U.S. Attorney’s Office

Central District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Ex-Elementary School Teacher Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography with Former Student

LOS ANGELES – A former elementary school teacher who produced pornographic images of his 15-year-old ex-student was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison.

Sean David Sigler, 56, of Burbank, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt, who described Sigler’s conduct as “inexcusable,” and further said, “Ruining the lives of minors is unspeakable.”

Sigler, who pleaded guilty in September 2019 to two counts of production of child pornography, previously taught fifth-grade students at Bret Harte Elementary School in Burbank and at Gardner Street Elementary School in Hollywood.

Sigler was the victim’s fifth-grade teacher and kept in contact with her after she left his classroom, using his position as former teacher and mentor to gain the trust of the victim and her parent. Sigler then exploited that trust to gain sexual access to the girl. Over the course of 15 months, Sigler regularly transported the victim to his home, where he gave her alcoholic beverages and pills.

Sigler began having sex with the minor victim when she was 15 years old, and he created multiple sexually explicit videos of the victim and took sexually explicit photographs of her. The illicit conduct took place between September 2016 and May 2017.

He also created child pornography by modifying a pornographic image of the minor victim’s body and digitally superimposing the face of a different underage former student, according to a January 2018 law enforcement search of Sigler’s digital devices. The devices contained numerous images and videos of his sexual acts with the victim, as well as more than 5,000 images of child pornography depicting unknown and previously identified pre-pubescent minors.

Sigler agreed to forfeit $271,506 in cash seized by the government, which constitutes the proceeds from the sale of the home where he produced child pornography.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Burbank Police Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Damaris Diaz of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, Devon Myers of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, and Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture Section prosecuted this case.

>>13654018

https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/ex-elementary-school-teacher-sentenced-30-years-federal-prison-producing-child

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of Wisconsin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Former Marathon County Teacher Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

MADISON, WIS. – A former teacher with D.C. Everest Area School District in Marathon County, Wisconsin has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Madison to producing child pornography, according to Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.

Travis C. Greil, 39, Wausau, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to producing video files that depict minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene. Greil admitted that he used an iPad to make videos and take photos under students’ clothing, a practice called “upskirting.” The investigation began in February 2020 when a student reported to the school liaison officer that she believed Greil had filmed up her skirt while she was standing near Greil’s desk.

Greil will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley on August 12 and 13, 2021. The offense to which he has pleaded guilty has a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. In the plea agreement with the United States, the parties have agreed that a sentence of at least 6 years in prison is the appropriate disposition of the case.

The charge against Greil is the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services; Everest Metro and Wausau Police Departments; Marathon County Sheriff’s Office; Marathon County District Attorney’s Office; and the Wausau Police Department – Victim Resource Unit, with the assistance of the D.C. Everest Area School District. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Altman and Chadwick Elgersma are handling the prosecution.

>>13654026

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi/pr/former-marathon-county-teacher-pleads-guilty-producing-child-pornography

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Des Moines Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Several Victims

DES MOINES, Iowa – Marlin Santana Thomas, age 45, of Des Moines pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to sex trafficking six victims by force, fraud, and coercion announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2021, before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey.

Thomas pleaded guilty to sex trafficking six adult victims and admitted to trafficking a 14 year-old victim. Thomas admitted in his plea agreement to trafficking victims beginning in 2009, and as recently as February 28, 2018, when he was arrested as part of a separate federal drug investigation, for which he is currently serving a term of federal imprisonment. Thomas admitted to posting online escort advertisements of victims, transporting them to hotels and motels within and outside of Iowa to engage in commercial sex acts, and taking proceeds of the commercial sex acts. Thomas admitted to using physical violence towards all six adult victims, and admitted to providing heroin to one victim to keep her engaging in sex acts. Thomas also admitted in his plea agreement to arranging for a 14-year-old to engage in commercial sex acts, knowing that she was not yet 18 years old.

Thomas is subject to a fifteen-year mandatory minimum prison term for each count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, up to life imprisonment. The terms of imprisonment may be imposed consecutive to or concurrent with one another.

Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. If anyone has information about this defendant, they are urged to call the Des Moines Police Department Vice/Narcotics Office at 515-237-1516, or call the Hotline.

This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

>>13654034

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/des-moines-man-pleads-guilty-sex-trafficking-several-victims

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Nokomis Man Sentenced To More Than 27 Years In Federal Prison For Child Exploitation Offenses

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Robert Boehme (64, Nokomis) to 27 years and 3 months in federal prison for receiving and possessing materials depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Boehme was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

Boehme had pleaded guilty on December 7, 2020.

According to court documents, FBI agents detected several online requests to download child exploitation material over the internet and traced these requests to Boehme’s residence. When agents executed a federal search warrant at Boehme’s home, they caught Boehme as he was actively downloading child exploitation material over the internet. A forensic examination of Boehme’s computer revealed that he had amassed a collection of tens of thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Colin McDonell and Frank Murray.

This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.

>>13654041

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/nokomis-man-sentenced-more-27-years-federal-prison-child-exploitation-offenses

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Maryland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Two Maryland Men Facing Federal Indictment on Charges Related to the Illegal Importation of Iranian Currency and Fraudulent Wire Transfers to Purchase Foreign Currency

One Defendant Allegedly Violated the Trade Embargo Against Iran

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Richard Allan Boyd, age 58, and Lee Ryan Fondiller, age 50, both of Eldersburg, Maryland, for the federal charges of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to import foreign currencies, including the Iranian rial and Iraqi dinar, from suppliers outside the United States. Boyd is also charged with violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. The indictment was returned on April 29, 2021 and unsealed at Boyd’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on May 10, 2021. Fondiller had his initial appearance on May 12, 2021. Both defendants were released pending trial.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Jamie Mazzone of the U.S. Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General.

According to the 32-count indictment, from at least January 30, 2017 until at least October 17, 2018, Boyd, Fondiller, and others conspired to defraud financial institutions to effect transfers of funds in payment for foreign currency banknotes, while misrepresenting and concealing the true purpose of the payments.

Specifically, the indictment alleges that Boyd caused his business, Amoyeshua Enterprises, to market foreign currencies to customers in the United States and elsewhere and accepted orders for foreign currencies from customers through the Internet, telephone, and other means. Boyd allegedly arranged for shipments of foreign currencies into the United States by, in part, making payments to foreign suppliers of the currencies through wire transfers of funds. The indictment alleges that Boyd facilitated customers’ purchases of foreign currency by accepting funds from the purchasers via interstate wire transfers. Boyd and Fondiller allegedly made payments to foreign suppliers of the foreign currencies by submitting requests and orders to banks where they had business accounts for international wire transfers to the foreign sellers. According to the indictment, Boyd, Fondiller, and others concealed the true purpose of the international wire transfers to their banks by falsely representing that the wire transfers were for jewelry, watches, and/or other items. The indictment alleges that Boyd, Fondiller, and others caused fraudulent wire transfers totaling more than $300,000 to be sent to banks in Jordan.

>>13654046

As detailed in the indictment, in requesting and directing payment for foreign currencies, Boyd instructed customers by email, text message, and other means, not to indicate or note to any intermediary financial institution or payment processor that the customer's payment was made in exchange for currency. In addition, Boyd allegedly fabricated invoices reflecting purchases of watches and jewelry in order to disguise the true purpose of the payments to his foreign currency supplier via international wire transfer, and sent the invoices to the foreign supplier by email as false documentation of the payments.

The indictment also alleges that Boyd violated the trade embargo against The Islamic Republic of Iran (“Iran”) by importing Iranian rial banknotes between 2016 and 2018. The rial is the currency of Iran and is issued by the Central Bank of Iran, which is owned by the Government of Iran. The importation of Iranian rial banknotes ("rials") into the United States was prohibited by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and the Iran Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (“ITSR”). The indictment alleges that between 2015 and 2018, Boyd imported Iranian rials into the United States, marketed rials via the Internet and other means (including under trade names such as Amoyeshua Enterprises and BuyNewDinar.com), and distributed rials to customers in the United States and elsewhere.

In about February 2016, officers of United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) stationed at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York examined several packages shipped from Amman, Jordan. Some of the packages were addressed to Boyd at his residence and others were addressed to customers, family members, and associates of Boyd. CBP officers found that the packages contained Iranian rials. After confirming with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) that the importation of Iranian rials was prohibited by IEEPA and the ITSR, CBP officers seized the rials and packaging materials.

Between March and April 2016, Boyd, his customers, family members, and associates received letters from CBP notifying them of seizures of Iranian rials in February 2016 and stating that the importation of Iranian currency to the United States was prohibited by law. The indictment alleges that after being notified and acknowledging that the importation of Iranian rails weas illegal, Boyd continued to import Iranian rials into the United States, advertise the sale of Iranian rials on the Internet, accept orders and payments from customers for rials, and sell and distribute rials to customers in the United States, all without any license or authorization from OFAC.

Finally, the indictment alleges that on August 1, 2018, Boyd made false statements under oath during his bankruptcy proceeding. Specifically, Boyd allegedly stated that he had closed his currency selling business in July 2018, and had no intention of reopening the business. In addition, Boyd allegedly stated that he did not try to import any more Iranian currency after CBP seized the currency shipment in January 2016. In fact, Boyd caused Iranian rial to be brought into the United States in 2017 and 2018, and continued to direct and conduct transactions of foreign currencies after August 1, 2018.

If convicted, Boyd and Fondiller each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud affecting financial institutions. Boyd also faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of 10 counts of violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act; and a maximum of five years in federal prison for each of two counts of false oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI and DOT OIG for their work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for its assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who is prosecuting this case.

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of West Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Hancock County man admits to child pornography charge

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Gavin Collins, of Newell, West Virginia, has admitted to a child pornography charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Collins, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Production of Child Pornography by Person Having Custody or Control.” Collins admitted to producing child pornography with a minor in his custody from September 2018 to July 2020 in Hancock.

Collins faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/hancock-county-man-admits-child-pornography-charge-0