MN (STL.News) The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division reminds all Minnesotans that this year’s deadline for filing federal income tax returns is Wednesday, July 15.  Due to COVID-19, the original filing deadline and tax payment due date was postponed from April 15 to July 15.  For people facing hardships, including those affected by COVID-19, who cannot pay in full, the IRS has several options available on IRS.gov/payments.  IRS Criminal Investigation also encourages Minnesotans to be cautious of scam artists who are looking for ways to steal money and personal information.  Stay alert!  The IRS will not contact you by phone, email, or social media to ask for personal information.

“Although we are living through unprecedented times, Americans must still meet their tax obligations by filing returns accurately and timely,” stated U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald. “Minnesotans must also be aware of wrongdoers who are looking for ways to exploit individuals, steal money, and cheat the system.  Those individuals will be held accountable.”

“As the tax filing deadline quickly approaches, I am asking all citizens to file correct and accurate tax returns and to pay their share of taxes,” states Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division who oversees the state of Minnesota.  “We all pay when others cheat the government. IRS Criminal Investigation, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, works year-round to make certain that those who willfully defy the tax laws will be investigated and criminally prosecuted.  Taxpayers are encouraged to visit the IRS.gov website for tips on filing a tax return accurately and searching for a reputable return preparer.”

As the tax filing season winds down next week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and IRS Criminal Investigation encourage taxpayers to think before filing a false or fraudulent tax return and to be wary of any schemes that falsify income or deductions.  The following court actions have occurred in the District of Minnesota over the last nine months.

In October 2019, LESSIE BEATRICE LINDSEY was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for filing a false claim and ordered to pay $995,966 in restitution to the IRS.  From 2013 to 2016, LINDSEY submitted approximately 192 false and fraudulent income tax returns acting as a knowledgeable tax preparer and illegally demanding a share of the tax refunds from her clients.  Over $200,000 of her false tax refunds were designed to benefit herself, her boyfriend, or her relatives.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert.

In December 2019, RICHARD PETER HENTGES was sentenced on charges of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return and ordered to pay $55,634 in restitution to the IRS.  While employed as the Chief Financial Officer of a business located in Chaska, Minnesota, HENTGES was responsible for all aspects of operations and finances, including filing and paying payroll taxes.  During 2013 and 2014, HENTGES failed to pay over the payroll taxes for some of the employees resulting in a $72,672.01 tax loss to the United States.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.

In January 2020, WORAPHAK VANG was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax evasion and was ordered to pay $1,351,985.05 in restitution to the IRS.  While operating her temporary staffing agency that provided temporary workers to companies in the manufacturing field in and around Saint Paul, VANG committed payroll and income tax fraud totaling $1,351,985.05 over a period of four years.  VANG failed to collect and pay over payroll taxes from her employees and under-reported her own income on her personal tax returns.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Lewis.

In January 2020, RANDAL SCOT BRINKMAN was sentenced to 46 months in prison and was ordered to pay $945,316 in restitution to the IRS.  On July 25, 2019, following a four-day jury trial, BRINKMAN was found guilty on six counts of tax evasion.  From 1999 through 2018, BRINKMAN, owner of a Roseville construction company, took steps to hide his income and actively evade the assessment of taxes, including using sham businesses, closing his personal bank accounts, using money orders and cash to pay for daily expenses, and creating a fake religious organization in order to hide his income and assets.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson and Alexander D. Chiquione.

In February 2020 and March 2020, MUHUMED ALI and FAYSAL SAYID each pleaded guilty to one count of income tax evasion.  SAYID and ALI were co-owners of a company that provided adult day care services to individuals enrolled in the Minnesota Medicaid program.  Between 2012 and 2014, SAYID and ALI removed approximately $1.3 million from the company’s operating accounts and used those funds to pay for personal, non-business expenses, such as clothing, rent for personal residences, vehicles, funds transfers to other parties, and international wire transfers.  SAYID and ALI willfully attempted to evade and defeat income taxes due and owing on that money for tax years 2012, 2013, and 2014. SAYID and ALI are awaiting sentencing.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert.

In May 2020, RUSLAN FURMAN was sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and ordered to pay $298,644 in restitution to the IRS.  From 2013 through 2016, FURMAN, a salesperson at a vehicle dealership, conspired with VLADIMIR CHEVTAYEV, THOMAS POPLAR, and others to defraud financial institutions out of money through an elaborate auto-financing scheme.  FURMAN and others committed the fraud by applying for financing using deceased buyer’s names, stolen identities, or by paying people for the use of their information to buy luxury vehicles.  After receiving the loan proceeds, the conspirators laundered the funds through an auto financing company to make the transactions appear legitimate.  Co-conspirators CHEVTAYEV and POPLAR have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie E. Allyn.

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Richmond, Virginia (STL.News)  Response to a call of a person shot on Tuesday, July 7, in Creighton Court required two Richmond Police officers to deploy life-saving measures.
Officer C. McNeil and Officer C. Arendall found an 18-year-old male with multiple gunshot wounds, lying on the sidewalk in the 2200 block of Creighton Road shortly before 5 a.m.
The officers assessed the situation and determined the shooting victim required immediate medical attention.  Prior to the arrival of emergency medical personnel, the officers applied tourniquets to the victim’s legs to stop the excessive bleeding.  The victim was transported to VCU Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition.
Although the officers were able to save the victim, Richmond Police do not have a suspect description at this time or any details related to the shooting.  The incident is being investigated by the Major Crimes Division.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Sergeant K. Reed at (804) 646-5034 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or visit www.7801000.com . The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones also may be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous.

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Richmond, Virginia (STL.News)  Richmond Police detectives are asking for the public’s help to identify the individuals who are suspects in a commercial burglary that last month.

At approximately 6:30 a.m. on Friday, June 19, an unknown male broke into the Shell Gas Station in the 6200 block of Jahnke Road. Security footage shows two suspects driving a van and parking near the side of the building.  One male broke a window to gain access into the business and stole several cartons of cigarettes and lottery tickets.  The suspects then fled.  Damage to the van is pictured and circled in red.

Anyone with information is asked to call Third Precinct Detective H. Truong at (804) 646-1067 or contact Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or at www.7801000.com. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.

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Portland, OR (STL.News)  The victim from Wednesday’s incident died at an area hospital.  The homicide victim has been identified as 32 year-old Cody Nicholas Vickers. The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office determined Vicker’s died of homicidal violence.

The family has been notified.

The suspect, 52 year-old Stephen Bache was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. Refer to Multnomah County District Attorney’s press release for details of charges.

Anyone with information related to Vicker’s death is asked to contact Detective Scott Broughton at (503) 823-3774 or [email protected] or Detective Rico Beniga at (503) 823-0457 or [email protected]

This is an active investigation and there is no additional information for release at this time.

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Las Vegas, NV (STL.News) On July 9, 2020, at approximately 10:21 p.m., a fatal-traffic collision at N. Lamb Blvd and E. Tonopah Ave was reported to the LVMPD dispatch center.  The incident involved a pedestrian and a vehicle.  Evidence at the scene and a witness statement indicated a 35-year-old female pedestrian was crossing N. Lamb Blvd, westbound, on the north side of the intersection with E. Tonopah Ave. A southbound 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe, operated by 29- year-old Andrena Callender, struck the pedestrian forcing her to the ground. Emergency medical services transported the pedestrian to UMC where she was pronounced deceased.  The driver of the Hyundai remained at the scene and was not impaired.  The death marked the 48th traffic-related fatality in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s jurisdiction for the year 2020.  The incident remains under investigation by the LVMPD Collision Investigation Section.

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Montgomery County, Maryland (STL.News) Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing teenage female from the Silver Spring area.

Lexus Monique Dove, age 16, of Houston Avenue, has been reported as missing by her family.

Dove is approximately 5’ 7” tall and weighs approximately 250 pounds.  She has brown eyes and short black hair. Dove wears glasses and has a tattoo of a heart on her right wrist.

Police and family are concerned for Dove’s welfare.

Anyone with information about Lexus Monique Dove’s whereabouts is asked to call the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000 (24-hour line).

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Kansas City, MO (STL.News) Police are investigating after a 10-year-old boy found human remains along a Northland creek July 5.

The boy was fishing at Shoal Creek north of Pleasant Valley Road when he spotted the remains along the bank.  He told a parent, who called police.  Police recovered the partial human remains.  Detectives returned July 7 with Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and spent eight hours searching the area.  This led to the discovery of some additional remains.

The body has not been identified, nor has a gender been determined.  The remains were degraded beyond the ability to conduct traditional DNA testing, so further advanced testing will be conducted.  That could take as long as 3 to 6 months.

Detectives will continue to investigate, and police will share the identity of the remains once that is determined.

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El Paso, TX (STL.News) Northeast Regional Command officers responded to 3830 Filmore #1 on a shooting call.  Upon arrival, officers found the body of the shooting victim, 28-year old Eduardo Reyes at his doorway.  Crimes Against Persons detectives conducted the investigation, identified the shooter as 21-year old Cesar Armendariz and obtained a warrant for his arrest.  Yesterday, US Marshals Task Force officers located Armendariz in Lawton, Ok and placed him under arrest.  Armendariz will be booked into the El Paso County Detention facility for Murder upon his extradition.

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El Paso, TX (STL.News) The El Paso Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Unit made an arrest in a 15 month long investigation into allegations 58 –year old David Villalobos engaged in sexual contact with a child victim for a span of close to two years.  The abuse began when the child was reportedly 12 years old.  Villalobos was taken into custody on June 27th and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility for Indecency with a Child on a $20,000 bond.

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Boston, MA (STL.News) At about 6:14 PM on Thursday, July 9, 2020, members of the Youth Violence Strike Force made two onsite arrests and recovered a loaded firearm in the area of 160 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester.  While on patrol in the area of Everton Street due to a recent call for shots fired on Theodore Street, officers received information that a gray Nissan sedan had been seen leaving the scene of the shooting.  Officers observed a vehicle matching the description and an inquiry led to the revelation of a failed inspection sticker.  With this information, officers activated their emergency equipment and an effort to initiate a traffic stop in front of 52 Everton Street.  As officers exited their cruiser, the operator suddenly began backing up the vehicle before fleeing at an accelerated rate of speed.  The vehicle quickly turned right onto Geneva Avenue without signaling or stopping at multiple stop signs.  Officers continued behind the vehicle and observed an arm extend out of the front passenger’s window, discarding an object consistent with a firearm onto the sidewalk at 256 Geneva Avenue. Officers briefly stopped to secure the firearm, before continuing to follow the vehicle.  Eventually the vehicle came to a stop under the commuter rail bridge on Geneva Avenue.  Both the operator and passenger were safely removed from the vehicle and taken into custody without incident.  The firearm was determined to be a P80 Polymer Inc 9mm firearm loaded with seven rounds of live ammunition.

Officers arrested the operator, Christopher Williams, 29-years-old, of Dorchester and the passenger, John Rosco, AKA: Stevie Roscoe, 37-years-old, of Dorchester.  Both are expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court on charges of Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License, Carrying a Firearm without a License, Assault by means of a Dangerous Weapon, Discharging a Firearm within 500 ft of a Building, and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.  Williams is additionally charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign, Failure to Stop for Police, Speeding and Firearm Violation with Two Prior Violent/Drug Crimes. Rosco faces an additional charge of Firearm Violation with Prior Violent/Drug Crime.

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