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US Attorney

Feds Open Investigation Into Worcester Police Potential Bias, Use Of Force Feds Open Investigation Into Worcester Police Potential Bias, Use Of Force
Feds Open Investigation Into Worcester Police Potential Bias, Use Of Force The Department of Justice has opened a civil investigation into the Worcester Police Department to determine if the agency uses excessive force or engages in racial or gender bias.  The US Attorney's Office didn't say what sparked the investigation but said the probe would be comprehensive. Analysts will scrutinize Worcester's training, policies, procedures, evidence handling, interactions with the public, accountability systems, how superiors handle complaints, and disciplinary procedures.  "The purpose of this civil investigation is to determine – through objective and thorough …
CT Man Sentenced For Scams That Defrauded Hundreds Of Victims Across US Out Of Millions CT Man Sentenced For Scams That Defrauded Hundreds Of Victims Across US Out Of Millions
CT Man Sentenced For Scams That Defrauded Hundreds Of Victims Across US Out Of Millions A Connecticut man who took part in a massive scheme defrauding elderly victims out of millions of dollars is heading to federal prison. Rodney Thomas, age 31, of New Haven, was sentenced to six years behind bars Tuesday, Aug. 23 in federal court in Bridgeport after a jury convicted him of multiple charges stemming from the scheme. Federal prosecutors said Thomas and several others bilked 200 elderly victims across the country out of more than $5 million through bogus lottery and romance scams carried out between August 2015 and March 2020. Some unsuspecting victims were duped into sendin…
Man Sentenced For Murdering Co-Worker With Fishing Knife On Scalloping Boat Off Nantucket Man Sentenced For Murdering Co-Worker With Fishing Knife On Scalloping Boat Off Nantucket
Man Sentenced For Murdering Co-Worker With Fishing Knife On Scalloping Boat Off Nantucket A Mexican national last known to be living in Virginia will spend nearly two decades behind bars after admitting to viciously attacking three former coworkers on a commercial fishing boat, killing one during a violent attack off the coast of Nantucket in Massachusetts. Franklin Freddy Meave Vasquez, 31, was sentenced by US District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 235 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault with a dangerous weapon. On Sept. 23, 2018, “The Captain Billy Haver” …
Massachusetts Businessman Sentenced In Cocaine, Heroin Conspiracy Massachusetts Businessman Sentenced In Cocaine, Heroin Conspiracy
Massachusetts Businessman Sentenced In Cocaine, Heroin Conspiracy A Western Massachusetts businessman has been sentenced for his role in a large-scale cocaine and heroin conspiracy. Hampden County resident Jamil Roman, age 44, of Chicopee, was sentenced to seven months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, including a three-month stretch of home confinement, after pleading guilty in November 2021 to drug-related charges. Specifically, Roman pleaded on Nov. 23, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Federal prosecutors said that on multiple occasions between January 2014 …
Man From Region Sexually Assaulted Girl He Met On Snapchat, Fed Says Man From Region Sexually Assaulted Girl He Met On Snapchat, Fed Says
Man From Region Sexually Assaulted Girl He Met On Snapchat, Fed Says A 27-year-old Connecticut man is facing charges for allegedly soliciting teens to commit lewd acts through social media, federal authorities announced. Hartford County resident Justin McKenney, of Windsor Locks, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with multiple child exploitation offenses following his arrest on Thursday, March 17 at his workplace in Boston. US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that beginning in October 2021, Glastonbury Police began investigating the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl by an individual she met on Snapchat.  The investigation revealed that Mc…
Man From Region Admits To Child Exploitation Offense Man From Region Admits To Child Exploitation Offense
Man From Region Admits To Child Exploitation Offense A man may spend up to 20 years in prison after admitting to sexually assaulting a teenager, recording it, and uploading it to his Google account in Connecticut. New Haven County resident Yehudi Manzano, age 37, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty to a child exploitation charge following his 2018 arrest for sexually abusing a teen. US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that on Aug. 21, 2016, Manzano sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in Connecticut, video recorded the assault with his cell phone, and uploaded the video to his Google account.  Manzano was identified as a suspect by investigat…
Man From Region Admits Defrauding His Grandparents Of $679K Man From Region Admits Defrauding His Grandparents Of $679K
Man From Region Admits Defrauding His Grandparents Of $679K A Connecticut man has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing some $679,000 from his grandparents. Leonard Boyle, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Hartford County resident Douglas Senerth, age 32 of South Windsor, plead guilty to the fraud on Wednesday, Feb. 23. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2011 and 2019, Senerth defrauded his grandmother and his late grandfather by falsely claiming to be a college student and inducing them to give him approximately $419,000 to pay for nonexistent college tuition and other related expenses…
Massachusetts Man Sentenced For Placing Firebomb At Jewish Nursing Home Massachusetts Man Sentenced For Placing Firebomb At Jewish Nursing Home
Massachusetts Man Sentenced For Placing Firebomb At Jewish Nursing Home A Western Massachusetts man will spend years behind bars after being sentenced for placing a lit firebomb at the entrance of a Jewish nursing home and lying to the FBI about it, federal authorities announced. Hampden County resident John Rathbun, age 37, of East Longmeadow, has been sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted by a federal jury for attempting to bomb the facility on April 2, 2020, and later lying to investigators about his whereabouts that day. US Attorney Rachael Robbins said that on the morning of April 2, 2020, Rathbun ass…
Man From Region Admits To Fentanyl Distribution Charge Man From Region Admits To Fentanyl Distribution Charge
Man From Region Admits To Fentanyl Distribution Charge A Connecticut man has admitted to distributing fentanyl following a lengthy investigation by police in Hartford County, authorities announced. US Attorney Leonard Boyle announced that Rocky Hill resident Sean Thomas, age 32, has pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. An investigation was launched in 2020 as police in Hartford investigated Thomas and other alleged dealers for distributing fentanyl and marijuana. Prosecutors said that as part of the investigation, an undercover officer purchased marijuana from an employee at Puff Par…
Three NY Women Indicted For Assaulting Delta Airlines Security Officer At JFK Three NY Women Indicted For Assaulting Delta Airlines Security Officer At JFK
Three NY Women Indicted For Assaulting Delta Airlines Security Officer At JFK Three women from New York are facing charges for allegedly assaulting a security officer after refusing to leave a jetway at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, federal officials announced. Long Island residents Janessa Torres, age 21, Johanna Zavala, age 44, both of Central Islip, and Bay Shore resident Jordan Nixon, age 21, were charged in federal court for allegedly assaulting the officer and a second employee on Sept. 22, 2021. Prosecutors said that the three women refused to leave the jetway after they were informed that they would be denied boarding for a Delta Airlines s…
Former Youth Football Coach In Massachusetts Sentenced For Sexually Exploiting Children Former Youth Football Coach In Massachusetts Sentenced For Sexually Exploiting Children
Former Youth Football Coach In Massachusetts Sentenced For Sexually Exploiting Children A former youth football coach in Massachusetts who preyed on minors and took video of himself sexually abusing them has been sentenced in federal court. Derek Sheehan, age 51, a former Norwell youth football coach in Plymouth County, was sentenced to 45 years in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty over the summer to three counts of sexual exploitation of children. “Mr. Sheehan abused his status as a youth football coach to prey on vulnerable children. He manipulated and sexually exploited them for months, and for that he will spend the rest of his life behind b…
Rapper Fetty Wap Trafficked 100 Kilos Of Opioids From NY Across US, Federal Officials Say Rapper Fetty Wap Trafficked 100 Kilos Of Opioids From NY Across US, Federal Officials Say
Rapper Fetty Wap Trafficked 100 Kilos Of Opioids From NY Across US, Federal Officials Say Rapper Fetty Wap was among six men charged with running an elaborate cross-country drug distribution ring out of New York, authorities announced. The rapper, whose real name is Willie Junior Maxwell II, was arrested Thursday, Oct. 28 by FBI agents at Citi Field. An indictment was unsealed on Long Island, in Central Islip federal court, Friday, Oct. 29, charging six men with conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances, including five of them also charged for using weapons in connection to drug trafficking. The six men distributed more than 100 kilograms of cocaine, …
COVID-19: Worcester Man Admits To ID Theft Charges Linked To Pandemic COVID-19: Worcester Man Admits To ID Theft Charges Linked To Pandemic
Covid-19: Worcester Man Admits To ID Theft Charges Linked To Pandemic A Massachusetts man admitted to trying to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic by applying for phony business loans and then spending the money on personal expenses. Richard Oworae, age 59, of Worcester, pleaded guilty this week to fraudulently applying for business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to the tune of nearly $200,000. Specifically, Oworae pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identify theft. Acting US Attorney Nathaniel Mendell said that between July 2020 and August 2020, Oworae schemed to defraud the Sm…
Auto Dealer From Mass Admits To Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Auto Dealer From Mass Admits To Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering
Auto Dealer From Mass Admits To Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering A Western Massachusetts man admitted to conspiring to traffic cocaine and using his Connecticut auto dealership to launder money following a yearlong investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization supplying narcotics to dealers in multiple states from Mexico, authorities announced. Miguel Betancourt, age 53, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to single counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine conspiracy to commit money laundering in federal court. Acting US Attorney Nathaniel Mendell said that Betancourt was indicted in November 2017 as part of a 14-month wiretap investig…
Worcester Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn Worcester Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn
Worcester Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn A Massachusetts man has been arrested and charged in federal court for allegedly possessing child pornography. Worcester County resident, Matthew Stefanelli, age 31, was arrested on Wednesday, July 14, following an investigation into his electronic devices, said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. Stefanelli, of Upton, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography.  According to the charging documents, in January, agents seized several electronic devices from Stefanelli’s residence.  A forensic review of the devices revealed images of child pornograph…
Owner, CEO Of Manhattan Investment Fund Among Trio Indicted For $1.8B Ponzi-Like Scheme Owner, CEO Of Manhattan Investment Fund Among Trio Indicted For $1.8B Ponzi-Like Scheme
Owner, CEO Of Manhattan Investment Fund Among Trio Indicted For $1.8B Ponzi-Like Scheme A man who was the head of a Manhattan investment fund was arrested on Thursday and is facing securities fraud charges for his role in an alleged $1.8 billion Ponzi-like scheme that saw his company paying clients with their own money.  Long Island resident David Gentile, age 54, of Manhasset, the founder, owner, and CEO of GPB Capital Holdings, was charged with two others for scheming to defraud investors by misrepresenting the source of funds used to make monthly distribution payments to them, federal officials said. Specifically, the three were charged with securities and wire fraud, …
Drug Dealer In New Haven-To-Fitchburg Trafficking Ring Gets 10 Years In Prison Drug Dealer In New Haven-To-Fitchburg Trafficking Ring Gets 10 Years In Prison
Drug Dealer In New Haven-To-Fitchburg Trafficking Ring Gets 10 Years In Prison An ex-convict from Hamden was sentenced to over 10 years in prison and eight years of post-supervision release for his part in a narcotics trafficking ring.  Frank "FL" Carr, 53, provided a kilogram of cocaine to the leader of a drug trafficking network in March of 2019 and sold crack-cocaine to undercover FBI agents on two occasions in May and June, according to the office of U.S. Attorney John H. Durham. Carr sold 78 grams of crack to agents for $3,000 during one of these exchanges, police said.  On July 9 of 2019, Carr and 24 other individuals associated with the "Island B…