NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Lawyer Duane A. Evans introduced that DOMINIQUE ALAINA BERRY, age 33, a resident of Kentwood, Louisiana, was sentenced on December 1, 2022 to 45 months in jail, the high quality beneficial by the USA Sentencing Tips, by United States District Choose Eldon E. Fallon after beforehand pleading responsible to a two-count invoice of knowledge that charged her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, financial institution fraud, and interstate transportation and use of an interstate facility with intent to hold on illegal exercise, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 1343, 1344, and 1952(a)(3) (Depend 1), and aggravated id theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Part 1028A (Depend 2). Choose Fallon additionally sentenced Berry to a three-year time period of supervised launch after her imprisonment and ordered Berry to pay a $200 obligatory particular evaluation payment. He additionally scheduled a restitution listening to for April 13, 2023 at 2:00 pm.
In line with court docket paperwork, BERRY met Randy Jonal Schenck (Schenck) in about early 2013 and shortly developed a romantic relationship. Thereafter, BERRY started working for an escort company below Schenck’s supervision, usually participating in prostitution actions. BERRY and Schenck travelled nationally participating of their prostitution scheme, the proceeds of which Schenck required BERRY to offer to him. Schenck and BERRY usually marketed on location-specific bulletin boards, social functions, and labeled commercial web sites. BERRY usually used the alias “Desiree Knowles.” When BERRY didn’t carry out her function effectively or successfully or in any other case didn’t adjust to Schenck’s route, Schenck would threaten, slap, strike, beat, and choke BERRY.
Thereafter, BERRY and Schenck’s enterprise advanced into one which concerned assembly people on-line who had been interested by companionship, arranging face-to-face interactions with them, and incapacitating them by giving them unlawful medication and prescription remedy with neuro-suppressive uncomfortable side effects, together with anti-psychotic medicines, which the victims unknowingly ingested. BERRY and Schenck would then steal the victims’ valuables.
Between at the least November 2015 and September 2017, Schenck and BERRY applied the scheme on not fewer than fifty (50) events all through the USA, together with in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia. Courtroom paperwork element incidents involving 9 of the victims. BERRY and Schenck had been arrested at a lodge in Sandy Springs, Georgia, on September 13, 2017. When legislation enforcement authorities discovered BERRY on the lodge, she was bleeding from her nostril, had a swollen lip and puncture constant together with her tooth biting by way of her lip, and black electrical tape round one in all her arms.
Among the many victims was S.A., a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, whom BERRY met by way of a social media software on about February 24, 2017. After exchanging textual content messages and telephone calls, BERRY and S.A. agreed to fulfill at S.A.’s residence. Thereafter, Schenck dropped BERRY off at S.A.’s residence. Whereas at S.A.’s residence, BERRY positioned medication designed to incapacitate S.A., together with a number of anti-psychotic medicines, into S.A.’s drinks with out his information or authorization. After S.A. misplaced consciousness, BERRY instructed R.S. that S.A. was incapacitated. Thereafter, S.A.’s valuables, together with his pockets, two mobile telephones, his keys, and his 2012 Toyota Tacoma truck had been stolen by R.S. and a number of co-conspirators. On February 25, 2017, Schenck and BERRY used S.A.’s debit card to make a number of purchases within the New Orleans space. Moreover, on February 25, 2017, detectives with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Workplace responded to a wellness test at S.A.’s residence and located him to be deceased.
Schenck was charged individually by a federal grand jury sitting within the Jap District of Louisiana in February 2020 in a twelve-count indictment. On Might 10, 2022, Schenck pleaded responsible to 2 of the counts, charging him with interstate transportation and use of an interstate facility with intent to hold on illegal exercise, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1952(a)(3) (Depend 1), and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and a pair of (Depend 7). Schenck was sentenced to 300 months (25 years) in jail on October 6, 2022.
U.S. Lawyer Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace’s, EDLA Sufferer Witness employees members Brandi Calagna, Melissa Meunier and Brad Bordelon. U.S. Lawyer Evans additionally expressed appreciation for the help supplied by quite a few legislation enforcement businesses and personal entities concerned within the investigation, together with the Jefferson Parish District Lawyer’s Workplace, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Workplace, the Tucson (Arizona) Police Division, the Salt River (Arizona) Police Division, the Cobb County (Georgia) Police Division, the Sandy Springs (Georgia) Police Division, the Sacramento (California) Police Division, and Speaking Stick On line casino (Arizona). Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, and Melissa Bücher had been in control of the prosecution.
