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Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—A Sherwood man will remain in custody to await trial after being indicted on federal firearm charges. Noah Shoemaker, 37, appeared for a bond hearing on Monday afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Patricia S. Harris.

      Shoemaker was charged in January 2021 with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a machine gun. When FBI agents arrested Shoemaker on January 30, 2021, they discovered he had fled to Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Upon locating Shoemaker, agents found a firearm on his person and another firearm in his vehicle as well as numerous rounds of ammunition. Additionally, Shoemaker was equipped with camping gear, bottled water, cash, fire supplies, and other survival gear.

      Judge Harris determined that Shoemaker poses a risk of flight as well as a risk of danger to the community and remanded him to the custody of the United States Marshals. He will remain in custody until his trial, which is currently scheduled for March 29, 2021, but is expected to be continued due to the Court’s Administrative Order 11.

      Shoemaker was initially charged in January on a federal complaint, and subsequently indicted on three charges—two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a machine gun—on Feb. 3, 2021. Being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a machine gun are both punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacy Williams.

      An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

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

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS

Source: US FBI

JUNEAU – A Las Cruces, New Mexico woman was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess today to 270 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

According to the plea agreement, Christina Quintana aka “Lete,” 35, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and heroin in Sitka, Alaska and she possessed and discharged a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  

Beginning about May 2, 2017, and continuing until April 3, 2018, Quintana, along with her co-conspirators Andrea Avalos, Peter Krovina, Porter Treadway, Holly Chambers, Aaron Didrickson and Eric Morisky distributed methamphetamine and heroin in Sitka. Quintana and Avalos, who did not reside in Alaska, were responsible for the transportation and distribution of methamphetamine and heroin as well as coordinating and collecting drug debts. The other members of the conspiracy assisted Quintana and Avalos in their illicit activities. All member of the drug organization possessed firearms to facilitate their drug trafficking activities, as well as to extract retribution against members who owed drug debts. For example, the defendants organized and perpetrated a violent home invasion and robbery where Quintana shot an individual in both legs and Treadway attacked another individual with a claw hammer, to collect a drug debt owed to them. In issuing today’s sentence Chief Judge Burgess said Quintana’s conduct was beyond the pale on that day.  

“Illicit narcotics are a cancer in our society and many Southeast Alaska communities have suffered at the hands of this epidemic for years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska. “The violence committed in this case has shaken the community of Sitka and is one of the worst drug offenses committed in Southeast Alaska in the last few decades.”

“The defendant came to Alaska for the sole financial motivation of trafficking illicit narcotics,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.  “Drug traffickers who believe they can operate with impunity, while bringing poison and violence to Alaska’s communities, will be held accountable by the FBI and our local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement partners.” 

“The brazenness of Quintana’s actions clearly warrant this significant sentence,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Olson. “She showed a complete disregard for the law and jeopardized the community as a whole.  The removal of Quintana and her co-conspirators from the streets will help make our communities safer.” 

Quintana’s co-conspirators also pleaded guilty and have been sentenced:

• Andrea Avalos, aka “Josie,” 25, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
• Peter Krovina, aka, “Lil’ Pete,” 42, of Sitka pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and firearms charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.   
• Holly Chambers, 28, of Sitka pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charge and was sentenced to time served.    
• Aaron Didrickson, 32 of Sitka pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charge and was sentenced to time served.    
• Eric Morisky, aka “Curly,” 33, of Juneau pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and was sentenced to four years in prison.    
• Porter Treadway, 39, of Sitka pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2022.    

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Sitka Police Department investigated the case with assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN) initiative’s ongoing efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in Alaska Native communities. The case is also part of Alaska’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the South East Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD) task force. HIDTA was established in 2018 to enhance and coordinate efforts among local state and federal law enforcement agencies, providing equipment, technology and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of Alaska. 

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – A federal indictment unsealed today charges a Canadian national with committing cyberattacks.

According to court documents, Matthew Philbert, 31, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, conspired with others known and unknown to the United States to damage computers, and in the course of that conspiracy did damage a computer belonging to the State of Alaska in April 2018.

In a separate and parallel investigation, the Canadian authorities today also announced cybercrime charges against Philbert. He was arrested on Nov 30, 2021, by Ontario Provincial Police where he remains in custody.

“Today’s unsealed indictment is a great example of the importance of international partnerships to combat the evolving and growing threat of cybercrimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska. “Cybercriminals are a dangerous threat and together with our law enforcement partners, we will use all our available resources to bring cybercriminals who target Alaskans to justice, wherever they are.”

“Cyber criminals are opportunistic and will target any business or individual they identify as vulnerable. The OPP continues to demonstrate its ability to seamlessly collaborate on integrated police investigations to combat cybercrimes and other illegal activities.” Deputy Commissioner Chuck Cox, Provincial Commander, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Investigations and Organized Crime

Philbert is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers and one count of fraud and related activity in connection with computers. This indictment in the District of Alaska is part of an ongoing national effort by the Department of Justice to address cybercrimes that target U.S. citizens from abroad.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska, and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant Attorney General Polite and Acting U.S. Attorney Wilson thanked the Canadian and Dutch authorities for their assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander and Trial Attorney Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – Two people were sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to federal prison for distributing drugs and money laundering.

May Saelee, aka “The First Lady,” 47, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty in August 2019 to drug conspiracy and money laundering charges. Saelee’s husband, Cher Vang, aka “The President,” 47, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Vang pleaded guilty in July 2019 to drug conspiracy and money laundering charges. The couple was arrested in August 2018 as part of a months-long federal investigation into a drug ring operating out of Mountain View.

According to court documents, between August 2011 and 2018, Saelee and Vang distributed methamphetamine from their home and other locations in Anchorage. Through multiple drug sales during this seven-year period, they sold more than 306 grams of actual methamphetamine. The couple then used the proceeds of their drug sales to purchase various items including jewelry and personal property. Additionally, between March 2015 and August 2018, Saelee and Vang structured bank deposits totaling more than $150,000 into their accounts to avoid federal banking requirements and to conceal that the source of the money was from drug proceeds.

As part of the plea agreement, Saelee and Vang will forfeit to the United States any property derived from their illegal activities including but not limited to: jewelry, money, guns and personal property.

“With today’s sentencing, we have put an end to another drug trafficking ring responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Anchorage and the surrounding area,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson, District of Alaska. “These dangerous drugs are destructive poisons that threaten the health and safety of our communities. We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure that drug traffickers are held responsible for the harm they cause.”

“Drug trafficking and money laundering cause immense harm to our communities,” said Bret Kressin, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to use our expertise to investigate those who knowingly traffic these damaging substances and will continue to bring these individuals to justice.”

The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan Collins prosecuted the case.

This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – A correctional officer at Goose Creek Correctional Center (GCCC) pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges for smuggling contraband into the prison in Wasilla, Alaska.  

According to court documents, Angela Lincoln, 43, was a correctional officer at the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) facility from 2014 through mid-2020. Beginning in about 2019 she began smuggling contraband into GCCC including Suboxone strips and cell phones for an inmate who is serving a 100-year sentence. The inmate distributed the drugs within the prison and paid tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments to Lincoln. 

With support from his family members and non-inmate associates, who he called “grinders,” this inmate secretly arranged to deliver the contraband and cash payments to Lincoln. His associates would secretly visit Lincoln’s home and drop the contraband and bribe payments near her fence while no one was looking. They would hide the controlled substances inside books, plastic bottles or candy wrappers to avoid suspicion when dropping the package at the fence. Lincoln would then smuggle the contraband into Goose Creek using her official position to evade security screening, knowing that doing so was in violation of her official duties and knowing that she would be paid in exchange for delivering the contraband and drugs inside GCCC. To deliver the bribe payments to Lincoln, the “grinders” would launder the funds and hide cash in phony trinkets, greeting cards and stuffed animals. Lincoln continued to conceal the conspiracy when initially questioned by FBI agents, falsely reporting that the money was payments for old DVDs, video games and an old meat grinder. None of that was true, and the payments were really bribes paid in exchange for her smuggling efforts.

As a correctional officer she was required to protect inmates and staff by, among other things, ensuring that contraband – including drugs and cell phones – did not enter or remain in the facility where inmates could access them. 

Goose Creek Correctional Center is an Alaska DOC-run medium-security prison for men located in Wasilla, Alaska. The facility houses up to approximately 1,300 inmates and employs approximately 333 staff members. 

Lincoln’s sentencing hearing has not yet been set.  She faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison for the bribery and conspiracy charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case with valuable assistance provided by the Alaska Department of Corrections.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Allen, Kelly Cavanaugh and Ryan Tansey are prosecuting the case.
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Source: US FBI

ARIZONA—With kids back to school, the FBI Phoenix Division wants to educate parents and students on how to safely search and be online.

Students are spending more time on the Internet, whether for school, social media, or research. Technology continues to advance and there are steps that educators, parents, adults, and students can take to be successful and safe online.

The FBI has developed a free computer literacy program called “Safe Online Surfing” or “SOS”. Teachers, administrators, and parents can utilize this program to help protect children. The Safe Online Surfing program includes age-specific materials for third to eighth grade and is available in English and Spanish. The program is a series of grade-appropriate online games that allow kids to have fun while also learning online lessons.

This program can help students:

• Explore what good online etiquette looks like.
• Manage cyber bullies.
• Show the importance of good passwords and double authentication.
• Download safely – either a new app or game on your phone.
• Screen friend requests in a responsible way.
• See the dangers of plagiarism and privacy violations.

Here are some helpful tips for parents—

• Talk to your kids about what kinds of information, photos, and videos are appropriate to post online—and what’s not.
• Remind them that one picture to a friend can lead to an entire school seeing that photo.
• Teach your kids how to limit the information they put online.
• They shouldn’t be posting their full name, date of birth, and school information on social media platforms.
• Explain that free software, apps, and downloads can be illegal, and some may open up your phone and computer to potential malware attacks.

If you are interested in learning more about the Safe Online Surfing program—go to sos.fbi.gov. As always, if you have been victimized by cyber fraud, be sure to report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your local FBI office.