Category: Security

Source: US FBI

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that four Niagara Falls men were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints for their roles in a drug trafficking ring operating in Niagara Falls, NY.   

• Paul Fields, 39, and Edward Rollie, 49, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $5,000,000 fine.
• Rashawn Salmon, 39, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $10,000,000 fine.
• Jermaine McQueen, 46, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, on August 28, 2024, search warrants were executed at multiple residences associated with all four defendants. During the searches, law enforcement recovered 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over a kilogram of cocaine, three firearms, and $25,000 in U.S. currency.

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

The complaints are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Nick Ligammari, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

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Source: US FBI

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nathan L. Rogers, 40, of East Aurora, NY, who was convicted of attempted receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the case, stated that in July 2019, at Darien Lake Park in Genesee County, NY, Rogers, a church youth pastor, set up iPhones in his camper to surreptitiously record, for the purposes of his own sexual gratification, nude images of a minor victim. Shortly after setting up the phones, Rogers invited the minor victim to change out of her bathing suit in his camper. She agreed and, as she changed, the iPhones recorded nude images. After changing, the minor victim noticed the phones recording her, she attempted to delete the videos, and then reported the incident to authorities. Responding law enforcement officers detained and questioned Rogers. Subsequently, nude images of the minor victim were located on the phones.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr.  

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Source: US FBI

Gregory Hay of Buffalo, New York, pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and other related crimes.

Source: US FBI

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Cross Malik Williams, 25, of Cheektowaga, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that between August 2022, and July 2023, Williams, along with co-defendant Kingsley Brown, purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. Williams and Brown then used a card-making device to load the stolen banking card information onto blank plastic bank cards with magnetic strips, which allowed purchases to be made using the victims’ funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Williams and Brown used, or allowed others to use, the stolen bank card information to purchase gas for other individuals. The gas customers would then pay Williams and/or Brown an amount of money less than the cost of the gas. Williams agreed that he was responsible for between $250,000 and $550,000 of total loss.

Kingsley Brown was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

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Source: US FBI

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Isolino S. Presutti, Jr., 36, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas M. Testani and Meghan K. McGuire, who are handling the case, stated that in March, 2023, Presutti possessed three desktop and two laptop computers, which contained approximately 5690 images and 28 videos of child pornography. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and violence against children.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2024, at 9:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.

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Source: US FBI

Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on September 12, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging  Theodore Bland, 29, of Stowe, Vermont, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, possession of cocaine base and fentanyl with intent to distribute, using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and discharging that firearm during the commission of the offense.

Bland is currently scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2024, following his March 22, 2024, guilty plea to knowingly possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of controlled substances related to a March 17, 2023 event. The United States has filed a motion asking the Court to order Bland to remain in custody based on these new charges following the completion of any sentence imposed on October 21, 2024. Bland’s arraignment on the new charges will occur on a date to be determined by the United States District Court for the District of Vermont, at which the Court is anticipated to rule on the government’s detention motion.

According to court records, on October 12, 2023, Bland used, carried, and discharged a firearm, in relation to his drug trafficking activities. Also, according to court records, Bland’s October 12 firearm discharges caused the deaths of Jahim Solomon and Eric White. Bland used social media messaging to communicate with his co-conspirators regarding, among other topics, the procurement of controlled substances for distribution, the pricing of controlled substances for sale to drug customers, and the distribution of controlled substances to drug customers. Bland also used social media messaging to communicate with his co-conspirators following the homicides of Solomon and White on October 12, 2023, including communications about his attempts to conceal the homicides. Court documents also state that Bland induced others to help him move the bodies of Solomon and White to two wooded areas in Eden, Vermont, where the bodies were discovered by law enforcement on October 24 and 25, 2023.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Bland is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Bland faces a term of imprisonment of up to life, with a mandatory minimum of ten years, if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Morristown Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department.

The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Turner and Paul Van de Graaf. Bland is represented by David Sleigh, Esq.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Source: US FBI

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kris Roglieri, age 44, of Queensbury, New York, has been indicted on wire fraud charges.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

Roglieri operated Prime Capital Ventures, LLC (“Prime Capital”) and Prime Commercial Lending, LLC (“Prime Commercial”), among other companies, that were based in Albany.

The indictment and an earlier-filed criminal complaint allege that Prime Capital held itself out as a commercial lending business. As part of contractual arrangements with its borrower clients situated across the country, Prime Capital obtained upfront interest payments from prospective borrowers while it sought to secure loans for those borrowers; these upfront interest payments were characterized by Prime Capital as the “Interest Credit Account Payment,” or “ICA” payment for short. ICA payments did not represent fees to Prime Capital. Instead, each borrower’s upfront ICA payment would be debited over time as the loan was funded and accrued more interest. An ICA payment would also be refundable if Prime Capital failed to secure a loan for the borrower client.

Roglieri is alleged to have defrauded a Minnesota company in December 2023, by committing to fund, through Prime Capital, an approximately $100 million commercial project, even though, at the time, Prime Capital had failed to fund numerous loans promised to earlier clients; failed to return tens of millions of dollars in ICA payments to earlier clients once those loans did not materialize; and had been sued multiple times by clients alleging fraud and seeking the return of ICA payments.

On December 22, 2023, Roglieri, on behalf of Prime Commercial, signed a Deposit Agreement by which he agreed to keep the Minnesota company’s ICA payment in a “separate and distinct” bank account, and to hold it as a “trust fund.”  That same day, the Minnesota company wire transferred a $5 million ICA payment to a Prime Capital account controlled by Roglieri. Roglieri then transferred and spent these funds, including by transferring $950,000 in order to meet a financial obligation to another Prime Capital client; paying $84,000 for his purchase of a Rolex day-date 36 mm yellow gold diamond bezel watch; paying $101,000 to a private jet services company, for round-trip, private air travel between Albany International Airport and Anguilla, for a family vacation that Roglieri took from about December 29, 2023 to January 5, 2024; and paying $400,000 to a law firm that represented Prime Capital in court proceedings.   

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Roglieri faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine per count, as well as up to 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel ordered Roglieri detained after Roglieri’s May 31, 2024 arrest on the criminal complaint.

The FBI is conducting this ongoing investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Michael Barnett are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard Nejame, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to serve 240 months (20 years) in federal prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for receiving and attempting to receive child pornography.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Nejame admitted that between about October 2022 and May 1, 2023, he communicated with several different minor females over various social media applications to include Snapchat.  Nejame further admitted that his online personas on social media claimed that he was a teenage boy.  During Nejame’s online communications with the minor females, he encouraged them to take nude pictures and videos of themselves, and to then send the pictures and videos to him.  Once in receipt of the nude picture and videos of the minor females, Nejame directed the females to take more sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, to send those sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves to him, and that if the females did not comply with his demands, Nejame would threaten to embarrass and expose the females by publishing their pictures and videos on the Internet. 

In addition to the imprisonment and supervised release terms, Nejame will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from imprisonment. 

The FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case.  The Task Force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Belliss and Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).  Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locates, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: US FBI

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brien Fredendall, age 46, of Port Byron, New York, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Fredendall, who has a previous New York State conviction for possession of child pornography, admitted that he possessed videos and images of child pornography he received from a minor on his Snapchat account. He also admitted to possessing additional child pornography on his cellular phone.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes.  Fredendall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of between five years and life, to begin after imprisonment. Fredendall will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with the assistance of the Cayuga County Sherriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted Fredendall as part of Project Safe Childhood. 

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: US FBI

David Hughes, aka Danielle Starr, Obtained a Sexually Explicit Video from a Minor He was Communicating with Over the Internet