Category: Pennsylvania

ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 36 months in jail on his conviction of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on David Aranda, 24.

According to information presented to the court, on or about August 25, 2021, Aranda attempted to possess with intent to distribute 368 grams, an estimated 3,000 to 3,500 counterfeit blue pills, comprised of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone stated that fentanyl “is a scourge of this country” and noted the dramatically increased potency of the fentanyl pills in comparison to the prescription pills they are designed to mimic. “People are dying everyday by what you’re doing,” Judge Cercone stated to Aranda.

Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Chung commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Pennsylvania State Police Northwest Strike Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Aranda.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dwayne Sherman, age 48, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury on money laundering and drug trafficking conspiracy charges after a six-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the evidence introduced at trial showed that on three occasions between October 2015 and January 2016, Sherman delivered over $555,000 in cash to an informant working with the FBI. Each of the deliveries happened in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The money was transported to San Diego, California and then smuggled across the border into Tijuana, Mexico. During the years of the conspiracy, Sherman made numerous trips across the border into Mexico, including in late March 2016.  In April 2016, police in Los Angeles, California, stopped Sherman’s vehicle and found him in possession of two kilograms of cocaine and 15,000 pills, some of which contained methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the Hawthorne (California) Police Department, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Carl Marchioli prosecuted the case.

This effort 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.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a cocaine load, with a street value of about $1.3 million, hidden in the technical space of a passenger airplane that arrived at Philadelphia International Airport from the Dominican Republic on August 12.

No arrests have been made. An investigation continues.

CBP officers routinely examine aircraft spaces after flights arrive from overseas locations. During a search of the Santo Domingo, D.R., flight, officers discovered 16 brick-shaped objects concealed under a blanket in an avionics technical space. Officers extracted the bricks and took them to CBP’s inspection station after they completed the aircraft inspection.

Officers probed each of the bricks and discovered a white, powdery substance that field-tested positive for the properties of cocaine hydrochloride.

The cocaine weighed 18.894 kilograms, or a little more than 41 pounds, 10 ounces. The cocaine had a street value of about $1,330,000.

“Drug trafficking organizations work very hard to smuggle their dangerous drugs to the United States and Customs and Border Protection officers must be equally on point to intercept this community poison,” said Joseph Martella, Area Port Director for CBP’s Area Port of Philadelphia. “

During the three days leading up to the discovery, the aircraft made passenger service stops at domestic airports in New York City, Miami, San Diego, and Philadelphia before arriving from Santo Domingo.

CBP officers and agents seized an average of 4,732 pounds of dangerous drugs every day at our nation’s air, land and sea ports of entry. See what else CBP accomplished during a typical day in 2021.

CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.

Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of holding counterfeit drugs for sale and possession of equipment for manufacturing counterfeit substances, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

Joshua Regatuso, age 26, of the City’s Brighton Heights section, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that the investigation, which began in early 2021, revealed that Regatuso used another person to receive binding powder and metal die stamps for use in a pill press. Regatuso appeared to have been using similar items to manufacture counterfeit alprazolam pills using etizolam, a medication not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for medical use in the United States. On May 6, 2021, following the execution of a search warrant, agents seized two pill presses; roughly 250 grams of etizolam powder; counterfeit alprazolam tablets containing etilozam; and two bags of binding powder. A second search warrant yielded several thousand counterfeit alprazolam tablets and a baggie of etizolam powder. The tablets had the same markings as have been used by a company that the FDA has authorized to distribute a 2mg pill containing alprazolam.

“Fake prescription medications present a clear danger to every purchaser,” said U.S Attorney Chung. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who produce and sell counterfeit pills. Counterfeit pills are not only illegal, but often dangerous and potentially lethal.”

“The fake pills that Regatuso was manufacturing and distributing represent the most important enforcement priority for the DEA,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the
Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “While a significant quantity of the fake pills that law enforcement seizes are manufactured in other countries, we continue to see locally manufactured fake pills that are produced in clandestine laboratories such as the one operated by Regatuso. The DEA would like to emphasize the only safe medications are ones that come from licensed and accredited medical professionals. The DEA warns that pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy are illegal and may contain a potentially lethal dose of illicit fentanyl.”

Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for Dec. 8, 2022, at 11 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant on bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Castello is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Joshua Regatuso.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that DeWitt Drayton, 46, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and five years of supervised release by United States Senior District Court Judge Anita B. Brody for manufacturing counterfeit pills using controlled substances, including methamphetamine, and for unlawfully possessing three firearms.

In March 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. The defendant was charged with these offenses after federal investigators executed a search warrant at his home and uncovered what can be described only as a drug lab. This included multiple pill press machines and other supplies, which the defendant had been using to manufacture counterfeit prescription painkillers using a variety of narcotics, including fentanyl and the horse tranquilizer Xylazine, as well as methamphetamine-laced ecstasy pills.  Investigators recovered thousands of pills, which the defendant had manufactured, and which were destined for sale on the streets of Philadelphia. The discovery of these items was not surprising, as federal authorities had been tracking the defendant’s purchases of pill-making supplies from China and elsewhere.

Agents also executed a search warrant at a property in New Jersey used by the defendant, and between the two properties, they recovered three firearms, two of which had obliterated serial numbers, and all of which the defendant was prohibited from possessing given his criminal history.

“Drug distribution and gun violence are an epidemic in Philadelphia and the federal government is aggressively prosecuting both in order to get dangerous, repeat offenders like this defendant off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “DeWitt Drayton was a large-scale drug manufacturer and illegally possessed multiple firearms to protect his business, which are both offenses that put our community and the people who live here at risk. We want to thank our law enforcement partners in this case, the DEA and HSI, for their hard work and dedication.”

“Drayton was responsible for manufacturing and distributing fake opioid pills containing illicit fentanyl and fake stimulant pills containing methamphetamine out of a house in the heart of the Kensington section of Philadelphia,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  “The current overdose crisis is largely driven by criminals like Drayton who flooded our streets with fentanyl-laced fake pills.  Learn more about the dangers of fake pills through our One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign, which can be accessed at www.dea.gov/onepill.”

“This sentencing demonstrates how Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Cyber Crime Investigations Task Force (C2iTF) working hand in hand with partners from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Philadelphia Police Department, Customs and Border Protection and the Pennsylvania State Police actively seeks to hold accountable criminals whose actions harm Americans,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Philadelphia Field Office. “Methamphetamine and illicit firearms are significant contributors to public safety concerns, and we will continue to dismantle criminal organizations which prey upon our communities.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Stengel.

Eight defendants were charged in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania today with scheming to fraudulently obtain more than $7 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and pre-pandemic Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.

According to court documents, beginning in or around January 2018, defendants Frank Hamilton, 52, of Simi Valley, California; Michael Jones, 55, of Azusa, California; Tina Chen, 39, of Diamond Bar, California; Kenny Tran, 38, of Diamond Bar, California; Tim Park, 37, of Northridge, California; Peter An, 37, of Chatsworth, California; Joseph Greco, 42, of Simi Valley, California; Edwin Bonilla, 36, of Los Angeles, California, and others allegedly conspired to apply for SBA, PPP, and EIDL loans on behalf of their respective businesses that were dormant companies or companies with limited business operations. In exchange for fees, Hamilton, Jones, and others made the businesses appear to be functioning companies with operations and employees by creating fake documents, including fake bank statements and fictitious tax documents for the businesses. One conspirator provided a script for other conspirators to use in calls with lenders. The conspirators allegedly obtained over $7 million in PPP, EIDL, and SBA loans.

Court documents further allege that the conspirators followed so-called “forgiveness plans” that directed them to transfer the fraud proceeds as purported payroll payments for each of the companies that obtained PPP funds. These “forgiveness plans” were designed to disguise the proceeds as payroll payments and make it appear that the loan recipient was meeting the SBA requirement that a percentage of the PPP funds be used for payroll, thus increasing the likelihood that the loan recipient would qualify for loan forgiveness. At Hamilton’s direction, Jones, Chen, Tran, Park, An, Greco, and Bonilla wired the disguised fraud proceeds to a bank account in the name of a dormant company Hamilton controlled.

Hamilton, Jones, Chen, Tran, Park, An, Greco, and Bonilla are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Eastern Region; Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty of IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Philadelphia Field Office; Special Agent in Charge William Walker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the SBA-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI’s Philadelphia Field Office, and the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office.

Trial Attorneys David A. Stier and Patrick B. Gushue of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Judy G. Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866 720 5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

An information is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.   

PHILADELPHIA – Four individuals from Reading were convicted of offenses stemming from a year-long investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia and the Reading Police Department into a racketeering conspiracy, June 2.

The offenses included conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise; conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion of a minor; various violent crimes in aid of racketeering offenses including kidnapping and assaults with dangerous weapons; sex trafficking including of minors; and firearms offenses; all arising from their membership and association in a violent gang called “The Sevens,” which took control and operated out of a 50-room boarding house on South 4th Street in the City of Reading.

Individuals convicted at trial:

• Shaquile Newson, 29;
• Alexander Malave, 31;
• Karvarise Person, 33; and
• James Goode, 47.

In January 2020, 14 defendants were charged by superseding indictment in connection with this case. Evidence presented at trial showed that multiple acts of violence in furtherance of the criminal enterprise were carried out as well as numerous acts involving the sex trafficking and attempted sex trafficking of women and minors. Victims were raped, shot, assaulted with batons, stabbed with a knife, and hit with a hammer. A minor was forced to have a sexual encounter with a gun held to her head. Sexually explicit photographs of a minor were also used to advertise the gang’s sex trafficking business. All 14 people originally indicted have now been convicted of charges related to this case.

“The efendants in this case committed truly heinous acts, treating living, breathing human beings like commodities for their own greed and profit; with this verdict, we hope the victims traumatized by ‘The Sevens’ gang receive a measure of justice key to their healing,” said HSI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. “This investigation took years to conduct and the single-minded commitment of HSI special agents, Reading Police Department detectives and officers, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. HSI is grateful to our partners and will continue with our dedication to dismantle human trafficking operations and connect victims with services they need.”

“‘The Sevens’ gang was a vicious and depraved group of sadistic thugs who clearly had no reservations about using and destroying human beings for their own greed,” said United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Thanks to the hard work of the trial team and investigators, we have stopped this violence and ‘The Sevens’ will no longer menace the streets of Reading. Our Office is committed to working with all of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to rid our District of the scourge of human trafficking and the trauma that it inflicts.”

HSI is a directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 7,100 special agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States and 80 overseas locations in 53 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

It’s called modern day slavery, or human trafficking. That’s where the illegal trade of a person is made by use of force, abduction for the purpose of paying debts, forced labor or sexual exploitation. Local groups in our region are working hard to make sure there’s a voice to the victims.
It’s estimated by the International Labor Organization report in 2017 that roughly, 24 million people are trapped in human trafficking. Of that number 71% are usually women.
“Article-paragraph”>Here at home, one woman is trying to bring attention to the problem. Her name is professor Deborah Davies from Mercyhurst University. She works with the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition in Erie and says it could be closer to home than you realize.
“Someone does not need to be overseas or even across the border to be trafficked. Your child could be sitting next to you, on the sofa at home and being trafficked right next to you. That’s the scary part. It is real and it’s right here,” says Davies.

It’s the largest interstate in the country, I-90 extending coast to coast. It keeps many secrets.  Secrets of people, and places they’ve been. It kept Annette Mango secret for decades.
“That’s what they’re good at. They’re good at finding people who are vulnerable, who want something,” says Mango.
Vulnerability. That’s what these people prey on.
“One day I was at the bus stop, I remember it was winter. It was cold and a young lady came up to me and said, We always see you out here and now that it’s cold out here I have somewhere you can go,'” explains Mango.
That’s what started Annette’s two-decade long journey of being sex trafficked.
“He began selling me and began beating me,” Mango retells.
She was a drug addict, down and out of her luck. She was looking for a way to feed her addiction. It would take jail for her to find her path to freedom.
“Did I try to get out? Yes. Did I want help? Yes,” she says.
That’s when she met Renee Jones. She’s the Director of the Renee Jones Empowerment Center in Cleveland.
“If they don’t have a voice no one will ever know their story,” says Jones.
It’s a center that helps women escape sex trafficking and start a new life.
“What she said to me was Annette, how can I help you?” Mango says that moment was especially memorable for her.
Rarely, Mango explains that while she was trapped in the vicious cycle of human trafficking was she asked what she needed.
“We ask them what they need,” explains Jones.
For many victims of sex trafficking, they just need a way out. That’s what the Renee Jones Empowerment Center does.
“The goal is to get you out of that lifestyle and help you live a brand new life,” says Jones.
At Mercyhurst, Davies works to spread awareness about sex trafficking.
“People don’t think human trafficking goes on in Erie,” says Davies.
But it does. Through I-90, a handler is able to take their victim to the other side of the state or even out of the country.
“It can happen so fast, you can be relocated so fast within a couple of hours,” Jones says and has seen this happen first hand with the women that come into the center.
That’s why Davies started the Anti-Human Trafficking Club at Mercyhurst, That club has deliver soaps to local motels that has the number to the National Human Trafficking Hotline on it.
“If you were a victim and happen to be in a hotel or a rest stop and you knew you were a victim, which is another big problem, and didn’t want to be in that situation at least you know who to call and how to do that,” explains Davies.
Davies wants parents to hear this message: anyone can be a victim to human trafficking, and that victim could be sitting right next to you.
“Parents especially, if their children are online or using apps where they’re meeting people in the virtual sense, there’s a huge threat online. Parents first of all need to be aware of it and take it seriously as well,” says Davies.
The Crime Victims Center also has a 24 hour help hotline to anyone who is a victim of a crime.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Ramzi Al Najar, 43, of Staten Island, NY, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $7.8 million in restitution by United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker for smuggling smokeless tobacco products across state lines to avoid paying the associated taxes.

The defendant operated Capital Trade, Inc., a tobacco wholesaler based in Bristol, PA. During the charged conduct, Al Najar and his associates transported almost $40 million worth of tobacco from Pennsylvania to New York, while failing to pay millions of dollars in New York state excise taxes on that tobacco. In order to hide his scheme, the defendant and his associates created false invoices and filed false documents with Pennsylvania and New York regulators which substantially underreported the amount of tobacco sold. Al Najar also failed to register and report as an interstate seller of smokeless tobacco as required by the Prevent All Cigarette Smuggling Act (PACT Act).

“The defendant thought he found a loophole to fast money, by cheating both Pennsylvania and New York out of substantial taxes owed for the sale of tobacco products,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “But now he is the one paying the price. Everyone has to follow the law, and our Office is here with our federal, state, and local level partners to enforce that standard.”

“The FDA closely monitors retailer, manufacturer, importer, and distributor compliance with Federal tobacco laws and regulations and takes enforcement action when violations occur, as in this case of trafficking in contraband tobacco,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to monitor the tobacco environment, investigate violations and bring perpetrators to justice.”

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Criminal Division, with assistance from: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the New York State Department of Tax and Finance, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Livermore and Frank A. Weber.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christian Lamar Goode, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has admitted to his role in a multi-state organized drug trafficking enterprise dubbed the “19^th Street Enterprise,” Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Goode, also known as “Lil Chris,” 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of “RICO Conspiracy.” Goode admitted to working with others as a member of the “19^th Street Enterprise,” a criminal organization that engaged in acts of violence, robbery, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, providing and selling false identification documents, and drug trafficking. The enterprise operated in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Puerto Rico.

Goode faces up to 20 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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard investigated. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office assisted.

These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep.  This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/22-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-enterprise-spanned-several-states

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly $100,000 in counterfeit euros and dollars on September 7 that shipped in international air cargo from Russia and was destined to an address near Chicago.

The shipment initially arrived on August 19 and CBP officers placed a hold on the parcel, which was manifested as ‘Play Money for Monopoly.” When officers examined the parcel, they discovered 77,300 euros in 100 euro bills, and $6,515 in $5 U.S. bills. The 77,300 euros converts to $91,361 U.S. dollars for a combined equivalency of $97,876 dollars.

The currency appears to be lesser quality reproductions of legal notes. CBP contacted the U.S. Secret Service who confirmed that the currency was counterfeit. CBP officers turned the currency over to Secret Service special agents on Thursday.

The United States places legal restrictions on the reproduction of banknote images and those who attempt to pass these fictitious notes as legal tender face severe consequences under U.S. law.

“Law enforcement knows that counterfeit and fictitious bank notes have been used in financial crimes, especially ones that target our nation’s unwitting seniors, some of whom have lost their entire life savings,” said Edward Moriarty, CBP’s Acting Area Port Director in Philadelphia. “Customs and Border Protection is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat illicit efforts that target our citizens, businesses, and the security of the United States’ economic system.”

According to the U.S. Secret Service, counterfeiting currency is a lucrative business and is often used to finance illegal activities, including financial fraud, narcotics smuggling, terrorism, and attacks against our nation’s financial systems.

Consumers and retailers can protect themselves from inadvertently receiving counterfeit currency by learning to quickly identify the security features of authentic Federal Reserve notes.

CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov and what CBP accomplished during “A Typical Day” in 2020.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore and on Instagram at @dfobaltimore for breaking news, current events, human-interest stories and photos.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Ayende Alvarado, 40, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today to 6 years and 6 months in prison without the possibility of parole, and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez for multiple firearms offenses including possession of a machinegun.

In May 2021, Alvarado pleaded guilty to a Superseding Indictment charging offenses including possession of a machinegun, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The charges stem from an incident in July 2019, during which Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at JFK International Airport intercepted a package from China containing 20 counterfeit Glock auto-switches addressed to defendant’s home in Pennsylvania. The auto-switches are essentially conversion devices designed and created for the sole purpose of converting semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully automatic machineguns. When properly installed on a semi-automatic Glock pistol, these devices allow the firearm to expel more than one projectile by a single pull of the trigger, at a staggering rate of approximately 1,200 rounds per minute.

Following that discovery, agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Philadelphia Police detectives and members of the Philadelphia Police Department S.W.A.T Unit, executed a federal search and seizure warrant on the 3000 block of North 7^th Street in Philadelphia. A search of a residence there revealed the presence of numerous firearms and ammunition, including the 20 counterfeit Glock auto-switches manufactured in China.

“The defendant had the supplies to put large-capacity, automatic weapons on the streets of Philadelphia, significantly contributing to the violent crime problem in our city,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “We are nearly six months into our ‘All Hands On Deck’ initiative; six months of working with our law enforcement partners nearly around the clock to put criminals like Alvarado behind bars where they can no longer contribute to the violence on the streets of our city.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José R. Arteaga.

PITTSBURGH, PA – Forty-seven individuals have been charged in six separate, but related, indictments with narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and firearms violations following a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

“In the last two years, we have seen methamphetamine distribution on the rise in western Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman. “Through Operation Return to Sender, we have shut down a major California to western Pennsylvania drug pipeline and improved the quality of life for our citizens.”

“These indictments show how far reaching and effective the efforts of law enforcement collaboration are in combating drug-traffickers that seek to distribute illegal drugs in our communities,” said Thomas Hodnett, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners that participated in this investigation that netted drug-traffickers operating not only in Pennsylvania but in Oregon, California, Texas, and Ohio as well.”

“Today is the culmination of a major drug investigation that involved many state and federal agencies working hand-in-hand to protect the citizens of Jefferson County,” said Jefferson County District Attorney Jeff Burkett. “I commend, applaud and thank the DEA, the Pennsylvania State Police, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Kaufman and his office and the many other law enforcement agencies that spearheaded this important effort. It is very gratifying to see so many agencies working so hard together for such a great cause.”

“I am truly grateful for the hard work and dedication of Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman, his staff, the Pennsylvania State Police, DuBois City Police Department, the DEA, and other law enforcement agencies for dismantling this network that has been supplying enormous quantities of drugs to Clearfield County and surrounding areas,” said Ryan Sayers, District Attorney of Clearfield County. “Organizing and executing an operation of this magnitude across multiple states and jurisdiction is no simple task, but it is worth it to protect our friends and neighbors from these drugs that plague our communities. Operations like this one and Crystal Highway, which occurred last year, send a clear message to drug traffickers—that Clearfield County is closed for their business.”

The first indictment names the following 37 individuals as defendants:
• Derek Hillebrand, 25, of Troutville, Pennsylvania
• George Charlan, 33, of Grants Pass, Oregon
• Yusuf Adekunle, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Marco Armenta, 36, of Stockton, California
• Silvia Ayala, 30, of Stockton, California
• Francisco Barba, 32, of Stockton, California
• Amy Bortot, 51, of Clearfield, Pennsylvania
• Brandon Coder, 32, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Terrence Dougherty, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Darren Douglas, 36, of Big Run, Pennsylvania
• Marco Galvez, of Patterson, California
• Chad Gasbarre, 35, of Brockway, Pennsylvania
• Danielle Gillam, 42, of Blandburg, Pennsylvania
• Kenneth Gillam, 51, of Blandburg, Pennsylvania
• Morgan Gregory, 32, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Darryl Isaacs, 56, of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
• Kristy Lepionka, 38, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania
• Christian Maldonado, 33, of Stockton, California
• Lisandra Maldonado, 31, of Stockton, California
• Abel Perez, 34, of Stockton, California
• Jeffrey Peters, 65, of Hyde, Pennsylvania
• Megan Pyne, 27, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Armando Razo Jr., 31, of Stockton, California
• Christopher Robertson, 60, of Sparks, Nevada
• Brenton Ryans, 33, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania
• Ryan Schoening, 31, of Rockton, Pennsylvania
• Brent Shaffer, 37, of Olanta, Pennsylvania
• Christina Shaffer, 53, of Falls Creek, Pennsylvania
• Melvin Shelander, 30, of Kersey, Pennsylvania
• Darnell Smith, 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Taylor Thomas, 27, of Dubois, Pennsylvania
• Juan Villagran, 23, of Stockton, California
• Jose Villalobos, 40, of Stockton, California
• James White, 38, of Seiad Valley, California
• James Williams Jr., 56, of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania
• Travis Williams, 29, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania
• Justin Zeruth, 34, of Woodland, Pennsylvania.

The named conspirators include leaders, members, drug suppliers, and associates of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing narcotics throughout Western Pennsylvania. According to the Indictment, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing marijuana from July 2020 through August 2021. The Indictment further alleges that several members of the conspiracy conspired to launder the monetary proceeds of the illegal drug trafficking activity. Finally, the Indictment alleges individual drug trafficking violations against Morgan Gregory, Jeffery Peters, and Christina Shaffer, as well as a firearms violation against Justin Zeruth. For all defendants, the law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and up to life, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, or both.

A second indictment names:
• Yusuf Adekunle, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Adrian Alvarez, 27, (address unknown)
• Jesus Gonzalez, 35, of Houston, Texas.

According to the two-count Indictment, on or about October 22, 2020, the defendants conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $10 million or both.

A third indictment names Doug Austen, 40, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Austen possessed with intent to distribute and distributed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on June 9, 2021. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both.

A fourth indictment names Brent Coder, 54, of Dubois, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about August 19, 2020 Coder distributed a quantity of methamphetamine and or about September 17, 2020, Coder possessed with intent to more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, a fine of $10 million or both.

A fifth indictment names John Vos, 44, address unknown, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Vos conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and on October 21, 2020, possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, a fine of $10 million or both.

A sixth indictment names six individuals:
• Diego Zamudio, age 23, Pasadena, Texas
• Kimari Jackson, age 25, Richmond Heights, Ohio
• Terry Kelly, age 60, of Penfield, Pennsylvania
• Kareem Rock, age 27, of Richmond Heights, Ohio
• Ryan Schoening, age 31, of Rockton, Pennsylvania
• Jason Whitaker, age 48, of Dubois, Pennsylvania.

According to the Indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and distributed more than 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine from November 2020 through April 22, 2021. Jackson and Rock were also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine following a traffic stop on February 6, 2021. A subsequent search of their hotel room resulted in the seizure of more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant.

The six indictments, returned by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on August 24, 2021, were unsealed today.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Services – Criminal Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Clarion Borough Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.

Acting U.S Attorney Kaufman also recognized the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, under the leadership of Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, for their assistance with the investigation and handling of initial proceedings in their District.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 262 months’ imprisonment and 10 years’ supervised release on his conviction of narcotics trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Howard McFadden, age 31, following his February 20, 2020, guilty plea to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack.

According to information presented to the court, in August of 2018, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, led by the FBI, began a long-term investigation in drug trafficking activity occurring in the Braddock section of Pittsburgh. McFadden, the leader of a neighborhood-based street gang, self-titled “SCO”, and over 30 additional individuals, were identified as illegally distributing controlled substances in the Greater Pittsburgh Region.

McFadden, a heroin, powder cocaine, crack and marijuana trafficker, provided large quantities of those controlled substances to other SCO members/associates to distribute into the community. During the proceeding, Judge Schwab noted that McFadden’s drug business was “carefully planned out” and “thoughtfully organized” and that as a result of his actions, over 20 other individuals were involved in the same criminal activity.

McFadden operated his drug trafficking organization by training and mentoring younger SCO members in the drug trafficking business and often employed the use of runners so that he was not the one conducting the hand-to-hand drug transactions. Even so, investigators observed McFadden conducting drug transactions in his Jeep Grand Cherokee, stash house locations as well as apartment complexes, throughout the Braddock and Penn Hills areas. The Court was informed that when McFadden was arrested, investigators searched that vehicle and found a Glock 30, .45 caliber automatic pistol, and 13 rounds of ammunition in a trap compartment on the driver’s side door along with drugs packaged to distribute. McFadden admitted that he illegally possessed that firearm since he is a convicted felon, having served a lengthy sentence in state prison for drug trafficking crimes. Investigators also seized $5,058 from his residence and $18,520 from a safety deposit box that was opened for McFadden by another individual.

McFadden’s drug trafficking operation also utilized a series of stash houses throughout Braddock, PA, which he allegedly repaired as a part of his house-flipping business called H&M Home Solutions. These stash houses, however, were strategically located throughout Braddock in an attempt to avoid law enforcement detection and used as meeting locations for McFadden and his co-conspirators to conduct their drug business. Additionally, McFadden used others – often drug addicts – and members of the conspiracy to work on the homes. Rather than pay those individuals with cash, he would give them drugs.

In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through May of 2019. Investigators intercepted communications over multiple telephones operated by McFadden, intercepting thousands of communications, during which time he discussed his drug trafficking operation. For instance, during one call he explained that his business was “booming” – that is he would buy 2 kilograms of cocaine which he cooked and converted into crack to sell and used the proceeds to buy another kilogram when his supplier was in town. He also described looking to increase his heroin trafficking from a few hundred bricks of heroin to between 600-700 bricks every 3-4 weeks.

The Court noted that the sentence in this case, falling at the low-end of the Sentencing Guideline Range, was sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing and tailored to the defendant’s case. To the argument that no one was hurt by McFadden’s actions, Judge Schwab stated, “I dismiss that. Drugs are killing people” and destroying families. The Court went on to urge McFadden to use the business and leadership skills that he demonstrated as a drug trafficker in a productive and law-abiding way following the service of his sentence.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Kaufman commended the multi-agency team, which was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McFadden. Partners in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies included the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.

This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Kevin Smith, 27, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment with sex trafficking by force and sex trafficking a minor. The charges against the defendant stem from his operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding region—including Bucks and Delaware counties.

The Indictment alleges that for about seven days at the end of September 2019, Smith knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, maintained a minor for the purposes of forcing that minor to engage in commercial sex acts in Philadelphia.  It also alleges that Smith operated a sex trafficking enterprise at various times over a period of two years from July 2015 to July 2017, during which he used physical threats to force three different young adult victims to have sex for money.

“The crimes Smith is accused of committing are some of the most devastating to victims that our office prosecutes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Allegedly, this defendant forced four young people, one a minor child, to sell their bodies for his financial gain. We will continue to work collectively to investigate these destructive crimes against the most vulnerable victims.”

“Using physical threats to control another human being, to force them into sexual exploitation, is unconscionable,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Kevin Smith allegedly did just that to three young women — and a child. The FBI will never stop working to find and help trafficked victims, to protect them from further abuse and keep their traffickers from hurting anyone else.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the Bensalem Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Tinicum Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Metcalf and Brittany Jones.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – Distracted drivers aren’t the only vehicle threats on our nation’s highways. Count the proliferation of counterfeit vehicle parts as potential safety hazards too.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Philadelphia seized a counterfeit Chinese cache of vehicle parts on July 14 that were destined to an address in Feasterville-Trevose, Pa.

The shipment arrived on June 4 and consisted of 5,657 pieces that included vehicle door locks, hinges, powered mirrors, steering wheel switches, headlights and taillights, grills, rear bumpers, and paint kits. CBP officers suspected the auto parts to be counterfeit and detained them.

Officers consulted with CBP’s automotive experts at the agency’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise who worked with trademark holders and confirmed on July 7 that the automotive parts were counterfeit. Officers completed the seizure on July 14. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the automotive parts is $295,052.

“Unscrupulous repair shops and greedy internet vendors that value profits over safety place motorists in severe peril,” said Keith Fleming, CBP’s Acting Director of Field Operations in Baltimore. “Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to intercept counterfeited or pirated goods because we want consumers to be confident in knowing that the products that they purchase are safe for themselves and their families.”

CBP encourages consumers to protect themselves and their families by always purchasing safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.

CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. Importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the U.S. economy, and threaten the health and safety of the American people.

On a typical day in 2020, CBP officers seized $3.6 million worth of products with Intellectual Property Rights violations. Learn more about what CBP did during “A Typical Day” in 2020.

Read CBP’s Intellectual Property Seizure Report for Fiscal Year 2019 for more IPR stats and analysis. Fiscal Year 2019 is CBP’s most current completed IPR report.

CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations.  Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore and on Instagram at @dfobaltimore for breaking news, current events, human-interest stories and photos.

USA-IT partners Scott Shalley of the Florida Retail Federation and John Holub of the Pennsylvania Retailers’ Association write on illegal trade’s impacts to retailers and why we need cross-sector partnerships to fight back:

“In the midst of a once-in-a-generation pandemic, other problems —some of which exist beneath the surface, beyond the public eye —that also negatively impact our communities were exacerbated. Namely, the dangerous proliferation of illegal trade. As retailers, we know that illegal trade is an age-old problem in Florida and Pennsylvania, and for our industries across the nation. Now more than ever, we need new solutions to fight it.”

“Both our states share vast transportation infrastructure that serves as major hubs for both legal and illegal goods. Our ports are some of the busiest in the world, serving as ideal gateways for drugs and other contraband to flow into our states. According to the latest Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) data, Florida had the largest amount of cocaine seizures by weight in 2019, while Pennsylvania was third. These kinds of activities threaten our state and our communities. Beyond the social costs that are typically associated with illegal trade, there are also significant costs to taxpayers. Take for example, the illegal tobacco trade, which robs the Florida and Pennsylvania state governments of a whopping $174 million and $185 million a year, respectively.”

“Tackling illegal trade is not an easy task, but it is a crucial one if we are to protect our communities, our businesses, and our country. No one government or single industry, like the retail industry, can address this complex and multifaceted problem on its own. We all have a role to play, and partnerships like USA-IT are key to stopping illegal trade and creating a more fair, secure, and prosperous future for both the Sunshine State and the Keystone State.”

Read more here.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Melissa Madera, 27, of Reading, PA was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, and a lifetime of supervised release by United States District Judge Joseph P. Leeson for multiple child exploitation and sex trafficking offenses.

In September 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty two counts of sex trafficking minors, and one count each of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges stem from Madera’s trafficking of two children, a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl, from about August until October 2017. Madera forced the girls to engage in commercial sex for her own financial gain, all while plying the minors with drugs like Ecstasy and cocaine to ensure their compliance. Sometimes one of the girls would not make it to school the following day because she had been given so many drugs the previous night.

Madera also obtained a sexually explicit image of one of the girls and used it on a commercial sex trafficking website, advertising the minor for commercial sex acts using locations like the Quality Inn in Wyomissing, PA, and the Days Inn, Kleins’ Motel and Roadway Inn, all in Reading, PA. The defendant would rent two rooms at the hotel: one room was for the commercial sex acts and Madera would stay in the other after meeting the sex buyers and charging a fee of $200 per hour. After the 15-year-old’s mother reported her missing to the Reading Police Department in October 2017, Madera confronted the girl and assaulted her, stating “This is what you get for being a rat.”

“The crimes committed by this defendant will physically and psychologically impact her victims for years to come,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Madera advertised these children like objects and plied them with drugs so she’d be more easily able to control them. Her behavior is horrifying, and she deserves every single day of that prison sentence.”

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 and the 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.justice.gov/psc.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stefen Knoche, age 55, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 70 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo for trafficking in counterfeit drugs. Knoche was also ordered to pay $3,648,911.18 in restitution.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Knoche previously admitted that he intentionally trafficked drugs knowing them to contain counterfeit marks of pharmaceutical manufacturers Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Eli Lilly and Company, and Roche Holding AG between May 2017 and April 2018. Knoche further acknowledged that he trafficked counterfeit Viagra, Aurogra, Xanax, Levitra, Cialis, and Valium, all using counterfeit trademarks of their respective pharmaceutical companies.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service continues to prioritize eliminating contraband to include illegal prescription drugs from the U.S. Mail,” said Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division. “We are committed to bringing all members of illegal drug trafficking organizations who utilize the U.S. Mail to justice.”

“Selling illegal prescription drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “The FDA remains fully committed to disrupting and dismantling illegal prescription drug distribution networks that misuse the internet at the expense of public health and safety.”

“Today’s sentence demonstrates what can be accomplished when the Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, combine resources to investigate and apprehend criminals whose illicit actions harm Americans,” said Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia. “Together we are committed to pursuing justice by investigating, dismantling, prosecuting criminals like the defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli and former Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted the case.