Law Enforcement – Page 25 – Law Enforcement, Military, and Terrorism News

Palm Bay Woman Sentenced To 30 Years For Sexually Exploiting Children

U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Rose Beth Litzky (33, Palm Bay) to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to sexually exploit children, sexually exploiting children, and possessing child pornography.

A federal jury had found Litzky guilty on July 29, 2019.

According to the evidence presented at trial, between 2014 and 2016, Litzky conspired with her boyfriend, Roberto Oquendo, to sexually exploit two young children in her custody and care.

Litzky, who lived in Florida, caused the children to engage in sexually explicit conduct while Oquendo watched using a video and messaging app from his residence in Virginia.

Oquendo created hundreds of screenshots of the explicit visual depictions and transported them to Brevard County, where law enforcement found them on his cell phone.

During an interview with law enforcement officers, Litzky also admitted to producing hundreds of sexually explicit pictures of the children and texting them to Oquendo for his sexual gratification. Law enforcement searched Litzky’s phone and found a sexually explicit image of one of the children, who was two years old at the time the picture was taken.

On August 26, 2019, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. sentenced Oquendo to 50 years in federal prison for his role in the offenses.

“Child pornography is a despicable crime so I commend the efforts of the agents and federal prosecutors who are relentless in their work to ensure children are protected from these sexual predators,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division Michael McPherson.

“I am so very proud of these agents who are devoted to protecting children by making sure the evil men and women who hurt them are brought to justice,” stated Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey. “These cases are an example of how cooperation between agencies keeps our children safe. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting these cases and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for all of their support in fighting the exploitation of children.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys River Miranda and Karen L. Gable.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.

Justice.gov (February, 2020) Palm Bay Woman Sentenced To 30 Years for Sexually Exploiting Children

Border Patrol Agents Arrest 14 in a Failed Smuggling Attempt

U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station arrested a 31-year-old United States citizen for facilitating the smuggling of 13 undocumented aliens on Feb. 6.

DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station arrested a 31-year-old United States citizen for facilitating the smuggling of 13 undocumented aliens on Feb. 6.

“Unscrupulous human smugglers expose people to dangerous and inhumane conditions,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Raul L. Ortiz. “For them, it is all about monetary gain with no regard for the physical and mental well-being of the person being smuggled.”

On Feb. 5, agents responded to a call of possible illegal aliens at a local motel. Upon arrival agents observed suspicious activity and questioned 13 adult individuals as to their citizenship. After further investigation, it was determined that the nine Honduran nationals, of which one was an unaccompanied juvenile, and four Mexican nationals were illegally present in the U.S. The subjects had been staying at the local motel waiting to be smuggled further into the U.S.

On Feb. 6, a 31-year-old woman was identified as the suspected facilitator of the smuggling operation and was arrested by federal agents. The case was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.

The suspected facilitator faces felony charges under 8 USC 1324, alien smuggling, and if convicted could receive up to 10 years in prison. All illegal aliens are processed in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidelines.

To report suspicious activity call the Del Rio Sector’s toll free number at 1-866-511-8727.

CBP.gov (February, 2020) Border Patrol Agents Arrest 14 in a Failed Smuggling Attempt

Collegeville Man Indicted for Scheme to Sell Fraudulent Canine Cancer-Curing Drugs to Pet Owners

United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Jonathan Nyce, 70, of Collegeville, PA, was charged by Indictment with wire fraud and the interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs.

The defendant promised to restore the health of terminally ill dogs and allegedly defrauded pet owners of hundreds of thousands of dollars

United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Jonathan Nyce, 70, of Collegeville, PA, was charged by Indictment with wire fraud and the interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs. The charges arise from a years-long scheme to defraud pet owners of money by falsely claiming to sell canine cancer-curing drugs.

The Indictment alleges that the defendant created several companies beginning in 2012, including “Canine Care,” “ACGT,” and “CAGT,” through which he purported to develop drugs intended to treat cancer in dogs. Using various websites for these companies, the defendant marketed these “cancer-curing” medications to desperate pet owners, using the drug names “Tumexal” and “Naturasone.”

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The websites made numerous allegedly false and fraudulent claims regarding the safety and efficacy of these supposed drugs, including that “Tumexal is effective against a wide variety of cancers,” and, “[i]n fact, Tumexal will almost always restore a cancer-stricken dog’s appetite, spirit and energy!” As alleged, these drugs were nothing more than a collection of bulk ingredients from various sources, which the defendant blended together himself at a facility on Arcola Road in Collegeville.

Further, through email and telephone conversations, Nyce allegedly induced the owners of terminally ill dogs to pay him hundreds or thousands of dollars for these drugs by touting the effectiveness of his products in treating a host of canine cancers. He also told prospective customers that their pets could become part of clinical trials, but in order to do so, they had to pay him large sums of money.

The defendant’s marketing, sale, and shipment of these drugs in interstate commerce is alleged to have violated the Food and Drug Administration’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because the drugs were not approved by the FDA. The defendant even falsely claimed in promotional materials that his company’s research was “funded in part by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

“The defendant’s alleged conduct here is shameful,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “As any dog owner will tell you – myself included – pets quickly become part of the family. And when they become sick, caring owners look for hope, often doing everything they can to keep their beloved pets alive and well. The defendant is charged with taking advantage of that nurturing instinct in the worst way possible by defrauding pet owners and giving them false hope that they might be able to save their dying pet. That is both cruel and illegal, and now the defendant will face the consequences.”

“American pet owners rely on the FDA to ensure their pets’ drugs are safe and effective,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who ignore or attempt to circumvent the law.”

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 32 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,250,000.

The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Parisi.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

FDA.gov (February, 2020) Collegeville Man Indicted for Scheme to Sell Fraudulent Canine Cancer-Curing Drugs to Pet Owners

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Tampa Felon, Previously Convicted of Attempted Murder, Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms Charges

Tampa, Florida – DeShawn Torrell Salley (49, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to distributing at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, between 1999 and 2004, Salley was convicted of six felony offenses, including attempted murder in the first degree. On June 5, 2019, he sold 54 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Tampa.

On July 31, 2019, federal agents arrested Salley. During the execution of a search warrant at Salley’s apartment, federal agents recovered a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol, a bulletproof vest, heroin, and marijuana.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

ATF.gov (February, 2020) Tampa Felon, Previously Convicted of Attempted Murder, Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms Charges

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Former Employee of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Facing Federal Indictment in Maryland

A federal grand jury has indicted David Laufer, age 63, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, on five counts of the federal charge of making false statements.

Allegedly Failed to Report Financial Benefits He Received from Individuals and Companies Doing Business with Walter Reed

A federal grand jury has indicted David Laufer, age 63, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, on five counts of the federal charge of making false statements.

The indictment was returned on December 16, 2019, and was unsealed upon his arrest on January 28, 2020. Laufer had his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt and was released pending trial.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service -Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, and Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the indictment, until May 2019, Laufer worked as the Chief of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the largest joint military medical center in the United States.

Walter Reed is located in Bethesda and provides medical services, including orthotic and prosthetic services to U.S. service members and their dependents, including wounded soldiers.

Laufer’s job required him to complete annual Confidential Financial Disclosure forms which required him to report: all sources of outside income greater than $200; any business outside the U.S. Government in which Laufer or his spouse was an employee or consultant, whether or not compensated; any agreements or arrangements concerning past, current, and future employment; and travel-related reimbursement or other gifts totaling more than $350 from any one source during the reporting period.

The indictment alleges that Laufer failed to report financial benefits he received from Person B and Company B, located in Germantown, Maryland and owned, operated, and controlled by Person B. Company B provided prosthetics and orthotics materials to Walter Reed in return for payments from the government.

According to the indictment, Person B regularly interacted with Laufer about Company B’s business with Walter Reed.

Furthermore, the indictment alleges that Laufer falsely told federal agents that he had never received money, gifts, or sporting event tickets from any vendor doing business before the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department when in fact Laufer had received financial benefits, including travel and sporting event tickets, from Person Band Company B.

DODIG.mil (February, 2020) Former Employee of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Facing Federal Indictment in Maryland

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