Category: MIL-OSI

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – A brother and sister from Arizona were sentenced today on a felony charge related to their conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Felicia Konold, 29, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 45 days in prison and 24 months of supervised release. Cory Konold, 28, of Tucson, was sentenced to 30 days in prison and 24 months of supervised release. The siblings were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Both pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and aiding and abetting on Nov. 1, 2023.

              According to court documents, on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Cory and Felicia made contact with a group of men that included co-defendants William Chrestman, Christopher Kuehne, Luis Enrique Colon, and Ryan Ashlock, all of whom were members of the Proud Boys from the Kansas City area. After joining with the Kansas City Proud Boys, the Konolds followed the men to the National Mall, where they joined with a larger group of Proud Boys members and associates from around the country.

            The Konolds then followed the large Proud Boys group as it marched across the National Mall and in the streets near the U.S. Capitol while shouting, among other things, “Whose streets? Our streets!” The group ultimately made their way to the west side of the Capitol’s grounds, outside of the restricted, fenced-off perimeter of barricades guarded by uniformed United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers. At that location, the Konolds, Proud Boys, and other individuals gathered outside the barricades and chanted phrases including “Whose Capitol? Our Capitol!”

            Shortly before 1:00 p.m., members of the crowd breached the line of barriers and surged toward the Capitol building. The force of the crowd’s combined numbers caused the USCP officers stationed at the barricades to retreat. Just as the first police line was being overwhelmed, the Konolds made their way to the front of the crowd and became some of the first rioters to trample over the toppled barricades. The siblings then made their way past multiple subsequent lines of barricades and onto the Capitol’s Lower West Plaza, inside the restricted area.

            The Konolds remained in this area despite being commanded by the USCP and Metropolitan Police Department officers to disperse. The two remained in close contact with co-defendant Chesterman, who made various efforts to instigate the crowd and oppose police efforts to quell the riot. Near the base of the erected inaugural scaffolding, the Konolds and other members of the crowd came up against another line of police attempting to hold a series of barricades. Members of the crowd were trying to break through the line by force; however, the Konolds, Chrestman, and others opposed this effort, using the force of their bodies to try to push back the barriers and officers. Eventually, the Konolds made their way to the base of the Capitol building and onto the Upper West Terrace. The siblings illegally entered the Capitol building via the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:25 p.m.

            Once inside, The Konolds made their way into the Crypt. Here, the two witnessed a crowd of rioters prevent police from closing a large metal barrier, which would have prevented rioters from progressing further. After witnessing this incident, the Konolds progressed into the Capitol Visitor Center and eventually exited the building via the Senate Wing Door. While inside the building, Cory Konold took possession of a USCP riot helmet. He brought the helmet home with him, and a family member later voluntarily turned it over to law enforcement at the defendant’s direction.

            After the events of January 6, Felicia Konold made posts to social media in which she stated, in part: “I never could have imagined having that much of an influence on the events that unfolded today. Dude, people were willing to follow. You f— lead, and everyone had my back, dude… We f— did it.”

            The Konolds were arrested on Feb. 11, 2021, in Arizona

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

            This case was investigated by the FBI Phoenix and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 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

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – An Eagle River man was sentenced to a high-end guideline sentence of 78 months imprisonment followed by lifetime supervised release by Judge Timothy M. Burgess on Tuesday, March 28. John Daniel Brooks had previously pleaded guilty to one count of Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography.

In September of 2021, the State of Alaska contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Anchorage to report that a state employee was suspected of possessing images depicting child sexual exploitation. Two days later, the FBI conducted a search warrant at Brooks’ residence, where he worked for the state of Alaska remotely as an analyst programmer.

The FBI discovered that Brooks had installed an internal hard drive in his State of Alaska computer that was found to contain over 1.2 million images of suspected child exploitation. Those images included depictions of infants and toddlers being tortured and sexually assaulted by adults. All told, Brooks’ collection of child exploitation materials was one of the largest encountered to date by the FBI in Alaska.

“Large scale consumers of child sexual abuse materials like Mr. Brooks directly contribute to the exploitation of children worldwide,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker, District of Alaska. “The sentence imposed by the court reflects the seriousness of this type of abhorrent behavior and we will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law. Thanks to the hard work of the FBI and APD, in coordination with our State partners, Mr. Brooks has been brought to justice.”

“Our investigation revealed Mr. Brooks acquired and possessed one of the largest collections of child sexual abuse materials found in Alaska,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Possession of this material is not a victimless crime, and the FBI will use every legal authority we have to root out predators to protect children from these unconscionable offenses.”

The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the State of Alaska. The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – A Washington man was sentenced on March 9, 2023, for putting a flight crew in fear of being assaulted during a commercial airline flight.

According to court documents, on March 1, 2023, Marc Hetsler, 43, was a passenger aboard Aleutian Flight SRY 1102 with service from Dutch Harbor, Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska. While the aircraft was in flight, Hetsler laid down in the aisle and refused to let flight crew through. He then became combative and began behaving aggressively towards the crewmember. An off-duty police officer aboard the flight stepped in to assist the flight crew. Hetsler became confrontational with the officer as well. Other passengers then assisted in subduing Hetsler who was restrained for the remainder of the flight. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation placed Hetsler into federal custody upon the plane landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

Eight days after his arrest, on March 9, 2023, Hetsler pleaded guilty to an Information charging Fear Assault in the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46506 and 18 U.S.C. § 113. He was sentenced to time served for the eight days he spent in federal custody.

“The safety and security of air travel is paramount, and we will continue to prosecute offenders in order to ensure that all passengers are able to travel without fear of assault or harm,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker. “We hope that this case will serve as a warning to others who may consider committing similar acts in the future, and that it will encourage everyone to follow the rules and regulations designed to keep our skies safe and secure.”

U.S. Attorney Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Police investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Taylor and Karen Vandergaw prosecuted the case.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – An information was filed yesterday charging Garrett Elder, owner of Tycoon Trading LLC, The Daily Bread Fund LLC, and other entities with executing an investment scheme that resulted in approximately $25 million in losses to over 130 victims.

According to the information, from about 2016 through October 2022, defendant Garrett Elder executed a scheme to raise between $30 and $34 million in investments from approximately 130 victims. The scheme began about early 2016 when defendant’s parents provided to defendant between $10,000 and $20,000 to invest in stocks and foreign currencies. Defendant deposited those funds into an entity he had created called Tycoon Trading, LLC (“Tycoon Trading”). Defendant lost all of those funds.

Despite the losses, defendant told his family and friends about his trading business, and some expressed an interest in investing. Defendant did not tell the potential investors that he had lost the money provided by his parents. Instead, defendant gave these victims the false impression that he was a successful trader.

Based on these omissions and false impressions, between 2016 and March 2018, investors transferred approximately $500,000 to Tycoon Trading for defendant to invest. Defendant again began losing money, but created false quarterly performance reports for his victim investors stating that the investments were earning positive returns. By March 2018, defendant had lost almost all the victims’ money while trading and only had approximately $10,000 to $15,000 left in his trading account. In March 2018, defendant disclosed to the victims that their investments had failed, but he did not disclose that he falsified the quarterly performance reports he had sent them.

Meanwhile, notwithstanding the near total losses, defendant continued to seek new investors, claiming to be a successful trader. By the end of 2018, defendant had approximately 30 new investors who were investing substantially more money than the original group of investors.

In 2019, defendant created an entity called The Daily Bread Fund, LLC.

From 2019 through 2022, defendant continued to solicit new investors through Tycoon Trading and the Daily Bread Fund by claiming to be a successful trader and paying a limited amount of distributions to select investors to provide the appearance of investment successes.

Defendant successfully solicited significant new investments; however, in reality, defendant continued to steadily lose money.  Despite continued mounting losses, defendant again created and emailed to investors false reports indicating positive returns. Defendant also used some of the victims’ money on personal expenditures, including real estate investments, vehicles, a boat, a camper, bicycles, tools, and jewelry.

In total, the amount of funds transferred to defendant via Tycoon Trading, The Daily Bread Fund, and related entities is presently estimated to be approximately $30 million to $34 million from 138 victim investors.

By October 2022, although some money was distributed back to certain investors, defendant had lost the majority of investments while trading, resulting in approximately $25 million in losses to victims.

Garrett Elder agreed to the government filing an information charging him with wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.  He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The you believe you are a victim of Garrett Elder’s investment scheme, please contact the FBI at: (907) 276-4441.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Heyman and Seth Beausang of the Alaska United States Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case.

An information is merely an allegation and defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – Robert Marley Chapas was sentenced on March 8, 2023, to 60 months in prison for bank robbery.

According to court documents, on April 27, 2022, Chapas entered an Anchorage Wells Fargo branch. Chapas approached a teller window and passed a note to the teller that stated: “This is a robbery, I have a gun. Empty your drawer & let me leave like a normal transaction. I am not alone, there are other people with me. Do not try to be a hero & get someone hurt. Do not call police or alert anyone! Until I leave the building or I will shoot, This can be easy your choice.” Chapas then obtained $2,450 from the teller.

In sentencing Chapas to a term of 60 months, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Judge Timothy M. Burgess noted the terrifying nature of the crime and Chapas’ history of committing other serious crimes, including a 2018 assault conviction from the State of Alaska that involved Chapas pointing a gun at a fellow motorist. The Court also ordered Chapas to pay $2,450 in restitution for the loss to Wells Fargo.

Chapas was indicted along with co-defendant, Isiah Ishom Perry. In January 2023, Perry pleaded guilty to his part in the Wells Fargo bank robbery. Perry is set to be sentenced in April 2023.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey prosecuted the case.

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usao/ak/23-016

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – A Minto woman entered a guilty plea for embezzling, stealing, and obtaining by fraud money that was owned and under the care, custody, and control of an Indian tribal government.

According to court documents, Melanie Gail Titus, 52, of Minto, was employed as the bookkeeper for the Minto Village Council, which is the federally recognized native governing body for the Native Village of Minto. The Minto Village Council receives federal funding from various federal agencies. The defendant embezzled a total of $55,753.99 between January 2015 and June 2019 from the Minto Village Council.  As its bookkeeper, she developed several schemes during her employ including issuing herself multiple payroll checks for the same pay periods, tendering duplicative deposits, and issuing duplicative reimbursements for work expenses. 

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2023, for the federal charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Lane S. Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – A Haines man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors.

According to court documents, Christopher Panagiotou-Scigliano, 41, pled guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography, involving coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.

In 2015 Panagiotou-Scigliano moved to a farm in Haines. After his arrival, Panagiotou-Scigliano arranged for several children he had been grooming and abusing in another state to visit his farm in Haines multiple times. When the children arrived Panagiotou-Scigliano continued grooming and sexually exploiting them by taking numerous sexually explicit images and videos of the victims.

Panagiotou-Scigliano is also charged with the sexual abuse of multiple child victims in another state. That case is still pending.

“This office will continue to vigorously prosecute heinous predatory crimes such as this,” said S. Lane Tucker, United States Attorney for the District of Alaska. “Although no term of imprisonment can repair the harm caused to the victims, anyone engaging or thinking about engaging in grooming and sexual conduct with minors should take warning from this significant sentence.”

“In this unconscionable case, the defendant engaged in a years-long manipulation and grooming process to isolate and sexually abuse minors, all under the guise of being a trusted family friend,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, aggressively pursue, and hold accountable those who commit these vile crimes against children.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. The Haines Police Department, the Bonner County, Idaho, Sheriff’s Office, the Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office and the Alaska State Troopers supported the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and James Klugman prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines 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.

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usao/ak/23-07

Source: US FBI

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, a federal judge sentenced a Birmingham man for robbery and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Henry Sirnard Russell, 43, to 155 months in prison for interference with commerce by robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  Russell pleaded guilty in July 2022.

According to the Plea Agreement, on October 12, 2021, Hoover Police responded to the Chevron convenience store in Hoover.  The clerk of the store reported an armed male stole an undisclosed amount of money.  The clerk saw the suspect leave in a grey SUV, and the police issued a BOLO to surrounding agencies.  Vestavia Hills officers saw a vehicle matching the BOLO and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.  Henry Sirnard Russell was the sole occupant of the vehicle and appeared very nervous and was shaking.  Russell was asked to exit his vehicle, but he refused and drove away.  A short pursuit ensued, and Russell stopped his vehicle and fled on foot.  Various law enforcement agencies arrived on scene, set up a perimeter, used a drone, a K-9, and a helicopter to assist in locating Russell.  The search continued throughout the night until a Hoover Police Officer notified dispatch that he observed Russell on the northbound side of I-65 toward Hoover from Homewood.  Officers immediately converged on the area and Russell fled into the wood line where he was arrested.

Russell has prior felony convictions for Domestic Violence, Assault (Second Degree), and Robbery (First and Second Degree).

FBI investigated the case along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Homewood Police Department, Hoover Police Department, and the Vestavia Hills Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.

Source: US FBI

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging a former Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) lieutenant with use of excessive force and two obstruction offenses.

According to the indictment, Lieutenant Mohammad Shahid Jenkins used excessive force on two inmates – V.R. and D.H. – at ADOC’s Donaldson Correctional Facility. The indictment further charges Jenkins with two obstruction offenses related to his alleged excessive force on one of the inmates.

Specifically, count one of the indictment alleges that on Feb. 16, 2022, Jenkins willfully deprived inmate V.R. of his right to be free from excessive force by kicking him, hitting him, spraying him with chemical spray, striking him with a can of chemical spray and striking him with a shoe. Count two of the indictment alleges that, on Nov. 29, 2021, Jenkins willfully deprived inmate D.H. of his right to be free from excessive force by spraying him with chemical spray multiple times, striking him with a can of chemical spray and hitting him. Counts one and two further allege that inmates V.R. and D.H. each suffered bodily injury as a result of Jenkins’s actions, and that Jenkins used dangerous weapons — chemical spray and the chemical spray can — in both assaults.

Count three alleges that, following the Feb. 16, 2022, assault, Jenkins knowingly falsified an ADOC incident report about the event. Finally, count four alleges that, when ADOC and FBI agents later interviewed Jenkins about his use of force on V.R., Jenkins engaged in misleading conduct toward the agents. 

If convicted, Jenkins faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on each excessive force charge and 20 years in prison on each obstruction charge. He also faces up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the FBI Birmingham Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Martin for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Anna Gotfryd and David Reese of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: US FBI

Director Christopher Wray has named Carlton L. Peeples as the special agent in charge of the Birmingham Field Office in Alabama. Mr. Peeples most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Peeples joined the FBI as a special agent in 1998 and was assigned to the Washington Field Office. He worked counterintelligence, public corruption, civil rights, violent crime, and gang investigations and served on the SWAT team.

In 2005, Mr. Peeples was promoted to supervisory special agent and transferred to the Civil Rights Unit of the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters. He served as the civil rights Southeast program manager and hate crimes coordinator. Mr. Peeples was promoted to chief of the Civil Rights Unit in 2007, leading the FBI’s entire civil rights program.

In 2008, Mr. Peeples was promoted to senior supervisory special agent in the Atlanta Field Office, supervising the FBI’s resident agencies in Macon and Athens, Georgia. The two offices are responsible for all investigative violations in 40 counties. Mr. Peeples was named an assistant inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in 2014, assisting in the review of field office operational programs and the performance of legats.

Mr. Peeples was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Jacksonville Field Office in Florida in 2016, overseeing the Criminal, Administrative, Cyber, Financial, and Security Branches and the SWAT team. In 2019, he was named an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters. He led evaluative reviews focused on mitigating risk to the FBI’s investigative, intelligence, and administrative programs; assessed field office leadership; and led agent-involved shooting investigations.

Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Peeples served in the U.S. Army and as an operations supervisor for a logistics and shipping company. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and law enforcement administration from the University of Louisville in Kentucky.