U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

Federal Jury Convicts Former Florida State University C.A.R.E. Students of Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, And Aggravated Identity Theft

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, today announced the convictions of Kh’lajuwon Amari Murat, 21, of Miramar, Florida, and Ariel Apperlyn Smith, 22, of Coral Springs, Florida. The convictions came today after a four-day federal jury trial.

The jury heard evidence that Murat and Smith, along with other students who enrolled at Florida State University (“FSU”) in the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (“C.A.R.E.”) and Kadeem Telfort, a former student and football player at the University of Florida, conspired to defraud federally insured financial institutions between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2017. The jury heard from thirteen witnesses – many of whom were former FSU students – and received over 300 exhibits in evidence. The evidence presented proved that Murat and Telfort used the Internet and text messaging to unlawfully obtain credit card and debit card account numbers belonging to third parties, and that they used those account numbers to fraudulently deposit funds into the student accounts of multiple FSU students, including accounts belonging to Murat and Smith.

The evidence demonstrated that the group communicated by cell phone and text messaging to plan the execution of the scheme. Specifically, the jury heard that Murat requested the student account numbers from FSU students and also requested that the FSU students purchase merchandise from the FSU Bookstore using funds that he and Telfort had fraudulently deposited or would later fraudulently deposit into those students’ accounts. The FSU students then gave the purchased merchandise to Murat and others and were permitted to keep any remaining balance of the funds that Murat and Telfort fraudulently deposited into their student accounts for their own personal use. The evidence proved that in total, the group fraudulently obtained and attempted to obtain approximately $53,000 in funds to which they were not entitled, and that FSU was victimized from chargebacks being issued by banks as a result of the fraudulent charges being disputed by the third-party debit and credit card accountholders.

The jury found Murat and Smith guilty of all counts as charged in the indictment. Murat was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, 16 counts of bank fraud, and six counts of aggravated identity theft. Smith was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud.

Sentencing hearings for both defendants are scheduled for August 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., before the Honorable Judge Robert Hinkle at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee. Both defendants face a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud count, and Murat faces an additional 2-year mandatory minimum prison sentence, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each aggravated identity theft count.

These convictions were the result of a collaborative investigation by the Florida State University Police Department and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/federal-jury-convicts-former-florida-state-university-care-students-conspiracy-bank

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of Ohio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

Six in Youngstown-Warren charged with Methamphetamine Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced today that a federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment charging six individuals in the Youngstown-Warren area for their roles in a methamphetamine drug trafficking conspiracy.

Named in the indictment are Neil R. DYE, 36, currently incarcerated at Trumbull Correctional Institution; Jaclyn L. SZACHURY, 35, currently incarcerated at Ohio Reformatory for Women; Mary E. CLEARWATER, 39, of Warren, Ohio; Michael A. LEE, 29, currently incarcerated at Grafton Correctional Institute; Courtney P. WILSON, 30, of Youngstown, Ohio and Timothy M. LOWERY, 33 of Warren, Ohio.

According to the indictment, on or about July 8, 2019, and continuing to on or about December 3, 2020, the Defendants are accused of working together to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in communities throughout the Northern District of Ohio. As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that defendants DYE and SZACHURY provided methamphetamine to CLEAWATWER for distribution. In turn, CLEAWATWER provided methamphetamine to LEE, WILSON and LOWERY, who then allegedly distributed the drugs to other buyers throughout the district.

On several occasions, the group is accused of selling methamphetamine to confidential FBI sources. In total, the group is accused of distributing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.

In addition to the drug trafficking charges, Defendant LOWERY is also charged with possessing an unregistered firearm.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force, Trumbull Action Group Drug Task Force, Warren PD Street Crimes Unit, Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Summit County Drug Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/six-youngstown-warren-charged-methamphetamine-drug-trafficking-conspiracy

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

Putnam County Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty To Possessing Images Depicting Child Sexual Abuse On His Cell Phone

Jacksonville, Florida – Jasen Michael Anderson (29, Crescent City) has pleaded guilty to possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of children on his cell phone. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a potential life term of supervised release.

According to court documents, on May 3, 2012, Anderson was convicted on federal charges for distributing and possessing child exploitation materials. After serving a seven-year prison sentence, Anderson was released and began serving a 10-year term of supervised release under the supervision of the United States Probation Office. During this period, Anderson was prohibited from using any computer device to access the internet without written approval of his probation officer, and was subject to any search by the Probation Office based on reasonable suspicion of evidence of a violation of any supervised release condition.

During an interview on March 16, 2020, Anderson admitted to his probation officer that he had accessed the internet using a cell phone and had searched for images of children on a particular Russian website. The probation officer then confiscated Anderson’s cell phone. During an initial manual examination of this device, no evidence of contraband images was discovered.

In May 2020, Anderson met with his probation officer and admitted that he had accessed child sex abuse images over the internet using a second cell phone. This second phone was also seized by the probation officer. Anderson was subsequently arrested at his home by the United States Marshals Service based on violations of the terms of his supervised release. Forensic examination of his cell phones revealed that one of the devices contained 110 images depicting young children, including some as young as six years old, being sexually abused.

This case was investigated by the United States Probation Office in Ocala and Tampa, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

It 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.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/putnam-county-convicted-sex-offender-pleads-guilty-possessing-images-depicting-child

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Micah Greenberg Pleads Guilty To Multiple Federal Offenses

Orlando, Florida – Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Micah Greenberg (36, Lake Mary) today pleaded guilty to six federal offenses: sex trafficking of a child, illegally producing a false identification document, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, stalking, and conspiracy. Each offense carries a separate penalty. Greenberg faces maximum terms of imprisonment of 20 years for wire fraud, 15 years for illegally producing a false identification document, 15 years for conspiracy, and 5 years for stalking. He also faces mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment: of 10 years, and up to, life in prison for sex trafficking of a child, and of 2 years for aggravated identity theft. Greenberg will be ordered to pay restitution to his victims in amounts to be determined at his sentencing.

According to the plea agreement, Greenberg paid for commercial sex acts, including with an individual who was a minor for part of the time when Greenberg paid her to engage in those acts. Greenberg had met the minor on an internet website and he engaged in commercial sex acts with her on at least seven occasions when she was under the age of 18. Greenberg also introduced the minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts with the minor in the Middle District of Florida.

On the day of his arrest and execution of a federal search warrant at his residence on June 23, 2020, Greenberg was found in possession of two fake drivers licenses in his wallet – each license contained the personal information of the victim but with Greenberg’s photograph. Greenberg used his position as Tax Collector to facilitate the production of those fake drivers licenses.

In addition, Greenberg used his position as Seminole County Tax Collector to embezzle and divert over $400,000 to benefit himself, including to purchase cryptocurrency, to operate a business that sold cryptocurrency mining machines, to mine cryptocurrency, and to purchase personal items, such as autographed sports memorabilia.

Greenberg also engaged in a course of conduct that caused and attempted to cause substantial emotional distress to a political opponent who worked in the Middle District of Florida, including by knowingly mailing false letters to the school where the employee worked. The letters claimed to be from an anonymous “very concerned student” of the school who claimed to know the school employee had engaged in sexual misconduct with a particular student.

After his federal arrest in June 2020, and while released on special conditions, Greenberg conspired with an employee of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and another individual to submit false claims to SBA for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, available under the CARES Act to businesses negatively affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. Greenberg and the SBA employee conspired to submit loan applications for two of Greenberg’s businesses falsely claiming the businesses were operating prior to February 2020, when in fact the State previously had administratively dissolved both business and Greenberg only reinstated them to apply for the loans. Greenberg and the SBA employee also conspired to apply for a third loan in Greenberg’s name. The loan applications provided false information about the revenues and numbers of employees for the businesses. As a result of the conspiracy, Greenberg received over $430,000, and he paid $16,000 of that to the individual who recruited him into the scheme, and $3,000 of it as a bribe to the SBA employee.

This case was investigated by United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roger B. Handberg and Jennifer M. Harrington.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/former-seminole-county-tax-collector-joel-micah-greenberg-pleads-guilty-multiple

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of Louisiana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

Former Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office Deputy Sentenced for Assaulting Inmates

ALEXANDRIA, La. – A former correctional officer with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office (RPSO), Detention Center 1, in Alexandria, Louisiana, has been sentenced in federal court for violating the civil rights of three inmates in his custody.

Cody Richardson, 31, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 70 months (5 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. Richardson previously pleaded guilty on May 28, 2020 to three felony counts of using excessive force against pretrial detainees housed at the RPSO facility.

According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Richardson, while on duty as a correctional officer in 2018, tased three different detainees who were restrained and/or not resisting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. Specifically, on January 28, 2018, Richardson tased detainee K.F. while K.F. had his hands up, causing him to fall to the ground, then continued to tase K.F. three more times despite the fact that he was not resisting. On February 24, 2018, Richardson drive-stunned detainee S.M. 15-20 times while S.M. was shackled to a bench by his ankles, then, after other officers secured S.M.’s wrists in handcuffs, continued tasing him and kicked him once in the abdomen. Finally, on March 19, 2018, Richardson deployed a Taser into detainee J.A.’s back, causing him to fall to the ground, then sat on top of a table in the cellblock and continued to activate the Taser four more times while J.A. thrashed on the floor, screaming in pain.

“Citizens who are detained by law enforcement officers have a right to be treated with fairness and respect,” said Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “Those in law enforcement who choose to violate the civil rights of those in their custody and control must suffer the consequences of their actions.”

“These kinds of civil rights violations by correctional officers will not be tolerated,” said Pamela S. Karlan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “By perpetrating these blatant and callous assaults on inmates, Richardson abused the authority granted to him as an officer of the law, undermined public trust in law enforcement, and caused harm to individuals whom he had a responsibility to protect. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who violate the civil rights of vulnerable inmates in their care, and ensure that such officers are held accountable.”

This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Mudrick of the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Katherine DeVar of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/former-rapides-parish-sheriffs-office-deputy-sentenced-assaulting-inmates

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

Canadian National Sentenced for Human Smuggling Conspiracy

A Canadian national was sentenced to 32 months in prison for conspiracy to bring undocumented immigrants to the United States for private financial gain in connection with his role in a scheme to smuggle undocumented immigrants from Sri Lanka through the Caribbean and into the United States.

Sri Kajamukam Chelliah, aka Mohan, aka Richie, 55, of Sri Lanka, pleaded guilty on Feb. 24, to conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for private financial gain. Chelliah admitted to conspiring with others to facilitate the travel of undocumented immigrants from Sri Lanka through Haiti, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas to the United States from on or about July 1, 2019, through on or about Oct. 10, 2019. During the course of the conspiracy, Chelliah worked with other human smugglers, arranging housing and transport for undocumented immigrants en route to Canada through the United States. Chelliah arranged for the individuals to be transported from the airport in Port Au Prince, Haiti, to a hotel where Chelliah housed and provided them with food. Chelliah then arranged for transportation by boat from Haiti to Turks and Caicos Islands, then to the Bahamas, and then by boat to Miami, Florida. Chelliah accompanied the individuals, including traveling with them by boat during their journey. The actions undertaken by Chelliah and co-conspirators in furtherance of their smuggling activities were done in exchange for payment.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

Trial Attorneys Rami S. Badawy and John Alex-Romano of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Dobbins of the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case with support from HRSP Trial Attorney Jim Hepburn. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the investigation and in securing the defendant’s extradition to the United States. The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the government of Turks and Caicos Islands for their valuable assistance.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/canadian-national-sentenced-human-smuggling-conspiracy

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Wyoming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 17, 2021

CASPER MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that LIAM VAN DAMME, age 21 of Casper, Wyoming was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 60 months of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy J. Freudenthal. Van Damme was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment fee and may be ordered to pay restitution through a separate court order.

Van Damme came to the attention of law enforcement when he uploaded child pornography using a Google account and a Smug-Flickr account. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the related Cybertip Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The investigation showed that Van Damme had images of children as young as toddlers being violently sexually abused. Additionally, he had surreptitiously recorded a young child he had access to while the child changed clothes. Van Damme then edited the video down to focus on the child’s genitalia.

The United States Attorney’s Office requested a prison sentence of 150 months but ultimately the court decided on 120 months. “The sexual exploitation of innocent children has to be the most heinous crime imaginable,” said Acting United State Attorney Bob Murray. “Predators like Van Damme create a demand that only leads to more kids being abused. It must stop. We will investigate, prosecute, and lock up anyone in possession of child pornography so we can put an end to this disgusting practice.”

The case was investigated by the ICAC, and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christyne Martens.

This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:

Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children.

Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives.

Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases.

Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents.

Community awareness and educational programs.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/pr/casper-man-sentenced-10-years-child-pornography-charges