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Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Leonard Thomas Stewart, III, 24, of Fort Defiance, was sentenced on June 17, 2024, by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 188 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Stewart pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child on October 31, 2023. 

Between October 3, 2017, and July 11, 2019, Stewart engaged in abusive sexual contact with the minor victim on numerous occasions. One instance of sexual contact occurred in Fort Defiance while Stewart and the minor victim were riding horses together. Both the victim and Stewart are members of the Navajo Nation Indian Tribe and the abusive sexual contact occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-21-08029-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-091_Stewart

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Pengchung Lee, 27, of Tucson, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The conditions of supervised release include substance abuse testing, a mental health assessment, location monitoring, and a no-contact provision that precludes defendant from being on the University of Arizona campus. Lee pleaded guilty on April 10, 2024, to Interstate Threats for transmitting threats through interstate communications to commit a mass shooting at the University of Arizona.

The complaint previously filed in this case alleged that on October 22, 2023, Lee transmitted threats to commit a mass shooting at the university in a group chat on Snapchat. Lee is not a student at the university but expressed a desire to get revenge on “all the chads and stacies!!” “Chads” and “stacies” are commonly used terms by self-described involuntary celibates (incels). Lee made further reference to incel ideology and finished the conversation by stating “im gonna do it guys, my mind is made up and there’s nothing u can do or say to stop me.”

On April 10, 2024, Lee admitted to sending multiple Snapchat messages on October 22, 2023, to a group chat threatening to commit a mass shooting at the University of Arizona. Lee further admitted that those messages referenced incel ideology, language, and motivations, including referring to a well-known, self-identified incel and mass shooter. Lee also admitted to threatening to commit a mass shooting at the university in at least two other Snapchat conversations, citing the same incel ideology and motivations.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Arizona Police Department, as part of the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-01694-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-086_Lee

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Wasilla man was sentenced today to over nine years in prison for his involvement in recklessly evading the police and using a firearm during a carjacking in 2021.

According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2021, an Anchorage Police officer attempted a traffic stop on Bryson McEneaney, 36, but he evaded the officer and fled north on the Glenn Highway towards Palmer. Palmer Police deployed spike strips to stop the vehicle.  McEneaney avoided the strips by driving into oncoming traffic and stopping the vehicle.

Officers tased McEneaney as he exited the vehicle, but he was able to continue on foot towards a stopped vehicle.  McEneaney used a rifle to gain control of that vehicle.

According to a press release from the Anchorage Police Department about the defendant’s actions on Dec. 17, law enforcement located McEneaney in the stolen vehicle on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. The defendant wrecked the vehicle while attempting to elude Wasilla Police officers and fled on foot. He was located by law enforcement behind a transit building and taken into custody.

At the time of this conduct, the defendant was previously convicted of multiple violent felonies from 2016, including vehicle theft, assault and burglary.

“Mr. McEneaney’s selfish and careless actions in 2021 were the pinnacle of his habitual violent offenses over the years. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who did tremendous collaborative work to ensure Mr. McEneaney was off the streets and no longer a threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue to work with law enforcement to prioritize prosecuting violent offenders who continually show disregard for the health and safety of Alaskans.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, Palmer Police Department and Wasilla Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw prosecuted the case.

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Source: US FBI

JUNEAU, Alaska – A Juneau man was sentenced yesterday to two and a half years in prison and five years’ supervised release for stealing over $579,000 from three banks and two federal credit unions while serving as an armed transport guard.

According to court documents, Austin Nolan Dwight Rutherford, 29, was an armed transport guard for Axiom Armored Transport from January 2019 to March 2022. Axiom provided armed transportation of U.S. currency for several banks, credit unions and ATMs. Rutherford was transferred to Axiom’s Juneau branch in March 2020 and started stealing funds around that time.

An Axiom security camera recorded Rutherford taking a large amount of cash from Axiom property and into his personal vehicle, where he drove away. Bank records later showed that the defendant made multiple cash deposits into his personal bank account totaling over $338,000 and used the money for personal benefit.

The defendant was terminated in March 2022 but continued to make large cash deposits into his bank accounts through May 2022. An internal Axiom audit determined that Rutherford stole a total of $579,400 in bank and credit union funds.

Rutherford pleaded guilty to bank and credit union theft in June 2023. At the time of his plea, the defendant agreed to pay back all stolen funds through restitution. He is also required to pay over $86,000 in additional restitution claims for expenses related to Axiom’s investigation into Rutherford’s actions. The defendant will also serve five years’ supervised release.

“Mr. Rutherford broke the trust of his employer and the people of Alaska by stealing funds for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute those individuals who threaten the security of our financial institutions and bring them to justice.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

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

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Source: US FBI

FBI seeking to identify other potential victims.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week officially charging a Kenai man with making interstate threats to kidnap and injure a U.S. Senator.

“Actions that threaten the safety and well-being of public officials are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will prioritize the vigorous investigation and prosecution of any individual who chooses to threaten and instill fear in elected officials.”

According to court proceedings, Arther Charles Graham, 46, was ordered to be temporarily detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on Nov. 3, 2023. His formal detention hearing will be held on Nov. 21, 2023, in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble.

According to court documents, Graham sent a web form submission to a U.S. Senator on Sept. 28, 2023, threatening to injure the Senator. Congressional staff members reported the threat to the U.S. Capitol Police and an investigation was launched.

The defendant identified himself in the threat. Law enforcement later confirmed the sender was Graham and lived in Kenai. He was taken into custody by special agents from the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI on Oct. 30, 2023. He made his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge on Nov. 3, 2023.

Graham is charged with using interstate communications with a threat to kidnap and injure in violation of 18 U.S.C. §875(c). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Capitol Police, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office, the Kenai Police Department and the Alaska State Trooper, is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw 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 Anchorage man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for defrauding at least 177 victims of more than $26 million through an investment fraud scheme.

According to court documents, Garrett Elder, 30, convinced victims to transfer funds to him for investment in stocks and foreign currencies on their behalf through deceptive and false representations of his trading methods between 2016 and October 2022. Some of the defendants’ victims were family members and friends.

The defendant executed the scheme primarily through his two entities, Tycoon Trading LLC and the Daily Bread Fund LLC.  Elder solicited investments based on misstatements and omissions about his trading methods and returns. He then provided falsified account reports showing positive returns.

In total, the investigation revealed that Elder falsely told his investors that they had made over $11 million dollars in non-existent profits when, in fact, the defendant had been consistently losing money for years.  The investigation identified that the defendant lost around $20 million trading, and used the remainder to fund a lavish lifestyle, finance commissions and payments to business associates, purchase assets and gifts, and pay other personal expenses.

In addition to time in prison, the defendant is required to pay $26 million in restitution to approximately 177 victims and serve three years of supervised release as part of his sentence.

“Mr. Elder’s case is one of the worst fraud cases our office has handled with respect to the number of victims and amount of money he stole. This case shows that white collar crime can impact anyone and cause immense damage to people, families and communities, and that no person or company is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Prosecuting criminals who choose to commit calculated financial crimes will remain a priority for our office, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice for victims of these crimes.”

“In what’s regarded as the largest investment fraud scheme perpetrated in Alaska, Mr. Elder’s greed and deception is an affront to the honest, hard-working victims he bilked out of millions of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With dedicated special agents, forensic accountants, and analysts who work tirelessly to unravel complex fraud schemes, the FBI is dedicated to investigating financial crimes to hold criminals accountable and to protect the financial security of all Alaskans.”

Elder is the most recent fraud case the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska has successfully prosecuted in their prioritization of holding financial and white-collar criminals accountable. The office has dozens of open cases covering a range of financial crimes, including health care fraud, bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, fraud on federal agencies, and federal program fraud surrounding misuse of COVID-19 recovery funds.

These cases are a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement and are often a product of thousands of hours’ worth of investigation and expertise due to the complexity of financial crimes.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the Elder case with assistance from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), Division of Banking and Securities.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Heyman and Seth Beausang prosecuted the Elder case.

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Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – Brogan T. Welsh, 31, of Anchorage, Alaska, was indicted today in the District of Columbia on charges of distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            According to court documents, Welsh allegedly was a member of a private group on an internet platform that was dedicated to discussing the sexual exploitation of children and to sharing child sexual abuse materials. In December 2020, Welsh – who was then living near Richmond, Va. – contacted someone on the platform that he believed was the father of a minor child. In actuality, the “father” was an undercover agent with the FBI’s Washington D.C. Field Office. Over the course of several weeks, Welsh allegedly posted links in the group containing numerous images and videos depicting adult males sexually abusing prepubescent boys. Welsh repeatedly expressed his sexual interest in children, and a desire to travel from Virginia to the District of Columbia, in order to sexually abuse the purported child. 

            In an investigation previously thought to be unrelated, agents in the FBI’s Anchorage Office discovered chats between two users on the same social media application again discussing the sexual exploitation of children. The investigation revealed that Welsh was one of the individuals using the social media application to discuss his interest in sexually abusing children.

            On Oct.19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Welsh’s Anchorage, Alaska, residence. Digital devices were recovered from the residence. Welsh was arrested in the early morning hours of Oct. 22, 2023. He has been ordered temporarily detained. 

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Washington and Anchorage Field Offices. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Larson, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Walker of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Alaska.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Kenai man was arrested Monday on charges of making interstate threats to kidnap and injure a current U.S. Senator.

According to court documents, Arther Graham, 46, sent a web form submission to a U.S. Senator on Sept. 28, 2023, threatening to injure the Senator. Congressional staff members reported the threat to the U.S. Capitol Police and an investigation was launched.

The defendant identified himself in the threat. Law enforcement later confirmed the sender was Graham and lived in Kenai. He was taken into custody by special agents from the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI on Oct. 30, 2023. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge on Nov. 3.

Graham is charged with using interstate communications with a threat to kidnap and injure in violation of 18 U.S.C. §875(c). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five 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 S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The U.S. Capitol Police, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office, the Kenai Police Department and the Alaska State Troopers, is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Vandergaw is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint 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 – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging three defendants with crimes connected to the murders of two women in Trapper Creek this May.

According to the indictment, Heraclio Sanchez-Rodriguez, 56, Tamara Denise Bren, 41, and Kevin Glenn Peterson II, 29, engaged in a drug conspiracy and conspired to kidnap and murder Sunday Powers and Kami Clark in furtherance of a drug trafficking enterprise on May 22. The drug conspiracy resulted in the distribution of over 33 kilograms of fentanyl, 11 kilograms of meth, four kilograms of heroin and 57 grams of cocaine. The indictment further explains that Sanchez-Rodriguez was an inmate in a California prison and used contraband phones to run his enterprise.

The indictment alleges the defendants communicated in person and through phone calls and text messages to coordinate the kidnapping of Powers and Clark. They used tracking applications on cell phones to confirm the location of Powers and Clark the day of the murders. They further organized multiple vehicles to meet the co-conspirators near Trapper Creek and have a conspirator carry a firearm to carry out the kidnapping.

According to the indictment, conspirators restrained Powers and Clark under the threat of force by carjacking the vehicle they occupied. During the kidnapping and carjacking, Powers called 911 but a conspirator ended her call. Powers and Clark were driven to a hidden location, where they were executed and buried in a shallow grave near Trapper Creek.

The indictment charges all three defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, killing in furtherance of continuing criminal enterprise, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death and use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Bren and Sanchez-Rodriguez are also charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. If convicted of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, Bren and Sanchez-Rodriguez face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the remaining charges is life imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes made the announcement.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI Anchorage Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Division, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department and the Palmer Police Department. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Vandergaw and Christopher Schroeder 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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