USAO NDTX Weekly Roundup -- 9/20/18

PLEA – Joe Frank Rodriguez, Jr., 46
On Sept. 17, Joe Frank Rodriguez, Jr. of Plainview, Texas, pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee.  Rodriguez admits to embezzling $143,000 from a Texas bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  He now faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. The FBI conducted the investigation.

SENTENCING – Jose Bryan Gonzalez, 19
On Sept. 18, Jose Bryan Gonzalez of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison for his role in illegal firearms smuggling.  In May, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm while under felony indictment following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF) that revealed Gonzalez had bought, through an unindicted coconspirator, over 40 firearms, which the government believes were destined for Mexico.  

SENTENCING – Chase Matheny, 35
On Sept. 18, Chase Matheny of Fort Worth, Texas was sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison for possession of stolen mail.  In May, Matheny pled guilty to one count of possession of stolen mail after a Bedford Police officer discovered him with a backpack containing various stolen letters.

PLEA – Serafin Sanchez Ruiz, 29
On Sept. 19, Serafin Sanchez Ruiz of Desoto, TX -- a former CareNow nurse -- pleaded guilty to online enticement of a minor.  Ruiz admits to luring a 14-year-old girl, via the Whisper app, to sneak out of her house during the night and engage in sexual intercourse with him in March 2017.  He now faces a minimum of ten years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.  This case was brought as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which seeks to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation on the Internet. United States Secret Service and the Arlington Police Department investigated.

PLEA – Jeremey Brown, 38
On Sept. 18, Jeremey Brown of Dunacan, Oklahoma pleaded guilty to breaking out of federal prison. Brown,  who was serving time in the Big Spring Federal Correctional Institution for a firearms offense, was spotted jumping into a maroon Nissan Altima near Big Spring on May 19. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Big Spring FCI Special Investigative Services conducted the investigation. Brown’s getaway driver also pleaded guilty to concealing a person from arrest.  Release here.

PLEA – Christopher Shane Eudy, 41
On Sept. 19, Christopher Shane Eudy – who is currently serving time in state prison for fraudulent use of identification information -- pleaded guilty to use of an unauthorized access device. Eudy admits that in February 2017, he falsified his identity and visited a Aledo, TX store to pick up a $2,000 generator ordered with a stolen credit card number.  A group later sold the equipment, and Eudy pocketed a portion of the proceeds. He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The Secret Service conducted the investigation.

INDICTMENT -- Mohamed Toure, 57 & Denise Cros-Toure, 57
On Sept. 19, a federal grand jury indicted a Texas couple on forced labor and alien harboring charges. The Toure’s allegedly arranged for a child to travel alone from her village in Guinea, West Africa to Southlake, Texas to work for them in their home. For more than 16 years, they demanded she handle childcare, cook, and clean, all with no pay, while isolating her from friends and family. The case is being investigated by the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Services’ Houston Field Office. Release here.

PLEA – William Brian Smith, 44
On Sept. 19, 2018, William Brian Smith of Saginaw, TX pleaded guilty to receipt on child pornography charges. Smith admitted to receiving videos of a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which were found after his employer discovered images on Smith’s work computer and contacted the police. He now faces up to 240 months in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  Saginaw Police Department and HSI conducted the investigation.

PLEA – Joey Lynn Tedford, 53
On Sept. 19, Joey Lynn Tedford of Snyder, TX pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Tedford admitted to possessing one rifle and one handgun.  He now faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  As part of the plea, Tedford also agreed to forfeit the firearms to the United States.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation.

SENTENCING – Jeffrey Sila
A Kenyan man was sentenced today to more than 7 years behind bars for theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft. Jeffrey Sila, a citizen of Nairobi, allegedly obtained a $76,500 tax return check payable to another individual, then unwittingly sold it to an IRS undercover agent in exchange for $48,000. He was arrested at LAX as he attempted to board a flight for Nairobi, and convicted following a three-day trial in Dallas in September 2017.