District Not Recorded
The source did not name an office we could identify. These records remain unassigned rather than guessed.
Justice Department Proposes New Regulations to Modernize Foreign Agents Registration Act Administration and EnforcementRead the Press Release
The Justice Department submitted to the Federal Register yesterday a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update and clarify regulations issued under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
FARA requires persons in the United States who are acting as agents of foreign principals and engaged in certain specified activities to make periodic public disclosures of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts, and disbursements in support of those activities. Disclosure of the required information facilitates evaluation by the government and the American people of the activities of such persons in light of their function as foreign agents. The act authorizes the Attorney General to issue regulations, which were last amended in 2007.
The Justice Department’s proposed rule would make changes to key regulations, including those relating to the commercial exemption, the exemption for persons whose activities do not serve predominantly a foreign interest, and the exemption for persons qualified to practice law. The proposed rule also would modernize regulations relating to labeling informational materials in light of the significant technological changes that have occurred since the regulations were last amended more than a decade ago.
In December 2021, the department issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) with 19 questions to solicit comments about regulations on a range of topics, and the proposed rule reflects the department’s careful consideration of views submitted through this process.
An unofficial version of the NPRM is available here; the official version will be published in the Federal Register. Written comments on the NPRM may be submitted within 60 days of its publication in the Federal Register at www.regulations.gov. The NPRM will be followed by final regulations issued later.
Jordanian National Pleads Guilty to Explosives Threats and Attack on Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 44, of Orlando, pleaded guilty today to four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility.
“With this plea, we are holding this defendant accountable for his threats to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by his desire to ‘warn’ businesses because of their perceived support of Israel,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will fiercely protect the right of every person to peacefully express their opinions, beliefs, and ideas, but we have no tolerance for acts and threats of hate-fueled violence that create lasting fear.”
“Today, the defendant is admitting he attacked a solar power facility, damaged a number of Florida businesses, and left a series of threatening messages about perceived support for Israel,” said Director Christopher Wray of the FBI. “Violence, destruction of property, and threats are simply unacceptable. The FBI will work with our partners to pursue and hold accountable those who commit illegal and destructive acts and cause our citizens to fear for their safety and livelihoods.”
According to court documents, beginning around June, Hnaihen targeted and attacked businesses in the Orlando area for their perceived support for Israel. Wearing a mask, under the cover of night, Hnaihen smashed the glass front doors of businesses and left behind "Warning Letters."
In his letters, which were addressed to the U.S. government, Hnaihen laid out a series of political demands, culminating in a threat to “destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel.”
Hnaihen's attacks escalated. At the end of June, as law enforcement worked to identify the masked attacker, Hnaihen broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Florida, and spent hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays. He smashed panels, cut wires, and targeted critical electronic equipment. Hnaihen left behind two more copies of his threatening demand letter. Hnaihen's attacks caused nearly $500,000 in damage.
Following a multiagency effort, law enforcement identified Hnaihen and arrested him on July 11, shortly after another “warning letter” threatening to “destroy or explode everything” was discovered at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando.
Hnaihen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each threat offense and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the destruction of an energy facility offense. Hnaihen has also agreed to make full restitution to the victims of the offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Varadan for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Ryan White and George Kraehe of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Vegetation Maintenance Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured an agreement with Burford’s Construction LLC (Burford’s), an Alabama-based contractor that provides vegetation clearing and maintenance for electrical utility companies and municipalities. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Burford’s routinely discriminated against lawful permanent residents when verifying their permission to work by demanding specific, and sometimes unnecessary, documents.
“Employers cannot demand specific or unnecessary documents from workers because of their citizenship status when checking their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All workers, regardless of citizenship status, deserve a hiring process that is free from discrimination.”
After conducting an investigation, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) determined that, from at least Jan. 1, 2021, through May 30, 2023, Burford’s routinely required lawful permanent residents to present specific immigration documents to establish their permission to work, even when they had already provided sufficient proof.
Under the terms of the settlement, Burford’s will pay $308,689 in civil penalties to the United States, train its personnel on anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies that relate to hiring and be subject to departmental monitoring.
Lawful permanent residents are sometimes referred to as “green card holders,” but they can show their permission to work using different types of documentation. As explained in the department’s newly-released fact sheet for lawful permanent residents, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) protects lawful permanent residents from discrimination when an employer is verifying their permission to work. Employers cannot limit the valid documentation that a lawful permanent resident may show when verifying their ability to work. The fact sheet also explains how lawful permanent residents can get help if they are being discriminated against.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
IER’s website has more information on lawful permanent residents’ rights under the INA and how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
FACT SHEET: National Law Enforcement Accountability DatabaseRead the Press Release
To strengthen hiring practices by federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement agencies and increase transparency and accountability, the Justice Department launched the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD) in December 2023. NLEAD is a centralized repository of official records documenting instances of misconduct as well as commendations and awards for federal law enforcement officers.
- The NLEAD connects all federal law enforcement agencies under one accountability infrastructure. With the NLEAD, law enforcement agency hiring personnel have more accurate and complete information about misconduct in a job candidate’s past. Agencies can make more informed hiring decisions, which enhances both accountability and public safety.
- The NLEAD is accessible only to authorized users to help determine suitability and eligibility of candidates for law enforcement positions.
- On Dec. 18, the Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) published the first public report containing aggregated and anonymized data to maintain transparency and accountability. As required by the Executive Order, BJS will publish the report annually.
- All 90 Executive Branch agencies that employ law enforcement officers have certified to the Department that they have provided to the database all their responsive records (which could include a certification of “no records”). This reporting accounts for the approximately 150,000 Executive Branch law enforcement officers.
- Although agencies outside the Executive Branch are not obligated to use the NLEAD, several additional federal agencies have voluntarily committed to using NLEAD for their law enforcement officers, to increase transparency and accountability.
- The database includes records of instances of misconduct and commendations for current and former federal law enforcement officers that occurred over the past seven years, and the Department will conduct regular periodic compliance reviews to assess data quality. The NLEAD.gov website serves as a clearinghouse for information about the NLEAD and facilitates access to the database for authorized users.
- Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department requires its components that employ law enforcement officers to utilize the NLEAD in making a decision involving an officer’s hiring, job assignment, promotion, or participation on a task force. All Department law enforcement agencies have implemented standard operating procedures to ensure consistency in how NLEAD is utilized.
- Since launching in December 2023, the NLEAD has been searched nearly 10,000 times to assist federal law enforcement agencies in hiring, promotion and job placement decisions. Twenty-five of those searches, or about 0.25% of queries, resulted in a cross-agency match within NLEAD, allowing the vast majority of hiring decisions to proceed without the need to gather additional information from a prior employer. In the instance of a match, agencies gathered additional information about the candidate before determining whether to proceed.
- Based on the BJS report and the Department’s experience administering the NLEAD, it appears to be working as intended. The overwhelming majority of federal law enforcement officers are not in the NLEAD because they have no instances of misconduct. Federal law enforcement agencies are regularly and systematically querying the NLEAD. An officer’s presence in the NLEAD is not disqualifying; rather, it allows hiring and security managers to gather all relevant information about an applicant so they can make a complete and informed decision.
The Department has also recently taken steps to support law enforcement officer accountability efforts at the state and local level:
- The Department is partnering with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) and the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets) to allow SLTT law enforcement agencies to query the NLEAD. This will improve accountability for officers moving from federal employment to SLTT
- The Department has awarded funding to IADLEST to expand its National Decertification Index (NDI). The NDI is a national registry of law enforcement de-certification and revocation actions relating to officer misconduct that is currently used by all 50 states and D.C., and the expansion will include the additional categories of information set forth in the Executive Order. In May 2024, IADLEST entered into an agreement with a technology vendor to launch an updated NDI in 2025, with funding provided by the Department. This will improve accountability for officers who have any SLTT employment.
- In May 2023, the Department released accreditation standards for SLTT law enforcement agencies that called for usage of the NDI in connection with officer hiring. This will improve accountability for officers who have any SLTT
- The Department now requires its law enforcement agencies to utilize the NDI in making a decision involving an officer’s hiring or participation on a task force. The Department similarly encourages other federal law enforcement agencies to do the same checks. This will improve accountability for officers moving from SLTT employment to federal employment.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una compañía de mantenimiento de vegetación para resolver acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con Burford’s Construction LLC (Burford’s), un contratista con sede en Alabama que proporciona mantenimiento y limpieza de vegetación para empresas de servicios eléctricos y municipios. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del Departamento que Burford’s discriminaba, de forma rutinaria, a residentes legales permanentes al verificar su permiso para trabajar, exigiéndoles documentos específicos, y, a veces, innecesarios.
«A la hora de verificar su permiso para trabajar, los empleadores no pueden exigir documentos específicos o innecesarios a los trabajadores por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía», declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Todos los trabajadores, independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía, merecen un proceso de contratación libre de discriminación».
Después de llevar a cabo una investigación, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), de la División de Derechos Civiles, determinó que al menos desde el 1 de enero del 2021 hasta el 30 de mayo del 2023, Burford’s requería, de forma rutinaria, que los residentes permanentes legales presentasen documentos migratorios específicos para establecer su permiso para trabajar, incluso cuando ya habían proporcionado pruebas suficientes.
Conforme los términos del acuerdo, Burford’s pagará $308,689 en sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos, capacitará a sus empleados en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios, revisará sus políticas de contratación y se someterá a supervisión por parte del Departamento.
A veces se les refiere a los residentes permanentes legales como «titulares de tarjetas verdes», pero pueden demostrar su permiso para trabajar mediante diferentes tipos de documentación. Como se explica en la hoja informativa del Departamento para residentes permanentes legales que se publicó hace poco, la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) protege a los residentes permanentes legales de la discriminación cuando un empleador verifica su permiso para trabajar. Los empleadores no pueden limitar la documentación válida que un residente permanente legal puede mostrar al verificar su permiso para trabajar. La hoja informativa también explica cómo los residentes permanentes legales pueden obtener ayuda si son discriminados.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
El sitio web de IER tiene más información sobre los derechos de residentes permanentes legales en virtud de la INA y cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación ilegal al verificar el permiso para trabajar de alguien. Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I̠‑9 e E‑Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1‑800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español. Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.
Drug Dealer Receives 168-Month Sentence After Trafficking over 6 Pounds of Methamphetamine in OmahaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Dario Calderon-Pereda, age 51, of Mexico, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Calderon-Pereda to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Calderon-Pereda’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between February 27, 2024, through March 10, 2024, Calderon-Pereda trafficked over 3,000 grams of meth in the Omaha area. On February 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction involving 2 pounds of meth from a co-conspirator whereby Calderon-Pereda collected payment. On March 8, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction against Calderon-Pereda purchasing another 2 pounds of meth. Over the next two days, law enforcement seized an additional 2 pounds of meth from Calderon-Pereda in a traffic stop and from a search warrant of a residence in Omaha.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Crane Company Manitowoc to Pay $42.6M for Clean Air Act Violations for Sale of Noncompliant Diesel Engines in Heavy Duty CranesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement agreement today with Manitowoc Company Inc. and two of its subsidiaries, Grove U.S. L.L.C., and Manitowoc Crane Group Germany GMBH (collectively, Manitowoc), for violations of the Clean Air Act’s mobile source emission standards regulations.
The settlement agreement requires Manitowoc to pay a civil penalty of $42.6 million and resolves allegations that the company imported and sold heavy nonroad cranes with diesel engines that were not certified to meet applicable Clean Air Act emission standards, and violated related Clean Air Act regulatory requirements which resulted in the release of excess carcinogenic diesel exhaust containing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter.
“Manitowoc’s sale and importation of cranes with uncertified engines violated Clean Air Act requirements designed to protect public health from harmful diesel emissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement highlights our commitment to holding violators of the Clean Air Act accountable and will result in a tangible reduction in emissions in the Sparrows Point and Port of Baltimore area.”
“For years, Manitowoc imported and sold diesel engines that do not meet Clean Air Act emission standards, even after EPA made clear that such brazen conduct would not be tolerated,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Diesel exhaust is one of the dirtiest forms of air pollution and is linked to serious health conditions, including asthma and respiratory illness. This settlement requires Manitowoc to complete a project near the Port of Baltimore to improve air quality and once again makes clear that EPA will hold companies accountable when they sell illegal diesel engines.”
As part of the agreement, Manitowoc will undertake a project to mitigate harm from the alleged unlawful emissions by retrofitting a short-line locomotive currently in service in the Sparrows Point, Maryland, area. This area is near the Port of Baltimore where Manitowoc had imported cranes with the illegal engines. The pathway of the 70 miles of track includes areas with underserved and overburdened communities. Reducing NOx and particulate matter emissions around the track will improve surrounding air quality.
Retrofitting of the locomotive includes removing, destroying and replacing the locomotive’s old engine, which was manufactured before locomotive emission standards were in place, with a new engine equipped with present-day emission controls.
The complaint alleges that, between 2014 and 2018, Manitowoc imported or introduced into U.S. commerce and sold nonroad cranes with at least 1,032 diesel engines that were not covered by EPA-issued certificates of conformity. Many of the engines also did not qualify for a limited exemption. Manitowoc also failed to comply with Clean Air Act labeling, bonding and reporting requirements.
More information is available on the Manitowoc Clean Air Act Settlement Summary web page.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comments and to access the settlement agreement is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
Chemonics International Inc. to Pay $3.1M to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Billing Under Global Health Supply Chain ContractRead the Press Release
Chemonics International Inc. (Chemonics), a private international development firm based in Washington, D.C. has agreed to pay $3,119,582 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent claims for payment to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Chemonics disclosed the fraudulent billing to the United States in 2020.
The settlement resolves allegations that Chemonics acted recklessly in failing to detect fraudulent charges by its subcontractor, Zenith Carex (Zenith), for certain delivery services in Nigeria, and passed the charges on to USAID under the Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement and Supply Chain Management contract. Under this contract, Chemonics provided health care supply chain management services and related technical assistance in Nigeria and other countries. Chemonics subcontracted with Zenith, an in-country logistics provider, to perform last-mile delivery and long-haul delivery of cold-chain commodities throughout Nigeria. Between June 2017 and March 2020, Zenith fraudulently charged Chemonics for its long-haul delivery services based on truck tonnage as opposed to the weight per kilogram of the commodity transported, as the subcontract between Chemonics and Zenith required. During the same time period, Zenith charged Chemonics more for last-mile delivery services than the subcontract allowed. Chemonics failed to detect Zenith’s fraudulent overcharging for more than two years due to systematic process and personnel failures, including inadequate financial controls, monitoring and oversight and inadequate employee training, direction and support.
“Government contractors must exercise responsible oversight and management of their subcontractors to ensure contract compliance and appropriate billing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the department’s commitment to hold accountable those who knowingly or recklessly submit false claims for payment to the United States no matter where in the world the underlying conduct occurs.”
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Chemonics took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government in connection with the resolution of this matter. Chemonics disclosed the fraudulent billing to the government in connection with an investigation by another entity for which it provided delivery services in Nigeria and took remedial actions, including terminating an employee for conduct related to the submission of fraudulent invoices, conducting a comprehensive review of subcontractor billing and enhancing internal oversight in Nigeria. Chemonics also assisted the government during its investigation.
“USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain program is designed to provide uninterrupted supplies of health products and services to the vulnerable populations worldwide,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Bottary of the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG). “This settlement underscores that justice has no borders, and that USAID’s contractors and grantees must have systems in place to detect and prevent false invoices submitted by subawardees. The USAID OIG will vigorously investigate those who seek to defraud U.S.-funded foreign assistance programs, and we are relentless in our pursuit of holding awardees and subawardees accountable. We appreciate our partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and commend them on their hard work in bringing this case to a resolution.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated investigation conducted by the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and USAID OIG.
Trial Attorneys Robin Overby and Samuel Lehman of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Sparks and Cari Walsh for the Western District of Missouri handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Two Colorado Men Charged with Operating Multi-Million-Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A grand jury in Denver returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging two Colorado men with wire fraud, conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering related to their operation of a multi-million-dollar investment fraud scheme called the “ROI Cash Flow Fund.”
According to the indictment, from about January 2023 to February 2024, Timothy McPhee, of Estes Park, Colorado, and Heath Posey, of Denver, caused more than 50 investors to send approximately $8 million to bank accounts they controlled based on the false representation that the investors’ money would be sent to a borrower and leveraged for foreign exchange or “forex” trading. McPhee and Posey also allegedly told ROI Cash Flow Fund investors that they would receive a 3% monthly return on their principal investment from the forex trading profits.
As the indictment further alleges, however, McPhee and Posey did not send the investors’ funds to a borrower to be leveraged for forex trading. Instead, they allegedly used investor funds to make monthly payouts to other investors and misappropriated millions of dollars in investor funds for their own financial gain. From about June 2023 to December 2023, McPhee and Posey allegedly transferred more than $2 million in investor funds to a bank account McPhee controlled. McPhee then spent those funds on personal expenses and investments. Likewise, in February, McPhee and Posey allegedly transferred nearly half a million dollars to a bank account they controlled and used for expenses related to their other mutual business endeavors, including to pay Posey’s salary.
If convicted, McPhee and Posey face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Lauren K. Pope and Amanda R. Scott of the Tax Division are 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.
Indictment - U.S. v. McPhee et al._0.pdfTencent Removes Two Directors from Epic Games and Relinquishes Its Right to Unilaterally Appoint Directors or Observers in Response to Justice Department ScrutinyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that two directors of Epic Games Inc. (Epic), who had been appointed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. (Tencent), resigned from the Epic board after the Antitrust Division expressed concerns that their positions on both the Epic and Tencent boards violated Section 8 of the Clayton Act. Tencent owns a minority interest in Epic. The interlock was created because Tencent also is the parent company of a gaming competitor to Epic, Riot Games Inc. Tencent also decided to amend its shareholder agreement with Epic to relinquish its unilateral right to appoint directors or observers to the Epic board in the future. This is the latest of the division’s ongoing Section 8 enforcement efforts, which to date have unwound or prevented interlocks involving at least two dozen companies.
“Scrutiny around interlocking directorates continues to be an enforcement priority for the Antitrust Division,” said Deputy Director of Civil Enforcement Miriam R. Vishio of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Due to the hard work of our tremendous staff, our increased enforcement around Section 8 over the last few years has achieved substantial results and become part of our fabric.”
Section 8, which Congress made a per se violation of the antitrust laws, prohibits directors and officers from serving simultaneously on the boards of competitors, subject to limited exceptions. No company or individual has admitted to liability in connection with this investigation. The division will continue to monitor the industry, and other industries, for violations of the antitrust laws, including Section 8.
Tencent is one of the largest multimedia and video game companies in the world. It is incorporated and domiciled in the Cayman Islands and has its headquarters in Shenzhen, China. Tencent owns Riot, is a minority shareholder in Epic and has equity investments in other video game and media companies.
Epic is a privately held video game and software developer and publisher based in Cary, North Carolina.
Riot is an American video game developer, publisher, and esports tournament organizer with headquarters in Los Angeles.
Anyone with information about potential interlocking directorates or any other potential violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or [email protected].
Louisiana Company and Its Owner Sentenced for Manufacturing and Selling Software that Allowed the Disabling of Emissions Controls on Motor VehiclesRead the Press Release
Louisiana-based company Power Performance Enterprises Inc. (PPEI) and its president and owner, Kory B. Willis, were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Sacramento, California, for violating and conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with the monitoring devices of emissions control systems of diesel trucks.
U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez for the Eastern District of California sentenced Willis to serve 10 months of home confinement as part of a three-year term of probation and ordered Willis and PPEI to jointly pay $1.55 million in criminal fines. PPEI was ordered to complete a five-year term of probation. Willis and PPEI pleaded guilty in March 2022. In total, Willis and PPEI have been ordered to pay $3.1 million in criminal fines and civil penalties related to Clean Air Act enforcement.
“The software that Mr. Willis and PPEI manufactured and sold reversed the effects of emissions control requirements for vehicles driven on our country’s roads, posing unacceptable risk to the health of our citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This sentencing shows that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and ensure that mandated emissions controls remain operating on vehicles to protect public health and the environment.”
“Environmental laws that control diesel pollution safeguard the environment and the health of the public, and are especially important to protect sensitive populations such as the young, the elderly, and people who suffer from respiratory conditions,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Those who would sell illegal defeat devices should stand warned: the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who place profit above the public’s health and the environment.”
“For decades, EPA has prioritized efforts to halt the illegal sale of aftermarket defeat devices, which cause dangerous air pollution from trucks and cars,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today's criminal sentencing punishes the defendants for their deliberate attempts to evade the requirements of the Clean Air Act and follows an earlier 2022 civil enforcement action addressing their misconduct. EPA will continue to leverage all of its enforcement tools and authorities to stop illegal behavior that puts our communities at risk.”
According to court documents, from PPEI’s incorporation in 2009 until 2019, PPEI and Willis were among the nation’s most prominent developers of custom software known as “tunes,” and in particular, “delete tunes.” Generally, tunes can alter a diesel truck’s fuel delivery, power parameters and emissions. Delete tunes allow vehicles to remove or disable emissions controls, while appearing to run normally, resulting in vastly increased emissions of air pollution. PPEI and Willis were well known for their custom delete tunes.
Willis and PPEI reached the top of the illegal delete tuning market, tuning over 175,000 vehicles according to Willis. Willis also stated that PPEI was the biggest custom tuning company in the world, servicing over 100,000 customers and tuning more than 500 vehicles a week. According to internal PPEI records, PPEI typically sold well over $1 million dollars of product per month. According to calculations by the EPA, the estimated emissions impact of PPEI’s sales of delete tunes between 2013 and 2018 alone are expected to cause over 100 million excess pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions over the life of the diesel trucks equipped with those products.
Deleting a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase dramatically. For example, for a fully deleted truck, which has had all emissions equipment removed or disabled, EPA testing quantified the increased emissions as follows: NOx increased 310 times, non-methane hydrocarbons increased 1,400 times, carbon monoxide increased 120 times and particulate matter increased 40 times. EPA’s Air Enforcement Division released a report in November 2020 finding that more than half a million diesel pickup trucks in the United States — approximately 15% of U.S. diesel trucks that were originally certified with emissions controls — have been illegally deleted.
Diesel emissions include multiple hazardous compounds and harm human health and the environment. Diesel emissions have been found to cause and worsen respiratory ailments such as asthma and lung cancer. One study indicated that 21,000 American deaths annually are attributable to diesel particulate matter. Exposure to polluted air in utero has also been associated with a host of problems with lifelong ramifications including low birth weight, preterm birth, autism, brain/memory disorders and asthma.
Stopping aftermarket defeat devices for vehicles and engines is a top priority for EPA. Visit EPA’s website to learn more about its efforts to stop the sale of illegal defeat devices.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon for the Eastern District of California and are prosecuting the criminal case.
Justice Department Obtains Order Holding in Contempt Florida Man Who Is Permanently Enjoined from Preparing Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal court in New Jersey last month held in contempt Abraham Taylor, a resident of Florida and formerly of New Jersey, for continuing to prepare returns after the court permanently barred him and his business — Chentay Consulting Services LP, doing business as CCS Tax Services — from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
According to the court’s contempt order, Taylor concealed his violations of the permanent injunction by using electronic filing privileges assigned to Fredrick Gibson, of Uncle Sam Tax Services in Pennsylvania. Taylor agreed to the entry of the contempt order and a disgorgement judgment for preparing returns in violation of the injunction. Gibson agreed to forfeit his electronic filing privileges which Taylor had used to conceal his identity.
Taylor was previously held in contempt in 2021 for using electronic filing privileges assigned to his son O’Neal Taylor and his son’s business O’Neal Z. Taylor. Through the contempt order, Taylor agreed to a disgorgement judgment and O’Neal agreed to forfeit his electronic filing privileges.
The most recent contempt order requires Taylor to provide the United States with a list of his customers and to send a copy of the court’s injunction order to all customers for whom he prepared returns. It also provides that the court shall order the sale of Taylor’s house to satisfy the two disgorgement judgments if Taylor continues to prepare returns in violation of the injunction.
Each year the IRS highlights some of the tax scams that put taxpayers at risk of losing money, personal information, data and more. In the IRS’ most recent list, it specifically warned taxpayers “to beware of promoters peddling bogus tax schemes aimed at reducing taxes or avoiding them altogether.”
The IRS has some tips on its website for choosing a tax preparer, and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers and tax scheme promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Second Contempt Order - Taylor_0.pdfHomeland Security Investigations Special Agent Indicted for Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging Special Agent David Cole of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 50, of South Jordan, Utah, with conspiring with another HSI special agent to sell alpha-PHP, a drug commonly referred to as “bath salts,” in Utah.
According to court documents, Cole and another HSI special agent used their status as federal law enforcement officers to acquire bath salts by representing to others in HSI and in other law enforcement agencies that they were going to use the bath salts to conduct legitimate HSI investigations. Cole and his co-conspirator then sold bath salts to HSI confidential human sources for thousands of dollars and allowed those sources to resell the bath salts on the streets of Utah for a profit. Cole and his co-conspirator profited hundreds of thousands of dollars through their illegal drug sales.
“The indictment alleges that David Cole abused his position as a federal law enforcement agent to obtain and sell dangerous drugs for profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “A drug dealer who carries a badge is still a drug dealer — and one who has violated an oath to uphold the law and protect the public. Today’s indictment reflects the department’s commitment to holding accountable law enforcement officers who engage in criminal conduct, because no one is above the law.”
“David Cole took an oath to protect and serve. Instead, he allegedly distributed dangerous drugs in our communities for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “Cole’s alleged actions not only helped fuel an already devastating drug crisis but also undermines the public’s trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who violate the law, regardless of their position.”
“Today’s arrest sends a clear message that federal employees who violate the trust of the public and break the law will be prosecuted,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). “DHS OIG is grateful for our continued partnership with our law enforcement partners as we continue fighting corruption.”
Cole is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and DHS-OIG are investigating the case, with support from HSI Executive Management.
Trial Attorneys Jordan Dickson, Alexander Gottfried, and Blake Ellison of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are 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.
Former Member of Congress Charged with Acting as an Unregistered Agent of a Venezuelan NationalRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
A grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday charging David Rivera, 59, of Miami, with a scheme to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and to launder funds to conceal and promote his criminal conduct.
As alleged in the indictment, from in or about June 2019 through in or about April 2020, Rivera carried out a scheme to provide consulting and lobbying services to sanctioned Venezuelan businessman Raul Gorrín, who was added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) on Jan. 8, 2019, by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
On Gorrín’s behalf, Rivera sought to lobby U.S. government officials, including a senior official in the Executive Branch of the U.S. government (Government Official-1), to have Gorrín removed from the SDN List. Rivera received over $5.5 million for these activities and willfully failed to register under FARA, as required by law.
To conceal and promote his criminal activities, Rivera created fraudulent shell companies using names associated with a law firm and with Government Official-1 to give the false appearance that the shell companies were legitimate. In reality, these entities were not affiliated with the law firm or Government Official-1, and neither the law firm nor Government Official-1 were aware that Rivera had created shell companies in their names. Rivera used the money he received from his criminal activities to pay individuals who assisted him in his efforts to lobby senior government officials on Gorrín’s behalf, including by making payments through one of the shell companies.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sean O’Dowd and Monica Svetoslavov of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are 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.
D.C. Accountant Pleads Guilty to Mortgage Fraud and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Washington, D.C. CPA pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a mortgage loan application and failing to file an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Timothy Trifilo worked in tax compliance for several large accounting and finance firms. In recent years, Trifilo was managing director at a tax firm where he specialized in transaction structuring and advisory service, tax compliance and tax due diligence. Nevertheless, for a decade, Trifilo did not file federal income tax returns or pay all the taxes that he owed despite earning more than $7.7 million during that time. He caused a tax loss to the IRS of $2,057,256.40.
In February 2023, Trifilo sought to obtain a $1.36 million bank-financed loan to purchase a home in D.C. and was working with a mortgage company to do so. After the mortgage company told Trifilo that the bank would not approve the loan without copies of Trifilo’s filed tax returns, Trifilo provided the mortgage company with fabricated documents to make it appear as if he had filed tax returns and provided copies of tax returns for 2020 and 2021 that Trifilo never filed with the IRS. On these returns and other documents that he submitted to the mortgage company, Trifilo listed a former colleague as the individual who prepared the returns and uploaded them for filing with the IRS. This individual did not prepare the returns, has never prepared tax returns for Trifilo and did not authorize Trifilo to use his name on the returns and other documents that Trifilo submitted to the mortgage company. Based on Trifilo’s false representation, the bank approved the loan and Trifilo purchased the home.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2025. Trifilo faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the charge of making a false statement on a loan application and a maximum penalty of one year in prison on the charge of failure to file a tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Alexis Fleszar of the Justice Department's Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Woman Charged with Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned an indictment, unsealed last week, charging a Maryland woman with tax fraud and theft of government funds.
According to the indictment, from 2014 to 2024, Monica Patricia McGinley assisted with the preparation and filing false tax returns, so that McGinley could receive large refunds from the IRS to which she was not entitled. On those returns, McGinley allegedly claimed nonexistent payments or withholdings and requested nearly $12 million in refunds. The IRS allegedly issued refunds to McGinley totaling over $1.5 million. In one instance, she allegedly received a U.S. Treasury check for over $1 million.
If convicted, McGinley faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the theft of government funds charge and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each of the six counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns. Upon conviction, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christina Grimes and Jeffrey McLellan of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are 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.
Founders of Illegal Pyramid Scheme Sentenced for Roles in Fraud That Caused over $23M in Losses to VictimsRead the Press Release
Three individuals were sentenced yesterday for their roles in founding and operating an illegal pyramid scheme. Alex Dee, 50, of Fate, Texas, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,845,600 in forfeiture; Brian Kaplan, 53, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was sentenced to 22 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,838,700 in forfeiture; and Jerrold Mauer, 58, of North Bellmore, New York, was sentenced to 22 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,545,500 in forfeiture.
According to court documents, from approximately January 2017 through March 2019, Dee, Kaplan and Maurer founded and operated 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle (8FDL), a Wyoming corporation, as an illegal pyramid scheme. Dee, Kaplan, and Maurer advertised 8FDL as an online marketing business that allowed members to easily earn millions of dollars by selling memberships into 8FDL. The business purportedly allowed its members to access various digital videos, mostly related to online marketing and self-help lessons, but the videos had nominal value and served merely as a vehicle for the company to appear legitimate. The main purpose of the company, however, was to allow members to make money by recruiting new members and selling additional memberships. In marketing the 8FDL memberships, Dee, Kaplan, and Maurer falsely represented to the public that typical members with no prior skills or experience would make substantial sums in a short period of time, including earning more than $10,000 within 60-90 days. In fact, the vast majority of 8FDL members never made a single sale, and Dee, Kaplan, and Maurer made these false statements to induce others to join 8FDL. In total, more than 2,800 individuals joined 8FDL, which resulted in approximately $23.5 million in losses to victim members.
In November 2023, both Kaplan and Maurer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
In July, Dee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
USPIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
California Securities Attorney Charged with Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A grand jury in San Diego returned an indictment unsealed yesterday charging a California attorney with tax evasion, filing a false tax return and failing to file tax returns with the IRS.
According to the indictment, from 2017 to 2019, Robert Blair Krueger Jr. was an attorney and sole owner of The Krueger Group LLP, a law firm in San Diego specializing in providing legal services for companies seeking to become publicly traded. During that time, he allegedly attempted to thwart the IRS’ ability to assess his income tax liability by, among other things, providing his return preparer with false and inaccurate information and causing inaccurate returns to be filed with the IRS that underreported the income he earned from his law practice. In addition, Krueger allegedly has not filed personal federal income tax returns since 2018.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file a tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Erika V. Suhr and Robert A. Kemins of the Tax Division are 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.
California Man Sentenced for Employment Tax ViolationsRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shane Brightpath Mike owned and was the president and chief operating officer of Excel Behavioral Services Inc., a business located in Campbell, California, that provided home care to persons with disabilities. Mike was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying over those funds to the IRS.
For the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015, Mike did not pay any of the withheld taxes to the IRS. And for the third quarter of 2014, Mike only paid part of the withheld funds. In total, Mike did not pay more than $1 million in taxes owed to the IRS during these five quarters. During the same time, Mike used Excel’s funds to pay his personal expenses.
Mike also filed false personal income tax returns for tax years 2014 and 2015. On those returns, Mike falsely claimed credit for federal tax withholdings from wages he received from Excel, knowing that these withholdings had not been paid over to the IRS.
In total, Mike caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,177,947.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman ordered Mike to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1,177,947 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Announces Significant Progress in Policing Reforms by the Baltimore Police Department and the City of BaltimoreRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and City of Baltimore filed a joint motion on Friday seeking court approval to declare the city and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) in full and effective compliance with key consent decree requirements related to First Amendment-protected activities, community oversight and coordination with Baltimore City school police.
The joint motion is based on BPD’s consistent progress towards achieving the goals of the consent decree. The independent monitor’s reports on these topics found BPD in full and effective compliance with all three sections. If the court grants the motion, BPD must maintain compliance with the provisions for one year before the court can terminate these sections of the consent decree.
“The First Amendment’s protections are fundamental to a free society, and the Baltimore Police Department has successfully implemented reforms proven to protect people’s rights during protests and demonstrations,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The 2020 racial justice demonstrations and protests posed serious challenges to law enforcement nationwide. Because of the hard work done under the consent decree to prepare officers for encounters with the community during demonstrations, the Baltimore Police Department has been able to successfully navigate these moments, while supporting the right to protest and keeping the peace. The Justice Department remains committed to collaboratively working with the Baltimore Police Department and the community to ensure constitutional and fair policing — the people of Baltimore deserve nothing less.”
The Justice Department opened a comprehensive investigation of BPD practices in 2015 after considering requests from city officials and community members in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray. The city agreed to, and the court approved, a consent decree in 2017 to resolve the violations identified by the investigation and their root causes.
Since approval of the consent decree, BPD has revised policies and training to ensure officers respect First Amendment protected activity, including the right to peacefully record police officers performing their duties in public. According to the monitor’s reports, key accomplishments include:
- No evidence that BPD obstructs individuals’ ability to observe or record police activity.
- Almost no incidents in which BPD officers violated the First Amendment between Jan. 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022, though BPD officers have had thousands of interactions with the public during that period.
- BPD demonstrated compliance with the consent decree’s requirements related to protest activity during the 2020 racial justice protests, protests related to a speech by the Vice President of the United States in 2020 and a separate protest in November 2023.
The consent decree also required the city to work with community leaders to better understand challenges to civilian oversight in Baltimore and how to improve accountability when working with the Baltimore City school police. The monitor’s reports show that BPD has achieved those objectives, including implementing certain recommendations from the Community Oversight Task Force and improving transparency and coordination regarding its interactions with the Baltimore City school police.
In addition to these reforms, BPD continues to make significant progress in other key areas of the consent decree. For example:
Stops, Searches and Arrests
- BPD implemented new policies and training on how to make lawful arrests and the independent monitor has determined that BPD makes significantly fewer arrests without probable cause.
- Notably, cases in which people who are arrested by BPD are released without being charged by prosecutors, which can indicate an unlawful arrest, decreased 91% between 2020 and 2022 — from an average of 43 per month to four per month.
Transportation of People in Custody
- BPD successfully implemented reforms to ensure the safe transportation of people in custody and officer assistance and support. If the court grants the parties’ joint motion and finds these additional sections of the decree are in full and effective compliance, nearly 30% of the substantive sections of the consent decree will be in full and effective compliance. If BPD maintains compliance with these sections for one year, the requirements could be successfully terminated.
Responding to and Interacting with People with Behavior Health Issues
- BPD officers now use force less frequently and are improving compliance with constitutional requirements and BPD policy.
- BPD and the city also have worked to divert behavioral health calls that do not require a law enforcement response.
- When BPD does respond to behavioral health calls, BPD has improved its response and more often resolves incidents without use of force or arrest.
Since January 2021, the Justice Department has opened 12 investigations into law enforcement agencies pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601 and has been actively monitoring over a dozen agreements with law enforcement agencies that were secured prior to that period. Since 2021, the department has successfully concluded agreements and portions of consent decrees with the Yonkers, New York Police Department; the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Department; the Suffolk County, New York, Police Department; the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau; and the Seattle Police Department.
The department has issued findings reports concerning several agencies including: Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Department; the Minneapolis, Minnesota, Police Department; the Phoenix, Arizona, Police Department; the Lexington, Mississippi, Police Department; the Trenton, New Jersey, Police Department; the Memphis, Tennessee, Police Department; the Worcester, Massachusetts, Police Department, and the Mt. Vernon, New York, Police Department.
In Louisville, the department entered into a court enforceable agreement with Louisville Metro Government to resolve its findings.
Investigations are ongoing regarding the Louisiana State Police; the New York City Police Department’s Special Victims Division; the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Police Department; and the Rankin County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Department.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Dogfighting OffensesRead the Press Release
Jesus Allen Stephens, of Waskom, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday to felony charges related to his participation in a major dogfighting event in November 2021 in Waskom.
According to court documents, Stephens organized and hosted a large-scale dogfighting event on family-owned property in Harrison County, Texas, on Nov. 13, 2021. Stephens and others arranged to fight dogs at the event for gambling and entertainment purposes. Prior to the event, Stephens announced a series of up to 14 matches and sent multiple individuals GPS coordinates to the property. The fight included out-of-state participants.
Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found a dogfighting pit structure, a severely injured dog and other dogfighting evidence. Several pit bull-type dogs were also found at Stephens’s residences in addition to items commonly used for dog fighting purposes, such as treadmills and heavy chains.
Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes. Stephens pleaded guilty to conspiracy, sponsoring and exhibiting a dog in a dogfight and possessing a dog for dogfighting purposes. Stephens faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tyler, Texas, Resident Agencies are investigating this case. Deputies with the Harrison County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office have also provided invaluable assistance.
Trial Attorney Sarah Brown and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from James Noble of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
Former CNMI Bar Association Executive Director Sentenced to 18 months in Federal Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAIPAN, C.N.M.I. – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that on December 10, 2024, defendant Peonie Cabrera, age 40, from Saipan was sentenced by the Honorable Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood in the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to 18 months imprisonment for two counts of Bank Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2), and two counts of Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. The Court also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment, 100 hours of community service, $249,706 in restitution, and a mandatory $400.00 special assessment fee.
From January 2019 to August 2023, Cabrera served as the Executive Director of the Northern Mariana Bar Association (NMBA). Her duties included managing membership fees for the office. During that time, she diverted over $200,000 of NMBA funds through federally insured bank accounts for personal use. She presented fraudulent payroll documents and paychecks for signature by NMBA board members. These were drawn upon NMBA’s bank account and made payable to Cabrera. She also withdrew cash from NMBA’s savings account for personal use on 13 occasions. She further used NMBA’s bank accounts to make over 150 payments to her PayPal account for personal use. During 2020 through 2023, Cabrera also diverted payments from NMBA members via other electronic payment accounts for her personal use.
“Cabrera’s lengthy criminal conduct left a trail of victims,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Bar members should expect that their mandatory payments are put to good use in support of the legal profession. Additionally, these funds often provide critical support for many bar-related activities, including mock trials, that benefit our communities. Hopefully the sentence imposed by the Court will act as a deterrent for this defendant.”
“This sentencing is a reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement agency partners are dedicated to rooting out corruption within our communities,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill, “Peonie Cabrera was in a trusted role when she stole over $150,000 from her colleagues for her own personal use. Let this serve as a reminder to all who are tempted to use their positions of power to unjustly enrich themselves. We will continue to investigate allegations of fraud at all levels.”
The investigation was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Eric S. O’Malley, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Doctor Charged for Unlawful Distribution of Oxycodone and Other Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
A New Jersey doctor was arrested yesterday for unlawfully distributing oxycodone and other controlled substances.
According to court documents, Larry Pettis, 76, of Westampton, owned a medical practice that had multiple locations in New Jersey that purported to provide pain management and other services. Pettis allegedly pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances so that another individual, who was not allowed to issue such prescriptions, could issue them when Pettis was out of the office. Pettis allegedly caused prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids such as oxycodone, to be issued to patients even though Pettis had failed to assess the patients. Pettis is also alleged to have issued prescriptions for controlled substances when a patient’s drug test results raised red flags for substance abuse and drug diversion and to have caused medical records to be altered and fabricated.
Pettis is charged with four counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district 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; Assistant Director in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, South Jersey Resident Agency; Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Jersey Division, Camden District Office made the announcement.
FBI, HHS-OIG, and DEA are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Nicholas Peone and Hyungjoo Han of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing [email protected]. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit: www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Michigan Businessman Convicted of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Michigan businessman today of wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan and loan forgiveness.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dale Thrush, of Farwell, owned and operated several automotive repair service locations and a gas station. From approximately February 2021 through September 2021, Thrush defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) by falsely representing to a bank and the SBA in an application for a PPP loan that he was not subject to an indictment, when in fact he was, and then by seeking forgiveness of that loan. The PPP was enacted as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans feeling the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thrush is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Evan Mulbry of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Louisville Metro Government to Reform Louisville Metro’s and Louisville Metro Police Department’s Unconstitutional and Unlawful PracticesRead the Press Release
Remote video URLThe Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a court enforceable agreement with Louisville Metro Government (Louisville Metro) to resolve the Department’s findings that Louisville Metro and the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) engage in a pattern or practice of violations of the Constitution and federal law.
The consent decree, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, sets forth a blueprint for reform by Louisville Metro and LMPD. The decree sets out specific policies, trainings, and programs that Louisville Metro and LMPD will implement to protect the rights of Louisville residents and promote public safety. The decree requires Louisville Metro and LMPD to collect and analyze data to improve as an agency and to hold officers and Louisville Metro employees accountable. The decree also requires Louisville Metro and LMPD to report on their progress publicly and to involve the community throughout the implementation process.
Under the decree, the parties will jointly recommend that the court appoint an independent monitor to assess Louisville Metro and LMPD’s implementation of the agreement. The independent monitor will regularly report to the public and the court on their progress.
“Nearly five years after Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her own home in the middle of the night by Louisville Metro Police Department officers, the Justice Department has secured an agreement to enact significant, systemic reforms to policing in Louisville,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This agreement addresses the serious violations of federal law that we uncovered during our pattern or practice investigation and puts the city of Louisville and its police department on a path to lasting reform. We are committed to honoring Breonna Taylor through our work to implement the agreement and to make Louisville a better and safer place for all of its residents.”
“In the wake of Breonna Taylor’s tragic killing, the people of Louisville fiercely advocated for racial justice, policing reform and accountability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “City residents demanded that they receive the constitutional policing that they rightly deserve. Through this consent decree, Louisville and its police department have committed to addressing the violations of the Constitution and federal law we found during our investigation and to making Louisville a place where the police respect everyone’s rights. We look forward to working with city officials, the police department, and the people of Louisville to establish meaningful and lasting reform.”
The Justice Department and Louisville Metro have jointly requested that the court enter the consent decree as an order of the court. The reforms required by the decree will ensure that:
- LMPD officers use appropriate de-escalation techniques and attempt to resolve incidents without force when possible, and use force in a manner that is reasonable, necessary, and proportional to the threat presented;
- LMPD’s applications for residential search warrants articulate specific, individualized, and accurate facts that establish probable cause for everything to be searched and seized, and LMPD officers execute residential search warrants using safe and lawful tactics;
- LMPD officers conduct street enforcement activities, including stops, frisks, searches, and arrests, in a manner that protects people’s rights;
- LMPD enforces the law fairly and impartially, providing equal protection of the law for all people in Louisville and taking steps to reduce unlawful racial disparities in enforcement;
- LMPD officers respect the First Amendment rights of all persons, including the right to criticize and protest police conduct and to observe and record police officers in the public discharge of their duties;
- Louisville Metro and LMPD deploy non-law enforcement deflection teams to situations involving people in behavioral health crisis where police involvement is not necessary, and when it is necessary, LMPD sends specially trained officers to respond;
- LMPD responds to and investigates sexual assault, domestic violence, and sexual misconduct in a thorough, timely, trauma-informed, and bias-free manner;
- Louisville Metro operates a non-police outreach team to respond to situations involving unhoused individuals that do not warrant a law enforcement or behavioral health crisis response;
- LMPD enhances community engagement and solicits input to ensure its policing practices are responsive to community needs;
- Louisville Metro and LMPD put in place effective supervision practices and robust training for officers;
- LMPD officers receive the support they need to do their jobs safely and effectively;
- LMPD develops a recruitment and hiring program designed to attract a diverse, well-qualified array of individuals; and
- LMPD investigates allegations of officer misconduct fully, fairly, and efficiently, and holds all officers who commit misconduct accountable through fair and consistent discipline.
Along with the consent decree, Louisville Metro and the Department have entered into a new agreement in principle committing to create evaluation tools, called Performance Review methodologies, for each section of the consent decree. These tools will identify in detail the specific metrics that the independent monitor will use to determine whether Louisville Metro and LMPD have complied with the terms of the consent decree.
The Justice Department announced its findings in March 2023, following a thorough investigation into Louisville Metro and LMPD, which began in April 2021. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky conducted the investigation, with the assistance of law enforcement professionals. The Department conducted the investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601, which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law.
The Department will hold a virtual zoom community meeting to discuss the consent decree on Monday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 pm ET. Register for the event at www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_O8uZMp10QZaMqSLP1bix2Q#/registration. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the decree.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s police reform work can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/conduct-law-enforcement-agencies.
Read the consent decree here.
Read the consent decree fact sheet here.
Read the findings report here.
Justice Department Secures Agreement Preventing Animal Welfare Act Violations at Ohio Auction HouseRead the Press Release
In a consent decree entered today by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Mt. Hope Auction Co. agreed to monitoring and future restrictions to prevent it from violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) through future auctions of exotic or other AWA-regulated animals.
In September, the United States filed a complaint against Mt. Hope Auction, alleging that it was placing animals in serious danger and violating the AWA and its regulations and standards during the Mid-Ohio Alternative Animal and Bird Sales that it held three times a year. Each of these auctions featured thousands of animals, including over 200 different species ranging from parrots to exotic cattle breeds to animals listed under the Endangered Species Act like ring-tailed lemurs.
At the time of the complaint, Mt. Hope had been cited for 69 AWA violations in less than two years, including repeat violations for failing to provide veterinary care to sick or injured animals, allowing unsafe or unsanitary animal enclosures, and allowing the public to touch animals — including potentially dangerous coyotes, fox and bobcats — without proper barriers or employee supervision. The complaint also alleged that Mt. Hope had accepted hundreds of animals from sellers who did not hold the required license from the Department of Agriculture (USDA), becoming a hub for unlawful and poorly documented sales that could proliferate the inhumane care of animals.
The court entered a temporary restraining order against Mt. Hope on Sept. 13, requiring the auction company to comply with several AWA requirements at its September Alternative Animal and Bird Sale. Mt. Hope canceled that sale. Mt. Hope’s USDA license was set to expire at the end of the September, and after failing to demonstrate compliance at two inspections, Mt. Hope declined the third and final opportunity for a re-licensing inspection and terminated the re-licensing process.
“In recent years, Mt. Hope Auction has auctioned off more than 5,000 animals annually, which underscores the widespread effect of their violations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The company’s ‘business as usual’ approach — risking injury, illness and harm to the animals at its auctions — will not continue. It is important for auction houses dealing in regulated animals to abide by the Animal Welfare Act and provide humane treatment to the animals that come through their doors.”
“USDA is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of animals protected under the Animal Welfare Act,” said Deputy Administrator Sarah Helming for USDA’s Animal Care program. “The partnership between USDA and DOJ helps to ensure enforcement of the AWA regulations for those who put regulated animals at risk.”
“Despite numerous opportunities to correct their business practices, Mt. Hope Auction chose not to comply,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Their complete disregard for the laws regarding animal welfare and treatment placed both these animals and the public at large in danger. As this case demonstrates, we will hold accountable businesses that seek to profit from treating animals inhumanely.”
Under the consent decree, Mt. Hope Auction agrees to not deal in or exhibit AWA-regulated animals without a license, and to allow the Department of Agriculture (USDA) access to ensure compliance with this provision. Moreover, if Mt. Hope Auction applies for and obtains a new USDA license within the next three years, it agrees to enter a two-year probationary period.
During the probationary period, Mt. Hope Auction agrees to comply with AWA requirements to provide adequate veterinary care to animals consigned at the auctions; handle animals carefully; prevent the public from contacting animals without a responsible employee present; ensure that all facilities and enclosures are sanitary, in good repair and meet the minimum AWA standards; and create and maintain complete and accurate records. Mt. Hope also agrees to maintain veterinary records to allow for future monitoring of veterinary care. If Mt. Hope is found to have repeatedly violated the same AWA regulations and standards during the probationary period that were the subject of the United States’ claims, its AWA license will be permanently revoked.
USDA investigated the case and filed a parallel administrative enforcement action.
Senior Trial Attorney Devon Flanagan and Trial Attorneys Kamela Caschette and Taylor Mayhall of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section prosecuted the case, with support from USDA’s Office of General Council and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Andrachik and Elizabeth Deucher for the Northern District of Ohio.
Justice Department Announces an Organizational Assessment of the Sacramento, California, Police Department under the COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform InitiativeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced that it will provide an Organizational Assessment of the Sacramento, California, Police Department through its Collaborative Reform Initiative. This is a voluntary program that is offered at the request of law enforcement agencies that are seeking to improve their services and operations. Over the next year, the Sacramento Police Department will work in partnership with the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative team to focus on:
- Organizational Structure and Workload Analysis
- Civilianization and Alternate Response
- Calls for Service Analysis
- Community Policing
- Technology
“It is exciting to see a department voluntarily taking a close look at how it can improve in critical areas,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “The shared goals of public safety and community trust are essential for agencies that want to continue to serve their residents to the best of their ability.”
“Departments that prioritize this internal work end up strengthening both their agencies and their relationship with those they serve,” said Director Hugh T. Clements Jr. of the COPS Office. “Taking on this type of work demonstrates a true commitment to excellence.”
Regular updates on the team’s work with the Sacramento Police Department will be provided at cops.usdoj.gov/active-oa-site-sacramento-ca-police-department as part of the transparency and public accountability of this new Organizational Assessment effort.
The Collaborative Reform Initiative encompasses three programs offering expert services to state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, Critical Response, and Organizational Assessment programs (complete details of these programs can be found at cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform). Managed out of the COPS Office, this continuum of services is designed to build trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve; improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness; enhance officer safety and wellness; build agencies’ capacity for organizational learning and self-improvement; and promote community policing practices nationwide.
The Organizational Assessment program provides the most intensive form of technical assistance on the continuum, involving in-depth assessments and long-term assistance to improve the fairness, effectiveness, and efficacy of agency operations that build trust with communities. A continual assessment and implementation process ensures that time and resources are used to focus on identifying areas for improvement, reinforcing agency strengths, and assisting with the implementation of improvements expeditiously. At the same time, the process provides transparency and accountability with routine public reporting and community input. Each engagement will be supported by a multidisciplinary assessment team composed of subject matter experts with diverse experience and perspectives, including in law enforcement, community engagement, research and evaluation, program management, and organizational reform.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 138,000 officers.
Former California Man Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A former California resident was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for conspiring to file false claims against the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2016 to 2020, Richard Jason Mountford, now of Las Vegas, conspired with another person to submit false individual income tax returns seeking refunds to which they were not entitled. Mountford and his co-conspirator filed false income tax returns in their own names, as well as in the names of two other unwitting individuals, that falsely reported they received wages from which taxes were withheld, and then claimed a refund based on those withholdings. Most of the returns filed as part of the scheme also falsely reported the payment of alimony to increase the refund amount.
As a result of his criminal conduct, Mountford and his co-conspirator received $873,723.53 from the IRS. Mountford deposited $757,075.53 of those funds into his own bank accounts and subsequently purchased nearly $360,000 worth of new cars. Mountford also distributed about $170,000 in cash and gold bars to his co‑conspirator as compensation for his role in the scheme.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley for the Eastern District of California ordered Mountford to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $757,075.53 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys John C. Gerardi and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
Early Bitcoin Investor Sentenced for Filing Tax Returns that Falsely Reported His Cryptocurrency GainsRead the Press Release
An Austin, Texas, man was sentenced today to two years in prison for filing a tax return that falsely underreported the capital gains he earned from selling $3.7 million in bitcoins.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2017 and 2019, Frank Richard Ahlgren III, filed false tax returns that underreported or did not report the sale of $4 million worth of bitcoins in which he had substantial gains. All taxpayers are required to report any sale proceeds and gains or losses from the sale of cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, on a tax return.
Ahlgren was an early investor in bitcoins and purchased bitcoins as early as 2011. In 2015, Ahlgren bought approximately 1,366 bitcoins using his accounts with Coinbase. The highest price bitcoins sold for that year was approximately $495.56. In October 2017, Ahlgren sold approximately 640 bitcoins trading at approximately $5,807.53 per bitcoin for a total of $3.7 million, and used the proceeds to purchase a house in Park City, Utah. Most of the bitcoins used to purchase the house came from bitcoins Ahlgren bought in 2015 using his Coinbase account. When it came time to prepare his 2017 federal income tax return, Ahlgren lied to his accountant by submitting a false summary of his gains and losses from the sale of his bitcoins. To conceal the full extent of his gain, Ahlgren claimed that he bought the bitcoins at prices much higher than he actually did — indeed, his claimed purchase prices were greater than the highest price bitcoins sold for in the market prior to the purchase of the Utah house. Ahlgren then filed a false 2017 federal income tax return that substantially inflated the cost basis of the bitcoins, thereby underreporting his true capital gain from his sale of bitcoins.
In 2018 and 2019, Ahlgren sold bitcoins for more than $650,000, and did not report these sales at all on his 2018 and 2019 tax returns. For these years, Ahlgren took several sophisticated steps to attempt to conceal his transactions on the bitcoin blockchain by moving his bitcoins through multiple wallets, meeting an individual in person to exchange bitcoins for cash, and using mixers, which are designed to conceal the individual who made the particular transaction. Indeed, in May 2014, Ahlgren had blogged about his knowledge of mixers as ways to add anonymity to bitcoin transactions. In total, the tax loss from Ahlgren’s criminal conduct was over $1 million.
“Frank Ahlgren III earned millions buying and selling bitcoins,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division “But instead of paying the taxes he knew were due, he lied to his accountant about the extent of a large portion of his gains, and sought to conceal another chunk of his profits through sophisticated techniques designed to obscure his transactions on the bitcoin blockchain. That conduct today earned him a two-year sentence.”
“Ahlgren will serve time because he believed his cryptocurrency transactions were untraceable. This case demonstrates that no one is above the law. My team at IRS Criminal Investigation has the expertise and tools to track financial activity, whether it involves dollars, pesos, or cryptocurrency,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Houston Field Office. “This case marks the first criminal tax evasion prosecution centered solely on cryptocurrency. As the prices for cryptocurrency are high, so is the temptation to not pay taxes on its sale. Avoid the temptation and avoid federal prison.”
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas ordered Ahlgren to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $1,095,031 in restitution to the United States.
IRS-CI and the Texas Office of Attorney General are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Department of Justice Announces a Critical Response Review of the Philadelphia Police Department under the COPS Office’s Collaborative Reform InitiativeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced that it will offer assistance to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) under its Critical Response program — part of the office’s Collaborative Reform Initiative.
Through this assistance, the COPS Office — in conjunction with the National Policing Institute (a Critical Response provider) — will work with the PPD to improve the process for removing abandoned cars within the city. The goal of this work is to lower the number of abandoned cars in the city, reduce crime, and improve relations with community members.
“One of the tenets of community policing is working with the community to address the public safety issues that are at the top of their priority list,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “That is what the Philadelphia Police Department has done here, and the Department of Justice is thrilled to support this work.”
“When a police department truly listens to its community, trust grows and partnerships strengthen,” said Director Hugh T. Clements, Jr. of the COPS Office. “In this case, the Philadelphia Police Department has worked closely with its community to understand their public safety priorities and we look forward to working with them to further their goals.”
The Collaborative Reform Initiative encompasses three programs offering expert services to state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, Critical Response, and Organizational Assessment programs (complete details of these programs can be found at cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform). Managed out of the COPS Office, this continuum of services is designed to build trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve; improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness; enhance officer safety and wellness; build agencies’ capacity for organizational learning and self-improvement; and promote community policing practices nationwide.
The Critical Response program is designed to provide targeted technical assistance (TA) to state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies experiencing high-profile events, major incidents, or sensitive issues of varying need. Critical Response is highly customizable by providing flexible assistance to law enforcement agencies that have recently experienced a critical incident or identified an issue of significant community concern in their department’s operations. The TA generally falls into three categories: (1) immediate delivery of TA to address a pressing and acute need, (2) data analysis, and (3) after-action reviews to understand and learn from law enforcement and public safety responses to critical incidents or issues.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 138,000 officers.
Clemency Recipient ListRead the Press Release
Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is granting clemency consisting of 39 pardons and 1,499 commutations.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is pardoning the following 39 individuals:
NINA SIMONA ALLEN – Harvest, Alabama
Nina Simona Allen is a 49-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent offense in her 20s. In the years since, Ms. Allen returned to school to earn a post-baccalaureate degree and two master’s degrees. She now works in the field of education. Ms. Allen strengthens her community by volunteering at a local soup kitchen and at a nursing home. Ms. Allen is described by people who know her as a dependable, hardworking woman of integrity.
KELSIE LYNN BECKLIN – Falcon Heights, Minnesota
Kelsie Lynn Becklin is a 38-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense at the age of 21. After successfully serving her sentence, Ms. Becklin has furthered her education and recently completed a Ph.D. program. In addition to her graduate program research and academic writing, Ms. Becklin mentors previously incarcerated individuals who also seek to pursue higher education. She is also an active volunteer in her community. Friends and professors attest to her work ethic, dedication, and genuine care for others.
DURAN ARTHUR BROWN – Cleveland, Ohio
Duran Arthur Brown is a 44-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Mr. Brown received early termination of his probationary sentence and has advanced his education and maintained consistent employment in the field of education. Mr. Brown is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and during his service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and several other medals and awards. Following his honorable discharge, Mr. Brown served in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He is described by colleagues as caring and compassionate.
NORMAN O’NEAL BROWN – Washington, DC
Norman O’Neal Brown is a 56-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent drug offenses when he was 22 years old. If Mr. Brown had been sentenced under current law and today’s sentencing practices, he likely would have received a shorter sentence. After serving over 20 years in prison, President Obama commuted his sentence in 2015. Since then, Mr. Brown has worked with several non-profit organizations, including those focused on rehabilitation, reentry, and justice-impacted youth. Mr. Brown volunteers at several national and community-based organizations that help support incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated people and serves as a board member for a non-profit dedicated to sentencing reform. Family members and colleagues describe Mr. Brown as a man of grace and integrity and an exceptional human being.
ARTHUR LAWRENCE BYRD – Clinton, Maryland Arthur Lawrence Byrd is a 58-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses at the age of 23. In the years since, Mr. Byrd has been employed as an equipment operator, where he has received various certificates in recognition and appreciation for his work and safety record. He is also active in his church community and contributes to the church’s coat drive and food pantry. People who know him attest to his willingness to help others, his work ethic, and his character.
SARAH JEAN CARLSON – Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Sarah Jean Carlson is a 49-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. She received early termination of her probationary sentence. Since then, she has furthered her education and worked in addiction counseling at a faith-based rehabilitation center. Ms. Carlson also volunteers in her local community and at her church. Community members emphasize that Ms. Carlson goes above and beyond to help as many people in crisis as possible.
BRANDON SERGIO CASTROFLAY – Alexandria, Virginia
Brandon Sergio Castroflay is a 49-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent, drug-related offenses at age 21. After successfully completing his sentence, Mr. Castroflay continued his career in the U.S. Army and then went on to work as a civilian for both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Castroflay received multiple awards related to his work. He also took night classes to earn a bachelor’s degree while also working full-time. Mr. Castroflay volunteers for several charitable organizations that support Gold Star families and wounded service members. Mr. Castroflay has been described as exceptionally hard working, dedicated, and trustworthy by those who know him.
ROSETTA JEAN DAVIS – Colville, Washington
Rosetta Jean Davis is a 60-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses. After successfully serving her sentence, Ms. Davis has maintained steady employment, including by working as a peer supporter for those struggling with substance abuse. Colleagues, family, friends, and neighbors all speak highly of her, citing her hard work, dependability, and willingness to serve as an example of rehabilitation to those with criminal records or who are battling addiction.
STEVONI WELLS DOYLE – Santaquin, Utah
Stevoni Wells Doyle is a 47-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses at the age of 24. After her conviction, she completed a master’s program and has worked as a licensed substance use disorder counselor. She volunteers in her community and fosters animals. Community members describe her as a great mentor and a person of integrity.
GREGORY S. EKMAN – Fountain Valley, California
Gregory S. Ekman is a 58-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense at the age of 25. After successfully serving his sentence, Mr. Ekman has maintained consistent employment and has engaged in extensive community service, including with a youth group and with his local church. Friends and associates uniformly praise his character, honesty, and dedication to family. During his U.S. Air Force service, Mr. Ekman received the Training Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and Air Force Longevity Service Award.
SHANNAN RAE FAULKNER – Muldrow, Oklahoma Shannan Rae Faulkner is a 56-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense. After successfully serving her sentence, she furthered her education and now works as a counselor and recovery coach with female trauma victims and people with disabilities. Ms. Faulkner also volunteers with organizations dedicated to preventing sexual assault and domestic violence, as well as with local charities. Colleagues attest to her inspirational character, her integrity, and the remarkable impact she makes on the lives of those she helps.
TRYNITHA FULTON – New Orleans, Louisiana
Trynitha Fulton is a 46-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses she committed when she was 23 years old. Since her conviction, she has earned a master’s degree and worked in the education field. Ms. Fulton also contributes to her community by coaching and volunteering, including for an organization that feeds homeless individuals. She also founded two non-profits dedicated to supporting and helping youth. Ms. Fulton has been described as someone who goes above and beyond for her community.
PAUL JOHN GARCIA – Las Vegas, New Mexico
Paul John Garcia is a 72-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent theft offenses. Since his conviction, he has maintained steady employment in the medical field. Mr. Garcia engages in community service, including with a charity supporting and mentoring youth. Mr. Garcia is a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy, where he received the National Defense Service Medal and other medals and awards. He is known for his extraordinary and compassionate delivery of patient care and his volunteerism.
KIM DOUGLAS HAMAN – Lima, Ohio
Kim Douglas Haman is a 75-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent offenses. Mr. Haman is also a veteran of the U.S. Army, where he served in the Vietnam War and earned awards, including the U.S. Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star. He was honorably discharged. After his conviction, Mr. Haman worked at a vehicle parts production facility and retired after 16 years of service. Mr. Haman has gained the reputation of being an excellent handyman and a devoted family man who is sincere, honest, and hardworking.
SHERRANDA JANELL HARRIS – Norwalk, Connecticut Sherranda Janell Harris is a 43-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent drug offense when she was 24 years old. In the years since, Ms. Harris has maintained employment in the finance and real estate fields. Ms. Harris is an engaged parent and spends most of her free time with her child. She is also committed to her church and has taken care of fellow parishioners. Ms. Harris has been described as a role model for young women in her community.
TERENCE ANTHONY JACKSON – Seattle, Washington
Terence Anthony Jackson is a 36-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense he committed when he was 23 years old. If Mr. Jackson had been sentenced under current law and sentencing practices, he would have likely received a shorter sentence. In the years since his release, Mr. Jackson has worked in the legal industry and is pursuing a degree while he works full-time. In addition to studying, Mr. Jackson has volunteered in his community, including as a barber to children in need. He is described by those who know him as dependable and caring and as someone who always tries to help others.
EDWIN ALLEN JONES – Paducah, Kentucky
Edwin Allen Jones is a 60-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses. Mr. Jones served in the U.S. Army and achieved the rank of Captain before being honorably discharged. Since successfully completing his sentence, Mr. Jones has had a notable legal career. Mr. Jones also participates in local government and volunteers for addiction recovery groups. Mr. Jones is described by community members as thoughtful, forward thinking, and trustworthy.
JAMAL LEE KING – North Ridgeville, Ohio Jamal Lee King is a 53-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Mr. King is a U.S. Army veteran. He received the National Defense Service Medal and several other awards before being honorably discharged. He received early termination of his probationary sentence and has since worked in various jobs. Mr. King contributes to his community through his church and by caring for his elderly neighbors. His community members describe him as trustworthy and honest.
JERRY DONALD MANNING – Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Jerry Donald Manning is a 70-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent offenses. Mr. Manning received early termination of his probationary sentence and has since advanced his education and career in aviation. He is active in his community, coaching soccer, attending church, and serving as a bible study teacher. Mr. Manning is a veteran of the U.S. Army. While in service, he was awarded a medal during Operation Desert Storm, and was honorably discharged. Friends and colleagues attest to his character, describing him as a good, honest man and a great leader.
HONI LORI MOORE – Rock Springs, Wyoming
Honi Lori Moore is a 46-year-old woman who committed a non-violent drug offense when she was 19 years old. Since her release, she has maintained consistent employment in the mining industry and has furthered her education by earning certificates. Ms. Moore is a member of two charitable organizations and has provided critical support to individuals in need, including fire safety, rescue, and first aid. Friends, neighbors, and colleagues describe Ms. Moore as honest, courageous, trustworthy, and dependable.
EMILY GOOD NELSON – Indianapolis, Indiana
Emily Good Nelson is a 39-year-old woman who was convicted of non-violent drug offenses when she was 19 years old. Since her release, she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and now works in the healthcare field. She has spoken publicly about drug use and has volunteered as a counselor at an in-patient psychiatric facility. She is described as kind, committed to recovery and helping others, and as someone with tremendous talent and ability.
DENITA NICOLE PARKER – Gaffney, South Carolina
Denita Nicole Parker is a 43-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense when she was in her 20s. Since her conviction, she has been a dedicated parent to her two children and works full-time. Ms. Parker also volunteers with a charitable organization delivering meals at least two to three times per month, organizes donations for the homeless, and buys holiday gifts for children in her community. She and her husband also started a program that feeds approximately 100 families. Friends, work associates, and neighbors describe Ms. Parker as law-abiding, trustworthy, dependable, and dedicated person.
MICHAEL GARY PELLETIER – Augusta, Maine
Michael Gary Pelletier is a 67-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Mr. Pelletier served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 14 years on active duty, where he participated in more than 790 search and rescue operations and saved 32 lives. He also previously worked with the U.S. Secret Service and received several citations and awards for his meritorious service. He was honorably discharged and later served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. After his conviction, Mr. Pelletier worked for almost 20 years at a water treatment facility. He volunteered for his county HAZMAT team, assisting first responders at hazardous material spills, accidents, and natural disasters. Additionally, he has grown vegetables for a local soup kitchen and volunteered at an organization supporting wounded veterans and their families. Friends, colleagues, and those who know Mr. Pelletier describe him has honest, dependable, and committed to his country and community.
RUSSELL THOMAS PORTNER – Toutle, Washington
Russell Thomas Portner is a 74-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense. Mr. Portner served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged after earning several decorations, including the Bronze Star. Since his conviction, he married, raised four children, operated a successful business, and developed a reputation for charitable generosity and community service. He is currently a member of several veterans organizations. Neighbors, business associates, and friends describe him as trustworthy, loyal, and as a respected businessperson.
NATHANIEL DAVID REED III – San Antonio, Texas Nathaniel David Reed III is a 46-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent offenses at the age of 21. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years after his conviction, including many overseas deployments, and achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and earned numerous good conduct awards before retiring with an honorable discharge. Mr. Reed has volunteered for numerous causes benefitting both the U.S. Air Force and the civilian community, such as training local firefighters, teaching fire prevention in various settings, and organizing fire prevention weeks. He has also served as a certified sexual assault prevention and response advocate and has used his experience in overcoming the stigma of his conviction to help mentor fellow airmen. Friends, neighbors, and former U.S. Air Force colleagues consistently describe Mr. Reed as highly motivated, reliable, patient, family-oriented, trustworthy, patriotic, dependable, upstanding, honest, hardworking, and personable.
GARY MICHAEL ROBINSON – Redmond, Oregon
Gary Michael Robinson is a 70-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense. Mr. Robinson is a distinguished U.S. Army veteran. During his service, he earned the National Defense Service Medal and other awards. He was honorably discharged and served as a reservist for several years. Since his conviction, he has built a successful firefighting and habitat preservation business. He volunteers in his community, gives regularly to charity, and is well-regarded by friends and associates. Mr. Robinson is described by those who know him as honest, trustworthy, and professional.
JOSE ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ – Coral Springs, Florida
Jose Antonio Rodriguez is a 55-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense at the age of 26. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy and received several medals and awards for his service, including the U.S. Navy Achievement Medal. Since his conviction, Mr. Rodriguez has started a family, committed himself to higher education, and has maintained employment in the medical field. Colleagues and friends describe Mr. Rodriguez as compassionate, empathetic, and dedicated to treating patients.
PATRICE CHANTE SELLERS – Bear, Delaware
Patrice Chante Sellers is a 49-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense when she was in her 20s. If Ms. Sellers had been sentenced under current law and sentencing practice, she likely would not have been prosecuted federally. Since her conviction, Ms. Sellers enrolled in school, earning multiple certifications and licenses. She gives back to her community by donating clothing and toiletries to a transitional housing program and offering encouragement to its residents. Community members describe Ms. Sellers as someone who goes above and beyond for others.
AUDREY DIANE SIMONE (AUDREY CLARK) – Prescott, Wisconsin
Audrey Diane Simon is a 63-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent offense. In the years since, Ms. Simon has worked in the field of addiction recovery and earned a bachelor’s degree and a permanent counseling license. She also contributes to her community through her church where she serves as a deacon and works in the church’s prison ministry. Community members describe her as inspirational, trustworthy, positive, and caring.
JAMES RUSSELL STIDD – Groveport, Ohio James Russell Stidd is a 79-year-old man who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense at the age of 20. After his conviction, he served in the U.S. Air Force until he was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant. He reenlisted and served another four years, including during the Vietnam War, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant. Upon being honorably discharged, Mr. Stidd worked as a contractor and as a road and park maintenance worker. He has participated in various charitable activities through his church and is a member of a disabled veterans organization. Mr. Stidd is described as a man of integrity and honor.
DIANA BAZAN VILLANUEVA – La Grange, Illinois
Diana Bazan Villanueva is a 51-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent drug offense in her 20s. In the years since, Ms. Villanueva has been a dedicated mother to her children and has worked in payroll and accounts. Ms. Villanueva also regularly volunteers at school events, fundraisers, and annual autism-related charitable events. Friends and coworkers uniformly praise Ms. Villanueva and describe her as warm, reliable, and always eager to help.
LASHAWN MARRVINIA WALKER – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Lashawn Marrvinia Walker is a 51-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses in her 20s. Ms. Walker received early termination of her probationary sentence for her exemplary probation record. Since then, Ms. Walker has worked in the healthcare field, is an engaged parent, and regularly assists others in her community, including during the holidays when she helps serve dinner at a retirement home. People in her community describe Ms. Walker as caring, good-hearted, and responsible. They also note her willingness to meaningfully help others.
MIREYA AIMEE WALMSLEY – La Porte, Texas
Mireya Aimee Walmsley is a 57-year-old woman who was convicted of a non-violent offense at the age of 25. Since her conviction, she has earned an associate’s degree, a nursing license, and a bachelor’s degree. She has maintained steady employment in the healthcare field. Additionally, she has led emergency response teams during several natural disasters (including Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, and Harvey, and Tropical Storm Allison) and spearheaded vaccination efforts during the H1N1 epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. Her contributions to public health have been recognized on numerous occasions. She has been commended for her loyalty, integrity, compassion for people of all backgrounds, and is universally described as honest and steadfast in crisis.
KIMBERLY JO WARNER – Portville, New York
Kimberly Jo Warner is a 54-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense. Since her conviction, Ms. Warner earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and works in the healthcare field. She has volunteered at a non-profit that provides therapeutic services to veterans and first responders and serves as a mentor. She also participates in the Gold Star Wives Program and speaks at the local veterans organization meetings. Ms. Warner has been described as positive, empathetic, caring, and nurturing by those who know her.
JOHNNIE EARL WILLIAMS – Denver, Colorado
Johnnie Earl Williams is a 58-year-old man who was convicted of a non-violent offense. In the years since, Mr. Williams has worked as a criminal justice specialist and addiction counselor. He gives back to his community through volunteering and serving in his church. Mr. Williams has received many awards for his charitable work, including an award that honors individuals who work with young men of color. Community members describe Mr. Williams as honest, loyal, and compassionate.
SHAWNTE DOROTHEA WILLIAMS – Columbia, South Carolina
Shawnte Dorothea Williams is a 45-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense in her 20s. In the years since, Ms. Williams has been steadily employed in several fields. Ms. Williams is involved in her community, working in her church’s food pantry and serving as a greeter on Sunday mornings. Ms. Williams has been described by those who know her as a loyal and dependable community member.
LASHUNDRA TENNEAL WILSON – Arlington, Texas
Lashundra Tenneal Wilson is a 49-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent offense she committed when she was a teenager. In the years since, Ms. Wilson pursued her education and has worked in the healthcare field. Ms. Wilson gives back to the community by volunteering at community health fairs and raising funds for non-profit health organizations. Ms. Wilson has been praised for her work ethic, trustworthiness, and dependability by community members.
LORA NICOLE WOOD – Maxwell, Nevada
Lora Nicole Wood is a 39-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense when she was 19 years old. Since her release, Ms. Wood has maintained steady employment and is an engaged parent. She has spent time volunteering with animal welfare and canine therapy service organizations and has organized food drives and fundraisers. Ms. Wood has been praised her work ethic, devotion to her children, and volunteer endeavors.
JAMES EDGAR YARBROUGH – Arlington, Tennessee
James Edgar Yarbrough is a 79-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent offenses. Mr. Yarbrough is a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran who earned a Purple Heart Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and over 10 other medals and awards throughout his service. He was honorably discharged after attaining the rank of Captain. Since his conviction, he worked for a shipping company for nearly 30 years. Now retired, he spends much of his time volunteering and is active in his church. Mr. Yarbrough’s business acquaintances, neighbors, church members, and friends all reflect a consistent high level of regard for Mr. Yarbrough, commenting on his impressive civic engagement, good character, and generosity.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is commuting the sentences of the following 1,499 individuals:
NameReg. No.ANTWON ABBOTT16383-028RLS AR ABDUL AZIZ02438-095EDWARD ABELL III00566-138ANTHONY ABREU-MATOS44903-069FAYEZ ABU-AISH67402-018JOSE ABUNDIZ11828-085JORGE ACEVEDO04413-028MARK ACKERMAN30428-047SETH ACOSTA47417-177FELIX ACOSTA78804-198KARA ADAMS61718-019JOHN ADAMS17769-029LONZINE ADAMS39134-018DARRYL ADAMS32351-009HERMAN ADAMS03791-480ADEMOLA ADEBAYO17711-104AYODELE ADENIRAN78249-054PAMELA ADENUGA45171-177SHELINDER AGGARWAL34768-001MANUEL AGUILAR26463-009RAMON AGUILAR III50500-177VINCENTER JIMENES19899-026RAY AGUILLARD05451-095ALBERTO AGUIRRE68408-079CHELSEY AGUIRRI57387-177TOYOSI ALATISHE63492-037DENNIS ALBA89560-012BRIAN ALCORTA44752-380MAHMOUD ALDISSI60832-018ROBERT ALDRIDGE00195-120ANTHONY ALFARO22710-026MUHAMMAD ALI42233-379NAGY ALI13500-479ASIF ALI57844-177MICHAEL ALLEN14822-042DEVORD ALLEN05097-041KRISTIE ALLEN18933-023BENJAMIN ALLMON17008-029KAHEIM ALLUMS78040-054GUMARO ALMANZA57815-380JORGE ALOMAR-BAELLO74170-053WILLIAM ALONZO51061-039JAMES ALTOM27680-045JUAN ALVAREZ18027-097CARLOS AMADOR64899-279FRANK AMODEO48883-019ROBERT ANDERSON14686-076ROBERT ANDERSON09350-021THOMAS ANDERSON JR41952-044MELVIN ANDERSON32689-074JULIE ANDRADE75726-112MARK ANDREOTTI67620-050WILFREDO ANDUJAR23432-058ANTONIO ESCOBAR29230-479CHRISTOPHER ANZALONE06975-104JOSE APONTE71104-050CLYDE APPERSON14058-031ROY APPLEWHITE13755-040DWAYNE APPLING12383-273ALVARO ARGUELLES36944-479MINEL ARIAS85794-054GABRIEL ARIAS MADURO16089-104RICHARD ARLEDGE16769-078GENNY ARMENTA54202-177TRACY ARNOLD52198-074ERIC ARNOLD45771-074BERNARD ARRE04052-029BENJAMIN ARZOLA27539-050JAMES ASKEW III27100-001NICHOLAS AUDETTE72060-018CARLOS AVANT22833-076ANGELA AVETISYAN68350-112ERICA AYALA49030-177ISMAEL AYALA42295-018FRANK BADILLA JR43595-480ALCIDES BAEZ37504-004JACKIE BAGLEY63477-037SANDRA BAILEY27281-076JAMES BAILEY05406-010RYAN BAIRD15870-028ULYSEE BAKER JR56979-083BRIAN BALLANGEE11907-033JOHN BANKS15023-075KIMBERLY BANKS96188-020JEFFREY BANKS78927-083FRAENCHOT BANKS15638-041ANDRE BARBARY97866-004EVIZAEL BARBOSA-DELGADO76036-066RUBEN BARCELO-SEVERINO63353-018COY BARKER22321-078HAROLD BARNETT15762-033YESENIA BARRAGAN80567-298JOSE BARRERA28336-078JOSE BARRERAS15114-028ONEIL BARRETT57578-298PHILIP BARRY77573-053DION BARTLETT51593-083KURT BARTON71720-280RAMIRO BASALDUA64458-079HARVEY BASS55769-018SHALLIN BAST22296-040PATRICK BATES33795-058DERRICK BEALS04143-043CARLOS BECERRA16447-179LYDIA BECK71137-019DONALD BECK29104-057EDDIE BECKHAM34320-058TODD BEHRENDS22602-047ANTHONY BELL26231-013JEAN BENITEZ-REYES52753-069AUNDEL BENOIT36312-004SHANNON BENTLEY71366-018LARRY BENTLEY JR24069-044LEON BENZER47521-048MARC BERCOON66081-019ROGER BERGMAN04825-104CARLOS BASTARD72419-054AUSTIN BERTCH14003-029CORDARRYL BETTON21389-043ANTONIO BEVERLY02712-104TRACY BIAS70248-061DAVID BILES40371-074MICHAEL BINDAY66389-054MICKEY BIRGE10240-028DOYLE BIVENS40031-074KIMBERLY BLACK-MCCORMICK26518-045KEVIN BLALOCK42597-074JAMES BLANTON50960-509ANIS BLEMUR19380-104KEVIN BLEVINS32128-177ERIC BLOOM44727-424JOHN BLOUNT17880-035KENDALL BLUE55802-056VILAWOE BOADU76454-408ANDREW BOGDANOFF68251-066ANASTASSIA BOGOMOLOVA60833-018LASHAUN BOLTON30504-057AMANDA BONEL22810-078RICARDO BONILLA-ROJAS40498-069CHRISTOPHER BOOTH07502-043LISA BOOTON30658-047RANDALL BOSTIC42523-074SYLVESTER BOSTON JR50221-039ROBERT BOSTON33525-058ALICIA BOULDIN58421-177AUDRA BOWDEN50705-177MELVIN BOWEN19666-078PAUL BOWMAN53747-074MICHAEL BOWMAN19060-084VERNON BOWSER14524-074CHRISTOPHER BOX22026-084QUINBY BOYD30446-058WILLIAM BOYLAND JR79751-053KENNETH BRADLEY09488-021MACK BRADLEY08073-043WILLIAM BRADLEY87078-054BENJAMIN BRADLEY50878-039JUSTIN BRANON89595-408DONALD BRELJE09657-041MATTHEW BREMOND20559-006STEVEN BREWER24281-077TREAVOR BRIGGS32708-009SHAMICHAEL BRIGHT14688-035MITCHELL BROOKS24135-016ANDREA BROOKS28601-380TERRICIOUS BROOKS54557-056SHELLE BROOKS04027-029DONALD BROOMFIELD61304-018BOBBIE BROWN40453-424ATARI BROWN54681-039JERMAINE BROWN62269-019KEVIN BROWN32427-016JB BROWN JR19409-026EDDIE BROWN06900-063DARRYL BROWN46329-074ISAAC BROWN33651-058TRAMAINE BROWN91240-053JAMES BROWN31677-171TERESA BROWN22766-045JONATHAN BRUMBACK22506-031TORRIE BRUMFIELD32473-034ROCKY BRUMMETT12354-032MICHAEL BRUNER17984-032MICHAEL BRYANT54559-004GREGORY BUCK26568-081TAMATHA BUCKHOLT63353-280KEVIN BUI26874-017DENNIS BUNCH78044-083JOHN BURGESS59495-177JAMES BURKHART15426-028PAUL BURKS29723-058ALEKSANDR BURMAN50234-054VICTOR BURNETT54977-039ANTHONY BURNETT16708-028PIERRE BURNETT15146-028LAMEL BURNS42334-424SIRRICO BURNSIDE24037-171NATHANIEL BURRELL III71431-066REBECCA BURRESS30393-074KERI BURROUGHS14152-010CRYSTAL BUSBY-TETZLAFF08770-046ANTONIO BUSSIE66847-019RUBEN BUSTOS47273-380DANNY BUTLER19107-033SHAWN BUTLER83619-083JOHN BUTLER JR20040-018MICHAEL BYERS34932-058ERNESTO CABANAS-TORRES59340-408YERITHZA CABAUATAN64824-298LYNN CADY55388-380BRIAN CALLAHAN82618-053THOMAS CAMBIANO28886-031PIO CAMPOS09314-089ROSETTA CANNATA62780-018XAVIER CARDONA36123-380LUIS CARIBE-GARCIA16113-069JAMES CARLSON16784-041ALLEN CARNES02783-061TERRELL CARNEY33927-034LUSHAWN CAROLINA58659-083KELLI CARON13604-059HORRIS CARPENTER27422-076PEDRO CARRASCO JR07532-046CARMELO CARRASQUILLO-LOPEZ53078-069JIMMY CARRASQUILLO-RODRIGUEZ33484-069JOSE CARRILLO62730-080CLIFFORD CARROLL13905-104DEWEY CARROLL50232-037RASHAUN CARTER21884-084ERIK CARTER51330-039MAURICE CARTER97740-020JOSEPH CARTER16691-075RANDY CARVER53579-074JAMES CARVER25084-014MELISSA CASEY48834-074SHARLENE CASH33128-064NORMA CASILLAS52244-179VLADIMIR CASTANEDA62039-018ROLAND CASTELLANOS62970-019RONALD CASTILLE JR63882-280DANNY CASTILLO26164-014NELVING CASTRO69551-066DESHON CATCHINGS47363-039JOSE MORA CATES17496-028DWELLY CAULEY69830-004SEUI CAVAN08947-030PEDRO CAVAZOS JR52624-080OSVALDO CEBALLO01241-104RAFAEL CEBALLOS-CASTILLO06988-028DOMINGO CEDANO-MARTINEZ59126-177ISRAEL CEDENO-MARTINEZ66258-050ROMAN CHAIDEZ-ALVAREZ17137-424AMANDA CHAMBERLAIN54101-177SHAUNTEL CHAMBERS17381-027KAWANA CHAMPION71021-019NIGEL CHANDLER32455-177JAMES CHANEY17746-032DONNIE CHASTAIN60461-019LIZA CHAVERA84866-380JOSE CHAVEZ07920-027CARLOS CHAVEZ-LOZANO08285-063JUAN CHAVIRA-GUERRERO26392-078MARCUS CISNEROS55251-177XAVIER CISNEROS87026-280EMMA CLARK27724-078BERNARD CLARK27715-171ROBERT CLARK JR10732-078NEIL CLARK06923-032KASIMU CLARK49960-066GEORGE CLARKE24708-052NORMA CLAUDIO01722-138TIMOTHY CLINE08718-062BRADLEY CLOUGH12318-028MARIAN CLUFF92132-379MIKE COFFELT42779-074GAYBBRELL COFIELD53224-056CLARENCE COHEN43732-039DALE COLBERT63077-112KEVIN COLEMAN30836-076KEITH COLEMAN09587-021VLADIMIR COLLAZO-FLORIDO13775-069NICHOLAS COLLINS26482-034MARLON COLLINS05871-041RUSSELL COLLINS05959-032LEON COMBS07917-032MICHAEL CONAHAN15009-067BRUCE CONANT25387-045HUMBERTO CONCEPCION-ANDRADES50411-069KARIN CONDON08979-059RAYMOND CONLEY11368-035NOEL CONTRERAS89187-008VANESSA COOPER58397-018DEWAYNE COOPER24919-034CHERIE COPELAND34593-045BRYAN COPELAND55708-018JOSEPH COPELAND16683-089CHAYANEE CORCINO-SERRANO52234-069MATTHEW CORDERO09956-087RAFAEL CORDERO68437-066JARVOR COSSE37473-034JACORY COULTER28564-078CLARENCE COUNTERMAN58238-380HENDRICK COUSAR23407-171DONALD COX JR49022-177GARRY CRAIGHEAD62952-380ZAN CRANDALL JR17023-003WILLIAM CRANE31603-001QUANTEZ CRIBBS10735-029RACHEL CROWE14291-509KACEY CROXTON54049-177RITA CRUNDWELL44540-424RICHARD CRUZ70012-054ANNA CUARTAS15923-104CHAD CURRY00527-120JONATHAN CURSHEN90293-054SALAH DADO45816-039COURTNEY DAILY25700-075AUGUSTIN DALUSMA71080-018AARON DAN94757-022MELVIN DANIELS32900-171ETHEL DANIELS66014-019JAMIE DARBY16934-002VIKRAM DATTA64542-054PAUL DAUGERDAS62444-054KENDRICK DAVENPORT14089-179ARNULFO DAVILA32490-177ERIC DAVIS31339-044AMANDA DAVIS52217-074MICHAEL DAVIS55247-060MARTEE DAVIS31634-001LISA DAVIS14202-029KOBIE DAVIS17745-026PIERRE DAWSON20863-424FEDERICO DE LA CRUZ08369-379MERCEDES DE LA PAZ65423-298DAVID DE LOS SANTOS49817-177NICHOLAS DEANGELIS71691-004CHRISTINE DELACRUZ20753-006GERARDO DELBOSQUE16494-078OSCAR DELGADILLO88249-479VINCENT DELGADO27854-039RODNEY DELOACH04816-061DAVID DEMATHEWS11256-112DONNA DEMPS66889-018GUY DERILUS94425-004ANITA DESORMEAUX17404-035EDUARDO DIAZ31301-045RICARDO DIAZ79173-479HECTOR DIAZ JR04822-508RAFAEL DIAZ-ALICEA63755-018ALAN DIAZ-FELICIANO50584-069JOSE DIAZ-MEDINA16909-069JERRY DICE18137-026CLINTON DICKERSON10113-078EARLIE DICKERSON08369-380JON DIRK DICKERSON24921-045WALTER DIGGLES25054-078EDWARD DIMARIA16900-104NATHANIEL DIXSON16028-028KRISANDREA DOBBS56495-177JUAN DOMINGUEZ76727-004FELICIA DONALD94272-083LAMON DONNELL16879-078RONALD DOTSON52832-074DARREN DOUGLAS16921-047RICK DOWDEN09130-028JACK DOWELL05225-017WILLIAM DOWNS11865-033ROBERTA DRAHEIM11325-090MARC DREIER70595-054GORDON DRIVER47270-048JOHN DRULLINGER JR50200-177PHOUMANO DUANGTAVILAY27955-055JOHN DUBOR28044-479CORRIE DUDLEY28056-045JADE DUGAN17343-273CHAD DUNAWAY15039-078BRUCE DUNKELBURGER97329-020TOMMY DUONG21598-017BARBARA DUPREY RIVERA69394-018RANDY DURAN55401-177WILLIAM DYER52295-074GERARD EASILEY71989-279MELODIE ECKLAND52863-509ROBERT EDWARDS55683-018VERNON EDWARDS28300-171BENJAMIN EDWARDS SR31320-034VICTOR EHLERS25357-052GARY EISEMAN13633-059MATTHEW ELDER17041-408VIOLET ELDRIDGE57294-019MICHAEL ELLIOTT JR18076-030RYAN ELLIS07971-036DARIEN ELLSWORTH-DAWAY71967-066RUDOLPH ENGEL08084-059JOSEPH ENOX41328-177ERIC EPSTEIN16513-104JUSTIN ERWIN26283-058CHRISTOPHER ERWIN63427-050CINTHIA ESCOBAR-RAMOS50975-069ALFONSO ESPARZA75902-097HAROLD ESQUILIN-MONTANEZ49768-069EDUARDO ESTERAS-ROSADO47753-069MICHELLE ESTEVEZ55439-066ENRIQUE ESTRADA76531-112DANIEL EVANS43012-044RONALD EVANS SR31084-018TERRY EVELAND15669-028BRENDA EVERSOLE16161-032DAITWAUN FAIR25880-052EDWARD FARLEY61330-019DAVID FARNSWORTH16241-059AVION FARR31852-009ANTWONE FARRAL13864-028RONALD FAULK JR43628-054ROOSEVELT FAZ85345-079JOHANNY FELICIANO-GONZALEZ50771-069FRANCISCO FELIX65558-208HERIBERTO FELIX RUIZ31715-009MELVIN FELIZ16314-054SELICA FENDER16834-059BRYAN FERRER-VAZQUEZ27465-055TERI FIEDLER46285-044STEPHEN FIELDS80657-083JESUS FIGUEROA01197-138ROLANDO FIGUEROA62539-018DANIEL FILLERUP25270-052DERRICK FINCHER20128-085STEVEN FINKLER39327-053NORRIS FISHER41251-177JENNA FITZHUGH-THOMAS36732-034TIMOTHY FITZPATRICK24140-055FABIAN FLEIFEL57575-018TERRY FLENORY32454-044PATRICK FLORANG09860-029GUSTAVO FLORES91742-051MARGARITO FLORES41922-080SHIRLEY FLORES83175-179ALEXIS FONTANEZ NIEVES66943-018DAMON FORBES49337-019WILLIAM FORD11612-002KEITH FORD67064-018NIGEL FORDE91548-083MARSHALL FOSKEY94169-020BRIAN FOSTER59970-019NATHAN FOSTER17583-002JOSHUA FOUNTAIN05960-017MELISSA FOX20767-045DAVID FRANCIS38679-068MONICA FRAZEE68730-298DEXTER FRAZIER71019-019BOBBY FROMAN38833-177JERRY FRUIT53517-054JAMES FRY15927-041PEGGY FULFORD37001-034KATHY FUNTILA06000-122CALVIN FURLOW60885-019ANTONIO GADDIST28288-171KRYSTA GAINES54427-177WILLIAM GALLION11492-032FREDERICK GANG72630-054DANIELS GARCES28327-078REYNALDO GARCIA29332-479JACQUELINE GARCIA12667-091GABRIEL GARCIA28966-180AMBAR GARCIA57152-380MANUEL GARCIA ZUNIGA18857-030DENNIS GARCIA-CATALAN56897-177NEYDIE GARCIA-PEREZ20096-479NOEL GARCIA-RIVERA23164-069MERRILL GARDNER13729-046JODY GARDNER12401-104RAMON GARIBAY42552-280VICKI GARLAND65459-112RICHARD GARRETT43830-112BABY GARRISON22813-021TREMAINE GARRISON67131-054KEVIN GARVIN63886-019JAMES GARY08922-379HUMBERTO GARZA80485-079JEREMY GASAWAY10910-028AMBER GAUCH55287-177ALFRED GEREBIZZA63188-019COURTLAND GETTEL60857-298ADAM GETTS17474-027DENNIS GIBBONS JR47362-074LC GILLS JR30067-076GEOFFREY GISH62152-019BYRON GLOVER27413-034ALEXIO GOBERN15002-057JAJUAN GODSEY43961-060TISHA GOFF54112-074CARL GOLDEN04099-095WILLIAM GOLDSTEIN66083-019JAMIE GOLLADAY71142-097SOTERO GOMEZ91525-054LIDERRICK GOMEZ33532-171BRYAN GOMEZ NEVAREZ70388-018RANDY GOMILLA14460-025DANEL GONZALEZ49687-069ISAAC GONZALEZ56372-177JOSE GONZALEZ00727-138MARTHA GONZALEZ56710-177MARCOS GONZALEZ86617-054NORMA GONZALEZ94484-380DAVID GONZALEZ-PEREZ35448-069ROBERT GOOD32794-068STEVEN GOODMAN27355-009WILLIAM GOODWILL14116-026CLARENCE GOODWIN42129-074CLINTON GOSWICK33728-177GEORGE GRACE SR05652-095DAMON GRAHAM13787-014DANIELLE GRAVES17929-030MARCEL GRAVES20408-043LARRY GRAVES35377-408ANDREA GRAY15761-076SHERRY GRAY05057-088JOHN GRAY33954-058SHAWN GREEN31359-171HENRY GREEN JR42575-074JAMIE GREEN26213-078DAVID GREENBERG59059-053CHARLES GREESON60784-019RODRICK GRIMES05892-078MICHAEL GROVE07811-002JAMES GUERRA36611-001CLOYD GUILLORY25713-479TREMAYNE GUIN64374-060JEFFREY GUNSELMAN01056-380SAVANNAH GUTHERY31479-064FRANK GUTIERREZ07626-051SANTOS GUTIERREZ60107-097MARC GUYTON32201-034ERIC GUZMAN72056-050LEGUSTER HACKWORTH III34685-001ANDREW HAIR54106-056DAMON HAIRSTON17753-027JAMES HALD17170-047HENRY HALL35370-016KRIS HALL08407-063HARRISON HALL47294-424JANET HALLAHAN11744-026FRANZ HAMBRICK16770-179FRANK HAMILTON34162-171LESLIE HAMILTON07068-089BUCK HAMMERS08202-063JOHN HANCOCK14341-078ASHLEY HANNA28294-078HUNTER HANSON17369-059PETER HANSON03640-041AARON HARBOR49351-177BRANDON HARDERS17362-029DAVID HARDY14486-078CYNTHIA HARLAN63290-018MELISSA HARLESS20400-084CHRISTOPHER HARLESS68123-280DANNY HARMON10089-028JOSHUA HARNED32207-001SANDRA HARO13202-479JAMES HARPER33908-171CHARLES HARRIS42637-379DONTAI HARRIS70182-018VICTORIA HARRIS09002-025BOBBY HARRIS46169-177JIMMY HARTLEY06148-028MALCOLM HARTZOG02391-043LAMONT HARVEY51237-039JOHNNY HATCHER31418-074LARRY HAWKINS16918-077WOODROW HAYES12732-035JAMAL HAYNES25575-017WILLIAM HEARN17282-003STEVEN HEBERT30953-034ROBERTO HECKSCHER14400-111KATHRYN HELLEN21895-040ROBERT HELM23180-047SHAQUAN HEMINGWAY02815-509JEROME HENNESSEY21756-041JOHN HENOUD25198-083WENDI HENRY43511-074KYLE HENSON20303-076MARCELA HEREDIA76424-097MICHAEL HERMAN75169-067ERNEST HERNANDEZ32005-479PAUL HERNANDEZ SR46860-177SIRIA HERNANDEZ14847-104JOHNNY HERNANDEZ52595-280MARCOS HERNANDEZ07452-078LEONARD HERNANDEZ91393-380GUILLERMO HERNANDEZ16555-078RICK HERRERA59037-177PEDRO HERRERA51600-177NELLY HERRERA47398-008ALEXANDER HEYING17863-041RAYMOND HIBBERT70563-066JERRY HICKS27657-078JAMES HILL06343-088BRANDON HILL52282-074JOHNNIE HILL83187-083AMY 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SHELDON HOWARD
12704-032
92565-083
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A Salt Lake City man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, aggravated identity theft and making false statements.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2018 through 2020, Santiago Garcia Gutierrez defrauded a victim of more than $2.8 million by falsely promising he could acquire at discounted prices exotic cars, planes and vessels that had been seized by the U.S. government through forfeiture. Garcia falsely induced the victim to use him as an intermediary to receive the money the victim believed was being used to purchase the non-existent luxury assets. To lure his victim into participating in the scheme, Garcia contacted the victim on numerous occasions via text message from multiple phone numbers, falsely claiming to be a confidential government informant, federal agent or Garcia’s own attorney.
In addition, from 2019 through 2024, Garcia defrauded eight additional victims across the country. To execute those frauds, Garcia induced victims to invest money into federal oil wells in which he had an ownership interest, promising large returns on investment. The victims never realized any profits, however, because Garcia diverted the investment funds for his own benefit. To effectuate these schemes and to lend them legitimacy, Garcia again assumed the identity of his attorney. In total, Garcia defrauded these victims of more than $775,000.
Finally, Garcia also did not pay royalties to the federal government on the sale of oil extracted from the wells, despite knowing that he had a duty to do so.
Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making a false statement, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of impersonating a federal officer and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and the Environmental Protection Agency are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing and Erika V. Suhr of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
United States and State of Illinois File Complaint Against City of East St. Louis for Unlawful Discharges of Untreated SewageRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Illinois today announced the filing of a complaint against the City of East St. Louis, Illinois.
The complaint seeks penalties and infrastructure improvements to remedy East St. Louis’ failure to operate its sewer system in compliance with the Clean Water Act. This failure has led to hundreds of unlawful discharges of untreated sewage to various locations in the community, including the Mississippi River and Whispering Willow Lake in Frank Holten State Park.
East St. Louis operates a combined sewer system that carries sanitary sewage and stormwater through the same pipes. During periods of heavy rain, combined sewage is discharged directly from East St. Louis’ outfalls to the Mississippi River or Whispering Willow Lake without any treatment, which the United States alleges is in violation of the Clean Water Act. Since 2020, East St. Louis has discharged untreated sewage to the Mississippi River on over 140 separate days. The city has also discharged untreated sewage into Whispering Willow Lake, though the precise number of discharges is unknown because East St. Louis has failed to install required monitoring devices.
Areas of the Mississippi River that are downstream of East St. Louis are designated for recreation such as swimming and kayaking; Whispering Willow Lake is frequently used for fishing and boating. East St. Louis’ failure to monitor outfalls interferes with EPA’s ability to evaluate the danger that discharges to these water bodies pose to human health. Untreated sewage contains pathogens such as E. coli, which can cause severe illness if ingested. The frequent discharges of untreated sewage from East St. Louis’ outfalls could pose significant health risks to residents who recreate in the receiving waters.
East St. Louis also operates a separate sewer system that carries sanitary sewage only. Both the combined and separate sewer systems that the city operates are in a state of disrepair. The city’s failure to properly operate and maintain these systems has led to additional discharges of combined or sanitary sewage into streets and buildings and has put members of the public at risk for unknowingly coming into contact with untreated sewage.
The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The United States and Illinois will request an order for the City of East St. Louis to cease further violations of the Clean Water Act and complete all actions necessary to ensure future compliance. These requested compliance measures will likely include sewer improvement and other infrastructure projects.
The Justice Department and EPA are asking East St. Louis community members to consider submitting optional Community Statements regarding sewer overflow events by April 30, 2025. The agencies seek information on the extent and impact of the sewer overflow problems and input on long-term solutions. Community members can provide input at dojenrd.gov1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3aSMl4v9WteSESy.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Administrator Debra Shore for EPA Region 5 and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul made the announcement.
The United States has brought enforcement actions to require municipalities across the country to update their sewer systems and address similar Clean Water Act violations. Nationally, EPA has been working with states, municipalities, and trade organizations to develop tools to help communities work towards compliance with Clean Water Act requirements. On Dec. 10, the Justice Department, EPA and the State of Illinois announced a settlement with the nearby City of Cahokia Heights, Illinois, resolving that city’s Clean Water Act violations. Details of that settlement can be found at www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-epa-announce-settlement-cahokia-heights-illinois-improper-operation.
EPA and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency investigated the case.
Attorneys with the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section and Illinois Attorney General’s office are handling the case.
Former Employee Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Defraud Illinois Nursing and Rehabilitation FacilityRead the Press Release
A former scheduler of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) at an Illinois nursing and rehabilitation facility pleaded guilty in federal court to fraud charges in connection with the hiring and payment of “ghost” employees who never actually worked at the facility.
Alisha Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that, from roughly October 2017 through April 2019, she was employed as a CNA scheduler at a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Forest Park that provided medical benefits and services to patients. While employed at the facility, Richardson planned, organized, and executed a scheme to defraud the facility by making it appear that at least five individuals were employed at the facility when they were not (the “ghost” employees). Richardson submitted false time sheets and other documents, causing the facility to generate paychecks for these “ghost” employees. Richardson then split the proceeds with the “ghost” employees or forged their signatures, signing over the paychecks to herself. As a result of the fraud, the facility paid approximately $103,094.01 for work that was never performed. In the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to the entry of a forfeiture judgment for that amount.
“The defendant in this case stole money that should have been used to provide nursing and rehabilitative care to older Americans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who commit crimes that affect programs that benefit vulnerable Americans.”
“The defendant’s ghost payrolling scheme resulted in a substantial loss for an organization that provides critical services to elderly Americans,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “We will continue to investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable anyone who attempts to scam their employer out of payroll funds.”
“Financial fraud and abuse take critical resources out of our health care system and defrauds the American public,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This case is the result of successful, multi-agency collaboration into the defendant’s scheme. The FBI and our partners will continue to allocate significant resources to investigate crimes like these and protect the integrity of our federal health care programs.”
“Our agency is committed to ensuring that federal health care programs are protected from all types of fraud, waste and abuse. Providers who submit fraudulent records and bill for “ghost” services damage our federal health care programs and the beneficiaries they serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate any similar allegations of fraud.”
Richardson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso in Chicago, Illinois. A sentencing date will be set by the court. In addition to the forfeiture judgment, she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the matter.
Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Julien for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
California CEO Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today to not paying employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, John Comeau, of Santa Clara, was the CEO of Vivid Inc., a company that provided metal coating services across various industries in Campbell, California, and elsewhere. From at least the first quarter of 2010 through the end of 2019, Vivid withheld Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from the wages paid to its employees. However, Comeau, who was responsible for ensuring those funds were reported and paid to the IRS, did not do so.
In total, Comeau caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1,150,000.
Comeau is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilham Hosseini for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Businessman Indicted for Manipulating Five Publicly Traded Companies and Defrauding Investors of over $200MRead the Press Release
Note: A copy of the indictment can be found here.
A federal grand jury in Dallas, Texas, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Texas businessman for his role in a yearslong scheme involving at least five publicly traded companies.
According to court documents, Philip Verges, 59, of Dallas, controlled five publicly traded companies, which he used to engage in an investment fraud scheme from approximately January 2017 through August 2022. As part of the alleged scheme, Verges concealed his involvement in these five companies from the investing public by appointing trusted friends to serve as nominees. Verges then allegedly entered into sham consulting agreements with the companies that allowed the companies to execute convertible notes, which could be converted to shares at a steep discount from their fair market value. Verges allegedly artificially inflated the price and trading volume of shares by, among other things, issuing false public press releases and financial statements. As further alleged, Verges then sold his convertible notes to intermediaries who converted the notes into shares at below-market prices, sold the shares into the market for a profit, and shared the proceeds from the sales with Verges. In total, the alleged scheme resulted in approximately $211 million in losses to the public.
Verges is charged with one count of securities fraud and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the securities fraud count and 10 years in prison on each money laundering count. 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, and Special Agent in Charge Gregory D. Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are 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.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on FBI Director Christopher Wray’s Resignation AnnouncementRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland following FBI Director Christopher Wray’s resignation announcement:
“Chris Wray has served our country honorably and with integrity for decades, including for seven years as the Director of the FBI under presidents of both parties.
In a heightened threat environment, Director Wray has worked tirelessly to protect the American people and to lead an agency of 38,000 dedicated public servants, many of whom put their lives on the line every day to serve their communities.
Under Director Wray’s principled leadership, the FBI has worked to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law.
He has led the FBI’s efforts to aggressively confront the broad range of threats facing our country — from nation-state adversaries and foreign and domestic terrorism to violent crime, cybercrime, and financial crime.
There are few leadership positions more central to keeping the American people safe than the Director of the FBI.
The Director of the FBI is responsible for leading employees located across the country and around the world who dedicate themselves each day to disrupting complex plots and preventing horrific tragedies before they can occur.
The Director of the FBI is responsible for leading the federal law enforcement agency that serves as the connective tissue among the intelligence community, state and local law enforcement agencies across the country, and our international law enforcement partners.
And the Director of the FBI is responsible for protecting the independence of the FBI from inappropriate influence in its criminal investigations. That independence is central to preserving the rule of law and to protecting the freedoms we as Americans hold dear.
Director Wray has done that job with integrity and skill. He has my gratitude, the gratitude of the FBI agents and employees whose respect and admiration he has earned, and the gratitude of the American people.”
The Honorable William J. Baer to Receive Justice Department’s 2024 John Sherman AwardRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division will present the Honorable William J. Baer with the John Sherman Award for his lifetime contributions to the substantive development of antitrust law and the preservation of economic liberty. The John Sherman Award is the division’s highest honor.
Mr. Baer will deliver remarks and receive the award during a ceremony at 3:30 pm on Dec. 12 in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. The ceremony will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the John Sherman Award. The public is invited to watch the ceremony livestream at www.justice.gov/live.
“Few living Americans have contributed more meaningfully or substantially to the life and enforcement mission of our federal antitrust agencies than Bill Baer,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “His storied career was characterized by a deep sense of professionalism, sharp intellect and kindness that propelled Bill to reshape competition law enforcement to better serve the American people, and we are all the beneficiaries. Bill is a generational talent and visionary who could not be more deserving of the John Sherman Award.”
Mr. Baer is the only individual to have served as the top antitrust enforcer at both U.S. antitrust agencies — first as the Director of the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 1995 to 1999 and later as the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division from 2013 to 2016.
During his tenure as Assistant Attorney General, Mr. Baer promoted robust antitrust enforcement by successfully prosecuting civil and criminal violations of the antitrust laws, including by dusting off long-dormant theories of harm and investing in the division’s litigation prowess. Under his leadership, the division halted anticompetitive mergers in a variety of markets, including health insurance and beverages, and secured an unprecedented number of fines from companies engaging in illegal cartel activity. He also served as Acting Associate Attorney General, where he oversaw the work of the department’s civil litigating and grant-making components. In that role, he successfully led the effort to hold financial institutions accountable in the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities crisis, securing record penalties and consumer redress.
Mr. Baer’s storied antitrust career began in 1975 as a Trial Attorney in the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. He later served as Attorney Advisor to the Chair and Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Relations. After a successful stint in private practice, he returned to the FTC to serve as Director of the Bureau of Competition from 1995 and 1999. During this time, Mr. Baer led the Commission to an unprecedented string of litigation victories and set records for the number of mergers reviewed and challenged. The FTC honored Mr. Baer with the Miles W. Kirkpatrick Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. When not in public service, he practiced at Arnold & Porter where for many years he headed the antitrust group. Mr. Baer is currently a visiting fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution.
Mr. Baer received his B.A. from Lawrence University, which would later award him its Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as senior article editor of the Stanford Law Review.
Created in 1994, the John Sherman Award is presented by the department's Antitrust Division to a person or persons for outstanding contributions to the field of antitrust law, the protection of American consumers and the preservation of economic liberty. It is named for Senator John Sherman of Ohio, the author of the Sherman Act of 1890, the nation’s first and foremost antitrust law. Sherman, a former congressman and senator, also served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1877 to 1881 and as Secretary of State from 1897 to 1898.
Previous recipients include Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg (2020), Judge Diane P. Wood (2015), James F. Rill (2012), Robert Pitofsky (2010), Herbert Hovenkamp (2008), Robert H. Bork (2005), Judge Richard A. Posner (2003), Milton Handler (1998), Thomas Kauper and William Baxter (1996), Phillip Areeda (1995) and Howard Metzenbaum (1994).
Readout of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Steering Committee MeetingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Steering Committee met yesterday to discuss the significant efforts undertaken by the Department to combat violent crime and the result of those efforts. The Steering Committee is chaired by Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (PADAG) Marshall Miller and composed of leadership and representatives from across the Department, including law enforcement, prosecutorial, and grantmaking components.
After PADAG Miller called the meeting to order, the committee was briefed on the latest violent-crime statistics. Preliminary data from 85 cities showed that violent crime has continued to decline considerably in 2024, including a 17.5% decline in murder, 7.1% decrease in rape, 3.6% decrease in aggravated assault, and 7.8% decline in robbery over the first three quarters of the year.
“Over the past two years, we have turned the tide against the violent crime that spiked during the pandemic,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Additional data from 85 cities released today indicates that between January and September of this year, violent crime again declined, and murders dropped 17.5%. This builds on last year’s historic drop in homicides nationwide and one of the lowest levels of violent crime in 50 years. I am extremely grateful to the Justice Department’s law enforcement agents, prosecutors, and grantmaking experts, as well as our state and local law enforcement and community partners, for their difficult and life-saving work to combat violent crime.”
The committee received an update from the Criminal Division on the continued success of its Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which works with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and federal, state, and local law enforcement in Hartford, Connecticut; Houston; Jackson, Mississippi; St. Louis; and Memphis, Tennessee, and surged federal law enforcement resources to Washington, D.C. The briefing specifically highlighted VCI achievements in Houston and Memphis, where crime rates have fallen significantly since the launch of the VCI initiative in those cities.
The committee received updates from the co-chairs of the Department’s Action Network to Terminate Illegal Machinegun Conversion Devices (ANTI-MCD) Committee; U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Assistant Director Timothy Jones, on the efforts of the ANTI-MCD Committee to address the proliferation of MCDs, including the development of district-specific initiatives targeting MCDs in every federal district across the nation, as well as additional trainings and resources for prosecutors, law enforcement agents, and officers.
The committee also heard from ATF representatives regarding ATF’s recent tracking efforts using e-Trace — an internet-based system that allows authorized law enforcement agencies to submit and receive firearm traces to the ATF National Tracing Center — and ATF’s ongoing intelligence and technology outreach efforts. Finally, the committee heard from FBI regarding the establishment and implementation of carjacking task forces in districts around the country.
At the conclusion of the meeting, PADAG Miller indicated that the Steering Committee will report to Department leadership on developments from the Department’s violent crime reduction initiatives and provide recommendations regarding additional policy and enforcement strategies.
PennEnergy Resources Agrees to Settlement to Reduce Climate- and Health-Harming Emissions in PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) announced a proposed settlement with PennEnergy Resources LLC (PennEnergy) resolving alleged Clean Air Act and Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act violations involving the company’s oil and gas production operations in Pennsylvania.
If accepted by the court, the consent decree specifies that PennEnergy will undertake various projects to assess, modify and improve monitoring and maintenance of vapor control systems. These projects will result in a reduction of over 8,200 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year released as methane, similar to the number of reductions achieved by taking 1,740 cars off the road for one year. The settlement will also eliminate more than 150 tons of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions annually.
PennEnergy also agreed to pay a $2 million civil penalty. This amount will be shared equally by the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a co-plaintiff in this case. PennEnergy will undertake compliance measures to achieve major reductions in harmful emissions at 17 of its oil and gas production facilities and partial measures at an additional 32 facilities, all located in Butler County and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.
“Oil and gas producers must comply with the Clean Air Act, which is intended to control air emissions and improve air quality and our environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “By adhering to the requirements of today’s settlement, PennEnergy will significantly reduce air emissions from its operations.”
“Today’s settlement continues EPA’s efforts to hold oil and gas companies accountable for illegal emissions that hamper air quality and accelerate climate change,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Penn Energy will undertake projects to improve air quality and reduce emissions of methane at nearly 50 facilities, providing environmental and public health benefits for Pennsylvanians and demonstrating that reducing illegal pollution from oil and gas facilities is good for communities and the planet.”
“When PennEnergy failed to implement an appropriate vapor control system on storage tanks at its facilities in western Pennsylvania, the company not only violated federal law, it allowed a substantial volume of volatile organic compounds to escape into the atmosphere,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Today’s settlement reflects this office’s commitment to holding corporate citizens accountable for their wrongdoing and protecting our residents and the air they breathe.”
“This settlement marks a significant step toward reducing emissions and ensuring cleaner air for all residents of the Commonwealth,” said Acting Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Every Pennsylvanian is entitled to breathe clean air, and the Shapiro Administration is dedicated to ensuring that polluters are held responsible for any harm to that right.”
This settlement resolves PennEnergy’s failure to comply with federal and state requirements to capture and control air emissions from five of its oil and gas production facilities in Butler County, in western Pennsylvania. EPA identified the alleged violations through field investigations conducted in 2018. As a result of these violations, PennEnergy released methane and VOCs directly into the air instead of capturing and controlling the gas using specially designed equipment. Methane, a climate super pollutant, is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and VOCs contribute to ground-level ozone, which adversely affects human health.
The agreement requires PennEnergy to take the necessary steps to ensure that its systems to control pollutants from atmospheric storage tanks are adequately designed and properly operated and maintained at an estimated cost of $2.4 million. These actions will significantly reduce harmful emissions from the company’s oil and gas operations.
In addition, PennEnergy must undertake a project to mitigate the environmental and public health harm attributable to their violations. Specifically, by Jan. 1, 2025, PennEnergy will be required to replace no fewer than 217 pollutant-emitting pneumatic devices with non-emitting devices in Butler and Lawrence counties, in western Pennsylvania. These measures are estimated to cost $1.2 million.
PennEnergy is a privately-owned oil and gas company headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Its business is focused on the acquisition and development of unconventional shale resources in the Appalachian Basin, and its natural gas extraction and production operations consist of approximately 370 wells at 107 oil and gas facilities located in western Pennsylvania.
The settlement is part of EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, Mitigating Climate Change. This initiative focuses, in part, on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas and landfill sources.
More information on the settlement agreement is available on EPA’s PennEnergy Resources LLC Settlement web page.
The proposed consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and is subject to a 30-day comment period. The complaint and the proposed consent decree are available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA and PADEP investigated the case.
Attorneys with the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the case.
Nevada Man Sentenced for Dumping Waste into Cities’ Wastewater System and Lying to InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
A Nevada man was sentenced today for illegally discharging waste, collected by a business he managed, into a local wastewater treatment system, in violation of the Clean Water Act.
Matthew Thurman, general manager of Environmental Resources Inc., doing business as Easy Rooter Plumbing (ERP), was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay a $680,000 fine and serve one year of supervised release for knowingly violating pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act. ERP was separately sentenced to three years of probation and a $680,000 fine.
For years, ERP and Thurman orchestrated illegal discharges of grease waste and wastewater collected from food-service businesses into the wastewater treatment system of the cities of Reno and Sparks, Nevada. Local regulators warned ERP and Thurman regarding the illegal discharges, but when the scheme continued, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened an investigation. During the investigation, Thurman lied to federal agents and falsely blamed competitors for the illegal discharges. The actions by Thurman and ERP jeopardized the integrity of the wastewater treatment system, creating significant environmental risks and increased maintenance costs which were passed on to consumers.
“This case underscores the importance of holding individuals and corporations accountable when they knowingly harm our environment and attempt to obstruct justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Violations of the Clean Water Act are serious crimes, and today’s sentencing sends a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
“The defendant defrauded clients, exposed Nevada communities to contaminated sewage, and engaged in conduct that required taxpayer dollars to be spent on costly repairs," said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today's significant sentencing demonstrates that EPA will continue to bring to justice environmental criminals."
“Nevadans depend on our clean water system for everyday life. By knowingly illegally dumping waste into the treatment system, the defendants jeopardized the quality of life of our citizens in violation of the Clean Water Act,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to prosecute these crimes and hold the violators responsible.”
This case represents a collaborative effort among local, state and federal agencies to protect America’s water systems.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division led the investigation with assistance from the City of Reno’s Utility Services Department-Environmental Control and the City of Sparks’ Environmental Control Section.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans for the District of Minnesota, formerly of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Keenan for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Nashville Auto Parts Seller Agrees to Settlement for Selling Emissions Defeat DevicesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that a Nashville automotive aftermarket parts distributor has agreed to pay $320,000 in civil penalties for selling illegal “defeat devices” designed to render automobile emission controls inoperative, in violation of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Under the terms of the consent decree, Diesel Performance Parts Inc. (DPPI) has also agreed to send notices to dealers and customers notifying them about the settlement. Additionally, DPPI will remove all marketing material related to defeat devices.
“Defeat devices violate the Clean Air Act and cause a vehicle to contribute significantly higher amounts of pollutants into the air,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Excess emissions tangibly worsen the air we breathe. We are committed to upholding the rule of law.”
“Defeat devices significantly increase air pollution from motor vehicles and EPA will use all of its enforcement tools to hold sellers of defeat devices like DPPI accountable until these illegal practices stop” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle for Region 4. “These illegal practices contribute to harmful air pollution and impede federal, state, and local efforts to implement air quality standards that protect public health. Emissions from mobile sources play an important role in EPA’s Southeastern region, and the use of these defeat devices hampers our ability to maintain compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.”
Since September 2018, DPPI sold at least 6,858 aftermarket defeat devices that bypassed, defeated or rendered inoperative emissions control systems that were installed in motor vehicles or in motor vehicle engines in compliance with the CAA for motor vehicles equipped with diesel engines.
A vehicle’s emission controls reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted and their harmful effects, but aftermarket defeat devices negate those controls. One EPA study found that known sales of defeat devices for certain diesel trucks between 2009 and 2020 resulted in excess emissions of more than 570,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 5,000 tons of particulate matter over the lifetime of the trucks. The resulting health conditions include premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer.
Stopping aftermarket defeat devices for vehicles and engines is a top priority for EPA. Visit EPA’s website to learn more about its efforts to stop the sale of illegal defeat devices.
The consent decree was entered in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. There is a 30-day public comment period. Additional information about the agreement can be found at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
Massachusetts Construction Company Owner Sentenced for Tax Crimes and Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for an employment tax scheme and making a false statement at an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hearing.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mauricio Baiense, formerly of Quincy, owned and operated Contract Framing Builders Inc. (CFB), a Medford, Massachusetts, construction business. Baiense was responsible for paying to the IRS the payroll taxes withheld from CFB employees’ wages and for filing the quarterly employment tax returns. From approximately 2013 through 2017, Baiense facilitated having approximately $11 million worth of checks drawn on CFB’s corporate bank account to purported subcontractors, which were in fact nominee entities controlled by him. Baiense then directed others to cash the checks at a check cashing business and used the money to operate an “off-the-books” cash payroll for CFB’s employees. Baiense did not report the cash wages to the IRS and did not pay employment taxes on wages paid to employees in cash. Baiense also assisted in the preparation of at least one fraudulent employment tax return that understated the actual wages paid to CFB’s employees.
When questioned under oath at an OSHA interview regarding a fatal workplace accident pertaining to an employee of Baiense’s company, Baiense made false statements to a federal investigator - falsely claiming that the deceased employee did not work for him.
In total, Baiense caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $2,824,577.45.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge William G. Young for the District of Massachusetts ordered Baiense to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $2,824,577.45 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts, Acting Regional Administrator Jeff Erskine of OSHA Region 1, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Wlodyka of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Boston Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General in Boston made the announcement.
IRS-CI, OSHA and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
Assistant Chief Thomas F. Koelbl of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Justice Department and EPA Announce Settlement with Cahokia Heights, Illinois, for Improper Operation of the City’s Sanitary Sewer SystemRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Illinois today announced a settlement with the City of Cahokia Heights, Illinois, resolving violations of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act resulting from the city’s failure to properly operate its sanitary sewer system. The settlement requires that Cahokia Heights pay a $30,000 civil penalty and implement an estimated $30 million in extensive compliance measures.
The complaint against Cahokia Heights alleges that on more than 300 occasions since November 2019, Cahokia Heights discharged sanitary sewage from an overflow point in its sewer system to nearby waterways in violation of section 301 of the Clean Water Act. The city also discharged untreated sewage from other locations throughout the community, including into ditches, roads, yards and homes. Sanitary sewer overflows can damage property and harm water quality when they enter waterbodies. Discharges of raw sewage, or sanitary sewer overflows, also carry bacteria, viruses and other harmful organisms.
“We are taking action to ensure that the City of Cahokia Heights operates its sewer system in a way that complies with the Clean Water Act, and to protect human health and the environment in the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement reflects the United States’ commitment to advancing environment justice.”
“Cahokia Heights failed to maintain its aging sewer system, resulting in hundreds of illegal sanitary sewer overflow discharges that created public health risks and contaminated homes and the environment,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement, which benefited from significant input from the local community, includes an estimated $30 million infrastructure investment that will put Cahokia Heights on a path to significantly reduce overflows and ensure effective operation of the sewer system.”
“Cahokia Heights residents have had to endure these threats to their health and their environment for far too long,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Residents are worried that the change can’t come soon enough. This consent decree is a significant step forward, bringing meaningful improvements to the community.”
“For too long, the neglected and aging sewer system in Cahokia Heights has forced local residents to deal with raw sewage in their basements, in their streets and in local waterways,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “I am proud of my office’s collaboration with the Department of Justice and local and state entities as we work toward a solution to solve this real environmental and public health threat. I will continue to partner with all levels of government to enforce Illinois’ environmental laws and protect our communities.”
“For far too long, residents of Cahokia Heights have been plagued by frequent sanitary sewer overflows as the result of the improperly maintained sewer system,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “It is our hope that this settlement and the significant actions it includes provide residents with further assurance that federal and state government entities are committed to addressing these historic infrastructure issues and the proper maintenance of their sewer system. Illinois EPA remains dedicated to ensuring the City of Cahokia Heights continues work to rehabilitate and repair the deteriorated system.”
Under the settlement, the city will conduct more than 80 near-term capital improvement projects, such as constructing an interceptor to reroute wastewater flow, system-wide repairs and various investigations and assessments. The city is also required to keep the community informed about the work, have plans in place for emergencies and update its operations such as creating digital maps and monitoring in real-time known overflow points.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, is subject to a 60-day comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comment and access to the settlement agreement is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section and the Illinois Attorney General’s office are handling the case.
Justice Department Sues Tax Preparation Business and Its Owners to Stop Alleged Tax Preparation FraudRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a civil injunction suit today in federal court in Tyler, Texas. The lawsuit seeks to bar Hudrell Lemontez Jones, Brenda Jackson Thomas and D&B Professional Tax Services LLC from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
According to the complaint, Jones operated and prepared returns through an unincorporated business, D&B Professional Tax Services, starting in 2020 before forming D&B Professional Tax Services LLC in 2022. Additionally, according to the complaint, Thomas has prepared returns in connection with Jones since 2020 and is an owner of or has otherwise shared in the profits generated by D&B Professional Tax Services LLC.
The complaint alleges that Jones and Thomas prepare and file tax returns that falsely reduce their customers’ taxable income and falsely increase their customers’ refunds, while profiting by charging their customers substantial return preparation fees — at the expense of the Treasury. The complaint alleges that the defendants engage in misconduct, including:
- Fabricating businesses and related business income and expenses,
- Claiming false mortgage interest deductions,
- Claiming fabricated COVID-19-related tax credits, and
- Improperly concealing their status as preparers of certain returns by using the names and ID numbers of other preparers.
The Tax Division reminds taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully (Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained civil injunctions and criminal convictions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Jones Complaint for PI.pdfInterpol Washington’s Keith Hood Honored as 2024 Global Mvp by Homeland Security TodayRead the Press Release
INTERPOL Washington proudly announces that Keith Hood, Deputy Assistant Director of the Border Security Division, has been awarded the prestigious Global Most Valuable Player Award by Homeland Security Today at the 2024 Homeland Security Holiday Hero Awards Gala on December 5. This award recognizes Hood’s extraordinary leadership in strengthening international border security through innovative strategies, including his work advancing Project TERMINUS.
"This recognition is a testament to the incredible team I have the privilege of leading,” said Hood. “Their unwavering commitment and innovative spirit have made it possible to deliver tangible, impactful solutions to some of the world’s most pressing security challenges. I share this honor with each of them.”
Project TERMINUS, spearheaded by Hood, identifies and closes information-sharing gaps that hinder global law enforcement efforts to detect and deter the illicit travel of foreign terrorist fighters and transnational criminals. It has also fortified partnerships with nations worldwide, integrated INTERPOL’s critical data into select countries’ law enforcement systems and fostered global collaboration for safer borders.
“Keith’s work has bolstered the abilities of key partner countries to stop threats at their borders - and before they reach ours,” said INTERPOL Washington Acting Director Jeffrey A. Grimming. "His leadership exemplifies the highest standards of excellence in public service. His vision and tireless efforts have not only strengthened international partnerships but also made the world a safer place.”
Hood’s accomplishments under Project TERMINUS include guiding Nigeria to become the first African nation to automate reporting stolen and lost travel documents to INTERPOL’s global database, overseeing transformative system implementations in Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia, and significantly increasing database records in Panama. These efforts have enhanced the security capabilities of partner nations and set new benchmarks for international law enforcement collaboration.
Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Issues 2024 ReportRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel co-chaired a convening of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR) today where they announced the issuance of the 2024 LAIR Report. Attorney General Garland discussed the report and the role that data and research play in advancing access to justice through federal policymaking and government actions. The Department’s Office for Access to Justice (ATJ), which leads the work of LAIR, facilitated the convening. LAIR also announced that in 2025 its interagency work and report will focus on federal agency efforts and opportunities to expand access to justice for victims and survivors of crimes and other legal violations.
This year’s report focuses on data that offer insight into people’s ability to access justice and resolve problems implicating legal issues. It highlights how such data are essential to efforts to expand access to justice and offers a roadmap for the improved collection and use of data. It also explains the ways in which such data benefit a wide range of other justice stakeholders, including state and local governments, courts, community-based and advocacy organizations and researchers. Drawing on the input and efforts of LAIR staff, LAIR member agencies, justice system stakeholders, and external experts, the report sets forth strategic solutions and highlights the work of LAIR’s 28 federal agency members to use data and research to expand access to justice.
“Every day, millions of Americans face problems that are legal in nature,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “The Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable’s 2024 Report focuses on how data held by federal agencies can illuminate these problems, how people navigate and address them and how federal agencies can help resolve or prevent them. The report underlines the importance of collecting, using and sharing these data in a secure, people-centered way. It also offers concrete strategies, examples, and resources to further those efforts.”
“The office is proud of LAIR’s continued growth in scope and importance, as it addresses some of society’s most pressing issues by looking across the federal government for solutions,” said ATJ Director Rachel Rossi. “Building on this years’ work, in 2025, LAIR will focus on strengthening the federal government’s ability to support access to justice for victims and survivors of crime and other violations. These efforts will continue LAIR’s urgent work to advance access to justice and pursue public safety for the American people.”
At the convening, Attorney General Garland and Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Mizer provided remarks highlighting the Department’s commitment to promoting access to justice and to furthering the work of LAIR. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and White House Counsel Ed Siskel also provided remarks. Member agency leaders discussed recent activities and accomplishments in using data and research to address access to justice challenges faced by the people they serve. Agency leaders reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative efforts to mobilize resources and develop access to justice solutions. They also heard directly from legal aid providers about the challenges that individuals can face in accessing government programs and services and the impact that recent agency efforts have made for clients and communities.
In 2012, more than a dozen federal agencies came together under the leadership of the White House Domestic Policy Council and the Justice Department to launch LAIR. It is co-chaired by the Attorney General and White House Counsel and convenes 28 federal agencies and offices to improve coordination among federal programs and increase availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth and status. LAIR’s work is supported by LAIR Executive Director Allie Yang-Green in the Department of Justice’s Office for Access to Justice and federal agency LAIR Representatives from member agencies. Through interagency collaboration and stakeholder engagement, LAIR develops policy recommendations that improve access to justice in federal, state, local, Tribal and international jurisdictions; advances relevant evidence-based research, data collection and analysis of civil legal and indigent defense; and promulgates best practices. Additionally, LAIR assists with implementation of Goal 16 of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and provide access to justice for all.
Justice Department Announces Tribal Consultations to Consider Legislative Proposals to Preserve Tribal Sovereignty and Address the Balance of Jurisdiction in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today it will hold Tribal consultations around its consideration of legislative proposals to address the balance of jurisdiction in Indian country that was upended by the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta.
Indian country is a legal term that generally describes Tribal reservations, lands, communities, and allotments that fall under the jurisdiction of the United States.
Until two years ago, there was a long-held understanding, shared by the federal government and Tribes, that a law passed by Congress, the General Crimes Act, limited a state’s authority to prosecute some crimes committed in Indian country, namely those crimes committed by non-Indian defendants against Indian victims. Those crimes could be prosecuted only by federal or Tribal authorities. In Castro-Huerta, the Supreme Court rejected that understanding.
Instead, the Supreme Court ruled that the General Crimes Act does not limit a state’s inherent jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian defendants who commit crimes against Indian victims in Indian country. In other words, based on the Supreme Court’s decision, the federal government, states, and Tribes now have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute these types of crimes throughout the United States.
Because the Supreme Court’s decision was based on the language in a statute, Congress, exercising its constitutional plenary power over Indian affairs, could pass legislation restoring the previous balance of jurisdiction in Indian country.
“The Department of Justice is committed to working with Native communities to advance our shared goal of Tribal safety while respecting and uplifting Tribal sovereignty,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These upcoming consultations are consistent with the Department’s longstanding practice of working collaboratively with our Tribal partners to promote safe communities throughout Indian country.”
The Justice Department and the Department of the Interior (DOI) held joint listening sessions on Sept. 26-27, 2022, to discuss with Tribal representatives the implications of the Castro-Huerta decision and the impact on Tribal communities. More than 500 Tribal leaders and other Tribal representatives participated in these discussions. Several clear themes emerged, including a view from Tribes that the Castro-Huerta decision diminished Tribal sovereignty, injected confusion into a complex legal and operational landscape, and presented long-term implications for state interference in Tribal affairs. A common view emerged that legislation and clarifying federal guidance were in order.
Several Tribes also reported that Castro-Huerta has negatively impacted their cross-deputization, cross-jurisdictional, and other cooperative law enforcement agreements with states, which prior to Castro-Huerta were an important part of successful law enforcement and criminal justice schemes on many reservations.
Based on those listening sessions, other feedback, and experience over the past two years, the Justice Department is now considering whether to support a legislative proposal to restore the previous balance of jurisdiction in Indian country and, if so, what form that legislation should take. Two draft proposals are presented for Tribal review and consideration.
Both proposals make clear that states lack jurisdiction over crimes within Indian country committed by or against Indians, unless expressly authorized by federal statute. Both proposals also state that unless otherwise authorized by federal statute, states must, before exercising such jurisdiction, (1) ensure compliance with the procedures for obtaining Tribal consent of the impacted Indian Tribe, and (2) where applicable, comply with a procedure to amend the state constitution or laws
The Department is releasing a framing paper, which will be available on the Department’s Tribal Justice and Safety website and includes additional background and the two legislative proposals. The Justice Department plans to hold consultations in January 2025.
Telemarketer Sentenced for $67M Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud Medicare by billing over $67 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jose Goyos, 38, of West Palm Beach, was employed at a call center that engaged in deceptive telemarketing calls targeting thousands of Medicare beneficiaries and their physicians. Goyos managed the so-called “doctor chase” division of the call center, which contacted the primary care physicians of targeted Medicare beneficiaries and tricked these medical providers into ordering medically unnecessary genetic tests based on medical paperwork that the call center created. For example, Goyos directed call center employees to falsely represent to providers that the Medicare beneficiaries were “mutual patients” who had requested these genetic tests and that the beneficiaries had medical conditions justifying genetic testing, when neither statement was true.
Goyos and his co-conspirators then used those doctors’ orders to submit claims to Medicare for expensive and medically unnecessary genetic tests. The results of these tests often were not sent to the Medicare beneficiaries’ primary care physicians and were not used in the treatment of the beneficiaries.
In total, between May 2020 and July 2021, Goyos and his co-conspirators submitted over $67 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, of which Medicare paid over $53 million.
In October 2023, a jury convicted Goyos of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Nine additional Florida residents were previously sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy:
- Daniel M. Carver, 38, of Boca Raton, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison.
- Thomas Dougherty, 42, of Palm Beach, was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
- John Paul Gosney Jr., 42, of Parkland, was sentenced to seven years and 11 months in prison.
- Galina Rozenberg, 42, of Hollywood, was sentenced to four years in prison.
- Michael Rozenberg, 61, of Hollywood, was sentenced to four years in prison.
- Ethan Macier, 25, of Boynton Beach, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
- Louis “Gino” Carver, 33, of Boca Raton, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
- Ashley Cigarroa, 32, of North Lauderdale, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
- Timothy Richardson, 31, of Lantana, was sentenced to two years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Stephen Mahmood of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Reginald Cuyler Jr. and Andrew Tamayo, along with former Trial Attorney Patrick J. Queenan, of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Klco, Marx Calderon, and Sandra Dermici for the Southern District of Florida are handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. HHS-OIG and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services work collaboratively as Strike Force partners to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Justice Department Statements on U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Ruling in TikTok, et al. v. GarlandRead the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statements from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on today’s ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in TikTok, et al. v. Garland:
“Today’s decision is an important step in blocking the Chinese government from weaponizing TikTok to collect sensitive information about millions of Americans, to covertly manipulate the content delivered to American audiences, and to undermine our national security,” said Attorney General Garland. “As the D.C. Circuit recognized, this Act protects the national security of the United States in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution. The Justice Department is committed to defending Americans’ sensitive data from authoritarian regimes that seek to exploit companies under their control.”
“We welcome today’s decision,” said Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “This ruling confirms that the law Congress passed — and the Justice Department’s work to defend it — have never been about restricting free speech but rather breaking the ties that bind TikTok to the regime in Beijing. This law protects Americans from the national security risks posed by the current ownership of TikTok in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution.”