Local Law Enforcement Lauded For 'Exceptional Service'

BOSTON, MA – State, federal and local law enforcement officials were lauded by the U.S. Attorney's Office at a special ceremony Tuesday for their work on high-profile cases including cases from Arlington, Brockton, Cambridge and Chelmsford.

A total of 129 officials from federal, state and local police were honored for their exceptional services at the annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Tuesday.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb recognized 129 officials from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies yesterday at the annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony.

“It is an all too infrequent occasion that we thank those who keep us safe and pursue justice,” Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb told the honorees. “There is no doubt that this work can be difficult, and at times, it may seem thankless – the late nights, the time away from family, and the stress that compounds with each passing year. Working in public safety is an inescapable calling...it requires a certain character, unshakable commitment and a level of motivation possessed by few.”

The event, held at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston, highlighted 23 federal cases from 2016.

The individuals who contributed to the success of the cases were recognized for bravery, outstanding collaboration, investigative achievement, investigative excellence, and victim assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted the cases and nominated the honorees, lauded them for their commitment to public service before presenting them with commemorative plaques.

The category of Investigative Excellence recognized individuals whose actions led to the arrest of a dangerous subject or the exposure of a significant criminal conspiracy. The following cases and agencies were honored:

United States v. Tyrell Gorham, et al.

Tyrell Gorham, a/k/a Sheek, 31, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 12 years in prison for one count of sex trafficking a minor. Lee Young, a/k/a Chop, 34, of Dorchester, Mass., and Chelanjei Greene, a/k/a Young, 34, of Brockton, Mass., were sentenced to eight years and six years, respectively, for one count each of conspiring to sex traffic a minor. Each defendant was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. On Sept. 21, 2016, Gorham, Young and Greene pleaded guilty.

An undercover law enforcement operation conducted in February 2015 identified a minor woman as a victim of a sex trafficking ring. Gorham recruited the minor from the Portland, Maine area, and Gorham and Young transported her and a friend to the Greater Boston area to work as prostitutes.

With assistance from Greene, the minor and her friend posted an advertisement on Backpage.com, which was used to offer the sexual services of the women for a fee. The minor victim and her friend traveled to a motel in Woburn to meet a prospective client, however, the client was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.

Recipients: Arlington Police Department; Boston Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Massachusetts State Police; Revere Police Department; Woburn Police Department
Victim Service Award Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation

United States v. Gilvan Monteiro, et al.

Luis DaCosta, 21, aka “Jesse” and “Slu;” Gilvan Monteiro, 25, aka “G;” and Edson Gomes, 19, aka “E” and “Evil,” were charged in a complaint with one count of conspiracy to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute. From December 2015 to March 2016, the defendants sold fentanyl on numerous occasions in the Brockton area, and several times the drug was seized by law enforcement from the defendants’ associates. In addition, on Feb. 11, 2016, law enforcement seized a loaded Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun from an associate of Gomes’s during a vehicle stop.

Recipients: Brockton Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit; Massachusetts State Police Troop D Community Action Team; New England HIDTA

United States v. Edward Tutunjian

Edward J. Tutunjian,67, of Belmont, nicknamed the "Taxi King,'' who has owned and operated Boston Cab through his company, EJT Management, Inc., for more than four decades, was convicted of payroll tax evasion, employing illegal aliens and for failing to pay overtime wages.

Recipients: Internal Revenue Service; Boston Police Department; Cambridge Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General

United States v. Andrew Gordon

A Chelmsford financial planner was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for twice trying to hire undercover state troopers in murder-for-hire plots, according to the US Attorney’s office.

Andrew S. Gordon, 54, was arrested in September 2014 on charges of trying to hire an undercover trooper to kill his estranged wife, Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said.

While awaiting trial, he attempted to hire a second undercover trooper to kill the first trooper and another Massachusetts man, Ortiz’s office said. He believed the first trooper and the other man were going to testify against him.

Recipients: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Massachusetts State Police; Middlesex District Attorney’s Office; Middlesex Sheriff’s Office

The category of Investigative Achievement Award recognized those who substantially contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice. Several agency representatives also received a Victim Service Award for extraordinary assistance to victims of a federal crime.

Other cases include:

United States v. Elmer Reyes
Recipients: Chelsea Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation

Drug Enforcement Investigations, District of Massachusetts

Recipient: U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Operation Opiate Express

Recipient: Massachusetts State Police

The category of Bravery is reserved for those whose actions showed such concern for others that the recipient’s own safety was in jeopardy while assisting the victim of a federal crime or in the apprehension of a suspect of a federal investigation. The following case and agency was honored:

· U.S. v. James Morales

Recipient: Massachusetts State Police

The category of Outstanding Collaborative Investigation Award recognized investigators from a multi-agency collaboration whose exceptional efforts to overcome significant challenges led to a successful conclusion. Recipients in one case also received the Victim Service Award for extraordinary assistance to victims of a federal crime.

· United States ex rel. Lokosky v. Accelarent Inc.

Recipients: Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General

· United States v. Matthew Clem

Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Massachusetts State Police; Worcester County District Attorney’s Office; Worcester Police Department (Recipients also received the Victim Service Award)

· United States v. David E. Gorski

Recipients: Defense Contract Audit Agency, Investigative Support Division; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General

United States v. Ygoa Almonte-Baez

Recipient: Drug Enforcement Administration

United States v. Robert Fitzpatrick

Recipient: Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice

United States v. Amit Kanodia

Recipient: Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Litigation Economics, Division of Economic and Risk Analysis

United States v. Vida Causey

Recipients: Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Retailer Investigations Branch; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation

United States v. Sihai Cheng and U.S. v. Qiang Hu

Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement

Drug Diversion Settlements - Drug Enforcement Administration

Recipient: Drug Enforcement Administration

United States v. James Merrill

Recipient: Homeland Security Investigations (Recipients also received the Victim Service Award)

United States v. Gary Sampson

Recipient: Massachusetts State Police (Recipients also received the Victim Service Award)

United States v. Patria Zuniga, et al.

Recipient: Homeland Security Investigations (Recipient also received the Victim Service Award)

United States v. Baljit Singh Rehal, et al.

Recipient: Federal Bureau of Investigations

United States v. R. David Cohen

Recipient: Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation

United States v. Raymond Jeffreys, et al.

Recipients: Boston Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (All recipients also received the Victim Service Award)

United States v. Edward Tutunjian

Edward J. Tutunjian,67, of Belmont, nicknamed the "Taxi King,'' who has owned and operated Boston Cab through his company, EJT Management, Inc., for more than four decades, was convicted of payroll tax evasion, employing illegal aliens and for failing to pay overtime wages.

Recipients: Internal Revenue Service; Boston Police Department; Cambridge Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General

The category of Exceptional Contribution to a Federal Investigation recognized those whose actions significantly impacted law enforcement’s ability to arrest, apprehend, and prosecute a subject of a federal investigation; rescue and respond to victims; develop cooperating witnesses; or identify critical intelligence

United States v. James Merrill

Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Photo by Shutterstock.