U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of North Carolina

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Hendersonville Man Is Sentenced To 22 Years For The Sexual Exploitation Of A Child

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Jeffrey Allen Buley, 58, of Hendersonville, N.C., to 22 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer. Judge Reidinger also ordered Buley to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $7,602.23 as restitution to his victim.

Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Charlotte, and Chief C. Blair Myhand of the Hendersonville Police Department join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement learned that Buley was using the Discord messaging app to communicate with a minor male. Court records show that the communications were sexual in nature, and, on at least one occasion, Buley instructed the minor to transmit live video of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On July 30, 2019, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Buley’s residence, seizing Buley’s cell phone and other electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed that Buley used the internet to distribute and receive child pornography and to engage in sexually explicit online chats concerning minors. On June 22, 2020, Buley pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.

Buley is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.

In making todays’ announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked HSI and the Hendersonville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as 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 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/hendersonville-man-sentenced-22-years-sexual-exploitation-child-0

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Valley drug trafficking organizer gets life in prison

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 40-year-old resident of Brownsville has been ordered to federal prison following his role in trafficking more than 1000 kilograms of cocaine involving $26 million in drug proceeds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before convicting Rafael Villanueva Jan. 28, following a six-day trial.

Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., who presided over the trial and sentencing, ordered Villanueva to serve the rest of his life in federal prison. The court also ordered Villanueva to pay a $1,193,070 money judgment as repayment for the drug money he illegally laundered.

“This sentencing is the result of a long-term complex investigation lead by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who continue to serve and protect our public and national security said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Timothy Tubbs of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI and our counterparts will continue to protect our nation from transnational criminal organizations that seek to bring harm to our communities and our nation.”

“The sentencing of Villanueva demonstrates how we focus investigative resources against drug trafficking organizations that import large shipments of hard drugs from Mexico then deliver them to cities throughout the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “DEA and our partners remain determined to identify, dismantle and destroy drug trafficking organizations that import and spread their poison in cities across our nation.”

During trial, the jury heard from approximately 21 witnesses. They detailed Villanueva’s role as head of a drug transportation group that moved cocaine from the Rio Grande Valley and on to cities throughout the United States. He had customers in Mexico who needed transportation for cocaine to areas throughout the United States, including Houston; Chicago, Illinois; Jackson, Mississippi; as well as locations in South and North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

He also provided transportation for drug proceeds sold throughout the United States back to the Rio Grande Valley. The commercial vehicles were outfitted with special compartments to hide the cocaine and drug proceeds.

Several witnesses testified Villanueva hired them to move the cocaine north and the drug proceeds south. Villanueva paid them by the kilogram to transport the drugs and a percentage of the drug money coming south. Fellow drug traffickers also testified Villanueva borrowed their line of transport for the cocaine when commercial drivers he hired got arrested with loads of cocaine.

One of the witnesses was a young male who was only 16 when he started working for Villanueva.

The jury also heard about the search of Villanueva’s house where authorities found five guns and numerous documents showing his lavish lifestyle as well as several Lone Star cards.

The defense attempted to convince the jury the witnesses were all liars and authorities did poor work.

The jury ultimately found him guilty as charged for possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to do so, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, bulk cash smuggling and international money laundering.

Villanueva has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Several others have also been convicted for their respective roles.

HSI and DEA conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation known as La Camelia. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Betancourt, Jody Young and Paul Marian prosecuted the case.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/valley-drug-trafficking-organizer-gets-life-prison

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Massachusetts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Revere Man Sentenced for Money Laundering and Cocaine Charges

BOSTON – A Revere man was sentenced in federal court in Boston yesterday for cocaine possession and attempting to launder money to Colombia.

Jairo Agudelo, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In December 2020, Agudelo pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy, substantive money laundering and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

In February 2019, investigators seized approximately $200,000 in cash from Agudelo when he attempted to launder drug proceeds from Massachusetts to Colombia. When investigators executed a search warrant at a Revere apartment used by Agudelo as a stash house for his cocaine distribution, they located approximately 400 grams of cocaine, as well as drug packaging materials and over $11,000 in cash.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division made the announcement today. Critical assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; Revere Police Department; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Jared C. Dolan of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

This investigation, dubbed “Operation Týr,” 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.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/revere-man-sentenced-money-laundering-and-cocaine-charges

BRIEFING ROOM

Nominations Sent to the Senate

APRIL 29, 2021 • STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Daryl W. Baldwin, of Ohio, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2026, vice David Armand DeKeyser, term expired.

Sean Burton, of California, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for a term expiring May 30, 2024, vice Nina Mitchell Wells, term expired.

Karen Erika Donfried, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (European and Eurasian Affairs), vice A. Wess Mitchell, resigned.

David G. Estudillo, of Washington, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington, vice Ronald B. Leighton, retired.

Genine Macks Fidler, of Florida, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2026, vice Joyce Malcolm, term expired.

Beverly Gage, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2026, vice Noel Valis, term expired.

Karen Jean Hedlund, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board for a term expiring December 31, 2025, vice Ann Begeman, term expired.

Sylvia E. Johnson, of North Carolina, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of five years, vice Vanessa Lorraine Allen Sutherland, term expired.

Barbara A. Leaf, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs), vice David Schenker.

Jessica Lewis, of Ohio, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs), vice R. Clarke Cooper.

Andrew Eilperin Light, of Georgia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (International Affairs), vice Theodore J. Garrish.

Tana Lin, of Washington, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington, vice Marsha J. Pechman, retired.

Donald Lu, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, vice Nisha Desai Biswal.

Christopher P. Lu, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform, with the rank of Ambassador.

Christopher P. Lu, of Virginia, to be an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform.

Sarah Margon, of New York, to be Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, vice Robert A. Destro.

Jonathan Eugene Meyer, of Ohio, to be General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, vice John Marshall Mitnick.

Jane Toshiko Nishida, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, vice William Charles McIntosh.

Christine P. O’Hearn, of New Jersey, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey, vice Robert B. Kugler, retired.

Lynette Young Overby, of Delaware, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2026, vice Phyllis Kaminsky, term expired.

Stephen A. Owens, of Arizona, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of five years, vice Richard J. Engler, term expired.

Mary Catherine Phee, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation for a term expiring September 27, 2021, vice Linda Thomas-Greenfield, resigned.

Mary Catherine Phee, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation for a term expiring September 27, 2026. (Reappointment)

Mary Catherine Phee, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (African Affairs), vice Tibor Peter Nagy Jr.

Jeffrey M. Prieto, of California, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, vice Matthew Z. Leopold.

Geraldine Richmond, of Oregon, to be Under Secretary for Science, Department of Energy, vice Paul Dabbar.

Roberto Josué Rodríguez, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, Department of Education, vice James Blew.

Jennifer Beth Sass, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of five years, vice Kristen Marie Kulinowski, term expired.

>>13542839

Jennifer Beth Sass, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board for a term of five years, vice Kristen Marie Kulinowski, term expired.

Lee Satterfield, of South Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Educational and Cultural Affairs), vice Marie Royce.

Adam Scheinman, of Virginia, to be Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation, with the rank of Ambassador.

WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:

Jon Eugene Meyer, of Ohio, to be General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, vice John Marshall Mitnick, which was sent to the Senate on April 19, 2021.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/29/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-15/

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of Missouri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Former Youth Director at Fort Leonard Wood Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Army National Guard officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually abusing four minors over several years while he was director of the youth ministry at Fort Leonard Wood U.S. Army Base.

David J. McKay, 42, of Waynesville, Missouri, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of transporting a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and four counts of sexually abusing a minor.

McKay, an Army National Guard Major Sergeant, was the youth ministry director for the Religious Services Office at Fort Leonard Wood. By pleading guilty today, McKay admitted that he sexually abused four victims, ranging in age from 11 to 17 years old, on dozens of occasions from 2010 to 2017.

According to today’s plea agreement, the sexual abuse occurred at Fort Leonard Wood and various other locations within Pulaski County, Mo. The victims also reported being abused during the youth group’s ski trips to Colorado and on camping trips at Fort Leonard Wood.

Under federal statutes, McKay is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command at the Fort Leonard Wood Army Base, the Pulaski County, Mo., Prosecutor’s Office, and the Waynesville, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/former-youth-director-fort-leonard-wood-pleads-guilty-child-sexual-abuse

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Three Additional Individuals Admit Participating in $10 Million Multi-State Bank Fraud Conspiracy

TRENTON, N.J. – A New York woman, an Ohio man, and a New Jersey man admitted their roles in a large-scale conspiracy to commit bank fraud in states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Michigan, Acting Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.

Erm Ayaz, 36, of Bayside, Brooklyn, pleaded guilty today by videoconference before Chief Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Syed Abbas, 32, of Westerville, Ohio, and Habib Majid, 35, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Wolfson on April 27, 2021, and April 21, 2021, respectively, to informations that charged them each with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Ayaz, Abbas, and Majid are among seven individuals that have pleaded guilty as part of the scheme.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2018 through April 2020, Ayaz, Majid, Abbas, and others conspired to defraud several major banks and electronic merchant processors. They established bank accounts associated with sham entities that had no legitimate purpose and issued checks payable to other shell companies associated with the criminal organization, knowing that the payor accounts had insufficient funds. The conspirators also conducted numerous fraudulent credit card and debit card transactions between shell companies to credit payee accounts and fraudulently overdraw payor accounts. Members of the conspiracy also used these shell companies to execute temporary refund credits, commonly referred to as “charge-backs,” to checking accounts associated with the criminal organization, where no prior legitimate transaction had occurred.

Members of the criminal organization withdrew the “existing” funds (through ATMs or bank tellers) that banks and/or merchant processors had credited to the payee bank accounts at the time of the fraudulent transaction. Because the conspirators withdrew the credited funds from the payee accounts before the banks could recognize the fraudulent transactions, the banks and merchant processors were left with substantial losses.

The investigation revealed that Ayaz, Majid, Abbas, and other conspirators attempted to defraud financial institutions and merchant processors of approximately $10 million dollars and did in fact cause a loss of approximately $3.5 million.

The conspiracy charges which Ayaz, Abbas, and Majid pleaded guilty carry a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million or twice the gross gain to the defendants or loss to others, whichever is greater. Ayaz’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2021. Abbas’ and Majid’s sentencings are scheduled for Sept. 9, 2021.

Four co-defendants – Awaise Dar, Rana Sharif, Naveed Arif, Ali Abbas – have previously pleaded guilty to informations charging them with conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with the scheme.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins in Newark; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark; the Social Security Administration, under the direction of John F. Grasso; and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/three-additional-individuals-admit-participating-10-million-multi-state-bank-fraud

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2589223/flag-officer-announcements/

>>13543161

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Flag Officer Announcements

APRIL 29, 2021

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced today that the president has made the following nominations:

Capt. Dennis E. Collins has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Collins is currently serving as officer in charge, Navy Reserve, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Detachment 401, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

Capt. Bradley D. Dunham has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Dunham is currently serving as chief of staff, Navy Reserve, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.

Capt. Mark F. Haigis has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Haigis is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve, Naval Leadership and Ethics Center, Newport, Rhode Island.

Capt. Scott W. Ruston has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Ruston is currently serving as deputy commander, Navy Region Southwest Reserve Component Command, San Diego, California.

Capt. Douglas W. Sasse III has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Sasse is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve, Fourth Fleet, Mayport, Florida.

Capt. Michael J. Schwerin has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Schwerin is currently serving as commanding officer, Navy Reserve, Officer Training Command, Newport, Rhode Island.

Capt. David R. Storr has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Storr is currently serving as manager, Navy Reserve, Rapid Research and Development Detachment, Patuxent River, Maryland

>>13543166

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

04/27/2021 Former Post Office Supervisor Sentenced for Stealing Cash from Mail News Releases

04/15/2021 Postal Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Packages that Contained Drugs News Releases

03/29/2021 Former USPS Carrier Sentenced for Making False Statements to Obtain Disability Compensation News Releases

03/23/2021 Former Postal Employee Sentenced For Workers' Compensation Fraud News Releases

02/26/2021 United Airlines to Pay $49 Million to Resolve Criminal Fraud Charges and Civil Claims News Releases

01/13/2021 Postal Supervisor Who Stole Packages is Sentenced News Releases

11/17/2020 Woman Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Seven-Year Public Assistance Fraud Scheme News Releases

11/13/2020 Former USPS Carrier Sentenced to Prison for Stealing, Selling Meth & Marijuana in Mail Packages News Releases

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