News and Press Releases
2013: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May
May 2013
May 01, 2013
27-MONTH SENTENCE FOR PROMOTER OF CINCINNATI GRAND PRIX
Curtis Boggs, 54, formerly of Harrison, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 27 months in prison, ordered to pay $352,745.21 in restitution and forfeit any assets that he received as proceeds of the crimes he committed as part of a fraudulent scheme he promoted to bring a Grand Prix race to Cincinnati in 2009.
April 2013
April 29, 2013
20-YEAR SENTENCE FOR OWNER OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN CHILLECOTHE, OHIO FOR CONPSIRING TO DISTRIBUTE OXYCODONE AND MONEY LAUNDERING
Kevin Huff, 36, of Portsmouth, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court to serve 262 months in prison for his role in conspiring to distribute more than 200,000 dosage units (30mg tablets) of Oxycodone and money laundering.
April 26, 2013
THREE CHARGED WITH FILING FRAUDULENT CLAIMS FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX REFUNDS
A federal grand jury here has indicted Ebony F. Taste, 27, Trotwood, Saleen M. Nolan, 25, Dayton, and Jazmen Yates, 29, Galloway, with one count of conspiracy to file false claims for federal income tax refunds, totaling in excess of $150,000, with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
April 16, 2013
JURY CONVICTS DARKE COUNTY MAN OF RECEIPT AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
A U.S. District Court jury here convicted Richard Trepanier, 40, of Gettysburg, Ohio of one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
April 15, 2013
GRAND JURY CHARGES FOUR WITH GUN AND DRUG CRIMES
A federal grand jury here has returned a 24-count indictment charging three Columbus-area men and a woman with providing and using firearms in illegal drug trafficking crimes.
April 09, 2013
MAIL PROCESSING CLERK SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR STEALING CASH AND GIFT CARDS OUT OF MAIL, ASSAULTING AGENTS
Terrence R. McLean, 38, of Westerville was sentenced in U.S .District Court to 18 months in prison for stealing cash and gift cards from mail he was responsible for processing at the U.S. Postal Service’s Processing and Distribution Center in Columbus.
April 05, 2013
WHITEHALL WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO USING STOLEN IDENTITIES TO COMMIT BENEFITS FRAUD
Audrey Costar, 46, of Whitehall, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to using 50 stolen identities to file for unemployment benefits in eight states over three years, netting her almost $80,000.
April 03, 2013
KENTUCKY ATTORNEY SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR STEALING MORE THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM DISABLED VETERAN
Brian P. Gilfedder, 65, of Lexington, Kentucky was sentenced in the Eastern District of Kentucky to serve 41 months in federal prison for stealing $639,618.43 in VA and Social Security benefits from a disabled veteran over a 20-year period.
March 2013
March 27, 2013
FINAL DEFENDANT IN POT TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON
Antwane J. Rhodes, aka “Rho”, 34, formerly of Springfield, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison, fined $5,000 and ordered to forfeit cash, vehicles and jewelry.
LICKING COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DEFRAUDING PROJECT HIRE, A FEDERALLY FUNDED JOB TRAINING PROGRAM
Eric M. Rader, 36, of Johnstown, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud for submitting fraudulent bills in connection with a federally funded job training program.
CINCINNATI CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN BRIBERY AND EMBEZZLEMENT SCHEME
The owner and president of Sigma Capital, Inc. in Cincinnati, Samuel P. Mays, 62, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for bribing a government official.
March 22, 2013
SIBLINGS ARRESTED FOR REYNOLDSBURG JEWELRY STORE ARMED ROBBERY
Darnell J. Harris, 25 and his sister Mariah Harris, 19, both of Canal Winchester, Ohio have been arrested based on charges in a federal indictment alleging that they robbed a Reynoldsburg jewelry store in May 2012.
March 21, 2013
OPERATOR OF $8.9 MILLION PONZI SCHEME RECEIVES 65-MONTH SENTENCE
Jerry Smith, 50, of Brookville, Indiana, was sentenced to 65 months in prison, ordered to pay $5,406,950.65 in restitution to victims and $72,412.70 in restitution to the IRS for his role in an investment scheme that ensnared approximately 72 investors in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
March 14, 2013
JEFFERSON COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO RECEIVING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Ryan D. Kasler, 31, of Mt. Pleasant, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of illegal receipt of child pornography. The plea agreement provides for a sentence of 180 months in prison.
March 13, 2013
COLUMBUS MAN CHARGED WITH FRAUD INVOLVING FEDERALLY FUNDED TUTORING PROGRAM
A federal grand jury has indicted Ashkir Ali, 45, of Columbus alleging that he defrauded the U.S. Department of Education’s Supplemental Education Services Program by billing the program for tutoring sessions that were never provided.
March 12, 2013
CINCINNATI MAN SENTENCED TO 180 MONTHS IN PRISON AS ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL
Landon Price, 36, of Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S .District Court to 180 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and after the court designated him an armed career criminal due to his criminal history.
March 08, 2013
MIAMI COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PRODUCING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT VIDEOS OF CHILDREN HE BABYSAT
Kevin D. Todd, 41, of Ludlow Falls, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of sexual exploitation of children for producing sexually explicit videos of pre-pubescent children he babysat and offering online to trade the videos.
LAWRENCE COUNTY MAN INDICTED FOR FALSE TAX RETURNS
A federal grand jury has charged Harold J. “Bucky” Shafer, 66, of Pedro, Ohio with ten counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns and two counts of filing false income tax returns.
March 06, 2013
MANAGER OF CHECK-CASHING STORE PLEADS GUILTY TO PARTICIPATING IN TAX REFUND SCAM
Marnay Love, 33, of Cincinnati pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy for her role in a scheme to file fraudulent income tax returns in order to claim tax refunds.
March 05, 2013
CINCINNATI MAN SENTENCED TO 199 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR CARJACKING, ILLEGAL USE AND POSSESSION OF A FIREARM
Bennie Overton, 34, of Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S .District Court to 115 months in prison for carjacking and illegal possession of a handgun and an additional 84 months for using a firearm in a crime of violence for a total sentence of 199 months.
March 01, 2013
FBI SAFE STREETS TASK FORCE INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN CHARGES AGAINST 20 PEOPLE IN ALLEGED DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
A 13-month investigation by the FBI Cincinnati Safe Streets Task Force has resulted in charges against 20 people alleged to be members of a drug trafficking organization in Cincinnati’s East Clifton Avenue area of Over-the-Rhine.
February 2013
February 28, 2013
NURSE SENTENCED TO FOUR MONTHS IN PRISON FOR ILLEGALLY ACCESSING SUPERVISOR’S PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNTS
Adriann Brierley, 37, of Buckeye Lake, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to four months in prison for illegally accessing the personal email accounts of her supervisor at the hospital where she worked, copying personal information and distributing it.
February 27, 2013
MARIETTA WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD
Patricia Hodges, 65, of Marietta, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of theft of government money for concealing her mother’s death in order to continue receiving her mother’s Social Security benefits.
MAN WHO PAID BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE WITH BOGUS CHECKS SENTENCED TO 36 MONTHS IN PRISON
Todd William Klein, 49, of Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S .District Court to 36 months in prison for obstruction of justice for using bogus checks to pay the trustee in his bankruptcy case.
February 21, 2013
FINAL DEFENDANT SENTENCED IN “FOOD STAMP” FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING CONSPIRACY INVOLVING GROCERY STORE
Omar Yahya, 56, formerly known as Darnell Bernard Watts, was sentenced to 12 months one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to use a Dayton grocery store to launder money and defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Yahya pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to launder money.
MARYSVILLE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO COERCION OF A MINOR
Justin S. Mote, 33, of Marysville pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of using the internet to coerce a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The plea agreement provides for a sentence between 240 and 300 months in prison.
February 15, 2013
STATEMENT BY U.S. ATTORNEY CARTER STEWART IN RESPONSE TO THE SIXTH CIRCUIT’S RULING THAT SEVEN-DAY SENTENCE FOR FORMER MCSI CEO WAS “UNREASONABLY LOW”
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio issued the following statement today in response to the ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit that former President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of MCSi, Michael Peppel, should be resentenced for his role in a stock price manipulation scheme.
February 13, 2013
THIRD DEFENDANT SENTENCED IN $15 MILLION MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME
Cameron Green, 36, of Pickerington, Ohio was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $6,115,965 in restitution.
February 12, 2013
MONROE COUNTY COMPANY, OWNER PLEAD GUILTY TO DISCHARGING WASTEWATER INTO A TRIBUARY OF THE LITTLE MUSKINGUM RIVER
Robert D. Armstrong, 54, of New Matamoras, Ohio, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act by causing wastewater from oil and gas wells to flow into a tributary of the Little Muskingum River in 2010.
February 08, 2013
JURY CONVICTS OWNER OF TIRE RECYCLING COMPANY OF DEFRAUDING SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
A U.S. District Court jury here today convicted Paul David Musgrave, 57, of Warhaw, North Carolina of conspiring to defraud the Mutual Federal Savings Bank of Troy, Ohio, and the Small Business Administration out of $1,715,600 in connection with a business loan he sought to establish a tire recycling plant in Troy.
February 06, 2013
COLUMBUS MAN CHARGED WITH FRAUD
A federal grand jury here has returned an eleven-count indictment charging Terrance J. King, 46, of Columbus in a scheme to defraud homeowners and businesses, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
JURY CONVICTS EAST COLUMBUS HEROIN TRAFFICKER
A U.S. District Court jury here today convicted Sontay T. Smotherman, 36, of Columbus of operating a drug house in east Columbus.
CINCINNATI MAN CHARGED WITH 20 COUNTS OF PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
A federal grand jury has charged James O. Napier, 38, of Cincinnati with 20 counts of producing child pornography which involve an 11-month old infant and an approximately nine-year old child, produced at different times.
January 2013
January 31, 2013
TWO CHARGED WITH USING STOLEN IDENTITIES TO FILE FRAUDULENT INCOME TAX RETURNS CLAIMING MORE THAN $1.3 MILLION IN REFUNDS
Internal Revenue Service agents arrested Roma L. Sims, 34, Westerville, Ohio and Samantha C. Towns, 30, Reynoldsburg, Ohio today based on criminal complaints that they filed 559 individual income tax returns for 2011 claiming total refunds of $1,312,513.89 using the stolen personal information.
January 29, 2013
DAYTON MAN CHARGED WITH VIEWING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY WHILE A PATIENT AT VA MEDICAL CENTER
A federal grand jury has charged Charles E. Suttles, 55, of Dayton with Fairfield with one count of possession of child pornography for allegedly viewing sexually explicit images of minor children while he was a patient at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton in 2010.
January 25, 2013
REYNOLDSBURG MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSING MORE THAN 10,000 IMAGES AND 300 VIDEOS OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Zdenek Hrouda, 37, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography after investigators found more than 10,000 still images and 300 video files stored on three computers and two external hard drives in his house.
DELAWARE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO EXTORTION, COMPUTER INTRUSION
Donald Christopher Dailey, 37, of Delaware, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to extortion for demanding money from the company where he was the information technology administrator in exchange for not disclosing internal financial and other information.
January 24, 2013
DAYTON MAN RECEIVES 13-YEAR SENTENCE FOR ASSAULTING AN OFFICER, CONSPIRACY, DRUG AND TAX CRIMES
Charles D. Warren, 38, of Dayton was sentenced today to 156 months in prison for crimes including assaulting an officer by running his car into a car driven by a federal task force officer, illegal possession of a firearm.
January 23, 2013
FORMER BANK EMPLOYEE SENTENCED TO 27 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR EMBEZZLEMENT
Kimberly Ferguson, 53, of Milford, Ohio was sentenced in U.S .District Court to 27 months in prison for embezzling $911,000 from the bank where she worked as a vault teller. She was also ordered to pay restitution.
CEO OF FREE TRUTH ENTERPRISES CHARGED WITH TAX FRAUD AND MORTGAGE LOAN FRAUD
A federal grand jury here has indicted Regina Shields, 40, of Cincinnati, Ohio charging her with scheming to file false claims for federal income tax refunds with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a mortgage fraud.
January 18, 2013
JURY CONVICTS LEADER OF MULTISTATE DRUG TRAFFICKING RING
A U.S. District Court jury here has convicted Reginald S. “Reggie” Myers, 55, Cincinnati, of leading a multistate drug trafficking conspiracy that brought between 120 and 180 kilograms of powder cocaine into the greater Cincinnati area between 2005 and 2007.
HILLIARD COUPLE PLEAD GUILTY IN $7 MILLION MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME
Deborah L. Kistner, 50, and her husband, Mark A. Kistner, 52, both of Hilliard, pleaded guilty three days after their trial started on a $7 million mortgage fraud scheme they carried out between June 2006 and July 2010.
100-MONTH SENTENCE FOR CONVICTED FELON WHO HAD 9 FIREARMS, MARIJUANA
David P. Crail, 35, of Dublin, Ohio was sentenced to 100 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, growing marijuana at a house in Dublin, Ohio and making a false statement in an application for a U.S. passport.
ATHENS MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON FOR PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Jason L. Hutchinson, 42, of Athens, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 300 months in prison and will be under court supervision for the rest of his life for using a webcam to create a video of himself engaged in various sex acts with a 13-year old and distributing the video out of state.
January 17, 2013
LOGAN COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Mickell Close, 31, of Quincy, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of using minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.
DUBLIN ATTORNEY CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY, MONEY LAUNDERING FOR INVOLVEMENT WITH ALLEGED PILL MILLS
A federal grand jury has indicted Steven E. Hillman, 67, of Dublin, Ohio, alleging that he conspired with the owner of three pain clinics in Ohio to illegally divert prescription drugs outside the scope of legitimate medical practice and launder proceeds of the conspiracy.
FORMER COLUMBUS POLICE OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL COERCION OF MINORS
Todd L. Smith, 50, of Columbus pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of coercion and enticement of minors for sexual activity.
January 16, 2013
DUBLIN MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN A MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME
Gordon L. Yocom, 44, of Dublin, Ohio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for fraudulently obtaining a mortgage loan to finance the purchase of a real estate property in Powell, Ohio.
January 11, 2013
OWNER OF CLARK’S AUTO SALES SENTENCED FOR DEALING IN ILLEGAL EXPLOSIVES AND FALSIFYING TAX RETURNS
Earl Clark, 40, of Franklin, Ohio, was ordered to forfeit two bank accounts containing $353,211.91 and $33,388.14, plus $21,524 in U.S. currency, nine automobiles, and a trailer, and to pay $80,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
WEST CARROLLTON MAN SENTENCED FOR FOOD STAMP FRAUD, CONSPIRACY AND TAX CRIMES
Edward “Ed” Claude Jones, 55, of West Carrollton was sentenced to 24 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and agreed to a $300,000 money judgment relative to committing conspiracy, food stamp fraud and tax crimes.
January 10, 2013
CINCINNATI MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO USE STOLEN IDENTITIES TO CLAIM MILLIONS IN FRAUDULENT INCOME TAX RETURNS
Tawanda Marimbire, 23, of Cincinnati pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiring with others to use stolen identities and obtain fraudulent income tax refunds.
January 08, 2013
PAIR CHARGED IN A $1 MILLION I.D. THEFT AND FALSE INCOME TAX REFUND SCHEME
A federal grand jury here has indicted Jose Luis Martinez, 46, of Columbus, Ohio, and Mercedes Emelinda-Silie, 40, of Grove City, Ohio charging them both with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States government.
January 03, 2013
PROMOTER OF CINCINNATI GRAND PRIX PLEADS GUILTY TO FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING
Curtis Boggs, 54, formerly of Harrison, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme he promoted to bring a Grand Prix race to Cincinnati in 2009.
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
