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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal jury convicted an Anchorage man yesterday on three felony counts, including one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and two firearm related charges, following a trial spanning a week and a half.

The charges included one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Charles Rashid Malik Lee, aka “Cheese”, 41, had been under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant on Lee’s residence and vehicle in Anchorage, Alaska, on Oct. 12, 2021.

Agents made contact with Lee inside the residence and discovered a total of over 150 grams of methamphetamine, over 100 grams of heroin and over 90 grams of cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, these controlled substances had a total street value of over $54,000. Agents also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers, including digital scales, branded baggies and two loaded handguns, among other findings. It was later determined that one of the digital scales had Lee’s fingerprint on it. Agents also discovered over $165,000 in cash that was hidden in multiple locations around the residence, including a crawl space.

Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021.

Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for a later date. Lee faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years. He will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentence.

“Charles Lee’s conviction is yet another step in our joint effort with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to make Alaskan communities safer for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our office and partners are committed to using our resources to hold individuals accountable for the destruction their actions have on our communities.”

“Those responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities, threatening the health and safety of Alaskans in the process, will continue to face justice in this District,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Unyielding in our pursuit, stopping the flow of deadly drugs into our communities continues to be a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners.”

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the DEA investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Alana Weber prosecuted the case.

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Source: US FBI

ANCORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for two acts of hate-motivated property damage and a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents, in May 2021, Luke Foster, 28, placed stickers with a swastika and the text “WE ARE EVERYWHERE” at eight locations around Anchorage, including the Alaska Jewish Museum, the University of Alaska Anchorage campus and a site associated with the LGBTQ+ community. In September 2021, Foster returned to the Alaska Jewish Museum, where he placed another sticker and carved a swastika into the door. Foster was convicted of two counts of damaging religious property in connection to this conduct.  

During the investigation into the vandalism, investigators also discovered that Foster was using social media to traffic psilocybin mushrooms, a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Foster sold psilocybin to an undercover agent and boasted about his large collection of weapons and his intent to use them to protect his illegal drugs from law enforcement, if necessary.

Federal agents executed a search warrant on Foster’s residence and recovered psilocybin mushrooms, associated drug production items, multiple firearms, firearm ammunition, several thousand dollars in cash, and Nazi-inspired imagery, including a box of swastika stickers. Foster was convicted of an additional count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute for this conduct.

“Mr. Foster’s hateful acts of pro-Nazi vandalism across our city have caused significant harm to multiple communities and his trafficking of drugs put the people of Alaska in danger,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Anti-Semitic crimes and those targeting the LGBTQ+ community have no place here. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute crimes that target our communities to instill fear and distrust.”

“Mr. Foster’s hate-fueled crimes were meant to threaten and intimidate entire communities, having a wide-ranging impact beyond that of property damage,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.  “This is why civil rights investigations are among the FBI’s highest priorities.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we stand ready to investigate and hold accountable those who commit civil rights violations against any person or group, and ensure justice for victims of bias-motivated crimes.”

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, with support from the Anchorage Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Klugman prosecuted the case.

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A man from a rural Alaskan village was sentenced July 18, 2023, to over 12 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor.

According to court documents, Melvin Andrew, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.

Court documents say Andrew sexually abused a 14-year-old girl over the course of 10 months, with abuse taking place at least once a week. The defendant engaged in physical sexual abuse and requested sexually explicit images from the minor via text message.

“Individuals who target Alaska’s most vulnerable will be held accountable for their destructive actions,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Mr. Andrew’s actions have caused immense damage, and our office will continue to dedicate time and resources to identifying and prosecuting these cases on behalf of victims of abuse.”

“The defendant’s predatory behavior involved the repeated sexual abuse of a minor – a heinous crime that must be met with consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protect Alaska’s youth from predators, no matter where they lurk.”

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey 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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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska  –  A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment yesterday charging a Minnesota man with assaulting a flight attendant and interfering with a flight crew’s normal duties.

According to court documents, Christian David Burch, 37, allegedly caused a disturbance on an Alaska Airline flight from Minneapolis to Anchorage in June 2023. During the disturbance, Burch became unresponsive due to an alleged drug overdose. Flight crew members and two passengers, who are medical professionals, tried to give Burch a dose of Narcan, but he started violently resisting and pushing people back, eventually grabbing a female flight attendant near her throat.

A passenger, who was a medical professional, was able to administer two half doses of Narcan through his nose, and members of the flight crew and a few passengers were able to restrain Burch for the reminder of the flight. Burch’s behavior forced the flight attendants to stop performing their normal duties.

Burch was indicted for one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46504, and one count of assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46506(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 113(a)(5). The defendant made his initial court appearance on June 29, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both time in prison and a fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, with help from the Anchorage Police Department (APD), is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder is 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, Alaska – An Indiana man and Anchorage woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography.

According to court documents, Darin Schilmiller, 25, and Denali Brehmer, 22, conspired to murder Cynthia Hoffman on or about June 2, 2019, while Schilmiller was residing in Indiana. While they were conspiring to murder Hoffman, they also conspired to coerce a minor victim to produce sexually explicit images, which Brehmer took and sent to Schilmiller via text message.

Schilmiller and Brehmer’s sentencing hearings will be scheduled by the court at a later date. The defendants face a mandatory-minimum 15-year term of incarceration on the child pornography charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“This case shows that our U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue justice on behalf of the victims of child pornography,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Our attorneys will prosecute offenders who are a danger to the children of our Alaskan communities.”

“In our pursuit of justice, Mr. Schilmiller and Ms. Brehmer now stand convicted for the multitude of crimes they’ve committed and the immeasurable trauma they’ve inflicted,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI will aggressively continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who exploit and abuse our most vulnerable.”

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

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

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – A Minto woman was recently sentenced for embezzling money from the Native Village of Minto while employed in a position of trust.   

According to court documents, Melanie Gail Titus, 52, was employed as the bookkeeper for the Minto Village Council, which is the federally recognized native governing body for the Native Village of Minto.  Starting in January 2015, the defendant began embezzling funds from the Minto Village Council’s accounts by issuing herself multiple payroll checks for the same pay periods, tendering duplicative deposits, and falsifying reimbursements for work expenses over the years for personal enrichment.  She never returned the money.  In May 2019, the defendant confessed her theft to the Minto Village Council, and a federal investigation ensued, revealing that her scheme resulted in an actual loss of $55,753.99.

The defendant entered a preindictment plea agreement with the United States following the conclusion of the investigation, and on February 21, 2023, she pleaded guilty to a felony violation, charging her with violating 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1), Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds.  On June 29, 2023, U.S. Chief District Judge Sharon L. Gleason sentenced the defendant to 300 hours of community service work to be completed within 3 years, a 5-year probation term, and $55,753.99 in restitution, among other conditions.

At sentencing, the defendant described her past addiction to cocaine and alcohol as a factor that clouded her judgment and fueled the scheme.  The government emphasized the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct in a position of trust and the economic harm faced by the native village due to her scheme.  In sentencing the defendant, the Court was emphatic that the defendant must make reasonable payments toward restitution and that the 300 community service hours must benefit the Native Village of Minto and its members.

“Over the years, the defendant stole from the Village of Minto to fuel her substance addiction at the expense of her community,” said U.S. Attorney Lane S. Tucker of the District of Alaska. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who seek to victimize our rural communities.”

“Through her years-long embezzlement scheme, the defendant deliberately chose personal enrichment at the expense of her own community, causing economic harm to a village already faced with limited resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who abuse their positions to steal public funds.”

The Fairbanks Resident Agency of the FBI Anchorage Field Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers.

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

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – A Wasilla man was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography in his home. According to court documents, Matthew William Schwier, 39, knowingly possessed over 100 still images and multiple videos depicting children being sexually abused. Schwier pled guilty on August 31, 2022, to knowingly possessing child pornography. After serving his sentence, Schwier will be on federal supervised release for 7 years. Schwier will have to pay $15,000.00 in restitution to his victims. Schwier must register as a sex offender and, after release, may not access the internet without permission of the U.S. Probation Office.

Schwier’s child pornography collection, which spanned multiple computers, included images depicting the sexual abuse of infants or toddlers, as well as children being violently abused. The evidence indicates that Schwier may have used specialized law enforcement training, and his advanced computer skills, to facilitate and attempt to hide his crimes.

Schwier’s previous employment included jobs in technical support, computer repair, and as a supervisor of video surveillance for a private security company. He failed to complete probationary employment as a police officer in Phoenix, Arizona; Roswell, New Mexico; and Elk Point, South Dakota, before working as a police officer in Nome, Alaska. The FBI investigation began in approximately 2016 when Schwier distributed child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer over the internet. Schwier was employed as Justice Director for the Chickaloon Village Traditional Counsel when he was arrested in 2017. The Government indicated that, if this case had gone to trial, the prosecution was prepared to present evidence that Schwier had a reputation within the law enforcement community of being untruthful.

“The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue, arrest, and prosecute offenders who traffic in child pornography,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “This case demonstrates that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold criminals accountable without fear or favor, including corrupt former law enforcement officers like Mr. Schwier.”

“May this sentencing serve as a reminder that no one is above the law, and concealing evidence of child exploitation will not go undetected,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Donald W. Lee II of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As these crimes perpetuate the re-victimization of innocent children, the FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to identify and hold accountable those who contribute to the online sexual exploitation of children.”

The court proceedings were delayed for years for several reasons, including the COVID pandemic. Over the six years the case was active, it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander, Charisse Arce, Kelly Cavanaugh, Kyle Reardon, Christopher Schroeder, and Jonas Walker. The FBI investigated the case.

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

Please report online child exploitation to the FBI. https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids#:~:text=To%20report%20online%20child%20sexual,%2D800%2D843%2D5678.

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury today indicted six people on fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.

A 10-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Ionut Iamandita, 28, Milena Iamandita, 25, Elena Matei, 18, Florin Matei, 27, Larisa Iordache, 28, and Marius Iordache, 29, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Ionut Iamandita, Milena Iamandita, Elena Matei, Florin Matei, and Larisa Iordache were also charged with aggravated identity theft.  

According to the indictment, from February 2023 to June 2023, the defendants participated in a conspiracy that used skimming devices and covert video cameras to steal Listerhill Credit Union and Avadian Credit Union customers’ account information. Conspirators then withdrew funds from ATMs using stolen account information. 

The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bank fraud is 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.

The FBI and United States Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Lauderdale County’s Sherriff’s Office, Tuscaloosa County Sherriff’s Office, Hoover Police Department, and Vestavia Hills Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case.

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

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – An Alabama man pleaded guilty on Monday, June 26, 2023, to a felony charge related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His 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 presidential election.

            Bobby Wayne Russell, 49, of Falkville, Alabama, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers and Aiding and Abetting, a felony offense. U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled a sentencing hearing for November 17, 2023.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Russell was among rioters confronting officers at a line of bike rack barricades on the southwest side of the Capitol grounds.  Russell resisted officers’ efforts to get him to back away from the barricade.  He held a section of bike rack pressed between his upper arm and side, clinging to it despite being sprayed with OC spray.  When the barricade broke apart due to the involvement of other rioters, Russell grabbed the jacket of a Metropolitan Police Department officer, pulling the officer down with him as he fell headlong down a short flight of stairs.

            Later that day, court documents say that at approximately 4:20 pm, law enforcement officers formed a line and attempted to clear the area near the Senate wing doors. Russell refused orders to leave the area and pushed his back and buttocks into the riot shields of several officers. He then turned around to face one officer and declared, ““There’s more of us than you guys, you’re gonna lose.”

            The charge of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers and Aiding and Abetting carries a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering all factors and the U.S. Sentencing guidelines. All charges carry potential financial penalties.

            The case is being 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 Northern District of Alabama.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and Washington Field Office, which identified Russell as #492 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.