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US Attorney Erek Barron

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Alleged Russian Ransomware Mastermind Extradited From South Korea To Maryland Alleged Russian Ransomware Mastermind Extradited From South Korea To Maryland
Alleged Russian Ransomware Mastermind Extradited From South Korea To Maryland A Russian national accused of running a global ransomware operation that extorted more than $16 million from victims worldwide has been extradited from South Korea to Maryland to face federal charges, authorities announced. Evgenii Ptitsyn, 42, is charged with operating and administering the sale, distribution, and deployment of the notorious Phobos ransomware, which targeted over 1,000 public and private organizations globally, including schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure.  Ptitsyn made his first appearance in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland earlier this …

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by Zak Failla
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Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds
Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds The financial advisor in Maryland who stole the American Dream from a man who tirelessly worked his entire life to enjoy his retirement will spend years in prison after admitting to stealing his life savings during a long-ranging scam. Eddy Blizzard, 45, of Havre de Grace, pleaded guilty late last year in connection to a bank fraud scheme in which he embezzled upwards of $1 million from an elderly client's retirement account. On Thursday, May 2, federal authorities announced that Blizzard has been sentenced to 42 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. “Eddy Blizzard…

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by Zak Failla
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'Bitcoin Beautee' In MD Admits To Role In $1.89B Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme 'Bitcoin Beautee' In MD Admits To Role In $1.89B Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme
'Bitcoin Beautee' In MD Admits To Role In $1.89B Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme A Maryland woman went under the name of “Bitcoin Beautee” during her role alongside two others in a Cryptocurrency fraud scheme that netted more than $1.89 billion, she admitted in US District Court on Monday, Jan. 29. Brenda Chunga, 43, of Severna Park, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud for her role as a promoter of HyperFund, also known as HyperTech, HyperCapital, HyperVerse, and HyperNation, US Attorney Erek Barron announced. The plea came just four days after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Sam Lee, 35, an Australian citizen…

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by Valerie Musson
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Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds
Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds The financial advisor in Maryland who stole the American Dream from a man who tirelessly worked his entire life to enjoy his retirement is facing decades in prison after admitting to stealing his life savings during a long-ranging scam. Eddy Blizzard, 45, of Perry Hall, pleaded guilty this week in connection to a bank fraud scheme in which he embezzled upwards of $1 million from an elderly client's retirement account. Blizzard, who worked for a bank securities and bank investment security companies in Maryland for years, targeted a lifelong resident, "R.M.," who attended school through the …

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by Zak Failla
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Jury Finds Marilyn Mosby Complicit In Illegally Claiming COVID-19 Funds Jury Finds Marilyn Mosby Complicit In Illegally Claiming COVID-19 Funds
Jury Finds Marilyn Mosby Complicit In Illegally Claiming Covid-19 Funds A former top prosecutor in Maryland will face prison time after crying wolf about financial "hardships" during the COVID-19 crisis, authorities announced. On Thursday, a federal jury convicted embattled former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby on two founds of perjury in connection to her withdrawing of funds from the city's Deferred Compensation Plan, citing a shortfall during the pandemic while she was still in office. Prosecutors said that between May 2020 and December 2020, Mosby submitted claims for both a $40,000 and $50,000 withdrawal from the Compensation Plan, though at the …

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by Zak Failla
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Convicted Felon Caught With Stolen Handguns In Maryland Heading To Prison: Prosecutors Convicted Felon Caught With Stolen Handguns In Maryland Heading To Prison: Prosecutors
Convicted Felon Caught With Stolen Handguns In Maryland Heading To Prison: Prosecutors A 23-year-old with a checkered criminal history will spend time behind bars after being busted on weapons charges. Baltimore resident Tavion Thomas, a convicted felon, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison after he was caught with a pair of loaded weapons by police investigating a separate incident, federal authorities announced. According to his guilty plea, on Sept. 10, 2022, officers in Baltimore were advised that Thomas was wanted in the city for a violent crime, and they tracked him to the 3200 block of Belair Road, where he was with a group of people. Prosecutors say that he was …

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by Zak Failla
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Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Gets Prison Time For Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Gets Prison Time For Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses
Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Gets Prison Time For Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses Former Baltimore County Police officer William Johnson, Jr. is set to spend time behind bars with some of the people he helped lock up. Federal officials announced that the Baltimore native has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after he admitted to accepting thousands of dollars worth of bribes and kickbacks in exchange for handgun qualifying licenses they never earned. The 34-year-old pleaded guilty in April to a federal charge of honest services wire fraud for falsely certifying applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses and …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Former Official Gets Prison Time For Abusing Power, Stalking Exes In Baltimore Former Official Gets Prison Time For Abusing Power, Stalking Exes In Baltimore
Former Official Gets Prison Time For Abusing Power, Stalking Exes In Baltimore Embattled former Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Lane Chaudry will spend time behind bars with some of the people he helped put away for stalking former paramours and their friends, federal authorities announced. Chaudry, 43, was sentenced this week to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty late last year to two counts of fraud in connection with obtaining confidential phone records. Between June 2009 and June 18, 2021, prosecutors say that Chaudry caused three grand jury subpoenas to be sent to a telecommunications…

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by Zak Failla
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Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Admits To Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses: Feds Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Admits To Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses: Feds
Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Admits To Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses: Feds Federal officials announced that a former Baltimore County Police officer admitted to accepting thousands of dollars worth of bribes and kickbacks in exchange for handgun qualifying licenses they never earned. Baltimore resident William Johnson, Jr., 33, pleaded guilty on Monday, April 3 to a federal charge of honest services wire fraud for falsely certifying applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses and wear and carry permits without proper training. In Maryland, in order to purchase, rent, or receive a handgun, one must have a handgun qualifying license, which required at least…

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by Zak Failla
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Maryland Gang Member Sentenced For Carjackings, Robberies As Part Of Racketeering Conspiracy Maryland Gang Member Sentenced For Carjackings, Robberies As Part Of Racketeering Conspiracy
Maryland Gang Member Sentenced For Carjackings, Robberies As Part Of Racketeering Conspiracy A Baltimore “Triple C” gang member admitted to participating in a violent racketeering conspiracy that included at least five attempted murders and one successful one, federal authorities announced. Baltimore resident Rashaud "Shaud" Nesmith, 21, a member of the Cruddy Conniving Crutballs (Triple C) has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for multiple armed carjackings and robberies throughout the city, and for his role in the violent street gang.  Prosecutors say that Nesmith admitted that in connection with the conspiracy, he partic…

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by Zak Failla
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Predator Posing At Teen Boy To Manipulate Underage Girls In Maryland Sentenced Predator Posing At Teen Boy To Manipulate Underage Girls In Maryland Sentenced
Predator Posing At Teen Boy To Manipulate Underage Girls In Maryland Sentenced A Mexican national living in Maryland has been sentenced to nearly two decades in prison for posing as a teenage boy on social media to entice underage girls to send him sexually explicit content, federal investigators announced. Angel Gabriel Arroyo-Angelino, 34, who resides in Easton, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. US Attorney Erek Barron said that Arroyo admitted that he pretended to be a teenage boy on social media accounts, in order to induce mino…

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by Zak Failla
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Maryland Gang Member Admits To Multiple Attempted Murders As Part Of Racketeering Conspiracy Maryland Gang Member Admits To Multiple Attempted Murders As Part Of Racketeering Conspiracy
Maryland Gang Member Admits To Multiple Attempted Murders As Part Of Racketeering Conspiracy A Baltimore “Triple C” gang member admitted to participating in a violent racketeering conspiracy that included at least five attempted murders and one successful one, federal authorities announced. Zeno Burnette, 24, a member of the Cruddy Conniving Crutballs (Triple C) pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to further his gang’s reputation between 2015 and 2020, according to US Attorney Erek Barron. As detailed in his plea agreement, Burnette admitted that he and other Triple C members were involved in more than a dozen murders and numerous non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjac…

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by Zak Failla
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Armed Robber Sentenced For Committing Armed Robbery In Maryland Armed Robber Sentenced For Committing Armed Robbery In Maryland
Armed Robber Sentenced For Committing Armed Robbery In Maryland A 23-year-old man who was out on supervised release for a prior armed robbery will spend more than a decade in prison after being sentenced for a second robbery in Maryland, federal officials said. Fort Washington resident Rico Dashiell was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison by US Judge George Russell for his role in the violent armed robbery of an Owiing Mills phone store in 2020. In December 2020, Dashiell and two co-conspirators walked into the phone store, where he pretended to be a customer before brandishing a gun, pointing it at an employee, and saying “yeah, you know what time…

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by Zak Failla
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Texas Man Gets Prison Time For Threatening Maryland Doctor Over COVID-19 Vaccine Texas Man Gets Prison Time For Threatening Maryland Doctor Over COVID-19 Vaccine
Texas Man Gets Prison Time For Threatening Maryland Doctor Over Covid-19 Vaccine The man who threatened a Maryland doctor who publicly advocated for the COVID-19 vaccine after tracking down his personal information will spend time in federal prison, the Department of Justice announced. Aubrey, Texas resident Scott Eli Harris, 52, was sentenced to six months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release after threatening the doctor in Maryland, according to US Attorney Erek Barron. 
“While we are all entitled to our own opinion, no one has the right to threaten the life of someone because of race, national origin, or because of holding different views,” Barr…

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by Zak Failla
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Maryland Man Sentenced For Posing As Teen Boy To Entice Minors To Send Photos, Videos: DOJ Maryland Man Sentenced For Posing As Teen Boy To Entice Minors To Send Photos, Videos: DOJ
Maryland Man Sentenced For Posing As Teen Boy To Entice Minors To Send Photos, Videos: DOJ A 37-year-old Maryland man will spend nearly two decades behind bars after being sentenced for posing as a teen boy to entice minors to send sexually illicit photos and videos to him online. Derrell Lamar Hooker Orange - also known simply as “Orange” has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison, followed by 12 years of supervised release for enticement of a minor to produce child pornography and possession of child pornography, the Department of Justice announced. US Attorney Erek Barron said that as part of his plea, Orange admitted to posing as a 16-year-old boy for several months in…

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by Zak Failla
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Sex Trafficker In Maryland Sentenced For Recruiting Teen To Engage In Commerical Sex Acts Sex Trafficker In Maryland Sentenced For Recruiting Teen To Engage In Commerical Sex Acts
Sex Trafficker In Maryland Sentenced For Recruiting Teen To Engage In Commerical Sex Acts A sex trafficker in Maryland has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison for recruiting a teenager to engage in commercial sex acts, according to federal prosecutors. Baltimore resident Kyle David Robinson, 29, has been sentenced to 126 months in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, for sex trafficking a minor. As part of his plea agreement, Robinson admitted to knowingly recruiting, enticing, transporting, and advertising a 14-year-old to engage in commercial sex acts for his own financial benefits. In May 2021, prosecutors said that Robinson approached t…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Man Who Coerced, Enticed Teens Into Sexual Actions Sentenced: Feds Maryland Man Who Coerced, Enticed Teens Into Sexual Actions Sentenced: Feds
Maryland Man Who Coerced, Enticed Teens Into Sexual Actions Sentenced: Feds A 40-year-old Maryland man will spend more than a decade in prison after engaging in sexually explicit conversations with multiple minors and traveling to a hotel to engage in sexual acts in Pennsylvania, federal officials announced. Aberdeen resident Anthony Gonzalez was sentenced to 13 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for coercing and enticing minors, US Attorney Erek Barron announced in Maryland. In addition to that sentence, Gonzalez will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon his rel…

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by Zak Failla