Southern District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Local man flees shooting and lands in prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old Falfurrias resident has been ordered to federal prison for illegally possessing firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Johnny Rey Garza pleaded guilty April 26.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Garza to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On March 10, 2022, law enforcement received multiple calls reporting theft of a firearm and shots fired at two different residences, both involving Garza. Upon responding to the shooting, they observed a man with a wound to the right foot and left arm. The victim identified Garza as the shooter and the person who stole his pickup truck.
The vehicle matching the description of the victim’s truck was involved in a accident near Falfurrias. Law enforcement arrived at that scene and observed Garza exit the truck with a handgun in his hand. He then fled. Authorities pursued but ultimately lost sight of him.
They then deployed a drone which Garza attempted to shoot as it tracked his whereabouts. A brief struggle ensued, but law enforcement was eventually able to apprehend him and take him into custody.
They soon located the firearm in a fresh dirt mound. They identified it as the stolen weapon from the calls reported earlier that evening.
As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
Garza has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from Falfurrias Police Department, Brooks County Sheriff’s Office and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.
Local drug dealer admits to selling “China White”Read the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 38-year-old resident of Laredo has entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On May 26, authorities executed a search warrant at Jose Pedro Garcia’s residence. At that time, they found multiple small plastic baggies, each containing various types of suspected narcotics. Authorities seized, separated, weighed and ultimately identified them as heroin, meth, cocaine base and fentanyl.
Garcia had been selling drugs for approximately 10 years and had sold meth, crack cocaine and “China White” aka fentanyl. Garcia admitted he started with cocaine, but moved on to fentanyl because it gave people a stronger high and was more popular. He had color coded the bags so he could differentiate between the drugs.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing Nov. 7. At that time, Garcia faces a minimum of five and up to 40 years in prison as well as a maximum $5 million fine. Garcia will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.
The case was prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill
Corpus couple caught carrying meth in cookiesRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – Two Corpus Christi residents have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On March 14, Jason Elijah Talley, 43, was the driver with Crystal Nichole Samora, 33, as passenger in a Lexus in Victoria. Authorities conducted a traffic stop after observing the vehicle following too closely.
Law enforcement detained Talley and ordered him to sit in the grass. At that time, they discovered a bag suspected of containing meth in the area where Talley was sitting.
A physical search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of Xanax bars, heroin, a myriad of pills, meth and multiple handguns. Authorities discovered a carboard box found directly behind the passenger seat which contained cookies in one layer and five large plastic containers containing a substance in another. Law also enforcement observed two plastic bags containing a substance and a Sig Sauer firearm in a purse.
The investigation revealed the firearm was stolen out of Corpus Christi. The substance was confirmed as 5,806 grams of meth with a purity level of 94 percent.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing in November. At that time, Talley and Samora face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Victoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher and Patti Booth are prosecuting the case.
Local man faces life for pulling firearm during robberyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 20-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm during the robbery of a local discount store, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Dec. 4, 2022, Marvieon Simien entered the Family Dollar on Hiram Clarke Road in Houston. He grabbed several items and approached the register but departed without them. He returned to his vehicle for several minutes before re-entering the store wearing a mask.
He selected another item from the shelf and walked to the register. He then pulled his mask down, spoke to the store clerk and retrieved the handgun from his waistband. She felt intimidated and was in fear for her life, so she backed away from him. At that time, Simien reached over the counter, removed a nominal amount of money from the register and fled the scene.
Video footage linked Simien to the robbery. The clerk was also able to identify him.
The gun and stolen cash were never recovered.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner will impose sentencing Oct. 26. At that time Simien, faces a minimum of five years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Simien has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department Task Force conducted the investigation. This is an example of coordination between law enforcement who are part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative which combines personnel and resources from numerous federal, state and local agencies. The goal is to proactively fight and reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts and enhancing training, public awareness and education. It stems from the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Porto and Brian Hrach prosecuted the case.
Felon imprisoned for possessing prohibited firearmRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old San Diego man has been ordered to federal prison after illegally possessing a short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Chris Davila Jr. pleaded guilty April 24.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Davila to serve a total of 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court admonished the Davila about the dangerousness of his conduct and the promise of future encounters with law enforcement if he continues.
On Feb. 26, 2022, authorities conducted a traffic stop and soon discovered a short-barreled shotgun between Davila’s driver’s seat and the center console of the car. Davila is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
The investigation revealed that on a previous occasion, Davila had also been discovered with a prohibited firearm in his vehicle - a “sawed-off” shotgun.
“The firearms recovered in this investigation were especially dangerous,” said Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Our community was made much safer by getting those firearms and the convicted felon who possessed them off the streets.”
Davila remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ATF conducted the investigation along with police departments in San Diego and Alice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
Operators of large human smuggling operations ordered to federal prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two coordinators have been sentenced for organizing and participating in the smuggling of several hundred people, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Derly Crescencio Medina, 27, McAllen, and Jessica Dinora Pena-Rodriguez, 48, Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty May 23 and May 30, respectively.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered Medina to serve a term of 108 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Pena-Rodriguez received a 78-month-term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her sentence. In imposing the prison terms, Judge Crane noted that it was clear they were co-leaders and organizers for a long period of time.
Both acted a facilitators for the organization from at least August 2021 to their arrest in February 2023.
The investigation revealed Medina and Pena organized and participated in smuggling several hundred people during that time. The duo controlled the entire breadth of the smuggling operation - from posting smuggling advertisements on social media to coordinating their crossings of the Rio Grande and transportation to stash houses in the McAllen area to arranging transportation around immigration checkpoints deeper into the United States.
The duo also handled large amounts of human smuggling payments. They received tens of thousands of dollars in smuggling fees from smuggled undocumented aliens and wired significant sums to smuggling associates in Mexico.
Pena and Medina also harbored undocumented aliens at their residence awaiting transport further into the United States. Medina even transported aliens himself. In one instance in December 2021, law enforcement arrested him near the Rio Grande transporting seven undocumented aliens in his vehicle. Medina provided a false Mexican identity and avoided prosecution at that time by allowing himself to be wrongly removed to Mexico. He re-entered the United States using his true identity hours later.
The Pena-Medina network included numerous other co-conspirators, including nine others who have also been successfully investigated and prosecuted.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Hidalgo County Constable’s Office and police departments in Mission and Premont. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III is prosecuting the case.
司法部宣布涉及得克萨斯州本德堡县语言使用民权事务的最终决议Read the Press Release
注：本新闻稿已翻译成多种语言。请参阅以下附件。
华盛顿——司法部宣布已就涉及本德堡县 (Fort Bend County, FBC) 法院的民权事务做出最终决议。FBC 法院遵守了 2021 年 6 月签订的《协定备忘录 (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA)》中的所有条款，鉴于此，司法部将关闭本事务。
司法部最初立案调查的依据是，有人指控 FBC 法院以民族血统为由歧视英语水平有限 (limited English proficiency, LEP) 的人员，并对一名投诉人进行报复，这违反了 1964 年《民权法案 (Civil Rights Act)》第六章 (Title VI) 中禁止任何联邦财政援助的接受者对种族、肤色和民族血统进行歧视的条款。一起投诉指控 FBC 地区法院拒绝为一名有 LEP 的刑事被告提供他在认罪听证会上需要的越南语口译员，并称被告或其律师必须寻找一名越南语口译员并支付费用。2021 年 6 月 29 日，司法部与 FBC 签署了一项 MOA 以解决该调查问题，该 MOA 要求 FBC 对针对有 LEP 的法庭用户的语言使用政策进行重大修改。
从那以后，FBC 已做出了重大修改，以改善对有 LEP 的法庭用户的语言使用情况，并遵守第六章的要求。例如，FBC：
- 在所有民事和刑事案件中，按照法院语言援助政策规定，向任何有 LEP 的人员免费提供口译服务，无论其收入状况如何；
- 修订其语言使用计划；
- 针对法院工作人员提供语言使用培训，并编写《法官语言使用指南 (Judge’s Guide to Language Access)》；
- 维护一个公共网页，解释如何申请获取口译或笔译服务；
- 在其网站上提供多种语言版本的语言使用投诉表；和
- 为确保遵守第六章，FBC 的员工还接受了涉及第六章的报复培训。
“本德堡县法院采取的新政策和做法有助于为英语水平有限的人员提供有意义的语言使用机会，”司法部民权司助理部长克里斯汀·克拉克 (Kristen Clarke) 表示。“我希望其他法院系统以本德堡县为榜样，采取行动免费为法院使用者提供口译服务。在我们国家，诉诸司法的权利不应仅因您的英语熟练程度而受到限制或被剥夺。”
“本德堡县是得克萨斯州最多元化的县之一，几乎一半的人口来自西班牙、东亚和南亚。作为一名检察官、一名移民和印度裔工人阶级父母的儿子，我亲眼目睹了将英语作为第二语言的美国最新居民所面临的挣扎，以及他们对口译员的需求，尤其是在法庭诉讼期间，”得克萨斯州南区联邦检察官阿拉姆达尔 S. 哈姆达尼 (Alamdar S. Hamdani) 表示。“由于得克萨斯州南区联邦检察官办公室和民权司的检察官们的辛勤工作，所有居民，无论其民族血统如何，都可以充分诉诸法院系统，处理包括家庭法院事务、刑事案件和一般民事案件等所有事务。 我期待着与其他县和法院管理办公室合作，在整个得克萨斯州南区推广这些工作。”
本事务由民权司和得克萨斯州南区联邦检察官办公室的律师共同处理。
有关民权司的其他信息可造访其网站 www.justice.gov/crt 查阅，有关英语水平有限和第六章的信息可造访 www.lep.gov 网站查阅。公众可登录 civilrights.justice.gov/report/ 或得克萨斯州南区联邦检察官办公室（www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section）举报可能存在的侵犯民权行为。
司法部宣佈涉及德克薩斯州本德堡縣語言使用民權事務的最終決議Read the Press Release
注：本新聞稿已翻譯成多種語言。請參閱以下附件。
華盛頓——司法部宣佈已就涉及本德堡縣 (Fort Bend County, FBC) 法院的民權事務做出最終決議。FBC 法院遵守了 2021 年 6 月簽訂的《協定備忘錄 (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) 》中的所有條款，鑒於此，司法部將關閉本事務。
司法部最初立案調查的依據是，有人指控 FBC 法院以民族血統為由歧視英語水準有限 (limited English proficiency, LEP) 的人員，並對一名投訴人進行報復，這違反了 1964 年《民權法案 (Civil Rights Act)》第六章 (Title VI) 中禁止任何聯邦財政援助的接受者對種族、膚色和民族血統進行歧視的條款。一起投訴指控 FBC 地區法院拒絕為一名有 LEP 的刑事被告提供他在認罪聽證會上需要的越南語口譯員，並稱被告或其律師必須尋找一名越南語口譯員並支付費用。2021 年 6 月 29 日，司法部與 FBC 簽署了一項 MOA 以解決該調查問題，該 MOA 要求 FBC 對針對有 LEP 的法庭使用者的語言使用政策進行重大修改。
從那以後，FBC 已做出了重大修改，以改善對有 LEP 的法庭使用者的語言使用情況，並遵守第六章的要求。例如，FBC：
- 在所有民事和刑事案件中，按照法院語言援助政策規定，向任何有 LEP 的人員免費提供口譯服務，無論其收入狀況如何；
- 修訂其語言使用計畫；
- 針對法院工作人員提供語言使用培訓，並編寫《法官語言使用指南 (Judge’s Guide to Language Access)》；
- 維護一個公共網頁，解釋如何申請獲取口譯或筆譯服務；
- 在其網站上提供多種語言版本的語言使用投訴表；和
- 為確保遵守第六章，FBC 的員工還接受了涉及第六章的報復培訓。
「本德堡縣法院採取的新政策和做法有助於為英語水準有限的人員提供有意義的語言使用機會，」司法部民權司助理部長克裡斯汀·克拉克 (Kristen Clarke) 表示。「我希望其他法院系統以本德堡縣為榜樣，採取行動免費為法院使用者提供口譯服務。在我們國家，訴諸司法的權利不應僅因您的英語熟練程度而受到限制或被剝奪。」
「本德堡縣是德克薩斯州最多元化的縣之一，幾乎一半的人口來自西班牙、東亞和南亞。作為一名檢察官、一名移民和印度裔工人階級父母的兒子，我親眼目睹了將英語作為第二語言的美國最新居民所面臨的掙扎，以及他們對口譯員的需求，尤其是在法庭訴訟期間，」
德克薩斯州南區聯邦檢察官阿拉姆達爾 S. 哈姆達尼 (Alamdar S. Hamdani) 表示。「由於德克薩斯州南區聯邦檢察官辦公室和民權司的檢察官們的辛勤工作，所有居民，無論其民族血統如何，都可以充分訴諸法院系統，處理包括家庭法院事務、刑事案件和一般民事案件等所有事務。我期待著與其他縣和法院管理辦公室合作，在整個德克薩斯州南區推廣這些工作。」本事務由民權司和德克薩斯州南區聯邦檢察官辦公室的律師共同處理。
有關民權司的其他資訊可造訪其網站 www.justice.gov/crt 查閱，有關英語水準有限和第六章的資訊可造訪 www.lep.gov 網站查閱。公眾可登錄 civilrights.justice.gov/report/ 或德克薩斯州南區聯邦檢察官辦公室（www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section）舉報可能存在的侵犯民權行為。
ടെക്സാസിലെ ഫോർട്ട് ബെൻഡ് കൗണ്ടിയിൽ ഭാഷാ പ്രാപ്യതാ പൗരാവകാശ വിഷയത്തിന്റെ അന്തിമ പ്രമേയം നീതിന്യായ വകുപ്പ് പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുന്നുRead the Press Release
ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുക: ഈ പത്രക്കുറിപ്പ് വിവിധ ഭാഷകളിലേക്ക് വിവർത്തനം ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ട്. ചുവടെയുള്ള അറ്റാച്ചുമെന്റുകൾ കാണുക.
വാഷിംഗ്ടൺ – ഫോർട്ട് ബെൻഡ് കൗണ്ടി (Fort Bend County, FBC) കോടതികൾ ഉൾപ്പെടുന്ന പൗരാവകാശ വിഷയത്തിൽ അന്തിമ പരിഹാരം നേടിയതായി നീതിന്യായ വകുപ്പ് അറിയിച്ചു. 2021 ജൂണിലെ മെമ്മോറാണ്ടം ഓഫ് എഗ്രിമെന്റിന്റെ (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) എല്ലാ നിബന്ധനകളും FBC പാലിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്, തൽഫലമായി, വകുപ്പ് വിഷയം അവസാനിപ്പിക്കുകയാണ്.
പരിമിതമായ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് പ്രാവീണ്യം (limited English proficiency, LEP) ഉള്ളവരോട് അവരുടെ മാതൃരാജ്യത്തെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി FBC കോടതികൾ വിവേചനം കാണിക്കുന്നു എന്നും, ഫെഡറൽ സാമ്പത്തിക സഹായം സ്വീകരിക്കുന്ന ഏതൊരു വ്യക്തിയും വംശം, നിറം, മാതൃരാജ്യം എന്നിവയുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലുള്ള വിവേചനം കാട്ടുന്നത് നിരോധിക്കുന്നതായ 1964 ലെ പൗരാവകാശ നിയമത്തിന്റെ ടൈറ്റിൽ VI (ടൈറ്റിൽ VI) ലംഘിച്ച് പരാതിക്കാരനോട് പ്രതികാരം ചെയ്യുകയും ചെയ്തുവെന്നുമുള്ള ആരോപണങ്ങളുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലാണ് വകുപ്പ് ആദ്യം വിഷയം തുറന്നത്. LEP ഉള്ളവരോട് അവരുടെ മാതൃരാജ്യത്തെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി FBC കോടതികൾ വിവേചനം കാണിക്കുകയും 1964 ലെ പൗരാവകാശ നിയമത്തിന്റെ ടൈറ്റിൽ VI) (ടൈറ്റിൽ VI) ലംഘിച്ച് പരാതിക്കാരനോട് പ്രതികാരം ചെയ്യുകയും ചെയ്തുവെന്ന ആരോപണത്തിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലാണ് ഡിപ്പാർട്ട്മെന്റ് ആദ്യം വിഷയം തുറന്നത്. ഫെഡറൽ സാമ്പത്തിക സഹായം ലഭിക്കുന്ന ഏതൊരു വ്യക്തിയുടെയും വംശം, നിറം, മാതൃരാജ്യ വിവേചനം. 2021 ജൂൺ 29-ന്, LEP ഉള്ള കോടതി ഉപയോക്താക്കൾക്കായി FBCയുടെ ഭാഷാ പ്രാപ്യതാ നയങ്ങളിൽ ഗണ്യമായ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ ആവശ്യമായ ഒരു MOA ഉപയോഗിച്ച് വകുപ്പും FBCയും അന്വേഷണം ഉപസംഹരിച്ചു.
അതിനുശേഷം, LEP ഉള്ള കോടതി ഉപയോക്താക്കൾക്കുള്ള പ്രാപ്യത മെച്ചപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതിനും ടൈറ്റിൽ VI ആവശ്യകതകൾ പാലിക്കുന്നതിനും FBC കാര്യമായ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ വരുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഉദാഹരണത്തിന്, FBC:
- കോടതിയുടെ ഭാഷാ സഹായ നയത്തിൽ വിവരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, എല്ലാ സിവിൽ, ക്രിമിനൽ കേസുകളിലും, LEP ഉള്ള ആർക്കും അവരുടെ വരുമാനം കണക്കിലെടുക്കാതെ തന്നെ, ഒരു ചെലവും കൂടാതെ ഇന്റർപ്രെട്ടർ സേവനങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്നു;
- അതിന്റെ ഭാഷാ പ്രവേശന പദ്ധതി പരിഷ്കരിച്ചു;
- കോടതി ജീവനക്കാർക്കായി ഒരു ഭാഷാ പ്രാപ്യതാ പരിശീലനവും ജഡ്ജിയുടെ ഭാഷാ പ്രാപ്യതയ്ക്കുള്ള ഗൈഡും സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു;
- വ്യാഖ്യാനം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ വിവർത്തന സേവനങ്ങൾ എങ്ങനെ അഭ്യർത്ഥിക്കണമെന്ന് വിശദീകരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു പൊതു വെബ്പേജ് പരിപാലിക്കുന്നു;
- അതിന്റെ വെബ്സൈറ്റിൽ നിരവധി ഭാഷകളിൽ ഭാഷാ പ്രാപ്യതാ പരാതി ഫോം നൽകുന്നു; കൂടാതെ
- ടൈറ്റിൽ VI അനുവർത്തിക്കുണ്ടെന്ന്, FBC ജീവനക്കാർക്ക് ടൈറ്റിൽ VI പ്രതിക്രിയാ പരിശീലനവും ലഭിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്ന് ഉറപ്പാക്കാൻ.
“ഫോർട്ട് ബെൻഡ് കൗണ്ടി കോടതികൾ സ്വീകരിച്ച പുതിയ നയങ്ങളും സമ്പ്രദായങ്ങളും LEP ഉള്ള ആളുകൾക്ക് അർത്ഥപൂർണ്ണമായ ഭാഷാ പ്രാപ്യത നൽകാൻ സഹായിക്കുന്നു,” നീതിന്യായ വകുപ്പിന്റെ പൗരാവകാശ വിഭാഗത്തിലെ അസിസ്റ്റന്റ് അറ്റോർണി ജനറൽ ക്രിസ്റ്റൻ ക്ലാർക്ക് പറഞ്ഞു. “മറ്റ് കോടതി സംവിധാനങ്ങൾ ഫോർട്ട് ബെൻഡ് കൗണ്ടി മാതൃക പിന്തുടരുകയും കോടതി ഉപയോക്താക്കൾക്ക് യാതൊരു ചെലവും കൂടാതെ ഇന്റർപ്രെറ്റർ സേവനങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്നതിന് നടപടി സ്വീകരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുമെന്ന് ഞാൻ പ്രത്യാശിക്കുന്നു. ഇംഗ്ലീഷിലുള്ള നിങ്ങളുടെ പ്രാവീണ്യത്തെ അടിസ്ഥാനപ്പെടുത്തിയ നമ്മുടെ രാജ്യത്ത് നീതിയിലേക്കുള്ള പ്രാപ്യത പരിമിതപ്പെടുത്തുകയോ നിഷേധിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യരുത്.”
“ഫോർട്ട് ബെൻഡ് കൗണ്ടി ടെക്സസിലെ ഏറ്റവും വൈവിധ്യമാർന്ന കൗണ്ടികളിലൊന്നാണ്, അവിടുത്തെ ജനസംഖ്യയുടെ പകുതിയോളം സ്പാനിഷ്, കിഴക്കൻ ഏഷ്യൻ, ദക്ഷിണേഷ്യൻ വംശജരാണ്. ഒരു പ്രോസിക്യൂട്ടർ, കുടിയേറ്റക്കാരൻ, ഇന്ത്യയിൽ ജനിച്ച, തൊഴിലാളിവർഗ മാതാപിതാക്കളുടെ മകൻ എന്നീ നിലകളിൽ, രണ്ടാം ഭാഷയായി ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് സംസാരിക്കുന്ന അമേരിക്കയിലെ ഏറ്റവും പുതിയ താമസക്കാരുടെ പോരാട്ടങ്ങളും, കോടതി നടപടിക്രമങ്ങളിൽ വ്യാഖ്യാതാക്കളുടെ ആവശ്യകതയും ഞാൻ നേരിട്ട് കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്,” ടെക്സാസിലെ സതേൺ ഡിസ്ട്രിക്റ്റിന് വേണ്ടിയുള്ള യു.എസ് അറ്റോർണി അലംദാർ എസ്. ഹംദാനി പറഞ്ഞു. “യുണൈറ്റഡ് സ്റ്റേറ്റ്സ് അറ്റോർണി ഓഫീസ് ഓഫ് ടെക്സാസിലെ സതേൺ ഡിസ്ട്രിക്റ്റിലെയും സിവിൽ റൈറ്റ് ഡിവിഷനിലെയും പ്രോസിക്യൂട്ടർമാരുടെ കഠിനാധ്വാനത്തിന്റെ ഫലമായി, കുടുംബ കോടതി കാര്യങ്ങൾ, ക്രിമിനൽ, പൊതു സിവിൽ കാര്യങ്ങൾ. എന്നിവയെല്ലാം കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നതിനായി എല്ലാ താമസക്കാർക്കും, മാതൃരാജ്യം പരിഗണിക്കാതെ, കോടതി സംവിധാനത്തിലേക്ക് പൂർണ്ണമായ പ്രാപ്യത ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കും. ടെക്സാസിലെ സതേൺ ഡിസ്ട്രിക്റ്റിലുടനീളം ഈ ശ്രമങ്ങൾ ആവർത്തിക്കാൻ മറ്റ് കൗണ്ടികളുമായും ഓഫീസ് ഓഫ് കോർട്ട് അഡ്മിനിസ്ട്രേഷനുമായും ചേർന്നു പ്രവർത്തിക്കാൻ ഞാൻ പ്രതീക്ഷയോടെ കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നു.”
ഈ വിഷയം സിവിൽ റൈറ്റ്സ് ഡിവിഷനിലെയും ടെക്സാസിലെ സതേൺ ഡിസ്ട്രിക്റ്റിനുള്ള യു.എസ്. അറ്റോർണി ഓഫീസിലെയും അഭിഭാഷകർ സംയുക്തമായാണ് കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്തത്.
സിവിൽ റൈറ്റ്സ് ഡിവിഷനെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള കൂടുതൽ വിവരങ്ങൾ അതിന്റെ വെബ്സൈറ്റായ www.justice.gov/crt ലും പരിമിതമായ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് പ്രാവീണ്യം, ടൈറ്റിൽ VI എന്നിവയെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള വിവരങ്ങൾ www.lep.gov ലും ലഭ്യമാണ്. പൊതുജനങ്ങൾക്ക് സാധ്യതയുള്ള പൗരാവകാശ ലംഘനങ്ങൾ civilrights.justice.gov/report/ ൽ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ടെക്സാസിലെ സതേൺ ഡിസ്ട്രിക്റ്റിന് വേണ്ടിയുള്ള യു.എസ്. അറ്റോർണി ഓഫീസുമൊത്ത് www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section ൽ റിപ്പോർട്ട് ചെയ്യാം.
જસ્ટિસ ડિપાર્ટમેન્ટે ફોર્ટ બેન્ડ કાઉન્ટી, ટેક્સાસમાં ભાષા ઍક્સેસ નાગરિક અધિકાર બાબતના અંતિમ ઠરાવની જાહેરાત કરીRead the Press Release
નોંધ: આ પ્રેસ રિલીઝનો વિવિધ ભાષાઓમાં અનુવાદ કરવામાં આવ્યો છે. નીચે જોડાણો જુઓ.
વોશિંગ્ટન – ન્યાય વિભાગે જાહેરાત કરી કે તેણે ફોર્ટ બેન્ડ કાઉન્ટી (Fort Bend County, FBC) કોર્ટને સંડોવતા તેના નાગરિક અધિકારોના મામલે અંતિમ ઠરાવ મેળવ્યો છે. FBC એ જૂન 2021ના કરાર મેમોરેન્ડમ (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) ના તમામ શરતોનું પાલન કર્યું છે અને પરિણામે, વિભાગ આ બાબતને બંધ કરી રહ્યું છે.
ડિપાર્ટમેન્ટે શરૂઆતમાં આ મામલો એવા આરોપોના આધારે ખોલ્યો હતો કે FBC કોર્ટ મર્યાદિત અંગ્રેજી પ્રાવીણ્ય (limited English proficiency, LEP) ધરાવતા લોકો સાથે તેમના રાષ્ટ્રીય મૂળના આધારે ભેદભાવ કરે છે અને 1964 ના નાગરિક અધિકાર અધિનિયમ (શીર્ષક VI) ના શીર્ષક VI ના ઉલ્લંઘનમાં ફરિયાદી સામે બદલો લીધો જે ફેડરલ નાણાકીય સહાયના કોઈપણ પ્રાપ્તકર્તા દ્વારા જાતિ, રંગ અને રાષ્ટ્રીય મૂળના ભેદભાવને પ્રતિબંધિત કરે છે. એક ફરિયાદમાં આરોપ છે કે FBC ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ કોર્ટે વિયેતનામીસના દુભાષિયાના LEP સાથેના ફોજદારી પ્રતિવાદીને અરજીની સુનાવણી માટે જરૂરી હોવાનો ઇનકાર કર્યો હતો અને કહ્યું હતું કે પ્રતિવાદી અથવા તેના વકીલે વિયેતનામીસ દુભાષિયાને શોધીને તેના માટે ચૂકવણી કરવી પડશે. 29 જૂન, 2021ના રોજ, વિભાગ અને FBC એ MOA સાથે તપાસનું નિરાકરણ કર્યું જેમાં LEP સાથે કોર્ટના વપરાશકર્તાઓ માટે FBC ની ભાષા ઍક્સેસ નીતિઓમાં નોંધપાત્ર ફેરફારોની જરૂર હતી.
ત્યારથી, FBC એ LEP સાથે કોર્ટના વપરાશકર્તાઓ માટે ઍક્સેસ સુધારવા અને શીર્ષક VI ની આવશ્યકતાઓનુંપાલન કરવા માટે નોંધપાત્ર ફેરફારો કર્યા છે. ઉદાહરણ તરીકે, FBC:
- કોર્ટની ભાષા સહાયતા નીતિમાં વર્ણવ્યા મુજબ તમામ સિવિલ અને ફોજદારી કેસોમાં, આવકને ધ્યાનમાં લીધા વિના, LEP ધરાવતા કોઈપણને કોઈ પણ કિંમતે દુભાષિયાની સેવાઓ પૂરી પાડે છે;
- તેની ભાષા એક્સેસ પ્લાનને સુધાર્યો;
- કોર્ટના કર્મચારીઓ માટે ભાષા ઍક્સેસ તાલીમ અને ભાષા ઍક્સેસ માટે ન્યાયાધીશની માર્ગદર્શિકા બનાવી;
- સાર્વજનિક વેબપેજ જાળવી રાખે છે જે સમજાવે છે કે અર્થઘટન અથવા અનુવાદ સેવાઓની વિનંતી કેવી રીતે કરવી;
- તેની વેબસાઇટ પર ઘણી ભાષાઓમાં ભાષા ઍક્સેસ ફરિયાદ ફોર્મ પ્રદાન કરે છે; અને
- શીર્ષક VI નું પાલન સુનિશ્ચિત કરવા માટે, FBC સ્ટાફે પણ શીર્ષક VI પ્રતિશોધની તાલીમ પ્રાપ્ત કરી છે.
ન્યાય વિભાગના નાગરિક અધિકાર વિભાગના આસિસ્ટન્ટ એટર્ની જનરલ ક્રિસ્ટન ક્લાર્કે જણાવ્યું હતું કે “ફોર્ટ બેન્ડ કાઉન્ટી કોર્ટ દ્વારા અપનાવવામાં આવેલી નવી નીતિઓ અને પ્રથાઓ મર્યાદિત અંગ્રેજી પ્રાવીણ્ય ધરાવતા લોકો માટે અર્થપૂર્ણ ભાષા ઍક્સેસ પ્રદાન કરવામાં મદદ કરી રહી છે. હું આશા રાખું છું કે અન્ય કોર્ટ સિસ્ટમ ફોર્ટ બેન્ડ કાઉન્ટીના ઉદાહરણને અનુસરે અને કોર્ટના વપરાશકર્તાઓને કોઈ પણ ખર્ચ વિના દુભાષિયા સેવાઓ પ્રદાન કરવા પગલાં લે. આપણા દેશમાં ન્યાયની પહોંચ ફક્ત તમારી અંગ્રેજીમાં પ્રાવીણ્યને કારણે મર્યાદિત અથવા નકારી ન હોવી જોઈએ.”
ટેક્સાસના સધર્ન ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુએસ એટર્ની અલમદાર એસ. હમદાનીએ જણાવ્યું હતું કે “ફોર્ટ બેન્ડ કાઉન્ટી ટેક્સાસમાં સૌથી વધુ વૈવિધ્યસભર કાઉન્ટીઓમાંની એક છે જ્યાં લગભગ અડધી વસ્તી સ્પેનિશ, પૂર્વ એશિયન અને દક્ષિણ એશિયન મૂળની છે. વકીલ, ઇમિગ્રન્ટ અને ભારતીય મૂળના, શ્રમિક વર્ગના માતાપિતાના પુત્ર તરીકે, મેં, પ્રથમ હાથે, અમેરિકાના નવા નિવાસીઓ કે જેઓ બીજી ભાષા તરીકે અંગ્રેજી બોલે છે, અને ખાસ કરીને કોર્ટની કાર્યવાહી દરમિયાન દુભાષિયાઓની જરૂરિયાત માટેના સંઘર્ષ જોયા છે. ટેક્સાસના સધર્ન ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુનાઇટેડ સ્ટેટ્સ એટર્ની ઑફિસમાં અને સિવિલ રાઇટ ડિવિઝનમાં વકીલઓની સખત મહેનતને કારણે, તમામ રહેવાસીઓ, રાષ્ટ્રીય મૂળને ધ્યાનમાં લીધા વિના, ફેમિલી કોર્ટની બાબતો, ફોજદારી અને સામાન્ય સિવિલ બાબતોથી માંડીને બધું જ હેન્ડલ કરવા માટે કોર્ટ સિસ્ટમની સંપૂર્ણ ઍક્સેસ હશે. હું અન્ય કાઉન્ટીઓ અને ઑફિસ ઑફ કોર્ટ એડમિનિસ્ટ્રેશન સાથે કામ કરવા આતુર છું જેથી ટેક્સાસના સમગ્ર દક્ષિણ ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટમાં આ પ્રયાસોની નકલ કરવામાં આવે."
આ બાબત સિવિલ રાઇટ્સ ડિવિઝનના એટર્ની અને ટેક્સાસના સધર્ન ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુએસ એટર્ની ઑફિસ દ્વારા સંયુક્ત રીતે હાથ ધરવામાં આવી હતી.
નાગરિક અધિકાર વિભાગ વિશે વધારાની માહિતી તેની વેબસાઇટ www.justice.gov/crt પર ઉપલબ્ધ છે, અને મર્યાદિત અંગ્રેજી પ્રાવીણ્ય અને શીર્ષક VI વિશેની માહિતી www.lep.gov પર ઉપલબ્ધ છે. જનતાના સભ્યો નાગરિક અધિકારોના સંભવિત ઉલ્લંઘનની જાણ civilrights.justice.gov/report/ પર કરી શકે છે અથવા ટેક્સાસના સધર્ન ડિસ્ટ્રિક્ટ માટે યુએસ એટર્ની ઑફિસને www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section પર જાણ કરી શકે છે.
न्याय विभाग द्वारा फोर्ट बेन्ड काउंटी, टेक्सास में भाषा पहुँच नागरिक अधिकार मामले के अंतिम समाधान की घोषणाRead the Press Release
नोट: इस प्रेस विज्ञप्ति का विभिन्न भाषाओं में अनुवाद किया गया है। नीचे अनुलग्नक देखें।
वॉशिंगटन – न्याय विभाग ने घोषणा की है कि उन्होंने फोर्ट बेन्ड काउंटी (Fort Bend County, FBC) की अदालतों से जुड़े अपने नागरिक अधिकार मामले का अंतिम समाधान हासिल कर लिया है। FBC ने जून 2021 के समझौते का ज्ञापन )Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) की सभी शर्तों का अनुपालन किया है और इसके परिणामस्वरूप, विभाग इस मामले को बंद कर रहा है।
शुरुआत में विभाग ने इन आरोपों के आधार पर मामला शुरू किया था कि FBC की अदालतों ने अंग्रेज़ी में सीमित दक्षता (limited English proficiency, LEP) वाले लोगों के राष्ट्रीय मूल के आधार पर उनके साथ भेदभाव किया तथा संघीय वित्तीय सहायता के किसी भी प्राप्तकर्ता द्वारा नस्ल, रंग और राष्ट्रीय मूल के भेदभाव पर रोक लगाने वाले, 1964 के नागरिक अधिकार अधिनियम (शीर्षक VI) के शीर्षक VI के उल्लंघन में एक शिकायतकर्ता के खिलाफ़ जवाबी कार्रवाई की। एक शिकायतकर्ता ने यह आरोप लगाया था कि FBC ज़िला अदालत ने LEP वाले एक आपराधिक प्रतिवादी को एक याचिका की सुनवाई के लिए ज़रूरी वियतनामी दुभाषिया प्रदान करने से इनकार कर दिया था और यह कहा था कि प्रतिवादी या उसके वकील को एक वियतनामी दुभाषिया ढूँढना होगा और उसके लिए भुगतान करना होगा। 29 जून, 2021 को, विभाग और FBC ने एक ऐसे MOA के साथ जाँच का समाधान किया जिसके लिए LEP वाले अदालत के उपयोगकर्ताओं के लिए FBC की भाषा पहुँच नीतियों में महत्वपूर्ण परिवर्तनों की आवश्यकता थी।
तब से, FBC ने LEP वाले अदालत के उपयोगकर्ताओं के लिए पहुँच में सुधार और शीर्षक VI की शर्तों का अनुपालन करने के लिए महत्वपूर्ण परिवर्तन किए हैं। उदाहरण के लिए, FBC:
- LEP वाले किसी भी व्यक्ति को उन सभी दीवानी और फौजदारी मामलों में, आय की परवाह किए बिना, मुफ़्त दुभाषिया सेवाएं प्रदान करती है जो अदालत की भाषा सहायता नीति में वर्णित हैं;
- ने अपनी भाषा पहुँच योजना को संशोधित किया है;
- ने अदालत के कर्मचारियों के लिए भाषा पहुँच प्रशिक्षण और भाषा पहुँच के लिए न्यायाधीशों की मार्गदर्शिका तैयार की है;
- एक सार्वजनिक वेबपेज को कायम रखती है जो यह बताता है कि दुभाषिया या अनुवाद सेवाओं के लिए अनुरोध कैसे करें;
- अपनी वेबसाइट पर कई भाषाओं में एक भाषा पहुँच शिकायत फ़ॉर्म प्रदान करती है; और
- शीर्षक VI का अनुपालन सुनिश्चित करने के लिए, FBC के कर्मचारियों को शीर्षक VI प्रतिशोध प्रशिक्षण भी प्राप्त हुआ है।
न्याय विभाग के नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग के सहायक अटॉर्नी जनरल क्रिस्टन क्लार्क ने कहा, “फोर्ट बेन्ड काउंटी की अदालतों द्वारा अपनाई गई नई नीतियाँ और कार्यप्रणालियाँ अंग्रेज़ी में सीमित दक्षता वाले लोगों के लिए सार्थक भाषा पहुँच प्रदान करने में सहायता कर रही हैं।” “मुझे उम्मीद है कि अन्य अदालत प्रणालियाँ फोर्ट बेन्ड काउंटी के उदाहरण का अनुसरण करेंगी और अदालत के उपयोगकर्ताओं को मुफ़्त दुभाषिया सेवाएं प्रदान करने के लिए कदम उठाएंगी। हमारे देश में न्याय तक पहुँच केवल अंग्रेज़ी में आपकी दक्षता के कारण सीमित नहीं होनी चाहिए या उससे इनकार नहीं किया जाना चाहिए।”
टेक्सास के दक्षिणी ज़िले के लिए अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी आलमदार एस. हमदानी ने कहा, “फोर्ट बेन्ड काउंटी टेक्सास में सबसे विविध काउंटियों में से एक है जहाँ लगभग आधी आबादी स्पेनिश, पूर्वी एशियाई और दक्षिण एशियाई मूल की है। एक अभियोक्ता, एक आप्रवासी और भारतीय मूल के, कामकाजी वर्ग के, माता-पिता के बेटे के रूप में, मैंने दूसरी भाषा के रूप में अंग्रेजी बोलने वाले अमेरिका के नवीनतम निवासियों के संघर्षों, और, विशेष रूप से अदालत की कार्रवाई के दौरान, दुभाषियों की आवश्यकता को प्रत्यक्ष रूप से देखा है। टेक्सास के दक्षिणी ज़िले के लिए अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी कार्यालय और नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग में अभियोक्ताओं के परिश्रम के कारण, सभी निवासियों को, चाहे वे किसी भी राष्ट्रीय मूल के हों, पारिवारिक अदालतों के मामलों से लेकर फौजदारी और सामान्य दीवानी मामलों तक हर पहलू का प्रबंधन करने के लिए अदालत प्रणाली तक पूरी पहुँच होगी। मैं टेक्सास के पूरे दक्षिणी ज़िले में इन प्रयासों को दोहराने के लिए अन्य काउंटियों और न्यायालय प्रशासन कार्यालय के साथ काम करने की आशा करता हूँ।”
इस मामले को नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग और टेक्सास के दक्षिणी ज़िले के लिए अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी कार्यालय के वकीलों द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से प्रबंधित किया गया था।
नागरिक अधिकार प्रभाग के बारे में अतिरिक्त जानकारी www.justice.gov/crt पर उनकी वेबसाइट पर उपलब्ध है, तथा अंग्रेज़ी में सीमित दक्षता और शीर्षक VI के बारे में जानकारी www.lep.gov पर उपलब्ध है। आम लोग civilrights.justice.gov/report/ या www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section पर टेक्सास के दक्षिणी ज़िले के लिए अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी कार्यालय में नागरिक अधिकारों के संभावित उल्लंघनों की रिपोर्ट कर सकते हैं।
محکمہ انصاف نے فورٹ بینڈ کاؤنٹی، ٹیکساس میں زبان کے حوالے سے رسائی سے متعلق شہری حقوق کے معاملے کے حتمی تصفیہ کا اعلان کر دیاRead the Press Release
نوٹ: اس پریس ریلیز کا مختلف زبانوں میں ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔ ذیل میں منسلکات دیکھیں۔
واشنگٹن - محکمہ انصاف نے اعلان کیا کہ اس نے فورٹ بینڈ کاؤنٹی (Fort Bend County, FBC) کی عدالتوں سے متعلق اپنے شہری حقوق کے معاملے میں ایک حتمی تصفیہ حاصل کر لیا ہے۔ FBC نے جون 2021 کے یادداشت کے معاہدے (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) کی تمام شرائط کی تعمیل کی ہے اور اس کے نتیجے میں محکمہ اس معاملے کو بند کر رہا ہے۔
محکمے نے ابتدائی طور پر ان الزامات کی بنیاد پر معاملہ دیکھنا شروع کیا کہ FBC عدالتوں نے انگریزی زبان کی محدود صلاحیت (limited English proficiency, LEP) رکھنے والے لوگوں کے ساتھ ان کی آبائی قومیت کی بنیاد پر امتیازی سلوک کیا اور 1964 کے سِول رائٹس ایکٹ (ٹائٹل VI) کے ٹائٹل VI کی خلاف ورزی کرتے ہوئے شکایت کنندہ کے خلاف جوابی کارروائی کی جو وفاقی مالی معاونت کے کسی وصول کنندہ کی جانب سے نسل، رنگ یا آبائی قومیت کی بُنیاد پرتفریق کیے جانے کی مُمانعت کرتا ہے۔ ایک شکایت میں الزام لگایا گیا کہ FBC ڈسٹرکٹ عدالت نے LEP کے حامل ایک فوجداری مدعا علیہ کو ویتنامی مترجم کی فراہمی سے انکار کر دیا جس کی اسے درخواست کی سماعت کے لیے ضرورت تھی اور کہا کہ مدعا علیہ یا اس کے وکیل کو ایک ویتنامی مترجم کو تلاش کرنا اور اس کے لیے ادائیگی کرنا چاہیے۔ 29 جون 2021 کو، محکمہ اور FBC نے ایک MOA کے ذریعے تحقیقات کو حل کیا جس میں LEP کے حامل عدالتی صارفین کے لیے FBC کی زبان تک رسائی کی پالیسیوں میں اہم تبدیلیاں درکار کی گئیں۔
اس کے بعد سے، FBC نے LEP کے حامل عدالتی صارفین کی رسائی کو بہتر بنانے اور ٹائٹل VI کے تقاضوں کی تعمیل کرنے کے لیے اہم تبدیلیاں کی ہیں۔ مثال کے طور پر، FBC:
- تمام دیوانی اور فوجداری مقدمات میں، جیسا کہ عدالت کی زبان کی مدد کی پالیسی میں بیان کیا گیا ہے، آمدنی سے قطع نظر، LEP کے حامل فرد کو بھی بغیر کسی قیمت کے مترجم کی خدمات فراہم کرتی ہے؛
- نے اپنے زبان تک رسائی کے منصوبے پر نظر ثانی کی ہے؛
- نے عدالتی عملے کے لیے زبان تک رسائی کی تربیت اور زبان تک رسائی کے لیے جج کی رہنمائی تشکیل دی ہے؛
- نے ایک عوامی ویب پیج بنایا ہے جو وضاحت کرتا ہے کہ تشریح یا ترجمے کی خدمات کی درخواست کیسے کی جائے؛
- اپنی ویب سائٹ پر کئی زبانوں میں زبان تک رسائی کا شکایتی فارم فراہم کرتی ہے؛ اور
- ٹائٹل VI کی تعمیل کو یقینی بنانے کے لیے، FBC کے عملے نے ٹائٹل VI کی جوابی کارروائی کی تربیت بھی حاصل کی ہے۔
محکمہ انصاف کے سِول رائٹس ڈویژن کے اسسٹنٹ اٹارنی جنرل Kristen Clarke نے کہا، "فورٹ بینڈ کاؤنٹی کی عدالتوں کی طرف سے اختیار کی گئی نئی پالیسیاں اور طرز عمل انگریزی کی محدود صلاحیت رکھنے والے لوگوں کے لیے زبان تک بامعنی رسائی فراہم کرنے میں مدد کر رہے ہیں۔" "مجھے امید ہے کہ دیگر عدالتی نظام فورٹ بینڈ کاؤنٹی کی مثال کی پیروی کریں گے اور عدالتی صارفین کو بغیر کسی قیمت کے مترجم کی خدمات فراہم کرنے کے لیے اقدام اٹھائیں گے۔ ہمارے ملک میں انصاف تک رسائی کو صرف انگریزی میں آپ کی مہارت کی وجہ سے محدود یا انکار نہیں کیا جانا چاہیے۔"
"فورٹ بینڈ کاؤنٹی ٹیکساس کی متنوع ترین کاؤنٹیوں میں سے ایک ہے جہاں تقریباً نصف آبادی ہسپانوی، مشرقی ایشیائی اور جنوبی ایشیائی نژاد ہے۔ ایک پراسیکیوٹر، ایک تارک وطن اور ہندوستانی نژاد، محنت کش طبقے کے والدین کے بیٹے کے طور پر، میں نے امریکہ کے نئے باشندوں کی جدوجہد کو خود دیکھا ہے جو انگریزی کو دوسری زبان کے طور پر بولتے ہیں، اور انہیں مترجم کی ضرورت، خاص طور پر عدالت کی کارروائی کے دوران، ہوتی ہے،" ٹیکساس کے جنوبی ضلع کے لیے امریکی اٹارنی Alamdar S. Hamdani نے کہا۔ "امریکہ کے اٹارنی دفتر برائے جنوبی ضلع ٹیکساس اور سِول رائٹس ڈویژن میں پراسیکیوٹرز کی انتھک محنت کی وجہ سے تمام رہائشیوں کو، قطع نظر آبائی قومیت کے، فیملی کورٹ کے معاملات، فوجداری اور عمومی سول معاملات ہینڈل کرنے کے لیے عدالتی نظام تک مکمل رسائی حاصل ہو گی۔ میں ٹیکساس کے جنوبی ضلع بھر میں ان کاوشوں کے لیے دیگر کاؤنٹیز اور آفس آف کورٹ ایڈمنسٹریشن کے ساتھ کام کرنے کا منتظر ہوں۔"
یہ معاملہ سِول رائٹس ڈویژن اور ٹیکساس کے جنوبی ضلع کے لیے امریکی اٹارنی کے دفتر کے وکلاء کے ذریعے مشترکہ طور پر ہینڈل کیا گیا۔
سِول رائٹس ڈویژن کے بارے میں اضافی معلومات اس کی ویب سائٹ www.justice.gov/crt پر دستیاب ہیں، اور انگریزی کی محدود صلاحیت اور ٹائٹل VI کے بارے میں معلومات www.lep.gov پر دستیاب ہیں۔ عوام کے اراکین شہری حقوق کی ممکنہ خلاف ورزیوں کی اطلاع civilrights.justice.gov/report پر یا امریکی اٹارنی کے دفتر برائے جنوبی ضلع ٹیکساس
إعلان وزارة العدل عن التوصل إلى قرار نهائي مع مقاطعة "فورت بيند" بولاية تكساس بشأن توفير الخدمات اللغوية في ضوء قانون الحقوق المدنيةRead the Press Release
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واشنطن - أعلنت وزارة العدل عن التوصل إلى قرار نهائي مع محاكم مقاطعة فورت بيند (Fort Bend County, FBC) في ضوء قانون الحقوق المدنية. التزمت محاكم FBC بجميع شروط مذكرة الاتفاق (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) الموقَّعة في يونيو 2021، وعليه تؤكد وزارة العدل أنه تم حسم هذا الأمر.
فتحت وزارة العدل هذا الأمر في الأصل بناءً على الادعاءات التي تفيد بممارسة محاكم FBC التمييز ضد محدودي إجادة اللغة الإنجليزية (limited English proficiency, LEP) على أساس أصلهم القومي، وممارسة أنشطة انتقامية ضد المشتكين بما يخالف أحكام الباب السادس من قانون الحقوق المدنية لعام 1964 الذي يمنع التمييز بين متلقي المساعدة المالية الفيدرالية على أساس العرق أو اللون أو الأصل القومي. نصت إحدى الشكاوى على أن محكمة مقاطعة FBC رفضت توفير مترجم فوري فيتنامي لجلسة استماع أحد المتهمين الجنائيين ممن ينتمون إلى LEP، وذكرت أنه يجب على المتهم أو محاميه البحث عن مترجم فوري فيتنامي ودفع أتعابه. في 29 يونيو 2021، أجرت الوزارة بالتعاون مع محاكم FBC تحقيقًا وتم التوصل إلى مذكرة الاتفاق التي ألزمت هذه المحاكم بإجراء تغييرات جوهرية في سياساتها الخاصة بتوفير خدمات لغوية لمن ينتمون إلى LEP.
منذ ذلك الحين، قامت محاكم FBC بإجراء تغييرات جوهرية لتحسين توفير الخدمات اللغوية لعملائها الذين ينتمون إلى LEP والامتثال لمتطلبات الباب السادس. فعلى سبيل المثال، قامت محاكم FBC بما يأتي:
- توفير خدمات الترجمة الفورية مجانًا لأي شخص ينتمي إلى LEP، بغض النظر عن دخله، في جميع القضايا المدنية والجنائية كما هو موضح في سياسة المساعدة اللغوية للمحكمة؛
- مراجعة خطتها الخاصة بتوفير الخدمات اللغوية؛
- توفير تدريب على الخدمات اللغوية لموظفي المحكمة وإعداد دليل للقاضي خاص بتوفير الخدمات اللغوية؛
- إنشاء صفحة عامة على الويب تشرح كيفية طلب خدمات الترجمة الفورية أو التحريرية؛
- توفير استمارة شكاوى خاصة بتوفير الخدمات اللغوية بعدة لغات على موقعها الإلكتروني؛ و
- تلقى موظفو محاكم FBC أيضًا تدريبًا لمعرفة الأنشطة الانتقامية التي يحرمها الباب السادس من القانون وضمان الامتثال لأحكام هذا الباب.
وصرَّحت كريستين كلارك، مساعدة النائب العام لدائرة الحقوق المدنية في وزارة العدل قائلةً: "تساعد السياسات والممارسات الجديدة التي اعتمدتها محاكم مقاطعة "فورت بيند" على توفير الخدمات اللغوية بشكل موثوق لمحدودي إجادة اللغة الإنجليزية". واستكملت حديثها "آمل أن تحذو أنظمة المحاكم الأخرى حذو مقاطعة "فورت بيند" وأن تتخذ إجراءات لتوفير خدمات الترجمة الفورية لعملائها مجانًا. يجب ألا تمثل إجادة اللغة الإنجليزية حاجزًا يعرقل أو يحول دون الوصول إلى عدالة حقيقية في بلدنا".
من جانبه صرح ألامدار إس حمداني، المدعي العام للولايات المتحدة في المقاطعة الجنوبية بتكساس قائلاً: "إن مقاطعة فورت بيند إحدى أكثر المقاطعات تنوعًا في تكساس؛ إذ ينحدر نصف سكانها تقريبًا من أصل إسباني وشرق آسيوي وجنوب آسيوي. وبصفتي مدعيًا عامًّا ومهاجرًا وابنًا لأبوين من أصول هندية وينتميان إلى الطبقة العاملة، فقد لمست بنفسي معاناة المهاجرين مؤخرًا إلى أمريكا الذين يتحدثون الإنجليزية لغةً ثانيةً، وحاجتهم إلى مترجمين فوريين، خاصةً في أثناء جلسات المحاكمة". وأردف قائلاً: "بفضل العمل الشاق الذي يبذله المدعون العامون في مكتب النائب العام للولايات المتحدة في المقاطعة الجنوبية بتكساس وفي دائرة الحقوق المدنية، سيتمتع جميع السكان، بغض النظر عن أصلهم القومي، بجميع مزايا نظام المحاكم من أجل تسوية جميع قضايا محكمة الأسرة والمسائل الجنائية والمدنية العامة. أتطلع إلى العمل مع المقاطعات الأخرى ومكتب إدارة المحاكم ليسيروا على نهج جميع محاكم المقاطعة الجنوبية بتكساس".
تعاون محامون من دائرة الحقوق المدنية ومكتب النائب العام للولايات المتحدة في المقاطعة الجنوبية بتكساس لبحث هذه المسألة.
تتوفر معلومات إضافية عن "دائرة الحقوق المدنية" على موقعها الإلكتروني على هذا الرابط www.justice.gov/crt، كما تتوفر معلومات عن محدودي إجادة اللغة الإنجليزية والباب السادس من القانون علىwww.lep.gov . يمكن للعامة الإبلاغ عن الانتهاكات المحتملة للحقوق المدنية علىcivilrights.justice.gov/report/ أو التواصل مع مكتب النائب العام للولايات المتحدة في المقاطعة الجنوبية
Michoacan trafficker captured in Panama sent to U.S. prisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 48-year-old Mexican national has been sent to prison following his conviction for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute meth for Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Homero Guerra-Moreno pleaded guilty Dec. 6, 2022.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Guerra-Moreno to serve 324 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Guerra-Moreno is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described how, from 2013 to 2018, Guerra-Moreno was responsible for monthly transportation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of crystal meth into the United States from Mexico.
“Today we dealt a blow to the Mexican cartels. Guerra-Moreno trafficked drugs into local communities like Laredo, Texas, for years, trafficking about 15,000 kilograms of meth for the CJNG, a ruthless Mexican cartel,” said Hamdani. “He tried to run and hide abroad, but the prosecutors and investigators of the Southern district of Texas are relentless; law enforcement located and detained him before he could escape. Guerra-Moreno’s capture and sentence sends a message to those who work with the cartels, you can run, but you cannot hide.”
“Reaching the source of supply is crucial in stopping the flow of devastating drugs into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Houston Division. “The exemplary collective and persistent efforts between DEA and its federal partners brought down one of CJNG’s most significant meth source of suppliers in South Texas."
The investigation revealed a complex conspiracy which began in 2014. Authorities identified Guerra-Moreno as the source of supply for several drug trafficking organizations importing “ice” from Mexico through the United States. Guerra-Moreno worked in association with the CJNG and personally recruited traffickers to transport meth into Laredo.
Guerra-Moreno resided in Mexico and evaded capture for years. On May 26, 2022, law enforcement detained Guerra-Moreno at Tocuman International Airport as he was attempting to depart for Mexico. He was subsequently deported to Texas to face conspiracy charges.
Guerra-Moreno will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The DEA conducted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, Laredo Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Georgia State Patrol, U.S. Embassy Panama City, Panama Immigration, Panama National Police Interpol Unit and the Panamanian government.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, mutlti-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Local woman handed 40-year-sentence for sexually exploiting toddlerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 29-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced to federal prison following her conviction on four different child pornography convictions, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Elexis Kiera Sidney pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child as well as distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography May 24, 2022.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Sidney to serve a total of 480 months in federal prison - 360, 120, 120 and 120 months for the sexual exploitation of a child, distribution, receipt and possession convictions, respectively. The distribution, receipt and possession convictions will run concurrently for a total of 120 months which will run consecutive to the 360 months imposed in the sexual exploitation of a child conviction for a total of 480 months. At the hearing, the court heard from the mother of a three-year-old relative that Sidney had recorded herself sexually abusing. This woman detailed how she felt betrayed by what Sidney did to her daughter when she was supposed to be babysitting her.
During the hearing, the court noted a psychological evaluation Sidney underwent in which the doctor concluded she was at an average to high risk to reoffend. The court also heard how Sidney has a strong interest in children and has had since she was 10-years-old.
Sidney was further ordered to pay $18,ooo in restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of her life on supervised release for the sexual exploitation conviction following completion of his prison term. During that time, she will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict her access to children. Sidney will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“The depravity of what this woman did to her own relatives – two and three-year-old children - is abhorrent,” said Hamdani. “Instead of protecting the toddlers, she used them to feed her sick sexual deviancy, one she displayed on social media. Thankfully, we can now protect these young lives and mitigate future dangers by helping put Sidney where she belongs for the next few decades – behind federal prison bars.”
Sidney came to the attention of law enforcement in December 2018 when authorities had observed her posting sexually-explicit material involving children in a private Kik chat group.
After posting an image of herself naked in the bathroom, she then posted a video of herself again in the same situation. However, this time, a nude, pre-pubescent male child approximately two years of age was with her while she was touching herself. Other videos included the minor and Sydney touching each other in a sexual manner.
On Dec. 10, 2018, authorities went to her residence, at which time she admitted to creating the videos and utilizing the Kik account. At the residence at the time was the minor victim who was identified as her relative.
A forensic examination of her electronic devices and online storage account revealed Sidney had been distributing and receiving child pornography in the Kik chat group since November 2018. Authorities also found additional images and videos of Sidney sexually abusing the same minor victim as well as two images of a three-year-old minor relative.
Law enforcement also found approximately 100 images and 120 videos of child pornography.
Sidney will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Justice Department closes language access and retaliation civil rights matter in Fort Bend CountyRead the Press Release
Note: This press release has been translated in various languages. See attachments below.
HOUSTON – The Justice Department announced it has secured a final resolution in its civil rights matter involving the Fort Bend County (FBC) courts. FBC has complied with all the terms of a June 2021 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and as a result, the department is closing the matter.
The department initially opened the matter based on allegations that FBC courts discriminated against people with limited English proficiency (LEP) based on their national origin and retaliated against a complainant in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) which prohibits race, color and national origin discrimination by any recipient of federal financial assistance. One complaint alleged that the FBC District Court denied a criminal defendant with LEP a Vietnamese interpreter he needed for a plea hearing and said that the defendant or his attorney must find and pay for a Vietnamese interpreter. On June 29, 2021, the department and FBC resolved the investigation with an MOA that required significant changes to FBC’s language access policies for court users with LEP.
Since then, FBC has made significant changes to improve access for court users with LEP and to comply with Title VI requirements. For example, FBC:
- Provides interpreter services at no cost to anyone with LEP, regardless of income, in all civil and criminal cases as described in the court’s language assistance policy;
- Revised its language access plan;
- Created a language access training for court staff and a Judge’s Guide to Language Access;
- Maintains a public webpage that explains how to request interpretation or translation services;
- Provides a language access complaint form in several languages on its website; and
- To ensure Title VI compliance, FBC staff have also received Title VI retaliation training.
“The new policies and practices adopted by the Fort Bend County courts are helping to provide meaningful language access for people with limited English proficiency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “I hope other court systems follow Fort Bend County’s example and take action to provide interpreter services to court users at no cost. Access to justice in our country should not be limited or denied simply because of your proficiency in English.”
“Fort Bend County is one of the most diverse counties in Texas where almost half the population is of Spanish, East Asian and South Asian origin. As a prosecutor, an immigrant and the son of Indian-born, working-class parents, I have seen, first-hand, the struggles of America’s newest residents who speak English as a second language, and the need for interpreters, especially during court proceedings,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Because of the hard work of the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and at the Civil Right Division, all residents, irrespective of national origin, will have full access to the court system to handle everything from family court matters, criminal and general civil matters. I look forward to working with other counties and the Office of Court Administration to replicate these efforts throughout the Southern District of Texas.”
This matter was handled jointly by attorneys in the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available here.
Translations:
- العربية
- 简体字
- 簡體字
- Gujarati
- हिन्दी
- Malayalam
- Español
- Tagalog
- اُردُو
- Tiếng Việt
Justice Department Announces Final Resolution of Language Access Civil Rights Matter in Fort Bend County, TexasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced it has secured a final resolution in its civil rights matter involving the Fort Bend County (FBC) courts. FBC has complied with all the terms of a June 2021 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and as a result, the department is closing the matter.
The department initially opened the matter based on allegations that FBC courts discriminated against people with limited English proficiency (LEP) based on their national origin and retaliated against a complainant in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) which prohibits race, color and national origin discrimination by any recipient of federal financial assistance. One complaint alleged that the FBC District Court denied a criminal defendant with LEP a Vietnamese interpreter he needed for a plea hearing and said that the defendant or his attorney must find and pay for a Vietnamese interpreter. On June 29, 2021, the department and FBC resolved the investigation with an MOA that required significant changes to FBC’s language access policies for court users with LEP.
Since then, FBC has made significant changes to improve access for court users with LEP and to comply with Title VI requirements. For example, FBC:
- Provides interpreter services at no cost to anyone with LEP, regardless of income, in all civil and criminal cases as described in the court’s language assistance policy;
- Revised its language access plan;
- Created a language access training for court staff and a Judge’s Guide to Language Access;
- Maintains a public webpage that explains how to request interpretation or translation services;
- Provides a language access complaint form in several languages on its website; and
- To ensure Title VI compliance, FBC staff have also received Title VI retaliation training.
“The new policies and practices adopted by the Fort Bend County courts are helping to provide meaningful language access for people with limited English proficiency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “I hope other court systems follow Fort Bend County’s example and take action to provide interpreter services to court users at no cost. Access to justice in our country should not be limited or denied simply because of your proficiency in English.”
“Fort Bend County is one of the most diverse counties in Texas where almost half the population is of Spanish, East Asian and South Asian origin. As a prosecutor, an immigrant and the son of Indian-born, working-class parents, I have seen, first-hand, the struggles of America’s newest residents who speak English as a second language, and the need for interpreters, especially during court proceedings,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Because of the hard work of the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and at the Civil Right Division, all residents, irrespective of national origin, will have full access to the court system to handle everything from family court matters, criminal and general civil matters. I look forward to working with other counties and the Office of Court Administration to replicate these efforts throughout the Southern District of Texas.”
This matter was handled jointly by attorneys in the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the for the Southern District of Texas at www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section.
El Departamento de Justicia Anuncia la Resolución Definitiva sobre el Asunto de Derecho Civil en torno al Acceso Lingüístico en el Condado de Fort Bend, TexasRead the Press Release
Nota: Este comunicado de prensa ha sido traducido a varios idiomas. Consulte los archivos adjuntos.
El Departamento de Justicia anunció que ha alcanzado una resolución definitiva sobre el asunto de derecho civil que involucra a los tribunales del condado de Fort Bend (Fort Bend County, FBC). El FBC ha cumplido con todos los términos de un memorando de entendimiento (Memorandum of Agreement, MOA) de junio de 2021 y, como resultado, el departamento da fin al asunto.
Inicialmente, el departamento abrió el asunto tras denuncias de que los tribunales del FBC discriminaban a personas con dominio limitado del inglés (limited English proficiency, LEP) por su país de origen y habían tomado represalias por un reclamo, lo cual infringe el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (el Titulo VI), que prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color o país de origen por parte de cualquier beneficiario de ayuda financiera federal. Una denuncia sostenía que el Tribunal de Distrito del FBC le negó a un acusado por un delito penal con LEP un intérprete de vietnamita que necesitaba para una audiencia de declaración y afirmó que el acusado o su abogado debían buscar y pagar un intérprete de vietnamita. El 29 de junio de 2021, el departamento y el FBC resolvieron la investigación con un MOA que requirió cambios significativos en las políticas de acceso lingüístico del FBC para los usuarios de los tribunales con LEP.
Desde entonces, el FBC ha hecho importantes cambios para mejorar el acceso de usuarios de los tribunales con LEP y para cumplir con las disposiciones del Título VI. Por ejemplo, el FBC:
- ofrece servicios de interpretación sin costo a cualquier persona con LEP, independientemente de sus ingresos, en todos los casos civiles y penales, como se describe en la política de asistencia lingüística del tribunal;
- modificó su plan de acceso lingüístico;
- creó una capacitación sobre acceso lingüístico para el personal del tribunal y una Guía para Jueces sobre el Acceso Lingüístico;
- mantiene una página web pública en la que se explica cómo solicitar servicios de interpretación o traducción;
- proporciona un formulario de reclamo de acceso lingüístico en diversos idiomas en su sitio web; y
- para garantizar el cumplimiento con el Título VI, el personal del FBC también debe recibir capacitación sobre represalias basada en el Título VI.
“Las nuevas políticas y prácticas adoptadas por los tribunales del condado de Fort Bend contribuyen a proporcionar un acceso lingüístico significativo a las personas con dominio limitado del inglés”, explicó Kristen Clarke, Fiscal General Adjunta de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Espero que otros sistemas judiciales sigan el ejemplo del condado de Fort Bend y tomen medidas para proporcionar servicios de interpretación sin costo a los usuarios de tribunales. El acceso a la justicia en nuestro país no debería verse limitado o denegado simplemente por su dominio del inglés”.
“Fort Bend es uno de los condados con mayor diversidad en Texas: casi la mitad de la población es de origen hispano, de Asia del este o de Asia del sur. Como fiscal, inmigrante e hijo de padres indios y de clase trabajadora, he visto con mis ojos la lucha de los residentes más recientes de los Estados Unidos, cuya lengua madre no es el inglés, y la necesidad de intérpretes, en especial durante los procesos judiciales”, afirmó el Fiscal Federal por el Distrito Sur de Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Debido al trabajo duro de los fiscales en la Oficina de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas y en la División de Derechos Civiles, todos los residentes, independientemente de su país de origen, tendrán acceso pleno al sistema judicial, para asuntos de toda clase, incluidos los de derecho familiar, penal y civil. Anhelo trabajar con otros condados y con la Oficina de Administración Judicial para replicar estas medidas en todo el Distrito Sur de Texas.
Este asunto fue resuelto conjuntamente por abogados de la División de Derechos Civiles y la Oficina de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas.
Hay información adicional disponible sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt, y puede encontrar información disponible sobre el dominio limitado del idioma inglés y el Título VI en www.lep.gov. Los ciudadanos pueden denunciar posibles violaciones de derechos civiles en civilrights.justice.gov/report/ o en la Oficina de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas en www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section.
Bộ Tư Pháp Công Bố Nghị Quyết Cuối Cùng Về Vấn Đề Quyền Công Dân Trong Tiếp Cận Ngôn Ngữ Tại Quận Fort Bend, TexasRead the Press Release
Lưu ý: Thông cáo báo chí này đã được dịch sang nhiều ngôn ngữ khác nhau. Vui lòng xem tập tài liệu đính kèm bên dưới.
WASHINGTON – Bộ Tư pháp thông báo Bộ đã đạt được giải pháp cuối cùng trong vấn đề dân quyền liên quan đến các tòa án tại Quận Fort Bend (Fort Bend County, FBC). FBC đã tuân thủ tất cả các điều khoản của Bản Ghi Nhớ Thỏa Thuận (Memorandum of Agreement, hoặc MOA) vào tháng 6 năm 2021, và do đó, Bộ sẽ kết thúc vấn đề này.
Ban đầu, Bộ đặt vấn đề dựa trên các cáo buộc rằng tòa án FBC phân biệt đối xử với những người có trình độ tiếng Anh hạn chế (limited English proficiency, hoặc LEP) dựa trên nguồn gốc quốc gia của họ và thực hiện trả đũa người khiếu nại vi phạm Tiêu đề VI của Đạo luật Dân quyền năm 1964 (Tiêu đề VI) nghiêm cấm phân biệt đối xử về chủng tộc, màu da và nguồn gốc quốc gia bởi bất kỳ người nhận hỗ trợ tài chính liên bang nào. Một khiếu nại cáo buộc rằng Tòa án quận FBC đã từ chối cấp cho bị cáo hình sự với trình độ tiếng LEP một thông dịch viên tiếng Việt mà anh ta cần cho phiên điều trần nhận tội và nói rằng bị cáo hoặc luật sư của anh ta phải tìm và tự trả tiền cho một thông dịch viên người Việt. Vào ngày 29 tháng 6 năm 2021, Bộ và FBC đã giải quyết cuộc điều tra này bằng một MOA yêu cầu những thay đổi đáng kể đối với chính sách tiếp cận ngôn ngữ của FBC dành cho người tham dự phiên tòa có trình độ tiếng LEP.
Kể từ đó, FBC đã thực hiện những thay đổi quan trọng để cải thiện khả năng tiếp cận của những người tham dự tòa án có trình độ tiếng LEP và để tuân thủ các yêu cầu của Tiêu đề VI. Ví dụ, FBC:
- Cung cấp dịch vụ thông dịch viên miễn phí cho bất kỳ ai có trình độ tiếng LEP, bất kể thu nhập, trong tất cả các vụ án dân sự và hình sự như được mô tả trong chính sách hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ của tòa án;
- Sửa đổi kế hoạch tiếp cận ngôn ngữ của mình;
- Đã tạo một khóa đào tạo tiếp cận ngôn ngữ cho nhân viên tòa án và một Hướng dẫn của Thẩm phán về Tiếp cận Ngôn ngữ;
- Duy trì trang mạng công cộng giải thích cách yêu cầu dịch vụ phiên dịch hoặc dịch thuật;
- Cung cấp mẫu đơn khiếu nại về quyền truy cập ngôn ngữ bằng một số ngôn ngữ trên trang mạng của mình; và
- Nhằm để đảm bảo tuân thủ Tiêu đề VI, nhân viên FBC cũng đã được đào tạo về trả đũa theo Tiêu đề VI.
Trợ lý Bộ trưởng Tư pháp Kristen Clarke thuộc Bộ phận Dân quyền của Bộ Tư pháp cho biết: “Các chính sách và thông lệ mới được tòa án Quận Fort Bend áp dụng đang giúp cung cấp khả năng tiếp cận ngôn ngữ có ý nghĩa cho những người có trình độ tiếng Anh hạn chế. “Tôi hy vọng các hệ thống tòa án khác sẽ noi gương Quận Fort Bend và hành động để cung cấp dịch vụ thông dịch viên miễn phí cho những người sử dụng tòa án. Quyền tiếp cận công lý ở đất nước chúng ta không nên bị hạn chế hoặc từ chối chỉ vì trình độ tiếng Anh của quý vị.”
“Quận Fort Bend là một trong những quận đa dạng nhất ở Texas, nơi gần một nửa dân số là người gốc Tây Ban Nha, Đông Á và Nam Á. Là một công tố viên, một người nhập cư và là con trai của các bậc cha mẹ thuộc tầng lớp lao động, sinh ra ở Ấn Độ, tôi đã tận mắt chứng kiến cuộc tranh đấu của những cư dân mới nhất của Hoa Kỳ nói tiếng Anh như ngôn ngữ thứ hai và nhu cầu về phiên dịch viên, đặc biệt là trong phiên tòa, thủ tục tố tụng,” Luật sư Hoa Kỳ Alamdar S. Hamdani đại diện cho Quận phía Nam Texas cho biết. “Nhờ sự làm việc chăm chỉ của các công tố viên tại Văn phòng Luật sư Hoa Kỳ cho Quận phía Nam Texas và tại Bộ phận Dân quyền, tất cả cư dân, bất kể nguồn gốc quốc gia, sẽ có toàn quyền tiếp cận hệ thống tòa án để xử lý mọi việc từ tòa án gia đình. các vấn đề, hình sự và các vấn đề dân sự nói chung. Tôi mong muốn được làm việc với các chính quyền quận khác và Văn phòng Hành chính Tòa án để nhân rộng những nỗ lực này trên khắp Quận phía Nam của Texas.”
Civil Rights Division (Ban Dân Quyền) thuộc Sở Tư Pháp đã phối hợp với Văn phòng Luật sư Hoa Kỳ thuộc Quận Phía Đông của Louisiana để giải quyết vấn đề này.
Thông tin bổ sung về Ban Dân Quyền có sẵn trên trang web của họ tại www.justice.gov/crt, và thông tin về trình độ tiếng Anh hạn chế và Title VI có tại www.lep.gov. Công chúng có thể báo cáo các vi phạm dân quyền có thể xảy ra tại trang mạng civilrights.justice.gov/report/ hoặc với Văn phòng Luật sư Hoa Kỳ cho Quận phía Nam của Texas tại www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section.
Ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay Nag-anunsyo ng Pinal na Resolusyon ng Usapin sa Mga Karapatan sa Pag-access sa Wika sa Fort Bend County, TexasRead the Press Release
Tandaan: Ang press release na ito ay isinalin sa iba't ibang wika. Tingnan ang mga kalakip sa ibaba.
Inihayag ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan na nakakuha na ito ng pinal na resolusyon sa usapin ng mga karapatang sibil nito na kinasasangkutan ng mga korte ng County ng Fort Bend (Fort Bend County, FBC). Sinunod ng FBC ang lahat ng tuntunin ng isang Hunyo 2021 na Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at bilang resulta, isinasara ng kagawaran ang usapin.
Una nang binuksan ng kagawaran ang usapin batay sa mga alegasyon na ang mga korte ng FBC ay may diskriminasyon laban sa mga taong may limitadong kahusayan sa Ingles (limited English proficiency, LEP) batay sa kanilang bansang pinagmulan at gumanti laban sa isang nagrereklamo na lumalabag sa Titulo VI ng Batas sa mga Karapatang Sibil ng 1964 (Titulo VI) na nagbabawal ng diskriminasyon sa lahi, kulay at bansang pinagmulan ng sinumang tumatanggap ng pederal na tulong pinansyal. Isang reklamo ang nagparatang na ang Korteng Pandistrito ng FBC ay ipinagkait sa isang kriminal na nasasakdal na may LEP ang isang Vietnamese na interpreter na kailangan niya para sa isang plea hearing at sinabi na ang nasasakdal o ang kanyang abogado ay dapat maghanap at magbayad para sa isang Vietnamese interpreter. Noong Hunyo 29, 2021, niresolba ang pagsisiyasat ng kagawaran at FBC gamit ang isang MOA na nangangailangan ng malalaking pagbabago sa mga patakaran sa pag-access sa wika ng FBC para sa mga gumagamit ng korte na may LEP.
Simula noon, gumawa ang FBC ng mga makabuluhang pagbabago upang mapabuti ang pag-access para sa mga gumagamit ng korte na may LEP at upang sumunod sa mga kinakailangan sa Titulo VI. Halimbawa, ang FBC:
- ay nagbibigay ng mga serbisyo ng interpreter nang walang bayad sa sinumang may LEP, anuman ang kita, sa lahat ng sibil at kriminal na kaso gaya ng inilarawan sa patakaran sa tulong sa wika ng korte;
- ay binago ang plano sa pag-access sa wikanito;
- ay lumikha ng ng isang pagsasanay sa pag-access sa wika para sa mga kawani ng korte at isang Gabay ng Hukom sa Pag-access sa Wika;
- ay nagpapanatili ng pampublikong webpage na nagpapaliwanag kung paano humiling ng mga serbisyo ng interpretasyon o pagsasalin;
- ay nagbibigay ng form ng reklamo sa pag-access sa wika sa ilang wika sa website nito; at
- upang matiyak ang pagsunod sa Titulo VI, nakatanggap din ang mga kawani ng FBC ng Titulo VI na pagsasanay sa paghihiganti.
“Ang mga bagong patakaran at kasanayan na pinagtibay ng mga korte ng Fort Bend County ay nakakatulong na magbigay ng makabuluhang akses sa wika para sa mga taong may limitadong kasanayan sa Ingles,” sabi ni Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke ng Sangay ng mga Karapatang Sibil ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan. “Umaasa ako na sundin ng ibang mga sistema ng korte ang halimbawa ng Fort Bend County at kumilos upang magbigay ng mga serbisyo ng interpreter sa mga gumagamit ng korte nang walang bayad. Ang pagkakaroon ng katarungan sa ating bansa ay hindi dapat limitahan o ipagkait dahil lamang sa iyong kahusayan sa Ingles.”
“Ang Fort Bend County ay isa sa mga pinaka-diverse na county sa Texas kung saan halos kalahati ng populasyon ay nagmula sa Espanya, Silangang Asya at Timog Asya. Bilang isang tagausig, isang imigrante at anak ng mga ipinanganak sa India, uring manggagawang magulang, nakita ko, mismo, ang mga pakikibaka ng mga pinakabagong residente ng Amerika na nagsasalita ng Ingles bilang pangalawang wika, at ang pangangailangan para sa mga interpreter, lalo na sa panahon ng paglilitis ng korte,” sabi ni US Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani para sa Katimugang Distrito ng Texas. “Dahil sa pagsusumikap ng mga tagausig sa Opisina ng Abogado ng Estados Unidos para sa Katimugang Distrito ng Texas at sa Sangay ng Karapatang Sibil, lahat ng residente, anuman ang bansang pinagmulan, ay magkakaroon ng ganap na access sa sistema ng korte upang pangasiwaan ang lahat mula sa mga usapin ng korteng pampamilya, mga usaping kriminal at pangkalahatang sibil. Inaasahan ko ang pakikipagtulungan sa ibang mga county at ng Opisina ng Pangasiwaan ng Korte upang gayahin ang mga pagsisikap na ito sa buong Katimugang Distrito ng Texas.”
Ang usaping ito ay magkasamang pinangasiwaan ng mga abogado sa Sangay ng mga Karapatang Sibil at ng Opisina ng Abogado ng US para sa Katimugang Distrito ng Texas.
Ang karagdagang impormasyon tungkol sa Sangay ng mga Karapatang Sibil ay makukuha sa website nito sa www.justice.gov/crt, at ang impormasyon tungkol sa limitadong kasanayan sa Ingles at Titulo VI ay makukuha sa www.lep.gov. Ang mga miyembro ng publiko ay maaaring mag-ulat ng mga posibleng paglabag sa karapatang sibil sa civilrights.justice.gov/report/ o sa Opisina ng Abogado ng US para sa Katimugang Distrito ng Texas sa www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/civil-division/civil-rights-section.
Social Security employee charged with theft of government property and aggravated identity theftRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old Harlingen resident is now in custody on allegations he created false profiles to steal government money, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Lee Marvin Nichols today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 4.
According to the three-count indictment, returned June 27, Nichols was a claims specialist at the Social Security Administration (SSA) in Harlingen.
Nichols allegedly created fictitious profiles for two children that did not exist. The indictment alleges Nichols linked the profiles of the fictitious children to a recently deceased man and a disabled woman living in Mexico in an attempt to create survivor benefits application.
Nichols used debit cards issued to the children to withdraw funds, according to the charges. When he would obtain the funds, he allegedly attempted to disguise himself by using hats pulled down over his face, sunglasses, balaclavas and other clothing to conceal his appearance.
In addition to Social Security benefits, the IRS issued economic stimulus payments of $1,400 to each fictitious child, according to the indictment.
Nichols is charged with one count of theft of government property which carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, he must also serve a mandatory two years which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
The SSA-Office of Inspection General conducted the investigation with the assistance of IRS-Criminal Investigation and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray, Ben Sandel, Andrew Swartz and Jose Esquivel are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Smuggling organizer sentenced for recruiting and directing drivers to transport up to 185 peopleRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 55-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Charles Lee Smith pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller ordered Smith to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
From Feb. 26, 2021, through Sept. 14, 2021, Smith recruited others to transport undocumented aliens from Laredo to San Antonio, Houston and other destinations. Smith acquired and paid for the load vehicles as well as drivers’ travel expenses and lodging. He also recruited drivers, oversaw the events and supervised the transport of 182 undocumented aliens, including six unaccompanied minors. On Dec. 8, 2020, Smith personally transported three non-U.S. citizens, but law enforcement caught him. It was after this that he began recruiting others to drive.
On Sept. 9, 2021, Brandon Joseph Bartholomew and Smith met in the Houston area. Smith hired and contracted Bartholomew for $10,000 per load to transport a tractor trailer pre-loaded with non-U.S. citizens from Laredo to Houston. Smith told Bartholomew he would be able to take multiple loads that week.
On Sep. 14, 2021, Bartholomew drove a tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Freer. He told authorities he was hauling rice and beans and presented a fraudulent bill of lading. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered the logos and Department of Transportation number printed on the tractor and trailer were fraudulent. Authorities cut the trailer door seal and discovered 49 undocumented aliens from Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. The temperature inside the enclosed trailer was 91 degrees.
On April 19, 2022, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña imposed a 33-month sentence for Bartholomew, 40, Magnolia.
Smith will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigations on the other transporters with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Matthew Isaac prosecuted this case. AUSA Colton Turner handled the sentencing.
Forney resident sentenced for trafficking “ice” for Michoacan CartelRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old Texan has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute approximately 19 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ernesto Diaz-Velazquez pleaded guilty Dec. 6, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Diaz-Velazquez to serve 84 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that he trafficked meth “ice” in the city of Laredo. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the high-purity of meth and that it belonged to Michoacan Cartel. Judge Marmolejo admonished the defendant for seeking to distribute such a dangerous and disfiguring drug.
On Sept. 5, 2017, authorities launched an investigation into suspected drug trafficking across the local port of entry. It led to Diaz-Velazquez as the individual who took possession of approximately 18.58 kilograms of pure meth at a local store parking lot. He received the high-purity meth in liquid form.
The investigation revealed the Michoacan Cartel was the ultimate source of the drug supply.
Diaz-Velazquez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department as part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, mutlti-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Clinical laboratory and owner agree to pay to resolve outstanding judgment for inflated mileage-based lab tech travel allowance feesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – BestCare Laboratory Services LLC, a now defunct Texas-based company that operated as a clinical laboratory, and its owner and founder, Karim A. Maghareh, have agreed to pay an additional $5.7 million to settle an outstanding False Claims Act judgment against them.
The judgment was entered in 2018 after a court found BestCare knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare, as Maghareh directed, by billing for travel allowance reimbursements that did not reflect the mileage lab technicians had actually traveled when they collected specimens from nursing home residents in Texas.
The settlement announced today is designed to resolve BestCare and Maghareh’s outstanding obligation under the 2018 judgment. The settlement provides for payments totaling $5.7 million and the possibility of additional annual payments for five years based on Maghareh’s future income. These payments are in addition to $789,652 that the United States has already collected since 2018. The settlement amount is based on the Department of Justice’s ability-to-pay policy.
Richard Drummond originally filed the lawsuit in 2008 under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The qui tam provisions allow private parties, called relators, to sue on behalf of the United States individuals or companies they believe have knowingly submitted false claims for government funds. Relators are entitled to receive 15 to 25 percent of any recovery if the United States intervenes in the suit, as it did here in 2011. As part of this settlement, the relator will receive $1,311,000.
“Health care providers that submit inflated reimbursement claims to Medicare waste funds intended to ensure access to vital medical services,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the Department’s resolve to ensure that those who defraud the taxpayers are held accountable.”
“When the greedy manipulate the Medicare system, it affects us all, especially the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). “It’s a waste of resources meant to help those in need. This fraudulent scheme adversely impacted our healthcare system because of the inflated costs associated with transporting lab samples. This settlement brings to bear some economic justice, by requiring those that orchestrated the fraudulent scheme to pay for their actions.”
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; SDTX - Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section; and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. SDTX Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Karpati and Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel Andrew A. Steinberg handled the matter.
Clinical Laboratory and Its Owner Agree to Pay an Additional $5.7 Million to Resolve Outstanding Judgement for Billing Medicare for Inflated Mileage-Based Lab Technician Travel Allowance FeesRead the Press Release
BestCare Laboratory Services LLC (BestCare), a now defunct Texas-based company that operated as a clinical laboratory, and its owner and founder, Karim A. Maghareh, have agreed to pay an additional $5.7 million to settle an outstanding False Claims Act judgment against them. The judgment was entered in 2018 after a court found that BestCare knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare, as directed by Maghareh, by billing for travel allowance reimbursements that did not reflect the mileage that lab technicians had actually traveled when they collected specimens from nursing home residents in Texas.
The settlement announced today is designed to resolve BestCare and Maghareh’s outstanding obligation under the 2018 judgment. The settlement provides for payments totaling $5.7 million and the possibility of additional annual payments for five years based on Maghareh’s future income. These payments are in addition to $789,652 that the United States has already collected since 2018. The settlement amount is based on the Justice Department's ability-to-pay policy.
The original lawsuit was filed in 2008 by Richard Drummond under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The qui tam provisions allow private parties, called “relators,” to sue on behalf of the United States individuals or companies they believe have knowingly submitted false claims for government funds. Relators are entitled to receive 15 to 25 percent of any recovery if the United States intervenes in the suit, as it did here in 2011. As part of this settlement, the relator will receive $1,311,000.
“Health care providers that submit inflated reimbursement claims to Medicare waste funds intended to ensure access to vital medical services,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the department’s resolve to ensure that those who defraud the taxpayers are held accountable.”
“When the greedy manipulate the Medicare system, it affects us all, especially the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “It’s a waste of resources meant to help those in need. This fraudulent scheme adversely impacted our healthcare system because of the inflated costs associated with transporting lab samples. This settlement brings to bear some economic justice, by requiring those that orchestrated the fraudulent scheme to pay for their actions.”
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section; and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The settlement was handled by Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel Andrew A. Steinberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Karpati for the Southern District of Texas.
This case is captioned United States ex rel. Drummond v. BestCare Laboratory Services LLC and Karim A. Maghareh, Case No. 4:08cv2441 (S.D. Tex.).
Settlement8 charged in connection with human smuggling in kidnapping for ransom schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three more people have been federally charged in relation to a smuggling event that turned fatal in March.
Authorities took Brian Martinez, 24, East Bernard, and Miguel Gonzalez, 33, Richmond, into custody July 25 and 26, respectively, on human smuggling charges. Christian Hernandez, 25, East Bernard, is in custody and expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon at 2 p.m. today. Gonzalez is on home confinement with restrictions, while Martinez is in custody pending a detention hearing set for Aug. 3.
Zachary Austin Palomo, 28, Alex Anthony Fisher, 26, and Brenda Roxana Serrano Figueroa, 25, all of Houston, have been and will remain in custody on kidnapping charges returned in May.
Two others - Santiago Hernandez Jr., 26, and Lorie Lin Flowers, 25, both also of Houston - remain at large.
The charges allege that on March 17 and 18, a migrant smuggling operation resulted in the armed kidnapping of three migrants along I-10 East in Waller County. Three other victims were shot and left at the scene, according to the allegations. The alleged perpetrators held the victims hostage at two Houston area hotels and began requesting ransom money from their families. The charges allege the victims were beaten and threatened while held for ransom.
According to testimony presented in court, the kidnappers released two of hostages after their families paid the ransom, and law enforcement conducted an operation to rescue the remaining victim.
The operation led to the death of one of the alleged perpetrators.
Warrants remain outstanding for the arrest of Hernandez and Flowers who are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
Santiago Hernandez, Flowers, Palomo, Figueroa and Fisher are charged with aiding and abetting kidnapping. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. For bringing in and harboring certain aliens, Gonzalez, Cristian Hernandez and Martinez could receive up to 10 years in federal prison, upon conviction. All charged also carry a potential fine of $250,000.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the sheriff’s offices in Harris and Waller Counties and the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Lewis is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
RGV tax preparers indicted for filing over two dozen false tax returnsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Three local residents have been charged in a 27-count indictment alleging losses of more than $300,000 to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Elizabeth Romo turned herself in today and is expected to make her initial appearance this morning in McAllen. Authorities took Maria Lourdes Campos and Gloria Romo into custody last week.
The indictment, returned July 11 and unsealed in its entirety today, alleges Campos, Elizabeth Romo and Gloria Romo knowingly submitted dozens of fraudulent tax returns to the IRS in order to garner larger tax breaks for her clients.
The three women allegedly prepared Forms 1040 containing fraudulent Schedules A and C with false residential energy, child and dependent care expense credits. The charges allege the false and or inflated deductions occurred on client tax returns for tax years 2017 through 2020. Campos Tax Services’ clients received a larger refund than they were entitled to receive or paid a lesser amount of taxes owed to the IRS, according to the indictment.
As a result of the scheme, all three allegedly caused a total loss to the IRS of over $300,000 over the course of four years.
If convicted, they each face up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
IRS - Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores and Cahal McColgan are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Noncitizen sent to prison for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of being in possession of a firearm while in the United States illegally, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Alberto Karr-Magana pleaded guilty May 22.
Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered Karr-Magana to serve 30 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that law enforcement found not only a loaded firearm but drug paraphernalia as well. This included a scale with cocaine residue, marijuana and over $4,000 in cash. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Karr-Magana’s lengthy criminal history which included prior drug and firearm convictions. Not a U.S. citizen he is expected to face removal proceedings following his release from prison.
On March 29, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a 2016 Dodge Challenger. Karr-Magana was the sole occupant and driver. Authorities approached and detected a strong smell of marijuana emitting from the vehicle.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, authorities found a loaded Glock, Model 43, 9mm caliber pistol on the driver side between the center console and carpet insulation. Authorities also located marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. Karr-Magana admitted he did not have legal status to be in the United States and illegally entered the United States after being removed in 2020. Karr-Magana further claimed ownership of the firearm.
Karr-Magana has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Alamo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Jury Convicts local man for sex trafficking 15-year-oldRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 31-year-old man who resided in Houston has been found guilty for trafficking a minor female for commercial sex using force, fraud or coercion, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jury deliberated for approximately five hours before returning a guilty verdict against Giovanny Xavier Limon aka Ace or Ace One following a three-day trial.
Limon trafficked a 15-year-old minor female for commercial sex during May and June 2022. The girl was forced to engage in commercial sex with strangers on numerous occasions and had to turn over all proceeds to Limon and his associates.
Limon, twice her age, forced her to use meth and photographed her in lingerie he and others had provided. Those photographs, among others, were used to advertise the minor on the internet. The jury saw evidence of how Limon displayed his moniker in the photos used in the commercial sex ads leaving little doubt who was controlling the minor’s actions.
The jury also heard how Limon harbored the minor in several hotels as well as residences his family members controlled.
She testified at trial and described how Limon often carried a knife, supplied her with drugs, tattooed her arm, intimidated her and destroyed her will to live.
“Meth, a gun, and intimidation. Those were the tools Limon used to exploit and traffic a young girl for his own financial benefit– a child who then lost her will for life itself,” said Hamdani. “This conviction ensures he can never do this to another child and sends a message to anyone who wants to use our children for commercial sex – we will find you and bring you to justice.”
The defense attempted to convince the jury that the girl was acting alone and Limon was just a scapegoat so she would not get in trouble at home when she returned. They did not believe those claims and found Limon guilty.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner presided over trial and set sentencing for Oct. 26. At that time, Limon faces up to life in federal prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri L. Zack and Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Four indicted for money laundering in prolific human smuggling network takedownRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging four defendants with conspiracy to launder money.
The new charges were filed against Erminia Serrano Piedra aka Irma or Boss Lady, 32, Elgin and Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar aka Pelon, 40, both of Elgin; Pedro Hairo Abrigo, 34, Killeen; and Juan Diego Martinez-Rodriguez aka Gavilan, 38, Dale.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented aliens. The leaders of the organization allegedly recruited and used straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in their bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of “work” payments for construction. The defendants also allegedly used businesses and business accounts to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. In addition, the defendants recruited individuals to accept human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts, according to the charges.
The superseding indictment also notices the criminal forfeiture of three properties with values currently estimated at approximately $2.275 million, $515,000 and $344,000 as well as money judgments amounting to at least $2,945,027.
Three of the four defendants were previously charged with human smuggling in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and unsealed on or about Sept. 13, 2022. That indictment was the culmination of a significant enforcement operation to disrupt and dismantle an alleged prolific human smuggling organization operating in Texas and elsewhere. That operation resulted in the arrests of 14 alleged members of a human smuggling organization Piedra led that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed those migrants from law enforcement detection. The migrants were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia, and they or their families allegedly paid members of the human smuggling organization to help them travel unlawfully to and within the United States. According to the indictment, the human smuggling organization used drivers to pick up migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at “stash houses” along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin. Drivers for the human smuggling organization allegedly hid migrants in suitcases placed in pickup trucks and crammed migrants in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. These methods allegedly placed the migrants’ lives in danger, because they were frequently held in contained spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety devices.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the SDTX and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Laredo, along with Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol Laredo Sector and Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), led the investigation and received substantial assistance from HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Corpus Christi; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; West Palm Beach, Florida; Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; as well as CBP’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Austin; and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture. Police departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin and Round Rock as well as Wiggins, Mississippi and Bogalusa, Louisiana; Webb County Constable’s Office; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; sheriffs’ offices in Webb, Bastrop and Caldwell Counties in Texas, Harrison, George and Stone Counties in Mississippi, Mobile County, Alabama, and Jefferson and Washington Parishes in Louisiana; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and the Louisiana State Police also provided substantial assistance.
Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Trial Attorney Daria Andryushchenko of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and SDTX Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day are prosecuting the case with substantial assistance from MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara, Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations’ (OEO) Electronic Surveillance Unit (ESU) and ESU Acting Deputy Chief Jessica Reid.
The indictments against these defendants were brought under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JFTA in June 2021 in partnership with DHS to strengthen the department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico; targeted those organizations who most significantly impact the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 100 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including SDTX, Western District of Texas, Districts of New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California. Numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and including the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, MLARS, OEO, the Office of International Affairs and the Organized Crime and Gang Section. JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Indicted for Money Laundering in Prolific Human Smuggling Network TakedownRead the Press Release
Note: This release has been updated to reflect the latest arrest statistics for Joint Task Force Alpha.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas has returned a superseding indictment charging four defendants with conspiracy to launder money.
The new charges were filed against Erminia Serrano Piedra, aka Irma, aka Boss Lady, 32, of Elgin, Texas; Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar, aka Pelon, 40, also of Elgin; Pedro Hairo Abrigo, 34, of Killeen, Texas; and Juan Diego Martinez-Rodriguez, aka Gavilan, 38, of Dale, Texas.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented aliens. The leaders of the organization allegedly recruited and used straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in their bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of “work” payments for construction. The defendants also allegedly used businesses and business accounts to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. In addition, the defendants allegedly recruited individuals to accept human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts.
The superseding indictment also notices the criminal forfeiture of three properties with values currently estimated at approximately $2.275 million, $515,000, and $344,000, as well as money judgments amounting to at least $2,945,027.
Three of the four defendants previously were charged with human smuggling in an indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas and unsealed on Sept. 13, 2022. That indictment was the culmination of a significant enforcement operation to disrupt and dismantle an alleged prolific human smuggling organization operating in Texas and elsewhere. That operation resulted in the arrests of 14 alleged human smugglers alleged to be members of a human smuggling organization led by Piedra that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed those migrants from law enforcement detection. The migrants were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia, and they or their families allegedly paid members of the human smuggling organization to help them travel unlawfully to and within the United States. According to the indictment, the human smuggling organization used drivers to pick up migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at “stash houses” along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin, Texas. Drivers for the human smuggling organization allegedly hid migrants in suitcases placed in pickup trucks and crammed migrants in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers, and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. These methods allegedly placed the migrants’ lives in danger, because they were frequently held in confined spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety devices.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Laredo, along with Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), led the investigation and received substantial assistance from HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco, and Corpus Christi, Texas; HSI New Orleans; HSI Gulfport, Mississippi; HSI Mobile, Alabama; HSI West Palm Beach, Florida; HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; CBP’s National Targeting Center; the U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Austin; and the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture. Police departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin, and Round Rock, Texas; the Wiggins, Mississippi Police Department; the Bogalusa, Louisiana Police Department; the Webb County Constable’s Office; the Webb County District Attorney’s Office; sheriffs’ offices in Webb, Bastrop, and Caldwell Counties in Texas; sheriffs’ offices in Harrison, George, and Stone Counties in Mississippi; the Mobile County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; sheriffs’ offices in Jefferson and Washington Parishes in Louisiana; the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and the Louisiana State Police also provided substantial assistance.
Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Trial Attorney Daria Andryushchenko of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara, the Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations’ (OEO) Electronic Surveillance Unit (ESU), and ESU Acting Deputy Chief Jessica Reid.
The indictments against these defendants were brought under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JFTA in June 2021 in partnership with DHS to strengthen the department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who most significantly impact the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 200 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona, and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and including the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, MLARS, OEO, the Office of International Affairs, and the Organized Crime and Gang Section. JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dual citizen gets max for laundering romance scam proceedsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old man who holds citizenship in the United States and Ghana has been sent to prison for operating an illegal money transmitting business, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kenneth Anim, who had resided in the Houston and Richmond areas, pleaded guilty April 27.
U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein has now ordered Anim to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the length of the scheme and that while Anim may not have known who the victims were specifically, they were in fact vulnerable members of society.
“Anim profited off the elderly and vulnerable. He knew victims were being defrauded but helped launder the money anyway by operating as an illegal money transmitter,” said Hamdani. “The sentence shows that we will not let money launderers for romance scammers try to hide behind the excuse that they didn’t know details about where the money was coming from.”
“Kenneth Anim was a mule who, for years, knew that the millions of dollars he was depositing in numerous banks were stolen from victims through false promises,” said Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the FBI Houston field office. “Yet his greed was stronger than his principles, and he chose to continue to receive money from romance scam victims, most of them senior citizens. As long as con artists like Anim exist and victims continue to fall for their lies, the FBI will continue to call attention to these scams and go after the people behind them.”
Anim admitted that from 2014 to 2019, he operated an unlicensed money transmitting business to launder funds from wire fraud schemes including internet fraud and romance scams. Anim ran the unlicensed money transmitting business by using shell companies that existed only on paper.
As part of the plea, he acknowledged opening and maintaining bank accounts to collect proceeds from internet and romance fraud schemes to send the money to himself, co-conspirators and overseas.
A romance scam occurs when criminals adopt fake online identities to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a close relationship to induce the victim, under false pretenses, to send money to the scammer.
Amin has been and will remain in custody pending U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Grace Murphy are prosecuting the case.
Young man faces life for selling Fentanyl-laced pills causing deathRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 21-year-old Corpus Christi man has entered a guilty plea to delivery of Fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ricardo Julyan Kross Rios aka Kross acknowledged he possessed and delivered a substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl (a schedule II controlled substance), the use of which resulted in the death of a person.
On Dec. 10, 2022, authorities responded to a reported drug overdose and discovered a non-responsive individual pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was acute Fentanyl toxicity.
The investigation led to the discovery that the victim had purchased pills from Rios who then delivered them Dec. 9, 2022, to a parking lot where a party was occurring. The victim consumed them during that event.
Witnesses described the pills as “press made” hydrocodone pills which may have contained Fentanyl.
On Jan. 17, law enforcement encountered Rios at a residence in Corpus Christi in possession of a plastic bag containing “pressed” pills as well as some additional loose powder and partial pills. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the pills and powder in the plastic bag did contain Fentanyl.
As part of his plea, Rios admitted to selling counterfeit “pressed” hydrocodone pills similar those found in his possession on Jan. 17 to the victim on the evening of Dec. 9, 2022.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales will impose sentencing Oct. 17. At that time, Rios faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison as well as a possible $1 million fine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the cooperative law enforcement effort targeting Fentanyl with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass and Mathis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. is prosecuting this case.
Several convicted in $16 million cartel drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A total of 22 people in South Texas and Mexico have pleaded guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to transport large quantities of marijuana for Cartel del Noreste (CDN), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Laredoan Joe David aka JD Moreno, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana.
Throughout the course of the investigation, authorities seized over 35,000 pounds (approximately 17.5 tons) of marijuana valued at approximately $16.4 million.
Moreno admitted to purchasing a utility truck used to transport numerous loads of marijuana throughout Laredo. He coordinated several narcotic smuggling transactions, paid co-conspirators for their involvement and reported directly to cartel leaders in Mexico.
This investigation revealed a complex conspiracy which began in February 2019 and continued through April 2020. Authorities ultimately apprehended Moreno on March 25, 2022, in Monterrey, Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Moreno faces up to life in federal prison and possible $10 million maximum fine.
A total of 21 other conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in transporting narcotics on behalf of CDN.
Moreno has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Laredo Police Department conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Border Patrol; Customs and Border Protection; FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. National Guard; Webb County District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and Constable’s Office Precincts 1 and 4; Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Blue Indigo Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Francisco Rodriguez are prosecuting this case.
Significant sentence imposed in multiple-man robbery crewRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The final member of a 12-person robbery crew has been ordered to prison for his role in a string of armed jewelry store robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kenneth Dewayne Cooper, 34, Houston, pleaded guilty Oct. 27, 2017.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has now imposed a total of 194 months in federal prison – 110 months for the robberies and a consecutive 84 months for aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentence will be to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
Others previously convicted and sentenced include Lontay Lavelle Young, 39, Deshaun Devon Waldrup, 27, Edward Ray Lavergne Jr., 39, Jesse Markise McQueen, 32, Kevin Craig Gray, 38, Louis Jerome Hines, 44, Terry Dwight Washington, 37, Tony Dontrel Young, 32, Barry Lloyd Jones, 30, Ross White-Leonard, 33, and Denzell Devoe Lucious, 31. All are from Houston.
Lontay Young, Tony Young, Waldrup, Lavergne, McQueen, White-Leonard and Jones received respective sentences of 209, 132, 125, 114, 180, 102 and 156 months, respectively. Gray and Washington both received 147-month-terms of imprisonment, while Hines was ordered to serve 171 months. Lucious was sentenced to 168 months.
“Trafficking in violence and fear, this armed robbery crew targeted a dollar store, a jewelry store in a mall, a furniture store and other similar places where regular families shop every day,” said Hamdani. “This U.S. Attorney’s Office will crack down on this type of violence and will continue to ensure the public safety by doing what we can by fighting for appropriate sentences in federal court to get violent actors off the streets.”
This group conducted at least six robberies over the course of six months at various commercial establishments.
On Oct. 22, 2015, Lontay Young and Hines robbed the Family Dollar store on Wayside in Houston while wearing masks and carrying handguns.
Then, on Jan. 11, 2016, Jones, Cooper, Lucious and McQueen traveled outside of Houston to rob the Ben Bridge Jewelers at Barton Springs Mall in Austin. There, they stole a significant amount of Rolex watches and jewelry.
Less than two weeks later, this group, along with Tony Young, also robbed the Kay Jewelers located at the Houston Premium Outlet Mall. While Jones, Cooper and Young accosted the employees at gunpoint, Lucious sat outside acting as a lookout. McQueen distracted the security guard while the robbery occurred. They again stole numerous watches and jewelry.
On March 3, 2016, Lontay Young, Washington, Gray and Lavergne also held up the ANF Auto Finance on North Shepherd Drive. They entered the business acting as customers until Gray pulled out a gun. They then stole cash and property of the business, employees and customers.
Lontay Young later proceeded to commit two more robberies. Those included the March 9, 2016, robbery of Cash America Pawn on Jensen Drive with Waldrup and the Affordable Furniture store on the North Freeway on March 17, 2016, along with Jones and White-Leonard.
At the time of the furniture store robbery, authorities arrived on scene and shots were fired.
All have been and will remain in custody.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted the investigation in conjunction with police departments in Houston and Austin and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative, which combines personnel and resources from numerous federal, state and local agencies. The goal is to reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts and enhancing training, public awareness and education. It stems from the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Under the PSN umbrella, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN partners focus enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and work with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
South Texan admits to distributing fentanyl through the mailRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 36-year-old Brownsville resident has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 1,741 grams of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.
Heriverto Ramirez packaged 494 grams of fentanyl for distribution to a trailer park in Houston using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), concealing the dangerous narcotic in the shell of a tankless hot water heater.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Ramirez and discovered an additional 1,247 grams of fentanyl and 8.48 kilograms of cocaine. During the year-long investigation, authorities learned Ramirez coordinated cocaine distribution from his home while also distributing cocaine and fentanyl through USPS.
“This case is a perfect example of how Fentanyl, a potent and deadly opioid, is overtaking every aspect of the illicit drug trade,” said Hamdani. “Experts consider a lethal dose of fentanyl to be 2 milligrams. Ramirez was caught mailing half a kilogram of fentanyl through the USPS, creating a potentially deadly hazard for anyone handling the package. Now he faces his own consequences.”
Sentencing has been set for Oct. 11. At that time, Ramirez faces up to life in federal prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Eyes is prosecuting the case.
Mexican citizen sent to prison for alien smuggling resulting in death of childRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 30-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of attempted alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Miguel Angel Ceballos-Acuna pleaded guilty March 7.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered him to serve 57 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Ceballos-Acuna is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Ceballos-Acuna’s crime and the need to deter him and others from engaging in similar conduct.
“Take note - human smugglers do not care about your child’s safety,” said Hamdani. “All they care about is money. In this case, a young boy tragically lost his life due to the reckless actions of this criminal. The Southern District of Texas is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who traffic in human lives and the pursuit of justice for all victims, many of them young children.”
On March 22, 2022, law enforcement responded to reports of suspecting alien smuggling near the border fence on the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) campus. Two individuals had crossed the border fence and got into a white SUV. Authorities then engaged in a high speed pursuit of the vehicle, which ran multiple red lights, but eventually disengaged pursuit due to safety concerns.
However, the vehicle continued traveling at a high rate of speed and crashed into a utility pole in a residential neighborhood. When law enforcement arrived on scene, they discovered the body of a 14-year-old Mexican citizen.
As part of his plea, Ceballos-Acuna admitted he and another individual had driven the white SUV that day to pick up an alien who had illegally entered the United States. When they arrived at the UTRGV campus, two aliens entered the vehicle, including the minor victim. Ceballos-Acuna admitted he knew the minor victim was unlawfully present in the United States. Nevertheless, he attempted to transport the victim which resulted in his death.
Ceballos-Acuna has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Brownsville Police Department and Cameron County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez and Megan Eyes prosecuted the case.
Three Cuban Nationals Sentenced for Sex Trafficking and Related Crimes in Texas Strip ClubsRead the Press Release
Three Cuban nationals were sentenced for sex trafficking and related crimes in strip clubs in the Houston area.
Rasiel Gutierrez Moreno, 38, Hendry Jimenez Milanes, 39, and Rafael Mendoza Labrada, 29, were each sentenced to 210 months in prison and to pay $451,298 in restitution, 120 months and $359,108 in restitution, and time served of 34 months, respectively.
Gutierrez Moreno pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and interstate travel in aid of racketeering Oct. 28, 2021. As part of his plea agreement, Gutierrez Moreno admitted to bringing women from Cuba to the United States and imposing on them inflated smuggling debts as high as $30,000. Gutierrez Moreno forced the women to work in Houston-area strip clubs, such as Michaels’ International, where they danced and engaged in commercial sex acts with club patrons, providing all the proceeds to Gutierrez Moreno to pay down their debt. The defendant further acknowledged smuggling and imposing debts to coerce approximately 20 other women in this manner.
Gutierrez Moreno admitted that, to keep Victim 1 under his control while she worked for him, he bragged about his acts of violence against other women and their families. On one occasion, Gutierrez Moreno beat another woman shortly before Victim 1 arrived at his home and ensured that Victim 1 observed that woman’s injuries. When Victim 1 escaped Gutierrez Moreno, the defendant contacted her family in both Miami and Cuba to demand that she return to work and finish paying her debt to him.
Jimenez Milanes pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2022, to coercion and enticement, and Mendoza Labrada pleaded guilty on April 30, 2021, to interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
“These defendants cruelly used violence, threats of violence, and false debts to force vulnerable victims to engage in commercial sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This kind of sex trafficking scheme is unlawful, dehumanizing and terrorizing to the women unable to break free. The Justice Department is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who prey upon, abuse and exploit others for their own financial benefit.”
“These human smugglers terrorized female migrants, using Houston’s strip clubs combined with psychological threats and sexual violence for their personal financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “The victims came to the United States in search of a new life, were especially vulnerable, and the defendants took advantage of that. The sentences imposed today send a strong message that the Southern District of Texas will not tolerate those who smuggle, threaten and abuse the vulnerable.”
“The court’s sentence today sends a strong message: The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure that those who commit sex trafficking face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge John Keith of the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Houston Field Office. “DSS’ strong relationship with the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies around the world continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will always remain dedicated and focused on the identification and recovery of the victims of human trafficking. We prioritize not only the safe rescue of these victims, but work with our partners to provide them with resources necessary to help them deal and cope with their experience,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI Miami. “We are committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to put any human trafficker who soullessly preys on victims of this crime to put them behind bars.”
The DSS investigated the case as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA), with the assistance of HSI Miami and the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those survivors who the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, call local law enforcement or the 24/7 confidential National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
South Texan guilty of trafficking cocaine through checkpointRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury in Corpus Christi has convicted a 42-year-old Mission resident for possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani today.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes hours before convicting Juan Pablo Ramirez following a one-day trial.
At trial, the jury heard that on Jan. 19, Ramirez drove his pickup truck to the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. At initial inspection, Ramirez consent to a z-portal examination of his truck. The z-portal x-ray scan revealed anomalies in his truck which turned out to be packages of cocaine.
Testimony at trial revealed the total amount of cocaine was five kilograms with a street value of approximately $100,000.
Ramirez attempted to convince the jury he did not know the drugs were in his vehicle. However, the jury saw evidence from Ramirez’s cellphone which included pictures of cocaine, scales and cash.
The jury ultimately did not believe Ramirez’s claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Ramos presided over trial and set sentencing for Oct. 11. At that time, Ramirez faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, Jim Wells Police Department and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Martin, John Lamont and John Marck are prosecuting the case.
RGV man ordered to prison for sexually exploiting girlfriend’s childRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 24-year-old man from Port Isabel has been sentenced for producing child pornography found on his cell phone, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Javier Garza Jr. pleaded guilty July 20, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered him to serve 325 months in federal prison. Garza was further ordered serve 30 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Garza is the definition of a monster,” said Hamdani. “He sexually abused a three-year old little girl—his girlfriend’s daughter--causing severe harm to the most vulnerable amongst us. Thankfully, this deviant is now behind bars. This sentence ensures that Javier Garza will never again exploit a little child.”
The investigation began after Garza’s girlfriend discovered child pornography videos on Garza’s cell phone. She quickly recognized the child in the videos as her own three-year-old daughter and contacted authorities.”
Authorities ultimately found videos of child pornography on Garza’s cell phone. The investigation revealed he had recorded himself sexually abusing the minor child.
Garza has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Local man sent to prison after helping traffic over 250 kilograms of meth in gas tankRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 42-year-old Brownsville resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute liquid meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ernesto Vargas pleaded guilty March 7 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute approximately 253.2 kilograms of liquid meth.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Vargas to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his extensive criminal history and the seriousness of his conduct.
Vargas was responsible for helping Pedro Rodriguez III, 45, San Benito, transport the narcotics.
On Jan. 11, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Rodriguez was driving after he switched lanes without signaling. They soon discovered Rodriguez had several pending state arrest warrants and took him into custody.
As they conducted a search of his vehicle, they found approximately 253.2 kilograms of liquid meth hidden inside an auxiliary gas tank. Rodriguez admitted he knew the meth was inside the gas tank and had agreed to transport the narcotics from South Texas to Dallas.
The meth had an estimated street value of over $650,000.
The investigation revealed Vargas and Rodriguez received the liquid meth from co-conspirators in Mexico and planned to transport the meth northwards so it could be divided for distribution. Law enforcement took Vargas into custody June 12, 2022.
Rodriguez was previously ordered to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
Vargas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the San Benito Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Cuban nationals sentenced in relation to sex trafficking in area strip clubsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three Cuban nationals have been ordered to prison for sex trafficking and related crimes.
Rasiel Gutierrez Moreno, 38, Hendry Jimenez Milanes, 39, and Rafael Mendoza Labrada, 29, were sentenced to 210, 120 and 34 months in federal prison, respectively. Moreno was ordered to pay $451,298 in restitution, while Milanes was ordered to pay $359,108.
Gutierrez Moreno pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and interstate travel in aid of racketeering Oct. 28, 2021. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to bringing women from Cuba to the United States and charging them inflated smuggling debts as high as $30,000. Gutierrez Moreno forced the women to work in Houston-area strip clubs, such as Michaels’ International, where they danced and engaged in commercial sex acts with club patrons. They then had to provide all the proceeds to Gutierrez Moreno to pay down their debt.
Gutierrez Moreno further acknowledged smuggling and extracting a debt from approximately 20 other women in this manner.
Gutierrez Moreno admitted that to keep a specific victim under his control while she worked for him, he bragged about his acts of violence against other women and their families. On one occasion, Gutierrez Moreno beat another woman shortly before the other victim arrived at his home and ensured she observed that woman’s injuries. When the first victim escaped Gutierrez Moreno, he contacted her family in both Miami and Cuba to demand she return to work and finish paying her debt to him.
Jimenez Milanes pleaded guilty Jan. 10, 2022, to coercion and enticement, while Mendoza Labrada pleaded guilty April 30, 2021, to interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
“These defendants cruelly used violence, threats of violence, and false debts to force vulnerable victims to engage in commercial sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This kind of sex trafficking scheme is unlawful, dehumanizing and terrorizing to the women unable to break free. The Justice Department is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who prey upon, abuse, and exploit others for their own financial benefit.”
“These human smugglers terrorized female migrants, using Houston’s strip clubs combined with psychological threats and sexual violence for their personal financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “The victims came to the United States in search of a new life, were especially vulnerable, and the defendants took advantage of that. The sentences imposed today send a strong message that the Southern District of Texas will not tolerate those who smuggle, threaten and abuse the vulnerable.”
“The court’s sentence today sends a strong message: The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to making sure that those who commit sex trafficking face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge John Keith of the Department of State's DSS - Houston Field Office. “DSS’ strong relationship with the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies around the world continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
DSS conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA), with the assistance of the Homeland Security Investigations of Miami, Florida, and the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those survivors who the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
“Wrecking Ball” lands LPR in federal prisonRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas - A 56-year-old legal permanent resident from Mexico has been sentenced in a cocaine and heroin conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury convicted Juan Gonzalez-Cardebas following an 11-day trial in August 2022. He was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine and one or more kilograms of heroin as well as possession with intent to distribute 18 kilograms of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown has now ordered him to serve a total of 120 months in federal prison. He could also lose his status to reside in the United States.
The investigation focused upon a group of distributors and their associates, primarily citizens of the Dominican Republic, who used common sources of drugs in Mexico to supply their customers in numerous states other than Texas. This group of distributors sold cocaine and heroin throughout the United States but operated out of the Houston area.
Gonzalez worked within the drug trafficking organization by transporting cocaine from the Dallas and Houston areas to other states such as Virginia. He received shipments of cocaine and used his son-in-law’s moving company to deliver the cocaine to drug customers.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that he was an honest hard-working man trying to provide for his family and that his son-in-law set him up. They did not believe those claims and found Gonzalez guilty as charged.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation dubbed “Wrecking Ball” with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Cusick is prosecuting the case.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Tax preparer gets 12 years for illegally filing tax returnsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A local woman has been ordered to federal prison following her convictions on seven counts of aiding and assisting in preparing false tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
A federal jury sitting in Houston returned a guilty verdict April 3 against Cheryl Christin Kissentaner following a four-day trial.
Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner ordered her to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution of $71,180.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence describing her history of failing to pay her own personal taxes, civil fraud penalties associated with them and penalties for failing to use due diligence in preparing tax returns.
The total amount Kissentaner owes to the United States from her criminal and civil cases is in excess of $1.9 million. She used some of the monies accrued from the scheme to purchase a Bentley and Maserati as well as for cosmetic surgery. In addition, the court also heard about Kissentaner’s violation of her conditions of release and her failure to cooperate with pre-trial services.
“Kissentaner was convicted by a jury for preparing fraudulent tax returns on behalf of her clients and will now spend significant time behind bars,” said Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office. “She criminally abused her role as a tax return preparer and violated the trust that the American taxpayers have bestowed upon her. We all pay our taxes, but when you decide to cheat, remember, we have a 100-percent conviction rate in our office for criminal tax cases over the past 20 years.”
At trial, the jury heard from federal agents as well as five of Kissentaner’s clients.
Testimony and evidence revealed individuals paid Kissentaner to prepare tax returns from 2016 through 2019 through her company First Financial Tax Services. However, she was not legally allowed to do so. The jury heard that a paid tax preparer is required to have paid all of his or her own tax returns, but Kissentaner had failed to pay her 2012-2017 tax returns until late 2019. This was after the tax returns she prepared and filed for a fee.
From 2016 through 2019, Kissentaner prepared at least nine tax returns in which she created fake businesses that allegedly operated at losses. They also claimed false fuel tax credits, state income tax deductions for Texas residents (who did not pay a state income tax), false medical expenses, unemployed reimbursement expenses, false contributions to charity, other false expenses for businesses and failed to report IRA distributions.
Kissentaner also claimed that, pursuant to an engagement letter she prepared for her clients, she owed no duty to examine their returns for fake claims. However, Kissentaner filed numerous certificates under oath with the IRS in which she promised the government she would exercise due diligence in examining the tax returns she prepared and filed. She also charged tax preparer fees well in excess of other firms that provided the same services and asked potential clients to identify a reference and offered them a fee if they referred individuals themselves.
At trial, evidence showed that 98 percent of her clients obtained a refund even though several owed as much as $25,000 and did not pay any income taxes throughout the year. One such client had been obtaining a refund in excess of $8,000 each year. However, after Kissentaner became aware she was under investigation, that client was informed she owed over $10,000. When she inquired as to the change, Kissentaner untruthfully claimed that it was due to a change in the tax law and due to the client’s son now attending college on a full-time basis.
Further, a large percentage of Kissentaner’s clients claimed fuel tax credits despite the fact that only 0.2 percent of all tax payers would be eligible for that benefit.
She has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Laurence Goldman and Tyler White prosecuted the case.
Hitchcock resident gets over 22 years for multiple charges to include enticing minor via FacebookRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas – A 55-year-old Hitchcock resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for sexual exploitation of child, receipt and possession of child pornography and the transfer of obscene material to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Luke Allen Gregory pleaded guilty July 7, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Jeffery V. Brown has now ordered him to serve 270, 120, and 120 months for the production, possession and receipt of child pornography convictions, respectively, as well as another 120 months for the transfer of obscene material. They will run concurrently for a total 270-month-term of imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard through how Gregory had manipulated the minor victim in this case by threatening to kill himself and his daughter when she had tried to end the relationship. He had also sent a photo with a gun to his head.
Gregory will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Gregory manipulated a minor for the purpose of his deviant sexual desire,” said Hamdani. “To make it even worse, that young female was a relative. If he could do that, he is capable of so much more. Thankfully, the sentence imposed today will eliminate that possibility of danger to our kids. Gregory’s actions also serve as a reminder to us as parents to be diligent in monitoring our children’s social media activity.”
Gregory came to the attention of law enforcement in October 2019. Facebook reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone was utilizing their social media platform to entice a minor to produce and distribute files depicting child pornography. The investigation revealed Gregory owned that account. On Oct. 10, 2019, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Gregory’s residence in Hitchcock.
Law enforcement seized his electronic devices to include his cellphone. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of multiple images of the minor in which her genitals were displayed in a lewd and lascivious manner.
Gregory admitted he had been texting and engaging in sexual conversations with a minor female, whom he knew had just turned 16 years of age and was a relative. Gregory stated that the two of them had exchanged nude images of each other.
The victim also told this to law enforcement. She also stated Gregory had gotten her name tattooed on his right thigh.
Gregory will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations – Galveston, Pearland Police Department and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children task force conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Hebbronville man sentenced for trying to smuggle cocaine past checkpointRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 64-year-old man has been ordered to prison for possession with intent to distribute approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Ascencion Garza Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 10.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Garza to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard considered additional argument and discussion regarding Garza’s multiple prior federal drug‑trafficking convictions. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the quantity of drugs involved and that Garza had not been deterred from committing the instant offense by prior sentences.
On Sept. 7, 2022, Garza drove his truck into the primary inspection lane of a Border patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. There, authorities searched his vehicle and discovered 15 bricks of cocaine in concealed compartments within the rear quarter-panels.
The drugs weighed approximately 16 kilograms and have an estimated street value of more than $1.1 million.
Garza will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
Former EMT sent to prison for robbery and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 30-year-old Houston resident has been sent to prison for a series of armed robberies he committed while brandishing a firearm in September 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Xavier McCoy-Taylor pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence Aug. 29, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now handed McCoy-Taylor a 34-month-term of imprisonment for the robbery as well as another 84 months for each of the firearms charges which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 198-month sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described McCoy-Taylor’s criminal history as well as his former employment as a firefighter. In imposing the sentence, the court noted how McCoy-Taylor was a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” in that he had a loving family
and went to work every day at a job where he was entrusted to help the most vulnerable people in the community. Judge Hanks commented that at that same time, he held innocent victims at gunpoint for no apparent reason other than enjoying it. He added that McCoy-Taylor should not be able to walk the streets of Houston for a very long time.
"This defendant was an EMT (emergency medical technician) and had every opportunity to be a productive member of society,” said Hamdani. “Instead of serving the public, he decided to endanger it, pointing a gun at pregnant store clerk and then pointing it at a Texas State Trooper. As a result, he will spend the next years taking care of his jail cell instead of his patients.”
McCoy-Taylor had previously been employed as an EMT at the Westlake Fire Department. At the time of his arrest, he was employed as a patient care assistant at Memorial Herman Hospital.
On Sept. 25, 2020, McCoy-Taylor robbed a CVS on Beechnut Street in Houston. During the robbery, he held the pregnant clerk at gunpoint. As McCoy-Taylor exited the building with his gun still in hand, a Texas state trooper in the parking lot approached and yelled at him to stop. McCoy-Taylor then pointed his firearm at him.
The trooper pulled the trigger on his firearm in self-defense, but the gun malfunctioned. McCoy-Taylor then ran down the street, but fell to the ground and dropped his gun.
McCoy-Taylor had also brandished a firearm while robbing the gas station attendant at the Murphy USA gas station in Katy earlier that month.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Public Safety; Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Katy and Houston conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Britni Cooper prosecuted the case.
Bryan resident sentenced for accumulating extensive collection of child pornographyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 64-year-old Texan has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Scott Thomas Provost pleaded guilty Jan. 6.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Provost to serve 240 months for receiving child pornography and 120 months for possessing it. They will run concurrently with the exception of 22 months for a total of a 262-month-term of imprisonment. Before imposing the sentence, Judge Hittner emphasized Provost’s history of sexually deviant behavior.
Provost will be ordered to pay a restitution amount determined at a later date to identified victims and must serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Provost will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Provost amassed one of the most extensive collections of child pornography videos and images we have seen in this district,” said Hamdani. “Each and every one of the files he had in his possession represents significant trauma and suffering to real children. Today’s sentence demonstrates our commitment to stop those who partake and assist others in viewing child pornography and the continued cycle of abuse these children endure.”
“This is, by far, the largest recovery of child pornographic material by investigators in our FBI Bryan office,” said Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the FBI. “This individual is one of the worst purveyors of child porn our agents have seen - it was his daily obsession. Unfortunately, with the ever-increasing number of online images depicting sexual abuse of children and an ever-increasing amount of online activity by people seeking to contact them, Provost's arrest and sentence doesn't cure the rampant epidemic that is the sexual exploitation of our children.”
Provost first came to the attention of law enforcement as an identified user of a peer-to-peer network known which uses a centralized data store to keep and deliver information without fear of censorship.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Provost’s residence in January 2022. They found approximately four terabytes of pornography consisting of many images of child pornography that Provost had downloaded and was storing on his personal hard drives.
Forensic analysis revealed 6,718 videos and 313,356 images that contained child sexual assault material. Some of the content included children who were less than 12 years old as well as infants and toddlers. Many images depicted young children in bondage and other forms of violence.
Provost has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Bryan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Shipping company fined $1.5M for oil record book offenseRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Clipper Shipping A.S. has been convicted of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.
Clipper admitted that oily bilge water was discharged from the Motor Tanker Clipper Saturn. As part of the plea, they acknowledged the discharges were omitted from the Oil Record Book.
Immediately after the plea today, U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett ordered the company to pay a $1.5 million fine.
On Sept. 27 and Oct. 1, 2021, the Clipper Saturn was anchored near Lome, Togo. The chief engineer at the time directed oily bilge water to be transferred into the vessel’s gray water tank and then discharged directly overboard under the cover of darkness. In order to accomplish the discharge, a section of piping had to be removed and a hose installed onto the eductor system. This arrangement was used to discharge the gray water tank directly overboard. Personnel then re-installed and repainted the piping in the area in order to make it appear that none had been removed. Authorities learned about the discharges during an inspection of the vessel in Houston Oct. 28, 2021.
“Not only did this ship pollute the water, but they tried to cover it up,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). “To put it simply, Clipper Saturn wanted to get rid of dirty oily water from their ship. Instead of filtering out the hazardous elements, as required, they decided to cut costs and just release the whole contaminated mess into the sea. Unfortunately for them, they got caught when they docked in Houston. The fine imposed today tells them that there is a bigger cost to endangering our citizens and the environment in which they live, and that the Southern District of Texas will seek to hold those who harm oceans and waterways accountable.”
“We take seriously the crimes of illegally discharging oily bilge water at sea and falsifying records to obstruct the United States’ ability to investigate those discharges,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The U.S. Coast Guard must be able to rely on truthful records on board ships, and the Department of Justice will continue to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”
“The Coast Guard is committed to protecting our oceans and waterways from those who deliberately jeopardize the well-being and safety of the environment and the public,” said Coast Guard Capt. Keith Donohue, commander, Sector Houston-Galveston. “The intentional pollution of U.S. waters is a serious violation that we simply will not tolerate. We will continue to work with the Department of Justice and our federal, state and local partners to hold accountable those who choose to endanger our natural resources.”
As part of the plea agreement, Clipper Shipping A.S. will implement an enhanced environmental compliance plan (ECP) on nine vessels. The ECP requires independent auditing and monitoring of the vessels as well as additional conditions to enhance the pollution prevention systems.
This U.S. Coast Guard – Houston Sector and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel from the SDTX and Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth E. Nelson of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice prosecuted the case.
Shipping Company Fined $1.5 Million for Oil Record Book OffenseRead the Press Release
Clipper Shipping A.S. was convicted of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and sentenced to pay a fine of $1.5 million. Clipper admitted that oily bilge water was discharged from the Motor Tanker (M/T) Clipper Saturn and the discharges were omitted from the Oil Record Book.
On Sept. 27 and Oct. 1, 2021, while the M/T Clipper Saturn was anchored near Lome, Togo, the then-Chief Engineer directed that oily bilge water be transferred into the vessel’s gray water tank and then discharged directly overboard under the cover of darkness. In order to accomplish the discharge, the then-Chief Engineer ordered that a section of piping be removed and a hose installed onto the eductor system. This arrangement was used to discharge the gray water tank directly overboard. Personnel then re-installed and repainted the piping in the area in order to appear that none had been removed. During a Coast Guard inspection of the vessel in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 28, 2021, authorities learned about the discharges.
“We take seriously the crimes of illegally discharging oily bilge water at sea and falsifying records to obstruct the United States’ ability to investigate those discharges,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The U.S. Coast Guard must be able to rely on truthful records on board ships and the Department of Justice will continue to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”
“Not only did this ship pollute waterways, but they tried to cover it up,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). “To put it simply, Clipper Saturn wanted to get rid of dirty oily water from their ship. Instead of filtering out the hazardous elements, as required, they decided to cut costs and just release the whole contaminated mess into the sea. Unfortunately for them, they got caught when they docked in Houston. The fine imposed today tells them that there is a bigger cost to endangering our citizens and the environment in which they live, and that the SDTX will seek to hold those who harm oceans and waterways accountable.”
“The Coast Guard is committed to protecting our oceans and waterways from those who deliberately jeopardize the well-being and safety of the environment and the public,” said Coast Guard Capt. Keith Donohue, Commander, Sector Houston-Galveston. “The intentional pollution of U.S. waters is a serious violation that we simply will not tolerate. We will continue to work with the Department of Justice and our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable those who choose to endanger our natural resources.”
As part of the plea agreement, Clipper Shipping A.S. will implement an enhanced Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP) on nine vessels. The ECP requires independent auditing and monitoring of the vessels as well as imposing requirements to enhance the pollution prevention systems on the vessels.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammal for the Southern District of Texas and Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth E. Nelson of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.