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U.S. Attorney John Durham

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CT Man Sentenced For Credit Card Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses CT Man Sentenced For Credit Card Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses
CT Man Sentenced For Credit Card Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses A career criminal with a rap sheet spanning nearly four decades will spend more time behind bars after being sentenced for a fraud scheme that swindled dozens out of nearly $150,000, federal prosecutors announced. Steven Finkler, also known as Andrew Finkler, last known to reside in New Haven, has been sentenced to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to credit card fraud and identity theft offenses last year. Specifically, Finkler, age 56, pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud (credit card fraud), one count of wire fraud, an…

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by Zak Failla
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Bristol Man Accused Of Attempting To Sex Traffic Minor, Distributing Porn Bristol Man Accused Of Attempting To Sex Traffic Minor, Distributing Porn
Bristol Man Accused Of Attempting To Sex Traffic Minor, Distributing Porn A Connecticut man is facing charges for allegedly attempting to sex traffic a minor and distributing child and incest pornography on social media, federal prosecutors said. Bristol resident Robert Marlin Sellers, age 60, was arrested this week and charged in a federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses related to his attempt to engage in commercial sex with a minor, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. Investigators launched an investigation into Sellers late in 2020 after receiving a tip that Sellers was sharing videos of child sex abuse on a website that is focused on inc…

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by Zak Failla
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Hartford Man Charged With Federal Narcotics, Firearm Offenses Hartford Man Charged With Federal Narcotics, Firearm Offenses
Hartford Man Charged With Federal Narcotics, Firearm Offenses A convicted felon in Connecticut is back in custody and facing federal drug and weapon charges after being busted by the DEA, officials said. Hartford resident Christopher Alamo was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 14 on federal narcotics distribution and firearm possession charges and is currently being detained pending his next court appearance on Tuesday, Jan. 19. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that the DEA’s Hartford Task Force identified Alamo as an alleged distributor of heroin and cocaine in Connecticut, New York, and in other states. On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Alamo was arrested following a …

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by Zak Failla
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CT Gang Members Charged With Drug Trafficking, Committing Four Murders CT Gang Members Charged With Drug Trafficking, Committing Four Murders
CT Gang Members Charged With Drug Trafficking, Committing Four Murders Four “East End” gang members in Fairfield County are facing murder, drug, and racketeering charges as part of a federal investigation into crime in Connecticut. To address escalating violence in Bridgeport, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Bridgeport Police Department launched an investigation into the gang who are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence, leading to the new arrests of several members. The latest indictment alleges that the East End gang distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana, and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; murdere…

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by Zak Failla
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Former CT Resident Admits To Possessing Child Sex Abuse Images Former CT Resident Admits To Possessing Child Sex Abuse Images
Former CT Resident Admits To Possessing Child Sex Abuse Images A former Connecticut resident convicted of sexually abusing a minor in 1996 will spend at least a decade behind bars after admitting to possessing child pornography. Michelle Lynn Gschlect, who lived in New Haven, formerly known as Richard Gschlect, pleaded guilty in district court this week to one count of child pornography following her arrest in 2019. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that in August 2016, Gschlect was convicted in state court of sexual assault related to the aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. In July 2015, Gschlect was also convicted in state court of possessing child porn…

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by Zak Failla
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CT Business Owner Admits To Tax Evasion CT Business Owner Admits To Tax Evasion
CT Business Owner Admits To Tax Evasion A professional poker player from Fairfield County who ran a construction business admitted to a near million dollar tax evasion scheme. Shelton resident Guy Smith, 62, who operates Centerline Interiors LLC, which specializes in commercial interior construction, pleaded guilty this week to one count of tax evasion after failing to pay tax on more than $1 million in gambling winnings. Smith is also a professional poker player who has participated in poker tournaments at casinos in Connecticut and other locations around the U.S. and The Bahamas. Smith withdrew funds from both his business…

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by Zak Failla
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Sex Offender Who Lived In Waterbury Admits To Receiving Child Porn Sex Offender Who Lived In Waterbury Admits To Receiving Child Porn
Sex Offender Who Lived In Waterbury Admits To Receiving Child Porn A registered sex offender in Connecticut is heading back to prison after being busted for attempting to sexually entice a teenager, possessing child porn while living in a halfway house, and taking elaborate steps in an attempt to cover it up. Philip Frost, formerly of Waterbury, will spend at least 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography following a conviction for a child exploitation offense. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that in March 2016, Frost was convicted in state court of possessing child pornography.  On October 1 last year, while Frost was …

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by Zak Failla
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Postal Supervisor In CT Admits To Stealing Packages Postal Supervisor In CT Admits To Stealing Packages
Postal Supervisor In CT Admits To Stealing Packages A former U.S. Postal Service supervisor from Fairfield County is facing jail time after admitting to stealing packages filled with expensive electronics from a Connecticut post office. Stratford resident Zoheb Deura, 34, pleaded guilty this week in Bridgeport district court to embezzlement of mail by a U.S. Postal Service employee. Between February and April, U.S. Attorney John Durham said that while still employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Post Office in Middletown, Deura stole numerous packages, including packages containing an Apple computer, PlayStation and Nintendo gaming devices, an…

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by Zak Failla
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Man Sentenced For Defrauding Connecticut Art Dealer Man Sentenced For Defrauding Connecticut Art Dealer
Man Sentenced For Defrauding Connecticut Art Dealer A 71-year-old Massachusetts man who attempted to pull a one-over on a respected Connecticut art dealer and appraiser has will avoid prison after he admitted to attempting to dupe him by falsely representing an alleged desk from the Civil War during a sale. Worcester County resident Harold Gordon, of Templeton, was sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty last year to one count of wire fraud after he attempted to scam his victim out of nearly $65,000. In October 2012, Gordon began a transaction with a Connecticut art dealer in an attempt to induce him to purchase a secret…

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by Zak Failla
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CT Man Sentenced For Distributing Heroin CT Man Sentenced For Distributing Heroin
CT Man Sentenced For Distributing Heroin A Fairfield County drug dealer who goes by the nickname “Weezy” will spend more than a decade being bars after found guilty by a federal grand jury of distributing heroin in Connecticut. Bridgeport resident Dewayne "Weezy" Joyner was sentenced to 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release after he was found guilty in New Haven federal court of possessing and distributing heroin in the area, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. In the summer of 2017, members of the ATF, DEA, and Bridgeport Police Department, who were investigating narcotics trafficking in Bridgeport’s…

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by Zak Failla
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Hartford County Man Admits To Using App To Receive, Distribute Child Porn Hartford County Man Admits To Using App To Receive, Distribute Child Porn
Hartford County Man Admits To Using App To Receive, Distribute Child Porn A 29-year-old Connecticut man will spend mandatory time behind bars after admitting to posing as a teenager, then disseminating and receiving child pornography through a social media app. New Britain resident Dylan Koerner, formerly of West Hartford, pleaded guilty on Monday, Sept. 21 to the distribution of child pornography through Kik. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that between July and October last year, Koerner used a false identity, posed as a teenager on the mobile app to solicit child pornography from other Kik users he believed to be minor females. Koerner also admitted to distrib…

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by Zak Failla
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Hartford Dealer Sentenced For Trafficking Fentanyl, Possessing Shotgun Hartford Dealer Sentenced For Trafficking Fentanyl, Possessing Shotgun
Hartford Dealer Sentenced For Trafficking Fentanyl, Possessing Shotgun A 28-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison for drug trafficking and possessing an illegal short-barrel shotgun, federal prosecutors announced. Hartford resident Danny Castillo, 28, has been sentenced to 128 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl, other drugs, and possessing a short-barrel shotgun. In August 2018, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department received a tip that Castillo and his associate, Pascual Ivan Medina, were distributing fentanyl in and around the city. The investigatio…

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by Zak Failla
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CT Man Sentenced For Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Images, Other Offenses CT Man Sentenced For Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Images, Other Offenses
CT Man Sentenced For Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Images, Other Offenses A Stamford man will spend the better part of a decade behind bars for possessing and distributing child porn. Stamford resident Alexander Oliveira, 32, was sentenced in New Haven district court to 96 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for child exploitation charges. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that an undercover FBI special agent communicated with Oliveira on an internet message board and through email during their investigation.  During those conversations, Oliveira discussed his interest in child pornography, Durham said. On one occasion, Oliveira to…

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by Zak Failla
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CT Man Sentenced For Role In Drug Ring CT Man Sentenced For Role In Drug Ring
CT Man Sentenced For Role In Drug Ring A Fairfield County man will spend two years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization in southern Connecticut. Norwalk resident Donald Lawlor, 40, was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 24 months in prison, followed by a year of supervised release after pleading guilty last year to one count of use of a telephone to facilitate a narcotics trafficking offense. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that in the summer of 2017, members of the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department began investigating suspects who were distributing narcotics in and…

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by Zak Failla
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CT Tax Preparer Sentenced For Defrauding IRS Of Nearly $1M CT Tax Preparer Sentenced For Defrauding IRS Of Nearly $1M
CT Tax Preparer Sentenced For Defrauding IRS Of Nearly $1M A tax preparer in Fairfield County will spend months in prison after admitting to preparing hundreds of false tax returns for clients. Veronica Huitzil, 39, was sentenced in Bridgeport district court to six months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to preparing false tax returns and defrauding the IRS out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Huitzil, of Bridgeport, operated a tax return preparation practice in Bridgeport, assisting in the preparation and filing of more than 3,700 federal tax returns for the 2014 through 2018 tax years, U.S. Attorney …

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by Zak Failla