Federal Crimes

September 18, 2008

Haverhill, Massachusetts, Police Officers Get Lucky At Prostitution Bust And Turn To Drug War

Last night, all major crimes of the area having apparently been prevented or solved, Haverhill police officers set their sights on their admittedly decreasing prostitution concern. It was said to be a lucky break in their war against drugs.

They ended up arresting a “major cocaine dealer” who had a drug sales ledger containing the names of “prominent” Haverhill residents. The ledger, according to the police, will kick off an investigation that could lead to a series of arrests.

Christos Eleftheriou, 45, of Haverhill, was arrested at 8:11 p.m. after he propositioned a woman police officer for sex during the prostitution sting, said police spokesman Sgt. John Arahovites. He was charged with sexual conduct for a fee and brought to the police station, where police found 16 grams of powdered cocaine in five bags on him with a street value of $16,200, along with $340 in cash, Sgt. Arahovites said.

September 11, 2008

Drug Busts Make This A Bad Week For Marihuana and Heroin Trade South and West Of Boston

by Altman & Altman

It has been a bad week so far for Massachusetts drug conspiracies. First, members of a joint Anti-Crime Task force confiscated 500 pounds of marijuana and more than $180,000 in cash from a weekend drug bust in Swansea, Massachusetts. The marijuana alone has a street value of more than $600,000. Then, in Holyoke, an Easthampton man and four Holyoke men were arrested Tuesday on charges including possession of heroin and possession of a loaded firearm.

After a month long investigation and 24-hour surveillance, John C. Mendonca, 38, of Fall River, who had been living at an East Providence hotel, was pulled over Saturday by an East Providence police officer. A search of his vehicle found prescription drugs, several cell phones and a box containing a large amount of cash. Search warrants were taken out for four of Mendonca’s known haunts, including two locations in East Providence and two in Fall River. The searches revealed a 2001 Dodge Caravan with 500 pounds of marijuana, a money counting machine believed to be tied to Mendonca’s alleged drug operation, 10 cell phones and a potpourri of additional drugs.

Mendonca is currently on federal probation from a 2002 drug bust. Swansea Deputy Police Chief Robert Furtado said police believe there were two men involved in Mendonca’s drug operation, but no one else has been charged. Furtado said because Mendonca was on federal probation, federal marijuana trafficking charges are being sought. Furtado also said that this was the biggest drug bust he said he has seen in more than three decades on the force .

September 10, 2008

MASSACHUSSETTS COURT STAFF FACE WHITE COLLAR ACCUSATIONS

by Altman & Altman

According to this week’s Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly, the Commonwealth is having a tough time with certain …irregularities… regarding Probate Court staff. A few weeks ago, Middlesex County’s Register of Probate was arrested for allegedly stealing cash from government copying machines. This week, in Suffolk County, a state auditor’s report is raising questions of malfeasance in Register of Probate’s Office.

According to the report, $12,885 in “voided” transactions disappeared from cash registers in the office of Richard P. Iannella, the register for the Suffolk Probate & Family Court, between July 2000 and June 2002. In addition to not complying with regulations that secure cash flow, Iannella is said to have failed to fill out a form explaining the shortfall, the report states.

Iannella, a former Boston city councilor who has served as register since 1996, said the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has investigated the matter. “I’m certainly not at liberty to discuss with you an investigation,” Iannella said, “but we turned the office upside down. We made every effort possible to determine how the monies were stolen, and unfortunately it ended up inconclusive.”

September 5, 2008

Boston Area Duo Said To Defraud Dunkin’

by Altman & Altman

The Brookline Tab has reported that former Brookline resident Carolyn Kravetz has been indicted in federal court for acts of mail fraud and tax fraud. Her co-defendant, Boris Levitin, hailing from Brighton, merely faces charges of mail fraud.

Federal prosecutors claim that a Ms. Kravetz, a communications director for Dunkin’ Brands from May 2004 to October 2005, steered hundreds of thousands of dollars of work from a Canton-based company to a contractor in return for a 50 percent kickback. The two attended Boston University in the 1980’s (the “greed is good” era) where they gained an education as well as each other’s friendship. The two were apparently very close in 2004 when prosecutors claim that they agreed that Ms. Kravetz agreed to steer Dunkin’ Brands contract work to Mr. Levitin’s graphic design and technical publishing firm, Luminophore Inc. In return, prosecutors said, Mr. Levitin agreed to kick back to Ms. Kravetz one-half of his gross revenues from Dunkin’ Brands. After depositing a check from Dunkin’ Brands, Mr. Levitin would send a check equal to half of the amount to Ms. Kravetz, according to the indictment filed last week in federal court in Boston.

From September, 2004, through November, 2005, Ms. Kravetz allegedly deposited checks from Luminophore into her personal account that totaled nearly $200,000. Mr. Levitin allegedly received nearly $400,000 spread among six checks over a 15-month period, including full payments for many projects that he hadn’t even started. According to the indictment, Mr. Levitin completed one project and performed some work on two others (of the 15 invoiced projects) , but never submitted any work to Dunkin’ Brands on the remaining 12 projects.

May 16, 2008

Mother Indicted In MySpace Hoax that Led to Teenager’s Suicide

by Altman & Altman

Lori Drew, a Missouri mother, has been indicted in connection with a cyber taunting case that prompted a teenager to commit suicide in 2006. The federal indictment, filed in US District Court in Los Angeles, says the 49-year-old mother and others used a MySpace account to pose as “Josh Evans,” a 16-year-old boy. The “boy” then pretended to have romantic feelings for 13-year-old Megan Meier.

Meier hung herself in her room after her online crush rejected her and told her the world would be better if she wasn’t in it.

Meier’s mother, Tina, found her daughter hanging by a belt in her room. She says that her daughter was insecure and suffered from depression.

If convicted, Drew could spend up to 20 years in prison for three counts of accessing protected computers to get information to inflict emotional distress, as well as one count of conspiracy. Her arraignment is in June.

According to law enforcement officials, Drew set up the account to find out what Meier was saying about her own daughter. “Josh” and Meier communicated for about a month before he broke up with her. Meier hung herself within an hour after the break up. She died the next day.

The indictment alleges that Drew deleted the MySpace account and told one of the teenagers to “keep her mouth shut.” However, the indictment also says that unnamed others (including a teenager) sent the last email message that led to Meier’s suicide.

Previous to the indictment, Missouri prosecutors said they would not file charges against Drew because she did not violate any laws. According to St. Charles Prosecutor Jack Banas, no one could have known that being mean to someone on the Internet could lead to suicide.

This year, however, federal prosecutors in Los Angeles began a grand jury probe to determine whether Drew and others defrauded MySpace by giving the company false information.

Mom indicted in deadly MySpace hoax, CNN.com, May 15, 2008
Alleged MySpace ‘cyber-bully’ indicted in teen’s suicide, Los Angeles Times, May 15, 2008

Related Web Resources:

A town fights back in MySpace suicide case, Los Angeles Times, November 22, 2007
Cyberstalking, The National Center for Victims of Crime
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April 25, 2008

Nantucket, Massachusetts Man Charged With Smuggling

by Altman & Altman

In Boston, Charles A. Manghis, has been charged with multiple counts of smuggling sperm whale teeth and elephant ivory, making false statements to federal agents, and conspiracy.

The 53-year-old Nantucket, Massachusetts resident, also a Ukrainian national, was arrested on Thursday. A federal grand jury indicted Manghis, along with Ukrainian national Andriy Mkhalyov, of allegedly conspiring to smuggle certain items into the United States that violated both federal law and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The two men allegedly used a middleman in California to bring the items into the United States before sending them to Massachusetts. Manghis, a scrimshaw dealer, is being accused of selling the illegal items on Nantucket and on e-Bay. His employer, Nina Hellman of Nina Hellman Antiques, says she believes the charges against Manghis are unfounded.

Nantucket Police say that that the international smuggling ring also involves countries in Asia and Europe. Manghis faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 maximum fine if he is convicted. He was released on $25,000 bond.

According to Law Enforcement US Fish and Wildlife Service Chief Benito A. Perez, about $10 million in illegal wildlife is seized in the United States every year-barely scratching the “surface of wildlife coming into this country.” The country is a prime market for elephant ivory, ivory carvings, and handicrafts made with claws, fur, feather, claws, and other body parts of species that are protected by law.

Nantucket man faces smuggling charges, Boston.com, April 25, 2008
Nantucket man charged in ivory smuggling ring, Ack.net, April 25, 2008
Testimony of Benito A. Perez Before the US House of Representatives, FWS.gov, March 5, 2008
Related Web Resources:

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Charles A. Manghis

Charles Manghis Scrimshaw, Nina Hellman Antiques Continue reading