the scheme.

Rather than using investors’ money as promised, Ramirez used it to pay for his own personal expenses and to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors. He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel, lodging, clothing, jewelry, and entertainment, and he spent over a half million dollars of investor funds on luxury cars including a Rolls Royce and Cadillac Escalade. Ramirez also used the money to take luxury vacations, to charter private jets and yachts, and to make an escrow payment on a property in San Diego County.

“Fraud and greed don’t pay unless you are in the market for a lengthy prison sentence. We hope this outcome provides some relief to the 34 victims, many of whom suffered devastating losses,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.

“The lasting effects of financial crimes on unsuspecting victims can be devasting both personally and economically,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to seek justice for individuals and businesses who are victimized by criminals who seek to defraud others for personal gain.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Horn and Kevin Mokhtari.

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 22cr2264-BAS                                       

Richard Lee Ramirez                                      Age:    54                                Encinitas, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Securities Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 78j(b), 78ff, and Title 17, C.F.R., Section 240.10b-5

Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957

Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(1), 982(b), and Title 28, U.S.C., Section 2461(c)

Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $5 million fine

AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Securities and Exchange Commission

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Mexican Mafia Associates Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – January 16, 2024

SAN DIEGO – Marquella Marshall and Marsha Delacruz were sentenced in federal court today to 180 months and 48 months in prison, respectively, for their parts in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy that operated in San Diego jails.

According to court records, Marshall, a Texas resident who previously lived in San Diego, is an Eastside San Diego street gang member and a “facilitator” and “secretary” for the Mexican Mafia. In that role she was tasked by high-ranking Mexican Mafia members to communicate on their behalf, collect and launder money, handle drug transactions, and direct street operations on the Mafia’s behalf.  

At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Larry Alan Burns described Marshall as “a conduit” for the Mexican Mafia and further described the distribution conspiracy as “an assault on the integrity of the prison system.”

U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said: “Drug smuggling and use in prisons result in overdose, violence, and power struggles. These significant sentences are a strike against the prison drug culture which puts guards and staff at risk and exists in large part because of dangerous gangs like the Mexican Mafia.”

“Our focus is and always will be on protecting our communities from violent gang activity and the distribution of dangerous narcotics,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge John Kim.  “This was a collective effort, and we thank our partners that make up the Violent Crime Task Force – Gang Group for their coordination in disrupting the illegal activities of the Mexican Mafia and ensuring Marshall and Delacruz suffer the consequences of their actions.”

Delacruz, of Lemon Grove, who also is an Eastside San Diego street gang member, worked at the direction of Marshall. As part of the conspiracy, Marshall, Delacruz, and others mailed methamphetamine to various locations, including jails and prisons in Southern California. Marshall and Delacruz disguised some of the narcotics-laden packages as legal mail to avoid detection by law enforcement and prison/jail officials.

Marshall, Delacruz, and several other Mexican Mafia associates were apprehended after an investigation by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force – Gang Group.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 23-cr-00373-LAB                                        

Marquella Marshall                                      Age: 41                       Houston, TX

Marsha Delacruz                                            Age: 47                     Lemon Grove, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Distribute of Methamphetamine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 846 and 841(a)(1)

Maximum penalty: Life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of ten years (Marshall only), and $10 million fine

AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Violent Crimes Task Force – Gang Group (VCTF-GG), which included investigators from the following agencies:

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • San Diego Police Department
  • Homeland Security Investigations
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
  • California Department of Corrections
  • San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
  • Chula Vista Police Department
  • National City Police Department
  • Bureau of Prisons
  • U.S. Postal Inspection Service
  • San Diego District Attorney’s Office Investigations
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Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser at San Diego Sheriff’s Helicopter

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 14, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Ruben Ricardo Rodriguez pleaded guilty in federal court today to aiming a laser at a San Diego Sheriff’s helicopter.

According to admissions in his plea agreement, on June 12, 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) control tower at San Diego International Airport received multiple reports of a green laser striking commercial aircraft while they were landing. The FAA notified the San Diego Sheriff’s helicopter ASTREA of the laser strikes and gave the approximate location of the origin of the laser near National City, CA.

ASTREA, an acronym for Aerial Support To Regional Enforcement Agencies, the air support unit of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, responded to the area and was struck in the cockpit by a green laser. The entire helicopter illuminated green in the sky. Video captured Rodriguez walking around a house while pointing the laser at the ground and across the street. Rodriguez then looked at ASTREA and aimed the laser at it again. The pilot said the laser strike created a bright dazzling effect on the aircraft’s glass. The laser struck the other deputy onboard in the eyes.

“Laser pointers are not toys, and aiming them at aircraft is a crime, not a prank,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Pilots could be blinded or incapacitated, causing deadly accidents.”

“Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a serious criminal act and can have potentially deadly consequences,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Jamie Arnold. “The FBI and its partner agencies take allegations of interfering with the operation of an aircraft seriously and encourage anyone with information about such incidents or if they see someone pointing a laser at an aircraft to report it to the FBI.”

Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2024, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaclyn Stahl, Edward Chang, and Shivanjali Sewak.

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 23-CR-1467-BAS                              

Ruben Ricardo Rodriguez                                          Age: 33                                   Logan, UT

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft – 18 U.S.C. § 39A

Maximum penalty: Five years in custody and a $250,000 fine

AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation

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Foreign Nationals Charged with International Drug Trafficking

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 6, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Three indictments were unsealed in the Southern District of California today charging 29 individuals with international drug trafficking offenses.

The unsealing of the indictments comes at the same time that the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against nine of the defendants for their ties to the Beltran Leyva Organization, a violent, Mexico-based group involved in trafficking drugs to the United States for over two decades. Please see https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1952

“These indictments have neutralized dozens of alleged maritime traffickers and prevented addictive, harmful, and increasingly often deadly drugs from reaching American shores and streets,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Cases like this are critical for disrupting, disabling, and dismantling the sinister and deadly operations of foreign drug trafficking organizations in the United States.”

“Today’s announcement sends a clear message that Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners will use all available measures to investigate and dismantle transnational criminal organizations (TCO) responsible for the smuggling, transportation, and distribution of narcotics and illicit proceeds – wherever they attempt to operate” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI San Diego’s sophisticated and global investigation demonstrates law enforcement’s commitment to disrupting this TCOs criminal activities. We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to protecting the United States’ financial infrastructure from bad actors.”

Five related indictments were also unsealed today in the District of Columbia, Central District of California and Northern District of Illinois charging an additional 31 Mexican and foreign nationals with international heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana trafficking, bringing the total to 60 charged. Please see Office of Public Affairs | Sixty Foreign Nationals Charged with International Drug Trafficking | United States Department of Justice

“The eight indictments unsealed today charging 60 defendants are the latest installments in the Justice Department’s relentless pursuit of drug trafficking organizations that smuggle illicit narcotics into the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Together with our partners — across the U.S. government and around the world — we will use every tool at our disposal and target every link in the supply chain to dismantle the organizations that flood our communities with deadly narcotics.”

In San Diego, one indictment returned in September 2019, 19CR3736-GPC, charges Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Servando Lopez Lopez, and another individual with conspiring to distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States and a maritime drug conspiracy.

A second indictment returned in April 2023, 23CR0621-BAS, charges Juan Pablo Bastidas Erenas, Bogar Soto Rodriguez, Juvenal Leon Rodriguez, Mario German Beltran Araujo, Ulises Franco Figueroa, Oscar Aleman Meza, and 17 others with the same offenses.

The third indictment returned in April 2023, 23CR0699-GPC, charges Josue De Jesus Estrada Gutierrez, and two others with conspiring to import cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.

OFAC announced sanctions against Iribe, Lopez, Erenas, Soto Rodriguez (under the name Ricardo Estevez Colmenares), Leon Rodriguez, Araujo, Figueroa, Meza, and Gutierrez (under the name Jose De Jesus Estrada Gutierrez) on the same date the indictments were unsealed.

One defendant, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, aka Salgado and Musico, 49, is indicted in the Southern District of California , the District of Columbia and the Northern District of Illinois. As alleged in court documents, Gastelum Iribe coordinated deliveries of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin into the United States and deliveries of millions of dollars of cash narcotics proceeds from customers in the United States for the Beltran Leyva Organization.

This case is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua C. Mellor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison B. Murray. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 19cr3736-GPC                                       

Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe              *All Defendants are from Mexico

   aka “El Musico,”

   aka “Salgado,”

Servando Lopez Lopez

   aka “El Huevo,”

Jose Fernando Zambada Ley

   aka “El Chino”

Case Number 23cr-0621-GPC_

Juan Pablo Bastidas Erenas,

   aka “Payo,”

Ugan Lopez Beltran,

   aka “Kiwuas,”

   aka “Prada,”

Bogar Soto Rodriguez,

   aka “Loco,”

   aka “Tio,”

Juvenal Leon Rodriguez,

   aka “Gallo,”

Arnoldo Villa Sanchez,

   aka “Arnol,”

Mario German Beltran Araujo,

   aka “El Ninon,”

Jose Roberto

     Navarrete Mendoza,

   aka “Mono,”

Cesar Homero

      Magallanes Gonzalez,

   aka “Chayo,”

Ulises Franco Figueroa,

   aka “Charco,”

Elvis Villatoro De La Cruz,

   aka “Yogurt,”

Jesus Alonso Zamora Roman,

   aka “Sobrino,”

Luis Antonio Espeleta Esparza,

   aka “Negro Trailero,”

Jose Misael Macedo Alvarez,

Jose Francisco Osuna Osorio,

   aka “Gabino,”

Eduardo Adalberto Sustaita Castaneda,

   aka “Susto,”

Carlos Antonio

      Pacheco Castaneda,

Jesus Sergio

      Santiago Gonzalez,

   aka “Zucaritas,”

Oscar Aleman Meza,

Lorenzo Mendez Sanchez,

   aka “Lencho,”

Juan Manuel Hernandez Soto,

   aka “Piki,”

   aka “Guero,”

Pedro Rodriguez Moreno,

Francisco Ramon

     Pelaez Luengas,

   aka “Wawis,”

Eduardo Gabriel Ibarra Mone

Case Number 23cr-0699-GPC_

Josue De Jesus

      Estrada Gutierrez,

  aka “Barbas,”

  aka “Barbon,”

Brayan Carrizoza Arredondo,

Alejo Lopez Perez,

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960 and 963

Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel – Title 46, U.S.C., Secs. 70503 and 70506(b)

Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960 and 963

Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum; $10 million fine

AGENCY

Homeland Security Investigations

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Drug Enforcement Administration

Coast Guard Investigative Service

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.