Category: Security

Source: US FBI

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Orlando Justice, 37, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmission of threats in interstate commerce and stalking, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on November 23, 2024, a Rochester Police Officer (Victim) participated in the arrest of Justice at the RTS Bus Terminal on St. Paul Street for Trespass and Resisting Arrest. Justice was intoxicated at the time of arrest and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. While at Strong, he threatened the arresting officers, spit at them, and told officers that he would find them and come to their houses. Justice was charged and issued an appearance ticket. The following day, the Victim received a series of phone calls on his personal cell phone from an unknown number, which he did not answer. After receiving yet another call, the Victim answered, and Justice identified himself as the caller. Justice said, “I told you that I would find you,” and that he knew the Victim’s personal information and where he lived, reciting the Victim’s home address. Justice told the Victim he “messed with the wrong one” and that he was “a different breed of human.” The Victim told Justice not to call him again and hung up the phone. A few minutes later, the Victim received a FaceTime video call from Justice, who was demanding that the Victim give him the names of the other RPD officers who were present during his arrest.

On the evening of November 23, 2024, Greece Police and Rochester Police went to Justice’s residence in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest him. Moments later, the Victim answered a Facetime video call from Justice, who asked, “Why your friends come to my house?” A few minutes later, Justice called 911 and asked to speak with a sergeant, falsely claiming that the Victim was contacting him and harassing him. Justice asked to file a complaint against Victim 1 for use of excessive force. The sergeant, who was unfamiliar with Justice’s prior conduct and interactions with the Victim, offered to send officers to take his complaint, but he refused and insisted he would only meet with the sergeant one-on-one.

Justice made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Payson and was detained pending a detention hearing.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Acting Major Kevin Sucher.

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 Michael Pryor, 27, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine, and distribution of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of public housing property, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that between June and October 21, 2022, Pryor conspired with co-defendants Shawn Pryor, Cameron Lee, and others to sell cocaine. Pryor, Shawn Pryor, and Cameron Lee, identified as members/associates of the Crips Gang, assisted each other with the distribution of narcotics by selling drugs to one another when one of them needed some drugs to sell to a customer. In addition, on October 7, 2022, Michael Pryor sold fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer within 1,000 feet of the Anthony Spallina Towers, a housing facility owned by the Niagara Falls Municipal Housing Authority, a public housing authority. He also sold cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl to the undercover officer and an individual working with law enforcement  during the course of the conspiracy.

On October 16, 2022, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Pryor, Shawn Pryor, and another individual drove to a convenient store on Ashland Avenue in Niagara Falls and beat up a rival drug dealer, who was selling drugs in their area. They later chased the victim into the convenience store before leaving the area. The victim was treated for a laceration to his right hand and a chip fracture of a wrist bone.

Shawn Pryor and Cameron Lee were previously convicted.

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 sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Niagara Falls Police Department, Superintendent Nick Ligammari, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti.

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Source: US FBI

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jun Wang, age 62, a Chinese national and lawful permanent resident of the United States who has lived in Florida and Texas for most of the past 26 years, has been charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering. 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. 

The indictment alleges that between June 2019 and June 2021 Wang received gift cards which had been obtained from victims of wire fraud schemes in the Northern District of New York and elsewhere and that he used the fraudulently obtained gift cards – totaling more than $2 million – at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Florida and other states to buy other gift cards and thereby disguise the source and nature of the funds obtained from the fraud victims.

The charge filed against Wang carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to twice the value of the allegedly laundered funds, or $4 million in this case, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Wang was arrested several weeks ago at Los Angeles International Airport, and arraigned this week in Binghamton, New York, before Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric, after being transported to the Northern District of New York. Judge Lovric ordered Wang detained pending trial, which is expected to be held sometime in 2025 before Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd.

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

The FBI is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tamara B. Thomson and Michael F. Perry.

Source: US FBI

ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Degrasse, age 54, of West Warwick, Rhode Island, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with interstate transportation of stolen property. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.

The indictment alleges that on April 27, 2023, Degrasse transported, from Greene County to Connecticut, approximately $9,300 stolen from an ATM machine in Greene County.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The charge filed against Degrasse carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.  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.

Degrasse was arraigned today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and ordered detained pending a trial scheduled before Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.

The FBI and State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.

Source: US FBI

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kevin Harrington, age 50, of Oneonta, New York, was sentenced to serve a three-year term of federal probation and ordered to pay over $150,000.00 in restitution to his former employer in relation to his previous guilty plea to two counts of mail fraud, 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) announced.

At his previous change of plea hearing, Harrington admitted that he was the former executive director at First Community Care of Bassett, LLC (an affiliate of Bassett Healthcare Network). During his employment, Harrington submitted fraudulent expense reports seeking reimbursement for the purchase of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. As part of the scheme, Harrington provided invoices to his employer that falsely claimed he had paid thousands of dollars for medical equipment when no such equipment was ever purchased. Unaware that the invoices were fraudulent, First Community Care of Bassett issued and mailed checks to Harrington for reimbursement.  In total, Harrington admitted to stealing over $150,000.00 from his former employer.

In addition to his term of probation, Harrington was ordered to serve six months of home confinement and was fined $5,500.00.   

The FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck.

Source: US FBI

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Martin Connearney, age 35, of Lenox, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 151 months of incarceration, following his guilty plea earlier this year to traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor.  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 Connearney’s guilty plea last February, he admitted that between April 6, 2022 and May 5, 2022, he communicated with an individual to discuss and plan Connearney’s sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl with speech and hearing difficulties who lived in the Capital Region.  The individual Connearney communicated with was actually an undercover agent (“UC”).  Connearney ultimately borrowed a car and on May 5, 2022, drove from Lenox to the Capital Region intending to meet with the UC and sexually abuse the child.  Connearney was encountered by law enforcement officials at a prearranged meeting location and arrested. 

In imposing sentence today, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci found that Connearney was subject to an enhanced prison range under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines because he had intended to take advantage of a vulnerable victim.  According to court documents, while planning the sexual abuse of the child, Connearney repeatedly told the UC that there was less of a risk he would be caught because of the child’s hearing and speech difficulties.  As part of the sentence imposed today, Connearney must also serve a 20-year term of supervised release, which will begin after he is released from prison.  Connearney will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The FBI Albany Division’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case.  The task force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department. 

Assistant United States Attorney 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 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

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Robert McLane, 36, of Websterville, Vermont was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to 18 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a charge of mail fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that McLane serve three years of supervised release following completion of his prison term and also pay restitution in the amount of $566,000. The court ordered McLane to surrender to the United States Bureau of Prisons on April 4, 2025 to begin serving his sentence.

According to court records, between approximately March 2019 and September 23, 2022, McLane was employed by Formula Nissan, Inc., an automobile sales and service dealership located in central Vermont, where McLane served as the Parts Manager and then the Director of Parts and Service. In his positions, McLane oversaw the parts and service departments; supervised other employees; and ordered, received and paid for automotive parts needed in the dealership’s operations. In ordering, receiving and paying for parts, McLane typically communicated with Formula Nissan’s parts supplier, Nissan North America, using the Dealer Management System software.

Beginning in about January 2021 and continuing until September 2022, McLane defrauded the dealership by ordering certain vehicle parts from the dealership’s parts supplier, including vehicle suspension lift kits. The cost to the dealership of each lift kit was in the $2300 to $2900 range. The supplier billed, and the dealership subsequently paid, for the lift kits McLane had ordered.

As part of the scheme, McLane caused the lift kits not to be entered into the dealership’s inventory of parts-on-hand.

Instead of selling the lift kits for the benefit of the dealership, McLane advertised them for sale on Facebook at prices substantially discounted from their wholesale cost to the dealership. Over the course of the scheme, McLane sold more than 200 lift kits to persons around the United States, and he shipped the kits to his own customers by using the dealership’s Federal Express account. Purchasers paid McLane for the lift kits via transfers of funds to a personal PayPal account that McLane maintained in his own name and for his own benefit.

As a result of McLane’s fraud, Formula Nissan and its insurance company suffered an out-of-pocket loss of at least $575,000.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

McLane is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.

Source: US FBI

Thurman Curley of Pueblo Pintado is facing murder charges in federal court for the fatal shooting of John Doe during an altercation.

Source: US FBI

The FBI and Albuquerque Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify a pair of Black-Clad Bandits who robbed a Bank of America ATM machine.

Source: US FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, agreeing to forfeit multiple weapons, vehicles, and over $64,000 in cash seized during a raid on his residence.

According to court records, on March 23, 2023, the FBI SWAT team executed a search warrant at Jerry Bezie‘s residence in the South Valley. During the operation, agents seized more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 11,400 grams of fentanyl pills, multiple firearms, ammunition, and other items indicative of drug trafficking activities. In his plea agreement, Bezie admitted to possessing these substances with the intent to distribute and admitted that, as a convicted felon, he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms.

As part of his plea agreement, Bezie has agreed to forfeit numerous items, including:

• Firearms: A Glock 19 9mm pistol, a Glock 29 10mm pistol, an FN Five-seven 5.7×28 caliber pistol, a Sig Sauer P229 .357 sig caliber pistol, and a Steyr-Daimler Puch Aug/SA .223 caliber rifle.
• Ammunition and Accessories: Three .223 caliber magazines, approximately 308 rounds of .223 caliber cartridges, two 5.7×28 magazines, approximately 46 rounds of 5.7×28 cartridges, approximately 106 rounds of 9mm cartridges, two 9mm magazines, two 9mm casings, three 10mm magazines, and approximately ten rounds of 10mm cartridges.
• Vehicles and Trailers: A 2006 Hummer 4T vehicle, a 2018 Polaris Slingshot motorcycle, a 2018 Canam ATV, an Interstate Kingman Enclosed Trailer, and a 1984 Dump trailer.
• Cash and Jewelry: Approximately $64,333.93 in U.S. currency and certain jewelry seized on or about March 23, 2023, excluding specific items belonging to others.

2006 Hummer 4T vehicle

2018 Polaris Slingshot motorcycle

2018 Canam ATV

Firearms, ammunition and jewelry

The FBI’s investigation linked Bezie to Julian Leyba, with both men allegedly supplying fentanyl sold along Central Avenue in Albuquerque. On March 23, 2023, the FBI raided Leyba’s residence in Northeast Albuquerque as well. While no drugs were seized from Leyba’s home, investigators found six firearms, including a machine gun, which he was prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions.

Leyba pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession a machine gun on May 2, 2024, and was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervise release.

At sentencing, Bezie faces a mandatory 60 months for drug trafficking and an additional 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, for a total of 120 months, and up to life in prison. This sentence will be followed by not less than four years of supervised release. Additionally, Bezie faces a fine not to exceed $5 million or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant.

Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The FBI’s Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case.