Western District of Kentucky
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky to Participate in National Night Out Community EventsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky will join law enforcement, community leaders, and residents across the country for National Night Out to support safer streets and making our communities stronger.
Today, National Night Out events will be held in communities across the Commonwealth, including five neighborhood events hosted by the Louisville Metro Police Department. To connect with community members across Louisville, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will host a resource booth at LMPD’s Eighth Division event at Walker Warren Park in the Douglas Hills neighborhood and attend LMPD’s other neighborhood events across the City.
“We look forward to participating in National Night Out again this year and building stronger partnerships between federal and local law enforcement and the communities we serve,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “With our shared commitment to creating safer neighborhoods, we can all help to prevent crime.”
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out brings police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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Tompkinsville Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Tompkinsville, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.
“I commend the work of AUSA Rabold during the prosecution of this case as well as the outstanding investigative effort by the Secret Service and HSI,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Removing would be predators from our communities is key to keeping them safe for our most vulnerable citizens.”
According to court documents, Matthew Warren Burkhard, 36, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of attempted online enticement of a minor. Burkhard communicated with an undercover law enforcement agent he believed to be a 14-year-old female, and, during those communications, he knowingly attempted to entice the minor to engage in criminal sexual activity by exchanging sexually explicit images and making plans to meet in person for sexual contact.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the USSS and HSI Bowling Green.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Louisville Pediatrician Sentenced to 12 years in Federal Prison on Attempted Murder-for-Hire and Aiding and Abetting Interstate Stalking ChargesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –Stephanie M. Russell was sentenced today on two counts of a federal indictment charging her with using a facility in interstate commerce, or causing another person to travel in interstate commerce, in the attempted murder-for-hire of her ex-husband, as well as aiding and abetting interstate stalking of her ex-husband.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court records, Stephanie Russell, 53, a pediatrician in Louisville was sentenced to 10 years on the attempted murder-for-hire charge and 2 years on the interstate stalking charge, with the sentences to run consecutively for a total sentence of 12 years. Russell’s term of imprisonment will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. In addition, Russell was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000.
Russell, a pediatrician, owned and ran KidzLife Pediatrics in Norton Commons, in Louisville, Kentucky. Beginning in July 2021, Russell caused another to travel in interstate commerce, and used a telephone, a facility of interstate commerce, with the intent that the murder of her former husband, R.C., be committed in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and offered to pay for that murder.
In July 2021, during a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, R.C., Russell began soliciting multiple KidzLife employees, asking if they knew someone who would be willing to kill R.C. In the spring of 2022, the FBI was notified of Russell’s solicitations, and began an investigation. As part of that investigation, a cooperating witness provided Russell with the telephone number of a purported hitman from the Chicago area. That hitman was an FBI Special Agent working undercover. Beginning on May 15, 2022, Russell had several recorded telephone conversations with the purported hitman. In one call, Russell and the purported hitman had the following exchange:
Hitman: Obviously you want [R.C.] killed, right, . . . ?
Russell: I want him to be completely gone from my life, yes . . . .
Hitman: Well I mean that can be in the Bahamas, but I don’t think we’re talking a vacation away. I think we’re talking in the ground.
Russell: I mean, do you like, do they disappear? Do you like shoot them on the road? Like what happens? Or should I just not know?
Hitman: It really depends on, I mean, price dictates. That’s just how that goes. The more work I got to do, the more it’s going to cost you, but it could be, do you want it to look like a suicide? Do you want it to . . .
Russell: Yes, that would be amazing.
Russell ultimately agreed to pay the purported hitman $7,000, with half due up front. On May 18, 2022, Russell was caught on surveillance video leaving $3,500 in a specimen box outside the KidzLife building for the hitman to retrieve. The purported hitman drove to Louisville from Illinois and was videotaped as he picked up the payment. The FBI arrested Russell the next day.
Further, according to court documents and evidence presented at the change of plea hearing, between December 1, 2018, and August 9, 2019, during custody litigation, Russell, aided and abetted by J.S., a person who traveled to Louisville from Michigan, engaged in conduct that caused and attempted to cause her former husband substantial emotional distress, and Russell did so with the intent to harass and intimidate him. Specifically, Russell encouraged J.S. to harass R.C., and she provided J.S. with a burner phone to use while doing so. The harassing conduct included visiting R.C.’s office unannounced, pretending to be a WAVE-3 reporter and leaving R.C. accusatory voicemails from the phone provided by Russell on R.C.’s phone, entering R.C.’s garage and leaving a note inside the garage pretending to be a reporter writing a derogatory story that could involve R.C., and leaving fliers, with R.C.’s photograph and other personal identifying information, on cars at R.C.’s office. The fliers contained defamatory allegations of misconduct and were intended to be viewed by R.C.’s co-workers, supervisors, and potentially clients.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Ford and David Weiser prosecuted the case, with assistance from paralegal specialists Adela Alic and Carissa Moss.
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Federal Jury in Louisville Finds Two Defendants Guilty of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – This week a federal jury convicted two Louisville men, following a seven-day trial of numerous felony offenses, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Interim Chief Paul Humphreys of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
“I commend the excellent work of the trial team as well as the outstanding investigative effort by ATF, LMPD, and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners who assisted in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to prioritize the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of those whose conduct drives violence in the Western District in order to make our communities safer for all.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between September 25, 2021, and August 22, 2023, Jerlen Horton, 30, and Chicoby Summers, 29, conspired to possess with the intent to distribute over one kilogram of fentanyl, over 250 grams of heroin, and a mixture of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine.” Additionally, on November 3, 2021, both defendants possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes. Lastly, the evidence presented at trial established that on November 3, 2021, Summers was on federal supervised release and escaped from custody.
Both Horton and Summers were utilizing false identities and were fugitives from justice until they were apprehended by law enforcement following a standoff with members of the United States Marshals Task Force on August 22, 2023, in Long Beach, California.
Horton and Summers are scheduled for sentencing on November 13, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Both defendants remain detained pending sentencing. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence for each defendant after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The ATF and LMPD investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI, DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Kentucky State Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Long Beach California Police Department, Verdigris Oklahoma Police Department, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal specialist Adela Alic.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 29 Years for Methamphetamine Distribution, Illegal Firearms Possession, and Witness Tampering OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced last week to 29 years and 2 months in federal prison for methamphetamine distribution, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and witness tampering.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Interim Chief Paul Humphreys of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Kendall Shaw, 41, was sentenced to 29 years and 2 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of engaging in a conspiracy to tamper with a witness. The witness tampering count was part of a superseding indictment in this case. After Shaw was originally indicted on the methamphetamine and gun offenses, he engaged in a series of phone calls with others for the specific purpose of ensuring that a person he believed to be a witness against him would not appear at future court proceedings.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Porter and Frank E. Dahl, III prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Shelbyville Woman Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Former EmployerRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Shelbyville, Kentucky woman was sentenced today to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison for engaging in a scheme to defraud her former employer.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service made the announcement.
According to court records, Amy Hall, 38, was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for seven counts of wire fraud. The charges in this case stemmed from Hall’s scheme in which, while employed as the Accounting Controller for a Louisville, Kentucky design and construction company, she used her access and position to make unauthorized payments totaling $262,897.69, for her own personal benefit and the benefit of others, on the company’s bank account, a related company’s bank account, and a company credit card without the companies’ knowledge or authorization.
Hall was also ordered to pay restitution to the two victim companies in the amount of $262,897.69.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver prosecuted the case.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Louisville, Kentucky, MayorRead the Press Release
A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to firing gun shots at current Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg during Greenberg’s 2022 campaign.
According to court documents, on the morning of Feb. 14, 2022, Quintez Brown, 23, of Louisville, walked into Greenberg’s campaign office, where Greenberg was having a meeting with four staffers. Brown fired multiple shots at Greenberg before staffers were able to close and barricade the door. Brown was apprehended several blocks from the shooting, carrying the firearm that he had used in the shooting in a backpack. As part of his guilty plea, Brown admitted that he shot at Greenberg because Greenberg was running for mayor.
Brown pleaded guilty to interfering with a federally protected activity and using and discharging a firearm in relation with a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21. If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Brown faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 18 years and one month in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky; Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) Louisville Division made the announcement.
The FBI Louisville Field Office, ATF Louisville Division, and Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Barry Disney of the Criminal Division’s Mental Health Litigation Unit.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
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Kindred and Related Entities Agree to Pay $19.428M to Settle Federal and State False Claims Act Lawsuits Alleging Ineligible Claims for Hospice PatientsRead the Press Release
Gentiva, successor to Kindred at Home, has agreed to pay $19.428 million to resolve allegations that Kindred at Home and related entities (Kindred) knowingly submitted false claims and knowingly retained overpayments for hospice services provided to patients who were ineligible to receive hospice benefits under various federal health care programs. Gentiva’s hospice operations, headquartered in Atlanta, include entities that previously operated Kindred at Home hospice locations under the names Avalon, Kindred, SouthernCare and SouthernCare New Beacon.
“The hospice benefit under Medicare and other federal health care programs provides critical services to some of the most vulnerable patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will ensure that this important benefit is used to assist those who need it, and not as an opportunity to line the pockets of those who seek to abuse it.”
The settlement resolves allegations made by the United States and the State of Tennessee in a consolidated complaint filed in 2021 against certain Kindred related entities alleging that, from 2010 until February 2020, the defendants knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims for hospice services provided to Avalon hospice patients in Tennessee who were ineligible for the Medicare or Medicaid hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill. The settlement also resolves the complaint’s allegations that the defendants improperly concealed or avoided Avalon’s obligation to repay those hospice claims.
In addition, the settlement resolves allegations that certain Kindred, SouthernCare and SouthernCare New Beacon hospice locations knowingly submitted, or caused to be submitted, false claims for hospice services provided to patients who were ineligible for hospice benefits under Medicare and other federal health care programs because the patients were not terminally ill. Those hospice locations were Kindred’s locations in Warwick, Rhode Island; Beaumont, Texas; and Independence, Missouri; SouthernCare New Beacon’s location in Demopolis, Alabama; and SouthernCare’s locations in Daphne, Alabama; Mobile, Alabama; South Bend, Indiana; and Youngstown, Ohio. The settlement also resolves allegations that those Kindred, SouthernCare and SouthernCare New Beacon locations knowingly and improperly concealed or avoided obligations to repay the foregoing hospice claims.
Further, the settlement resolves allegations that SouthernCare New Beacon allegedly violated the Anti-Kickback Statute by willfully paying renumeration to a consulting physician, between Oct. 1, 2016, and Oct. 1, 2022, to induce hospice referrals of Medicare beneficiaries to its Gadsden, Alabama, location. The settlement of those allegations stems from a voluntary self-disclosure made by New Beacon Healthcare Group LLC doing business as SouthernCare New Beacon Hospice. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs. It is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
“Hospice provides vital care and support for terminally ill patients and their families. Medicare’s and TennCare’s eligibility requirements ensure that federal and state health care money is properly used to support hospice programs,” said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We are committed to holding accountable health care companies and providers who prioritize profits over patient care by ignoring these requirements.”
“This office remains committed to safeguarding public monies,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “I commend the work of all those in the department who have made this successful settlement possible and truly appreciate the strong working relationships that exist between the United States Attorneys’ Offices, the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and our law enforcement partners.”
“My office remains determined to ensure that federal funding for essential health care, like the hospice care at issue in this investigation, goes to the patients who need it, rather than to health care companies who seek to exploit those patients for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “Today’s result reflects a concerted effort by this office and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country, working alongside the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and our law enforcement partners, to help to guarantee that Medicare funds are directed where they belong and that high-quality hospice care is available for patients and their families in the future.”
“Hospice care is special end-of-life care intended to provide comfort for terminally ill patients. The decision to provide hospice services should be prompted by a patient’s terminally ill medical diagnosis, not a hospice provider’s desire to increase profits,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The continued work of the department and our law enforcement partners is critical to the integrity of these important programs. I appreciate the work of all involved in this significant case.”
“Our office is committed to protecting federal healthcare programs like the Medicare hospice benefit from false claims” said U.S. Attorney Sean Costello for the Southern District of Alabama. “We will hold accountable any providers that abuse taxpayer dollars.”
“The integrity of hospice care is critical to the millions of patients receiving these services,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that providers who focus on personal financial gain rather than providing medically necessary, high-quality hospice care will be held accountable.”
The Medicaid program is funded jointly by the state and federal governments. As a result of the settlement announced today, the federal government will receive $18,956,151.32, the State of Tennessee will receive $448,800 and the State of Ohio will receive $23,618.68.
The settlement includes the resolution of claims in nine lawsuits brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by various current and former Kindred employees. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned: United States ex rel. Pence, et al. v. Curo Health Services Holdings, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 3:13-00672 (M.D. Tenn.); United States,, et al. ex rel. Anderson et al. v. Curo Health Services, LLC d/b/a Avalon Hospice, Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-00168 (M.D. Tenn.); United States ex rel. Riar v. Kindred Healthcare, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 3:18-CV-52 (W.D. Ky.); United States ex rel. Didde, et al. v. Kindred Healthcare Inc. et al., Civil Action No. 19-2321-JWB-JPO (D. Kan.); United States ex rel. Mut v. Gentiva Certified Healthcare Corp. D/B/A Kindred at Home, Civil Action No. 1:21-cv-00425-JJM-PAS (D.R.I.); United States ex rel. Harris v. SouthernCare, Inc., Civil Action No. 3:18-cv-643-HTW-LGI (S.D. Miss.); United States,, et al. ex rel. Roy v. Curo Health Services, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 3:18-cv-643-HTA-LRA (S.D. Miss.); U.S. ex rel. Petrey v. Curo HealthCare Services, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 1:19-CV-00617 (S.D. Ala.), and United States ex rel. Medved, et al. v. SouthernCare, Inc. D/B/A SouthernCare, et al., Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-3345 (S.D. Ohio). The share of the settlement to be received by the whistleblowers has not yet been determined.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Kentucky, District of Kansas, District of Rhode Island, Southern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Alabama and Southern District of Ohio, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General and the Office of the Ohio Attorney General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney William E. Olson of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wynn M. Shuford for the Middle District of Tennessee, Jessica R.C. Malloy and William F. Campbell for the Western District of Kentucky, Jon P. Fleenor for the District of Kansas, Kevin Love Hubbard for the District of Rhode Island, Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi, Nina T. Herring for the Southern District of Alabama and W. Hunter West and Michael J. T. Downey for the Southern District of Ohio handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Lexington Felon Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Lexington, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 3 years and 1 month in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Gary Hoskins, 57, was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.
Hoskins was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On or about September 24, 2007, in Laurel Circuit Court, Laurel County, Kentucky, Hoskins, was convicted of second-degree burglary.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF Paducah Post of Duty with assistance from the Kentucky State Police and the Graves County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Emphasizes the Importance of Safe Storage of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY - Safe storage of firearms is an important tool for reducing the risk of unintentional shootings, helping to prevent firearm-related suicides, and for making our communities safer. In 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported firearm injuries to be among the five leading causes of death for people ages 1-44 in the United States and the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-19. Kentucky’s Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel’s 2023 Annual Report identified unsafe access to deadly means as a risk factor or characteristic in 83% of firearm-related cases and improper storage was identified in 90% of those cases. Proper storage of firearms can significantly reduce these risks, particularly among children and teenagers. Safe storage also protects adults by decreasing the risk of gun thefts, diversion of firearms to illegal markets, and criminal discharges of firearms. The change in seasons is a great time to review storage practices to ensure all firearms are stored safely.
“My commitment to reducing gun violence in our communities includes raising awareness of the safe storage of firearms,” said Western District of Kentucky U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “Secure storage saves lives by keeping guns out of the hands of children, at-risk persons who may do harm to themselves or others, and individuals who are prohibited by law from possessing firearms. I encourage the public to educate themselves on safe storage and all gun owners to take steps to securely store their firearms in their homes, businesses, and vehicles.”
The U.S. Department of Justice released Safe Storage of Firearms Unload it, Lock it, Store it, which discusses secure gun storage, different types of storage devices, and best practices for safely storing firearms. One of the most comprehensive guides on safe storage ever released by the federal government, this publication details safety and security suggestions for firearms. “These practical recommendations promote responsible gun ownership and provide effective safety measures,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett.
Nearly all firearm accidents in the home can be prevented by making sure that guns are kept unloaded. Keep ammunition locked in a secure location away from the firearm. When removing firearms from storage, always re-check firearms carefully and completely to be sure that they are still unloaded. Always treat every gun as if it were loaded.
If you must have quick access to a loaded firearm, make sure to take special safety precautions and keep them in a secure location readily accessible to responsible adults only. Gun locks or devices that prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device are effective and should be used as an additional safety precaution to make firearms inoperative to others. Keys and combinations for the safety device should be stored separately in a location inaccessible to children, at-risk persons, and prohibited persons. While gun locks increase safety, these additional precautionary tools should not be used as substitute for secure storage.
Every year, thousands of firearms are lost or stolen from homes, businesses, and vehicles. Data compiled for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)’s Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis shows that from 2017 to 2021, more than a million firearms were stolen from private citizens, making up 96% of all firearms reported stolen during that time period. Thefts from vehicles are the largest source of stolen guns, particularly those left in unlocked vehicles or in plain view. Across Kentucky, approximately 3,000 guns are stolen from vehicles yearly, which averages out to over eight thefts a day. To prevent these thefts, firearms should be stored in a locked cabinet, gun safe or gun vault, or secure storage compartment or case designed to be unlocked only by means of a key, a combination, or other similar means. By securely storing firearms, responsible gun owners can deter these thefts and stop firearms from circulating illegally and potentially being used in crimes.
Safe storage in the home is critical for preventing the risks of unintentional death, injury, or damage. If you live with a person who is at risk or legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, consider upgrading your storage levels to be absolutely certain that no firearm can be accessed. Always make sure any guns in the home are stored so that they are not accessible to children. Talk to children about the hazards of improper firearm use and teach them safe practices if they do come into contact with a gun. Talk to friends, relatives, or adults in homes where children may visit to ensure safe firearm storage practices are being followed in their homes. “Hiding a firearm, or telling a child not to play with a gun, is not enough to keep a curious child safe from unintentional injuries,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We must all be committed to taking affirmative steps to secure firearms in order to protect our loved ones and keep our homes and communities safe.”
The safety and security practices outlined by the Department of Justice are recommendations only. Responsible gun owners should also be aware of all federal, state, and local laws regarding the purchase, possession, carrying, use, storage, and disposition or sale of firearms.
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United States Attorney Celebrates 60 Years of Civil Rights Progress, Reminds Community of Their VoiceRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, joined national leaders this week in celebrating this monumental step forward in our country’s journey towards equality.
“Our office stands firmly committed to upholding the principles enshrined in the Civil Rights Act,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue our diligent efforts to protect and uphold civil rights throughout the Western District of Kentucky.”
The United States Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Program seeks to protect the rights of the most vulnerable and underserved members of our community through enforcement of both federal civil and criminal civil rights laws. In addition to other Assistant U.S. Attorneys who handle civil rights cases, the office has two designated civil attorneys, Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica R. C. Malloy and Calesia Henson, who specialize in enforcing laws prohibiting discrimination. This includes protecting against discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, or disability, as well as protecting the civil rights of servicemembers, incarcerated persons and individuals housed in public institutions, and individuals with limited English proficiency. The Office has also designated two Assistant United States Attorneys in its Criminal Division to coordinate efforts to prosecute violations of criminal civil rights statutes. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Tieke coordinates the prosecution of criminal civil rights violations, and Assistant United States Attorney Erin McKenzie coordinates the criminal prosecution of human trafficking, which involves the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex.
If you believe your civil rights have been violated, please call the United States Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Program at (502) 582-6023, send an email to [email protected], or mail your complaint to:
Attn: Civil Rights Program
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Kentucky
Louisville, KY 40202
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New Mexico Man is the Fifth Defendant Sentenced in a Grandparent Scam that Targeted Kentucky Victims and OthersRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A New Mexico man was sentenced last week to 1 year and 6 months in federal prison for his role in a sweeping “grandparent scam” that targeted victims in Kentucky and across the United States through Canadian-based call centers.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service made the announcement.
According to court documents, callers would convince senior victims that their grandchild or other family member had an emergency, usually a car accident, and urgently needed money from the victim. Co-conspirators posing as “couriers” would then collect cash from victims at home and others would launder the criminal proceeds, both through traditional banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. The charged wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy spanned from August 2020 to May 2021 and impacted hundreds of victims across the United States—including in Kentucky—who lost over $3 million in total.
Robert Louis Sanchez, 57, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced last week to 1 year and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in April, for his role both as a courier and sometimes as the “safehouse” who would guard cash that was taken from victims.
Four other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced in the case.
Jairo Ostia Roberts, 44, who traveled from Panama to the United States to act as a courier in the scheme, was sentenced on March 9, 2023, to 6 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy. Roberts was removed to Panama upon his release from U.S. Bureau of Prisons custody.
Panama Abel Diaz Adames, 39, who also traveled from Panama to the United States to act as a courier in the scheme, was sentenced on April 4, 2024, to 1 year and 4 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy.
Christopher Courcoulacos, 46, a Canadian citizen who had been residing in Panama, was considered a “manager or supervisor” within the conspiracy, and was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy.
Mark Anthony Phillips, 44, of Ruskin, Florida, was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to a money laundering conspiracy charged in the Western District of Kentucky, as well as pleading guilty to five additional money laundering counts, originally charged in the Western District of New York, which were transferred to Kentucky for guilty pleas and sentencing.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI and USSS with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne E. Keel prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced this week to 5 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Interim Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Joshua Young, 28, was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony offense.
Young was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On September 5, 2018, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Young was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
On July 7, 2017, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Young was convicted of receiving stolen property under $10,000.
On February 13, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Young was convicted of promoting contraband in the first degree.
On January 29, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Young was convicted of retaliating against a participant in the legal process.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Lantz and Erin McKenzie prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Participation in Coordinated National Health Care Fraud Enforcement ActionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced criminal charges against six defendants in connection with schemes to defraud health care benefit programs and misuse of controlled substances in the Western District of Kentucky. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The charges stem from three unlawful billing schemes, one opioid theft scheme, and a doctor who allowed his staff to issue Schedule II controlled substance prescriptions in his absence.
“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Bennett are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District to Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The Western District of Kentucky, in particular, worked with the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the Defense Criminal Investigative Services; the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL); the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); the Kentucky State Police (KSP); the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General; the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control; and the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD).
The following individuals have been charged in the Western District of Kentucky:
Shafi Abbas, 57, of Pendleton, Kentucky, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $2.6 million in Medicare funds. According to the information, Abbas, through Aidmen Medical Equipment LLC and Justright Medical Equipment LLC, fraudulently billed Medicare for durable medical equipment, which was medically unnecessary, unwanted by patients, and not prescribed by the patients’ medical providers. Based on those false and fraudulent claims, Medicare paid approximately $1.3 million. In addition, Abbas allegedly transferred offshore the proceeds of health care fraud in a value greater than $10,000. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Ansari of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Carissa Uptegraff, 44, of Glasgow, Kentucky, was charged by indictment with theft of medical products. According to the indictment, Uptegraff, a pharmacy employee, stole a pre-retail medical product, oxycodone, which had a value over $5,000. The alleged thefts took place at two different pharmacies prior to the controlled substances being made available for retail purchase by a consumer. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Ansari of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Dr. Lawrence Peters, 62, of Louisville, Kentucky, was charged by information with conspiracy to illegally use a Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) registration number issued to another. According to the information, Dr. Lawrence Peters allegedly conspired with others in his medical practice to issue pre-signed and unsigned prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances and further directed his staff to fill the prescriptions at his physician’s owned pharmacy. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Ansari and Chris Tieke of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Tammy Daniels a/k/a Tammy Richardson, 55, of Louisville, Kentucky, was charged by indictment with wire fraud and health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $750,000 from her employer, a medical practice, and over $422,000 in Medicare funds. According to the indictment, Daniels was employed as the accounts manager for a medical practice when she used the medical practice’s credit cards to purchase personal items, transferred money from the practice’s bank account to pay the credit card invoices, transferred money from the practice’s bank account to pay for other personal credit card purchases, and used her access and position to bill for false and fraudulent medical procedures to pay credit card invoices in order to hide the unlawful use of the credit cards, all without her employer’s knowledge and authorization. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, health care benefit programs, including Medicare, paid over $79,000. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Ansari of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Michael Boaz, 45, and Christopher Augustus, 40, of Clinton, Kentucky were charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1,000,000 from health care benefit programs. According to the indictment, Boaz and Augustus falsely and fraudulently billed various health care benefit programs for medications dispensed from the Clinton and Bardwell Pharmacies by using material misrepresentations, material omissions, and deception in order to obtain authorization for the medications from physicians and nurse practitioners. In addition, the indictment alleges that Boaz and Augustus knowingly possessed, transferred, or used the means of identification two individuals, a nurse practitioner, and a physician, including the individuals’ names and unique National Provider Identifier numbers, without lawful authority, in relation to the health care fraud. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Hopkinsville Man Sentenced to over 14 Years for Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine and Fentanyl While on Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY - A Hopkinsville, Kentucky man was sentenced this week to a total of 14 years and 5 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl while on federal supervision from a previous federal conviction.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek G. Davodowich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Christian County Sheriff Tyler DeArmond, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Daniel Major, 43, of Hopkinsville, was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Major received an additional sentence of 2 years and 9 months for violating his federal supervision on a previous conviction.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty, with assistance from the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders on Saturday, June 15, 2024, in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk.
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be physical, sexual, psychological, or financial. One in ten people over the age of 60 has experienced some form of elder abuse, with cases still widely underreported. An estimated $28.3 billion is lost to elder fraud scams each year. Nationally, the Department of Justice brought nearly 300 criminal and civil actions against more than 650 defendants in the last year, who collectively stole more than $1.5 billion from over 2.4 million victims. In Kentucky, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 908 complaints in 2023 involving individuals over 60, reporting a loss of $12,769,949. This age group lost more to financial scams than all other age groups combined.
Information and vigilance remain key elements to preventing elder abuse and fraud against seniors. Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett emphasized the importance of public awareness. “Our office is committed to prosecuting these cases across our District, but we need your help to prevent abuse and financial exploitation before it occurs. Listen to older adults and their caregivers to understand their challenges and provide support. Check-in on vulnerable adults who may have few friends and family members. Look for unexplained injuries and increased isolation. Share tips with seniors to help them recognize fraud, avoid phishing scams, and stay safe online. Watch for unusual financial transactions, such as unexplained withdrawals, purchases of gold bars or cryptocurrency, or uncharacteristic efforts to wire large amounts of money. Most importantly, report concerns or suspected abuse to local adult protective services, long-term care ombudsman, or law enforcement. By shining a light on elder abuse, we can work together towards a community where all members, regardless of age, are valued and protected.”
The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat financial exploitation. The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.
Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation in Kentucky, call the Kentucky Child/Adult Abuse Hotline at 1-877-597-2331, or report online using the Cabinet for Health and Family Services Kentucky Child/Adult Protective Services Reporting System (for non-emergency reports).
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311, and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
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Jury Convicts Kentucky Man of Multiple Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, convicted a Kentucky man yesterday of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and receiving military-type training from ISIS. ISIS is a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 3, 2014, Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 34, and two co-conspirators coordinated their departure from the United States, arriving separately in Istanbul, Turkey. They abandoned the rest of their purchased travel itineraries, and purchased tickets to fly to Gaziantep, Turkey. Gaziantep is located near the Turkey-Syrian border, and from there, Ramic and the two co-conspirators crossed into Syria and joined ISIS.
The evidence at trial established that after joining ISIS, Ramic attended an ISIS training camp, where he received military-type training. A photograph of Ramic, posted on social media, depicted him, among other things, wearing camouflage clothing and standing in front of a truck outfitted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag.
After joining ISIS, Ramic and his co-conspirators remained in contact with each other and discussed, among other things, his use of an anti-aircraft weapon to shoot at planes. Ramic and his co-conspirators also discussed jihad, martyrdom and fighting for ISIS. Ramic, a dual U.S.-Bosnian citizen, joined an ISIS fighting unit comprised primarily of Bosnian foreign fighters, and participated in an ISIS offensive in Kobane, Syria.
Ramic has been in federal custody since December 2021, after being deported to the United States from Turkey.
Ramic is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 and a term of supervised release up to life. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky and Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kevin C. Nunnally and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Kentucky Man of Multiple Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, convicted a Kentucky man yesterday of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and receiving military-type training from ISIS. ISIS is a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 3, 2014, Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 34, and two co-conspirators coordinated their departure from the United States, arriving separately in Istanbul, Turkey. They abandoned the rest of their purchased travel itineraries, and purchased tickets to fly to Gaziantep, Turkey. Gaziantep is located near the Turkey-Syrian border, and from there, Ramic and the two co-conspirators crossed into Syria and joined ISIS.
The evidence at trial established that after joining ISIS, Ramic attended an ISIS training camp, where he received military-type training. A photograph of Ramic, posted on social media, depicted him, among other things, wearing camouflage clothing and standing in front of a truck outfitted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag.
After joining ISIS, Ramic and his co-conspirators remained in contact with each other and discussed, among other things, his use of an anti-aircraft weapon to shoot at planes. Ramic and his co-conspirators also discussed jihad, martyrdom and fighting for ISIS. Ramic, a dual U.S.-Bosnian citizen, joined an ISIS fighting unit comprised primarily of Bosnian foreign fighters, and participated in an ISIS offensive in Kobane, Syria.
Ramic has been in federal custody since December 2021, after being deported to the United States from Turkey.
Ramic is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 and a term of supervised release up to life. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky and Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kevin C. Nunnally and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Judd and Christopher Tieke for the Western District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indictment Charges Money Laundering, Obstruction, and Falsifying DocumentsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on June 4, 2024, charging money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of government proceedings, and falsifying documents related to a federal investigation. Three Louisville residents were charged in the indictment.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Joseph Lanham, 41, Laura Lanham, 64, and Richard “Ricky” Elble II, 43, between April 2016 and May 2023, conspired to launder proceeds from Joseph Lanham’s drug trafficking operation, primarily through real estate transactions and other large purchases made with drug money. Joseph Lanham is also charged with four counts of money laundering for conducting transactions over $10,000 with criminal proceeds, one count of obstruction of government proceedings, namely administrative asset forfeiture proceedings, and one count of falsifying documents related to a federal investigation. Laura Lanham is also charged with one count of money laundering for conducting transactions over $10,000 with criminal proceeds.
On June 6, 2024, Laura Lanham and Joseph Lanham each made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Elble made his initial appearance on June 7, 2024. If convicted, Joseph Lanham faces a maximum sentence of 85 years in prison, Laura Lanham faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and Elble faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Jeffersontown Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Louisville Metro Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne E. Keel and Erin G. McKenzie are prosecuting this case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Henderson Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison for Causing Two Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – Yesterday, a Henderson, Kentucky, man was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for two counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Chief Sean L. McKinney of the Henderson Police Department, and Sheriff David Crafton of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Elijah Lovell, 20, was sentenced to 23 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for two counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Between December 27, 2021, and January 31, 2022, Lovell distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person, “J.H.” Additionally, on or about May 5, 2022, Lovell distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person, “C.G.”
“Let this sentence serve notice to those who traffic drugs in the Western District that this office, together with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who cause the tragic loss of life through the distribution of their poison,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “I commend the Henderson Police Department and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work and partnership during the investigation and prosecution of this case.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
The Henderson Police Department and Henderson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl prosecuted the case.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Lafayette, Tennessee, man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 6 months in federal prison for defrauding the federal crop insurance program.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, Administrator Marcia Bunger of the United States Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency (RMA), and RMA Special Investigations Division, and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, David Garrett Manion, 61, was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3.5 million in restitution, for defrauding the federal crop insurance program between 2016 and 2022. Manion also has a prior 2016 conviction for defrauding the federal crop insurance program. As part of that 2016 case, Manion agreed to a five-year debarment from the federal crop insurance program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency. While that case was being resolved, however, Manion devised a scheme under which other family members applied for and received crop insurance for tobacco that was farmed by and belonged to Manion. In addition to $3.5 million in criminal restitution, Manion agreed to pay the Risk Management Agency nearly $5.5 million to resolve other outstanding issues.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, Special Investigations, and the FBI Bowling Green Resident Agency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser prosecuted the case.
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Two Owensboro Men Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Owensboro, KY – Two local men were sentenced to decades in federal prison after they were convicted at a jury trial last year for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons of the DEA Chicago Field Division, and Chief Art Ealum of the Owensboro Police Department made the announcement.
“I commend the outstanding work of the trial team, the DEA, and the Owensboro Police Department for their untiring work and dedication during the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “In addition, the assistance provided by our federal, state, and local partners from across the area was crucial to ensuring a successful prosecution of the defendants. The lengthy prison sentences handed down by the Court will make the Western District safer for all who live, work, and visit here.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Cedric Swanagan, 37, and Courtland Reed, 32, were convicted of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine between September 2021 and April 4, 2022, in Daviess County, Kentucky and elsewhere. The jury also convicted both Swanagan and Reed of possession with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine on February 22, 2022, in Daviess County and elsewhere. The evidence presented at trial included recorded phone calls between the defendants that were intercepted during a federal wiretap investigation and evidence involving approximately 876 grams of pure methamphetamine associated with the defendants.
The jury further found that Swanagan had committed one serious drug felony and that Reed had committed one serious drug felony and one violent felony prior to committing the offenses in this case. These findings increased the mandatory minimum sentences for both defendants.
On May 23, 2024, Swanagan was sentenced by a United States District Court Judge for the Western District of Kentucky to 30 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
On February 6, 2024, Reed was sentenced by a United States District Court Judge for the Western District of Kentucky to 25 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA and the Owensboro Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Indiana State Police, the Kentucky State Police, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, the McLean County Sheriff’s Office, and the Owensboro-Daviess County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter prosecuted the case, with assistance from paralegal specialist Aaron Cooper.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF
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Two Men Indicted Federally in Bowling Green for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on May 15, 2024, charging two men with methamphetamine trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Erek Davodwich, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Brandon Ford of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 22, 2024, John E. Marks, 61, of Scottsville, Kentucky, and Samuel Corey Vanmeter, 34, of Brownsville, Kentucky, possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Allen County, Kentucky.
Marks made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 20, 2024. Vanmeter made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on May 21, 2024.
Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA Bowling Green Resident Agency and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case with the assistance of the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tompkinsville Woman Sentenced to over 3 Years for Stalking and Mailing ThreatsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Tompkinsville, Kentucky woman was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 3 months in federal prison for stalking and mailing threating communications to a government official in 2023.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the Louisville Field Office, and Chief Michael Delaney of the Bowling Green Police Department made the announcement.
According to court records, Tara K. Thomas, 32, was sentenced to 3 years and 3 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised, for one count of stalking and one count of mailing threatening communications.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Thomas sent multiple threating communications to a government official via Facebook Messenger on September 21, 2021. In January 2023, while an inmate at the Warren County Detention Center, she sent multiple threating communications to the same government official through the United States Postal Service.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bowling Green Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Hopkinsville Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville, Kentucky man was sentenced this week to five years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Ronald Yeatts of the United States Army’s Central Investigations Division at Fort Campbell, and Christian County Sheriff Tyler DeArmond made the announcement.
According to court documents, Stephen Antwain Taylor, 31, was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Army’s Central Investigations Division at Fort Campbell and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the DEA Paducah Post of Duty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Warren County Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Federal Sex Offender Registry ViolationRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Warren County, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 2 years in federal prison for failing to update his Sex Offender Registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and United States Marshal Gary B. Burman of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.
According to court documents, Kelly Lamont Mason, 52, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for one count of failing to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Mason was required to register by reason of a conviction under state law and knowingly failed to update a registration as required by SORNA.
On June 26, 2003, Mason pleaded guilty to counts of sexual battery by an authority figure in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-527, in the 20th Judicial District, Judicial Division III, Criminal Court of Davidson County, Tennessee, Case Number 2002-C-1636. This prior criminal conviction carries a lifetime registration requirement under SORNA, which Mason was both aware of and previously affirmed his knowledge of by signed document. In the summer of 2023, Mason moved to Warren County, Kentucky, where he knowingly failed to update his SORNA registration.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Louisville Woman Sentenced to over 1 Year in Federal Prison for CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, woman was sentenced yesterday to 1 year and 2 months in federal prison for charges related to her submission of four fraudulent Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act applications.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division, made the announcement.
According to court documents, Darlene McCoy, 67, was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for four counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of money laundering related to fraud involving the CARES Act financial assistance program.
There is no parole in the federal system.
McCoy was also ordered to pay $165,416 in restitution.
McCoy filed, or caused to be filed, one fraudulent application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and three applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between June 18, 2020, and May 19, 2021, seeking more than $182,000 and resulting in the theft of $165,416. McCoy utilized the entities Letz Get It Crackin’, LLC and Darlene McCoy d/b/a Reds Creative Events to file the applications. McCoy organized Letz Get It Crackin’ after the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic and did not register the entity Darlene McCoy with the Commonwealth of Kentucky. McCoy falsely exaggerated the number of employees, revenue, cost of goods sold, and payroll expenses of those entities in the fraudulent applications and provided false tax forms in support of the applications.
This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Elver prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes the Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY - In honor of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. National Police Week is observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
“Every day, our law enforcement partners across the Western District of Kentucky put everything on the line to protect and serve our communities. Please join our office in honoring these courageous men and women as we express our heartfelt gratitude for their service. Especially during this National Police Week, we pause to remember those officers that we have lost and extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, and fellow officers left behind. Their commitment and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention CentersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions at eight youth detention centers and one youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice.
The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects children confined in these facilities from harm caused by excessive force by staff, prolonged and punitive isolation and inadequate protection from violence and sexual abuse. The investigation will also examine whether Kentucky provides adequate mental health services and required special education and related services to children with disabilities.
“Confinement in the juvenile justice system should help children avoid future contact with law enforcement and mature into law-abiding, productive members of society. Too often, juvenile justice facilities break our children, exposing them to dangerous and traumatic conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching this investigation to ensure that children in Kentucky youth detention facilities are safe from harm, receive adequate mental health care and get appropriate special education services. All children held in the custody of the state deserve safe and humane conditions that can bring about true rehabilitation and reform.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky stands ready to protect the rights of all children in Kentucky, including those who end up in juvenile detention,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “We look forward to partnering with the Civil Rights Division and our colleagues in the Eastern District to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these allegations.”
This investigation focuses on detention centers, which primarily hold children awaiting a court hearing. Nationally, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year, holding approximately 16,000 youth on any given night. The average length of stay for a child in detention is 27 days. Research shows that even far shorter stays can have profound and potentially lifelong negative consequences for children.
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile justice facilities.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (888) 392-8241 or by email at [email protected].
The division recently secured a settlement agreement involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Broad River Road Complex, the state’s only long-term post-adjudication facility for children, and is currently investigating conditions at five post-adjudication facilities for children in Texas. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work protecting children’s rights in the juvenile justice system is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles.
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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention Centers
Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Conditions at Kentucky Youth Detention CentersRead the Press Release
Remote video URL
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions at eight youth detention centers and one youth development center run by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice.The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects children confined in these facilities from harm caused by excessive force by staff, prolonged and punitive isolation and inadequate protection from violence and sexual abuse. The investigation will also examine whether Kentucky provides adequate mental health services and required special education and related services to children with disabilities.
“Confinement in the juvenile justice system should help children avoid future contact with law enforcement and mature into law-abiding, productive members of society. Too often, juvenile justice facilities break our children, exposing them to dangerous and traumatic conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are launching this investigation to ensure that children in Kentucky youth detention facilities are safe from harm, receive adequate mental health care and get appropriate special education services. All children held in the custody of the state deserve safe and humane conditions that can bring about true rehabilitation and reform.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky stands ready to protect the rights of all children in Kentucky, including those who end up in juvenile detention,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “We look forward to partnering with the Civil Rights Division and our colleagues in the Eastern District to conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these allegations.”
This investigation focuses on detention centers, which primarily hold children awaiting a court hearing. Nationally, detention centers admit nearly 200,000 children every year, holding approximately 16,000 youth on any given night. The average length of stay for a child in detention is 27 days. Research shows that even far shorter stays can have profound and potentially lifelong negative consequences for children.
The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Both statutes give the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile justice facilities.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (888) 392-8241 or by email at [email protected].
The division recently secured a settlement agreement involving the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice’s Broad River Road Complex, the state’s only long-term post-adjudication facility for children, and is currently investigating conditions at five post-adjudication facilities for children in Texas. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work protecting children’s rights in the juvenile justice system is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles.
Five Men Sentenced in a Federal Case Involving Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy, Illegally Possessing a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Money Laundering Conspiracy, and Retaliating Against a WitnessRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – This week the last of five defendants was sentenced in a case involving methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, money laundering, and retaliating against a witness.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek Davodwich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Ron Eckart of the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, Steven Edlin, 50, of Loretto, Kentucky was sentenced on May 8, 2024, to 1 year in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of retaliating against a witness.
Chaz Hughes, 31, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 10 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 40 grams of fentanyl, two counts of money laundering, and one count conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Bryson Sleet, 26, of Lebanon, Kentucky, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 5 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sleet was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On November 20, 2018, in Taylor Circuit Court, Sleet was convicted of possession of cocaine.
On December 22, 2021, in Marion Circuit Court, Sleet, was convicted of possession of a controlled substance.
On January 7, 2021, in Marion Circuit Court, Sleet was convicted of trafficking in cocaine and possession of methamphetamine.
Curtis Cunningham, 27, of Lebanon, Kentucky, was sentenced on February 14, 2024, to 6 months home detention, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Joshua Salazar, 34, of Lebanon, Kentucky, was sentenced on February 8, 2024, to 12 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 40 grams of fentanyl, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, six counts of money laundering, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Salazar was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On July 29, 2011, in Marion Circuit Court, Salazar was convicted of trafficking in cocaine.
On August 19, 2016, in Nelson Circuit Court, Salazar, was convicted of trafficking in cocaine, felon in possession of a handgun, and felon in possession of a firearm.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the IRS, the ATF, the KSP, and the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two People for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on May 7, 2024, charging a Frankfort man and woman with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, from May 2021 to December 2022, Kendrick C. Brown, 33, and Brooke R. Williams, 33, both formerly of Louisville, unlawfully obtained money and property totaling over $130,000 from a federally insured financial institution. Brown and Williams utilized several business entities they created to obtain commercial lines of credit. Using lines of credit issued to “Kendrick Brown Properties, LLC,” “BBS Tax Services, LLC,” and “Little Brown People, LLC,” Brown and Williams funded personal expenditures on items such as jewelry, salon visits, high-end clothing, dining out, and thousands of dollars in retail gift cards. As they approached and exceeded the limits on the commercial lines of credit, Brown and Williams made a series of fraudulent transactions that appeared to be automated clearinghouse (“ACH”) payments on the accounts. In making these fraudulent transactions, Brown and Williams used account numbers for closed accounts and accounts belonging to other people. These fraudulent transactions temporarily freed up more credit on the accounts and Brown and Williams continued to make fraudulent purchases.
Brown and Williams made their initial court appearances yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Brown and Williams each face a maximum sentence of 120 years in prison followed by a mandatory minimum 24 months in prison for identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin McKenzie is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky joined the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) and the Department of Justice as a whole, as well as advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice professionals, police and first responders, and communities across the U.S., in observing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). “I encourage the public to join with us in raising awareness and supporting survivors,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett.
Sexual assault includes any nonconsensual sexual act proscribed by federal, tribal, or state law, including when victims lack the capacity to consent. “It is a serious crime that affects far too many in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. More than half of women and nearly one-third of men experience physical sexual violence during their lifetimes, according to CDC survey data. Also, women and racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately impacted when it comes to sexual violence. American Indian, Alaska Native, and multiracial women report rape victimization more than 1.5 times the national rate. Additionally, lesbian women, gay men, and bisexual women and men report experiencing sexual violence, rape, sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact, and sexual harassment in a public place at higher rates than heterosexual men and women. Further, people with intellectual disabilities are sexually assaulted at a rate seven times higher than that of people without disabilities, according to an analysis of Department of Justice data.
Online harassment and abuse is also very harmful. Cybercrimes, such as the sharing of intimate images of someone without their consent, are often used to intimidate, coerce, stalk, or harass a victim. Virtual acts of sexual violence can cause a victim to experience substantial trauma and fear for their physical safety. “Our Office is fully committed to holding perpetrators accountable and supporting all victims throughout the legal process, ensuring their rights are protected and their voices are heard,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett.
Due to the prevalence of sexual assault in our society and its traumatic impact on victims, it is critically important to create supportive environments for anyone harmed and teach young people ways to prevent sexual assault. It is especially necessary to reach young people with information and resources about sexual violence because CDC survey data shows over 80 percent of rape survivors report that they were first raped before age 25. During this month of awareness, we can discuss ways to prevent sexual assault in our communities through bystander intervention and empower survivors through mobilization of allies.
DOJ-funded programs provide valuable resources to enhance prevention efforts, increase availability of trauma-informed services for survivors, and support law enforcement initiatives. OVW and the Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) grant recipients lead programs that meaningfully and compassionately address sexual violence and promote victim safety. During the 2023 fiscal year, organizations providing essential services to sexual assault survivors in the Western District of Kentucky were awarded over $782,036 in grant funding under OVW’s State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program and OVW’s Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program to further their support of sexual assault survivors. In addition, the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet was awarded $2,445,428 under OVW’s STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable. “I encourage victim services providers and justice partners across our District to learn more about the federal grant funding opportunities available to further bolster coordinated community responses to sexual assault in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. Grants.gov is an excellent source of information on federal grants across all federal agencies, including active DOJ grant funding opportunities.
“As we near the end of April and of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we must rededicate ourselves to increasing public awareness, supporting survivors, and ending sexual violence in all forms, not just in April, but all year round” said U.S. Attorney Bennett.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone. There are many services available to help. Connect with a counselor anonymously by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In addition, you can find a local resources page on OVW’s website, which lists resources and services in your area, as well as opportunities to get involved. If you or someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Men for Conspiracy to Traffic Heroin, Fentanyl, and CocaineRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on April 17, 2024, charging two Louisville men with conspiracy to traffic heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Brent Goldsberry, 40, and Marcus McGinnis, 33, were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances that included heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. These offenses occurred between January 18, 2024, and April 10, 2024.
McGinnis made his initial court appearance this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered McGinnis detained pending trial. Goldsberry is currently in state custody and has not been scheduled for an initial court appearance yet. If convicted, Goldsberry and McGinnis each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Lantz is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Louisville Man Indicted for Controlled Substances Conspiracy, Heroin, and Fentanyl Trafficking Offenses and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on April 17, 2024, charging a Louisville man with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville and Acting Special Agent in Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Garron Board, 39, was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and laundering of monetary instruments. These offenses occurred between March 24, 2023, and April 4, 2024.
The defendant made his initial court appearance last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Board faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI and IRS-CI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Louisville Pediatrician Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Murder-for-Hire and Aiding and Abetting Interstate StalkingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –Stephanie M. Russell entered a plea of guilty to two counts of a federal indictment charging her with using a facility in interstate commerce, or causing another person to travel in interstate commerce, in the attempted murder-for-hire of her ex-husband, as well as aiding and abetting interstate stalking of her ex-husband. Russell entered her guilty plea this morning, on the same day her jury trial was scheduled to commence.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court records, Stephanie M. Russell, 53, a pediatrician, owned and ran KidzLife Pediatrics in Norton Commons, in Louisville, Kentucky. Beginning in July 2021, Russell caused another to travel in interstate commerce, and used a telephone, a facility of interstate commerce, with the intent that the murder of her former husband, R.C., be committed in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and offered to pay for that murder.
In July 2021, during a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, R.C., Russell began soliciting multiple KidzLife employees, asking if they knew someone who would be willing to kill R.C. In the spring of 2022, the FBI was notified of Russell’s solicitations, and began an investigation. As part of that investigation, a cooperating witness provided Russell with the telephone number of a purported hitman from the Chicago area. That hitman was an FBI Special Agent working undercover. Beginning on May 15, 2022, Russell had several recorded telephone conversations with the purported hitman. In one call, Russell and the purported hitman had the following exchange:
Hitman: Obviously you want [R.C.] killed, right, . . . ?
Russell: I want him to be completely gone from my life, yes . . . .
Hitman: Well I mean that can be in the Bahamas, but I don’t think we’re talking a vacation away. I think we’re talking in the ground.
Russell: I mean, do you like, do they disappear? Do you like shoot them on the road? Like what happens? Or should I just not know?
Hitman: It really depends on, I mean, price dictates. That’s just how that goes. The more work I got to do, the more it’s going to cost you, but it could be, do you want it to look like a suicide? Do you want it to . . .
Russell: Yes, that would be amazing.
Russell ultimately agreed to pay the purported hitman $7,000, with half due up front. On May 18, 2022, Russell was caught on surveillance video leaving $3,500 in a specimen box outside the KidzLife building for the hitman to retrieve. The purported hitman drove to Louisville from Illinois and was videotaped as he picked up the payment. The FBI arrested Russell the next day.
Further, according to court documents and evidence presented at the change of plea hearing, between December 1, 2018, and August 9, 2019, during custody litigation, Russell, aided and abetted by J.S., a person who traveled to Louisville from Michigan, engaged in conduct that caused and attempted to cause her former husband substantial emotional distress, and Russell did so with the intent to harass and intimidate him. Specifically, Russell encouraged J.S. to harass R.C., and provided J.S. with a burner phone to use while doing so. The harassing conduct included visiting R.C.’s office unannounced, pretending to be a WAVE-3 reporter and leaving R.C. accusatory voicemails from the phone provided by Russell on R.C.’s phone, entering R.C.’s garage and leaving a note inside the garage pretending to be a reporter writing a derogatory story that could involve R.C., and by leaving fliers, with R.C.’s photograph and other personal identifying information, on cars at R.C.’s office. The fliers contained defamatory allegations of misconduct and were intended to be viewed by R.C.’s co-workers, supervisors, and potentially clients.
Russell is scheduled for sentencing on July 31, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Russell remains detained pending sentencing. She faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Ford and David Weiser are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal specialist Adela Alic.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Owensboro Felon for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky returned an indictment on April 10, 2024, charging an Owensboro man with possessing 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture with the intent to distribute it, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Brad Youngman of the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 19, 2023, in Daviess County, Kentucky, Shai Chance Sheriff, 24, possessed with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture, possessed a Smith & Wesson.40-calliber pistol and a Glock .45-calliber semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Sheriff was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On June 28, 2019, in Daviess Circuit Court, Sheriff was convicted of robbery in the second degree.
The defendant was arraigned last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Sheriff faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Resident Office and the FBI Owensboro Resident Office with assistance from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Owensboro Felon for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on February 14, 2024, charging an Owensboro man with possessing a fentanyl mixture with the intent to distribute it, possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons of the DEA Chicago Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on September 6, 2023, in Daviess County, Kentucky, Donte Monzel Washington, 31, possessed with the intent to distribute a fentanyl mixture, possessed a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Washington was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On April 5, 2012, in Daviess Circuit Court, Washington, was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense (< 4 grams cocaine).
On October 31, 2013, in Daviess Circuit Court, Washington, was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense (>= 4 grams cocaine).
On January 17, 2018, in Daviess Circuit Court, Washington, was convicted of being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
The defendant made an initial court appearance last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Washington faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the DEA Evansville Resident Office with assistance from the ATF, KSP, and Owensboro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Indiana Man for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a three-count indictment on March 15, 2024, charging an Indiana man with sexually exploiting a child.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Sheriff Todd DeArmond of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Jason Webster, 29, of Lafayette, Indiana, was charged with online enticement of a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. This conduct occurred between June 2023 through September 2023 in Todd County, Kentucky.
The defendant made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky this week. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Webster faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the HSI Bowling Green Field Office and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, the HSI Hammond, Indiana, Field Office, the HSI Indianapolis, Indiana, Field Office, and the Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Hopkinsville Felon for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned an indictment on February 13, 2024, charging a Hopkinsville man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Tyrone Poindexter, 42, possessed a Taurus .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Poindexter was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On July 11, 2000, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of complicity to first-degree manslaughter, complicity to first-degree robbery, and tampering with physical evidence.
On June 11, 2013, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of theft by unlawful taking – automobile, first degree criminal mischief, convicted felon in possession of a handgun, and first degree fleeing or evading police.
On October 18, 2017, in Christian Circuit Court, Poindexter was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Poindexter made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky on April 15, 2024. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Poindexter faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Post of Duty and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Western Kentucky Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Two western Kentucky men were sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking yesterday.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek G. Davodowich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Matt Hillbrecht of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
Yesterday, Fabian Thomas, 34, of Mayfield, Kentucky and Puryear, Tennessee, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. On April 4 and April 22, 2022, in McCracken County, Kentucky, Thomas distributed more than 5 grams of grams of methamphetamine. On April 21, 2022, on 2 separate occasions, in McCracken County, Kentucky, Thomas, possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of grams of methamphetamine.
Previously, on March 26, 2024, Ronald McClure, 37, of Paducah, Kentucky and Peachtree City, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. On April 21, 2022, in McCracken County, Kentucky, McClure possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the DEA Paducah Post of Duty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Tennessee Felon Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Lafayette, Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after previously been convicted of a felony.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Christopher R. Blankenship, 42, of Lafayette, Tennessee, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Ruger, model P94, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, a Smith and Wesson, model SD40 VE, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and ammunition on June 12, 2022, in Allen County, Kentucky. Blankenship was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On July 31, 2013, in Macon Circuit Court, Macon County, Tennessee, Blankenship was convicted of vehicular homicide-intoxication.
On March 28, 2011, in Macon Circuit Court, Macon County, Tennessee, Blankenship was convicted of aggravated assault.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office with assistance from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. Yurchisin II and R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Paducah Felon Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Paducah man was sentenced yesterday to 7 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Brian Laird of the Paducah Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Myree Marshall, 51, was sentenced to 7 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a SCCY, model CPX-2, 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol on August 8 and 9, 2020. Marshall was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On February 10, 1995, in McCracken Circuit Court, Marshall was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
On March 25, 2004, in McCracken Circuit Court, Marshall was convicted of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.
On January 24, 2019, in McCracken Circuit Court, Marshall was convicted of assault under extreme emotional disturbance.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Paducah Police Department and the ATF Paducah Satellite Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Murray Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Murray, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 5 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek G. Davodowich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Nicky Knight of the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Gary Sims, 49, of Murray, was sentenced to 5 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. On June 23, August 11, and August 18, 2021, in Calloway County, Kentucky, Sims distributed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. On August 18, 2022, in Calloway County, Kentucky, Sims possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of grams of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police, and DEA Paducah Post of Duty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Hopkinsville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek G. Davodowich of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Daniel Champion, 42, of Hopkinsville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On June 29, 2021, in Christian County, Kentucky, Champion possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty and the Hopkinsville Police Department, with assistance from the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Calloway County Felon Sentenced to over 3 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Calloway County man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 10 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Sheriff Nicky Knight of the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Ronnie Harold Sharp, 49, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a Smith & Wesson, model SW40VE, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol and a Smith & Wesson, model 32-1, .38 caliber revolver on March 14, 2022. Sharp was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On June 10, 2013, in Calloway Circuit Court, Sharp was convicted of theft by unlawful taking over $500, theft of an automobile, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, receiving stolen property over $500, first-degree fleeing or evading police, and manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense.
On May 5, 2005, in Calloway Circuit Court, Sharp was convicted of two counts of complicity to second-degree assault, criminal attempt to manufacture methamphetamine, and possession of anhydrous ammonia.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF Paducah Satellite Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Online EnticementRead the Press Release
Louisville, Ky. – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Joshua Ryan Teichman, 33, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for one count of attempted online enticement of a minor. Teichman used a cellular telephone to access online applications via the internet to communicate with a minor female and an undercover law enforcement agent he believed to be the minor female. During those communications he knowingly attempted to entice the minor to engage in criminal sexual activity by exchanging sexually explicit images and making plans to meet in person for sexual contact.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorneys A. Spencer McKiness and Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of Children and Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for attempted sex trafficking of children and attempted online enticement of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service, and Chief Richard Sanders of the Jeffersontown Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Justin Nelson Aubrey, 26, was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for one count of attempted sex trafficking of children and one count of attempted online enticement of a minor. Aubrey used a cellular telephone to access online applications via the internet to communicate with two individuals, then cooperating with law enforcement, to negotiate to pay for sex with children. Aubrey subsequently showed up, with money, to meet one of the children before being apprehended by law enforcement.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was the result of a joint federal, state, and local operation called Operation Angel, aimed at making federal arrests of individuals who preyed upon children. The United States Secret Service, the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, and the Jeffersontown Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie M. Zimdahl and Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Bowling Green Man for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment yesterday charging a Bowling Green, Kentucky, man with wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, from October 2009 and continuing until May 2020, Kennith Ray Moore, 55, committed wire fraud by engaging in a scheme to embezzle $1,145,800 from his employer. Specifically, the indictment alleges Moore caused his employer to issue checks to him and to “KBM Solutions,” a company Moore created whose primary purpose was to receive the embezzled funds. The indictment further charges that Moore laundered money by transferring the embezzled funds to his personal checking, personal savings, and credit card accounts. The indictment also charges Moore with tax evasion for tax years 2017 to 2020.
If convicted, Moore faces a maximum sentence of 140 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Bowling Green Post of Duty Office and the USPIS Bowling Green Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three People Federally Indicted in Bowling Green for Methamphetamine Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on February 14, 2024, charging three people in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and other related methamphetamine trafficking offenses. One of the three was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Director Ron Lafferty of the Barren River Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to the indictment, the following three people were each charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute, and distribute, over 500 grams of a methamphetamine mixture between December 9, 2023, and January 18, 2024, in Warren County, Kentucky:
Trey Williams, 27, of Tompkinsville, Kentucky,
Brandy Cardenas, 25, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and
Kelton Withrow, 28, of Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Each defendant also faces the following additional charges.
Trey Williams was charged with aiding and abetting in the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on December 19, 2023, and January 3, 2024. Williams was also charged with aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on January 17, 2024.
Brandy Cardenas was charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on January 3, 2024, distributing 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on January 17, 2024, and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on January 17, 2024. Cardenas was also charged with possessing a Taurus G2C, nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol, in furtherance of her drug trafficking and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Kelton Withrow was charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on December 19, 2023, and January 3, 2024. Withrow was also charged with distributing 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on January 17, 2024.
Cardenas made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on February 15, 2024, and the Court ordered her released on special conditions pending trial. Williams made his initial appearance on March 27, 2024, and the Court ordered him detained pending trial. Withrow appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on April 9, 2024, and the Court ordered him released under special conditions pending trial.
All three defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI Bowling Green Resident Agency, the Kentucky State Police, and the Barren River Drug Task Force are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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