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3 November 2023
Cleveland Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
AKRON – Ramel Drew, age 45, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 327 months (more than 27 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams. In March 2023, a jury convicted Drew of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Adams also ordered Drew to pay a $400 special assessment and to serve a term of supervised release to follow his term of incarceration.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the FBI and other law enforcement partners conducted a long- term investigation and determined that members of the conspiracy were selling fentanyl to customers at multiple locations in Cleveland, and that Ramel Drew was involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
On August 31, 2021, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at seven houses connected to the drug organization, and seized over a kilogram of fentanyl, numerous firearms, ammunition, high-speed money counters, drug presses, a vacuum-sealer used to package drugs and money, over $68,000 in cash, jewelry, and multiple high-end vehicles, including two Range Rovers and a Jaguar.
One of the houses searched was on East 89th Street in Cleveland, which the FBI had identified as a location where customers came from as far away as Lorain County and Ashland County to buy fentanyl. Video evidence revealed Ramel Drew and other conspirators were selling drugs to customers in the driveway of a residence. Testimony at trial also established that Drew and his coconspirators shared a cell phone that drug customers would call to arrange the drug purchases.
Drew was one of 24 defendants indicted in the case, which was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). All 24 defendants, including Drew, were convicted.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force (CGNL) and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Investigative Unit, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (SEALE), the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, the DEA, and the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Lewis, Joseph Dangelo, and James Morford.
Cherokee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Billy Eugene Shepard, Jr., age 31, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea of one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment.
The Indictment alleged that on or about July 12, 2023, Shepard knowingly possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Judge D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Shepard was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending a sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 110 Months for Unlawful Possession of A Firearm in Connection with June 5, 2022, McCallie Avenue ShootingsRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. On November 3, 2023, Garrian King, 29, of Chattanooga, TN, was sentenced to 110 months in prison by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. King was also sentenced to a consecutive two years for violating a federal term of supervised release on an unrelated case.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, King pled guilty on April 12, 2023, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1). Following his imprisonment, Harris will be on supervised release for 3 years.
According to court records, King, who had previously been convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of a firearm, took an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 AR-pistol with an arm brace from his co-defendant Rodney Harris who had been shot in front of Mary’s Bar and Grill on McCallie Avenue. King left the scene with the firearm, which law enforcement later recovered.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Special Agent Charge, Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Chattanooga Police Department, ATF, and FBI. Several other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community face.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Poole represented the United States.
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California Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nestor Vanegas Rosales, age 36, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and 168 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. The sentences will run concurrently.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On June 22, 2022, Rosales pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. According to investigators, on May 6, 2022, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 40 discovered Rosales in possession of nearly 4 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and over 4 kilograms of cocaine.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Rosales will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
California Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eric Lamont Williams, age 52, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On September 26, 2022, Eric Lamont Williams pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. According to investigators, on April 5, 2022, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 40. During a search of the vehicle, a backpack with four vacuum-sealed bundles containing over 4 kilograms of pure methamphetamine was found concealed under the hood.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Williams will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.
California Man Sentenced to 132 Months for Bringing over 65,000 Fentanyl Pills to Syracuse for DistributionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jose Orozco Acosta, age 22, of Bakersfield, California, was sentenced to serve 132 months in federal prison for possessing over 65,000 fentanyl pills with the intent to distribute them.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division Frank A. Tarentino III, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. DEA California Division Bob Beris, and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Dominick L. Chiumento made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Acosta admitted that on April 4, 2022, he travelled from Bakersfield, California to a storage unit in Syracuse, NY. Acosta transferred the contents of his storage unit, which included a black plastic tote, to a different storage unit in the city of Syracuse. The black plastic tote that Acosta transported contained over 65,000 fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 7.2 kilograms. The investigation revealed that Acosta was transporting fentanyl and other narcotics from his home in Bakersfield to drug dealers in the Central New York area for further distribution. As part of the investigation, many of the local dealers that Acosta was supplying were arrested in August 2022.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Syracuse, New York also ordered that Acosta serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
NYSP Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET) and DEA Resident Offices in Syracuse, New York and Bakersfield, California investigated the case with assistance from the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force, Auburn Police Department, Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshal Service, United States Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, Cortland City Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and Kern County Probation Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.
Burleson Would-Be Bomber Sentenced to 14 Years for Firearms, Child Porn ChargesRead the Press Release
A Burleson man who apparently idolized the Columbine High School shooters and possessed a homemade bomb was sentenced today to 168 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Noah Robert Calderon, 22, was charged via criminal complaint in April and indicted in May. He pleaded guilty in July to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of receipt of child pornography and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered him to 30 years of supervised release.
“There is no greater example of the Justice Department’s, and our U.S. Attorney’s Office’s, commitment to protecting the public—including protecting the children in our community—than our efforts in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We thank our law enforcement partners for working incredibly hard to take this potential bomber and child predator off the streets. We stand committed to continuing to root out and prosecute such dangerous individuals in north Texas.”
“Today’s sentence is a shared success with the community who heeded the call to action to report suspicious activity when they saw suspicious activity. The information shared with law enforcement exhibited a distinctive pathway to further violence, that was ultimately thwarted by law enforcement and led to multiple federal charges,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue individuals that move beyond rhetoric into action as they threaten the safety of our communities. We continue to ask for the public’s assistance in reporting threatening behaviors, and will work closely with our partners for swift adjudication.”
The investigation began in October 2022, when the FBI received a tip about Mr. Calderon’s social media activity.
Court documents indicate that online, Mr. Calderon professed a fascination with high-profile mass shootings, particularly the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School. He posted numerous images of himself in tactical-style vests posing with AR-15-style rifles and shared Columbine-themed memes along with images of homemade explosives.
In March 2023, the FBI received another tip that Mr. Calderon had detonated a homemade bomb in his residential neighborhood.
In plea papers, he admitted that he had purchased explosive precursors online. He also admitted that he stored 659.2 grams of explosive powder, along with a lighter, cannon fuse, cardboard tubing, a glass jar marked “frag” that contained metal ball bearings, lead, a funnel, and measuring spoons, in his garage.
A subsequent search of his Google account revealed queries related to the Columbine killers, the Charleston church shooter, “pipe bomb how to make,” “how to make propane bombs,” and “wear [sic] were the propane bombs in Columbine,” as well as searches of the names of several local public schools.
In plea papers, Mr. Caldron specifically admitted to searching for bomb-making information.
A search of his phone revealed sexually explicit videos taken from a video chat between Mr. Calderon and a 13-year-old girl.
Also in plea papers, he admitted he was aware of the child’s age when he saved the videos.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Burleson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Weimer prosecuted the case with National Security Division Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Jacob Warren.
Bradenton Woman Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Investment Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody has sentenced Lori Ann Nademus (46, Bradenton) to nine years and two months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. The court also ordered Nademus to forfeit a 10-carat white gold and diamond wedding ring and a stainless-steel TAG Heuer watch, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $9.75 million, the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme. Nademus had pleaded guilty on March 17, 2023.
According to court documents, between February 2017 and September 2020, Nademus solicited individuals to invest in false and fraudulent high-yield investment programs and used the fraud proceeds to perpetuate the scheme and for her own personal enrichment. Using her purported foundations, Nademus falsely and fraudulently represented that the victim-investors’ funds would be used for various projects, such as providing clean water to a third world country, purchasing a trust in Liechtenstein at a cost exceeding $1 million, leveraging a gold mine for investment, and liquidating a multi-million dollar investment, and that the victim-investors would realize nearly immediate, significant, and ongoing gains by providing bridge financing. Nademus communicated that the investments were safe for various reasons, including that the investments were secured by millions of dollars of assets held by her “Teras Foundation Investments.” Nademus memorialized the phony investment opportunities presented to victim-investors in so-called promissory notes, balloon promissory notes, and/or memos of understanding. She caused the victim-investors to transmit their funds, often via interstate wires, to accounts in the names of Dunamis Foundation, Teras Foundation, or an attorney’s IOTA account.
Nademus used nearly all of the funds for international travel, luxury residences, high-end retail purchases of clothing, jewelry, and other items, and for her own personal enrichment. When she failed to pay the victim-investors their supposed gains in a timely manner, Nademus endeavored to assuage their concerns by promising a higher return at a later time to lull them into a false sense of security.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tiffany E. Fields and Rachelle DesVaux Bedke. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
Billings woman admits meth trafficking charge in multi-state drug ring centered on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings woman on Nov. 2 admitted to trafficking methamphetamine as part of a large, multiple-state narcotics organization that was centered on the Crow Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Melanie Rose Bloodman, 54, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Bloodman faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Feb. 28, 2024 and continued Bloodman’s release pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that federal law enforcement, in a collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, conducted a large-scale, multiple-state investigation into narcotics trafficking centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply for meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. Bloodman is one of the individuals associated with the investigation.
Investigators learned that Bloodman’s residence, located near the Spear Siding property, was being used to store and sell meth. In a search of Bloodman’s residence in April, law enforcement found more than one pound of meth.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Billings felon sentenced to more than three years in prison for illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings woman who had absconded state parole and was arrested selling fentanyl from a Billings motel, was sentenced today to three years and five months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Deana Louann Thomas, 42, pleaded guilty in June to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in December 2022, law enforcement received information that Thomas was selling fentanyl with a man from a motel room in Billings. Thomas had absconded parole from the Montana Department of Corrections. Officers knocked on Thomas’ motel room door and arrested her on a warrant. During a search of the room, law enforcement located a .38-caliber revolver under one of the beds and two rounds of .38-caliber ammunition on a nightstand. Thomas admitted that the firearm was given to her for protection. Thomas was convicted in 2019 of felony escape in Yellowstone County and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Probation and Parole and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Bennington Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Daniel A. Christianson, 39, formerly of Bennington, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 3, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Christianson to 96 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Christianson will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Christianson was ordered to pay a special assessment totaling $1,100.
In 2021, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover investigation regarding the use of peer-to-peer file sharing of child pornography on the internet. During the investigation, investigators identified an IP address associated with Christianson that had shared video files of child pornography using peer-to-peer computer software between June 20 and June 21, 2021. Investigators determined the IP address associated with Christianson had shared child pornography videos on at least two occasions. On October 28, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Christianson’s Bennington residence, during which he admitted to downloading and viewing child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Quantel O. Saunders, 29, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 19, 2022, law enforcement officers observed Saunders with a firearm tucked in the front of his waistband outside a service station on the 200 block of North Eisenhower Drive in Beckley. Officers stopped Saunders as he was entering his vehicle and recovered a Ruger-57 5.7x28mm handgun from the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle. Saunders admitted to the officers that he possessed the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Saunders knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession of a firearm by a prohibited carrier and three counts of wanton endangerment with a firearm in Raleigh County Circuit Court on August 3, 2015.
Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Parsons is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-108.
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BOP Inmate Admits to Sending Death Threats to Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – An inmate already serving a federal sentence pled guilty to new charges Thursday, admitting he threatened to murder a federal judge and former federal probation officer and blow up a U.S. District courthouse.
Richard L. Russell, 57, pled guilty to two counts of retaliating against a federal official, two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to destroy a building by fire or explosion, namely the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis.
“Threats against the lives of federal judges and probation officers will be met with equally severe punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The defendant intended to disrupt operations and endanger workers at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, and I commend the U.S. Marshals Service for their work investigating and thwarting the threats.”
According to court documents, Russell was serving a 112-month sentence in the Bureau of Prisons after being charged by the Eastern District of Missouri in January 2014 for mailing threatening communications and threatening to murder a U.S. magistrate judge.
On June 1, 2022, officials at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse received two similarly handwritten letters containing death threats addressed to a sitting federal judge and retired probation officer that were each signed by Russell. A deputy U.S. marshal recovered the letters and envelopes.
Russell sent the letters to retaliate against the individuals who has previously worked on his court cases. He threatened the judge who sentenced him to 112 months’ imprisonment and the former probation officer who supervised him. Russell mailed the letters from the Grady County Criminal Justice Authority, a BOP transfer facility located in Chickasaw, Oklahoma.
Russell’s charges are each punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count.
Federal judges, probation officers and prosecutors with the Eastern District of Missouri are recused from this case. The U.S. Marshals Service led the investigation, and Steve Weinhoeft of the Southern District of Illinois is serving as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and prosecuting the case.
Atlanta penitentiary guard pleads guilty to theft from an inmate and PPP fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Andy Steven Johnson, a correctional officer and member of the Special Investigative Services team at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta, pleaded guilty to stealing money from an inmate’s CashApp account and also using a business that did not exist to fraudulently apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan.
“Johnson exploited his position at the prison to victimize inmates and steal from them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “He also tried to steal pandemic disaster relief funds by defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program, all while being responsible for seizing contraband and investigating misconduct at the prison. The Department of Justice will prosecute corrupt insiders and seek to hold them accountable for their misconduct.”
“Johnson committed brazen acts of theft and fraud. Rather than conducting himself with integrity, he sought to personally gain, stealing from an inmate and attempting to fraudulently obtain pandemic relief funds meant to help those with legitimate hardships. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will aggressively pursue justice for victims of these kinds of shameless acts,” said Sandra D. Barnes, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for the Investigations Division at the DOJ OIG.”
“Lying to gain access to economic stimulus funds will be met with justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “SBA OIG will aggressively pursue evidence of fraud against SBA’s programs aimed at assisting the nation’s small businesses struggling with the pandemic challenges. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Since January 2015, Johnson worked as a correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta. Starting in December 2018, he was assigned to the Special Investigative Services (“SIS”) team, where he was responsible for conducting investigations into inmate misconduct, including smuggling and possession of contraband. As part of his SIS duties, he searched inmates and seized various types of contraband, including drugs, tobacco, and cell phones. In that role, on January 13, 2021, Johnson seized a contraband mobile phone from an inmate. Instead of processing the phone pursuant to policy, he opened CashApp on the phone and transferred $300 to his own CashApp account. He later transferred those funds into his personal checking account.
Johnson also defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act – a federal law enacted in March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized an initial $349 billion in loans to small businesses for payroll, mortgage interest, rent/lease, and utilities through the PPP program. Congress subsequently increased the amount of funding. PPP loans did not have to be paid back if certain conditions were met.
On March 4, 2021, Johnson submitted an online application for a PPP loan for a business named Performance Customs. Johnson claimed on the application that the business had operated since January 1, 2020; produced an annual revenue of $76,000 and paid an average monthly payroll of $6,333; and would use the PPP loan proceeds to pay wages, rent or mortgage interest, and utilities for the business. Based on that application, Johnson was approved for a forgivable loan of $15,832. In reality, Performance Customs did not exist and Johnson had completely fabricated the information on the application.
Andy Steven Johnson, 42, of Peachtree City, Georgia, pleaded guilty to theft by an employee of the United States and wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for February 7, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of the Public Integrity and Civil Rights Section, is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Albany Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles E. Williams, age 34, of Albany, pled guilty today to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
On November 18, 2021, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force tracked Williams to a hotel to arrest him for a kidnapping. When searching his hotel room, the Marshals found a .357 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. Williams is prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of a prior New York State felony conviction for assault in the first degree. Additionally, a jury convicted Williams of kidnapping in the second degree a few months ago, and he pled guilty to assault in the second degree in Rensselaer County last month.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes will sentence Williams on March 4, 2024. The conviction carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-release supervision of up to 3 years. A judge imposes a defendant’s sentence based on the particular statute a defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case with assistance from the North Greenbush Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.
2 November 2023
Woonsocket Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Woonsocket man today admitted to a federal judge that he possessed more than one thousand images and videos of child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Appearing in U.S. District Court in Providence, John F. Tracy IV, 40, admitted that he stored images and videos depicting child pornography in a storage-cloud, and on multiple digital storage devices and a cell phone that were seized from his Woonsocket home during a court-authorized search on July 14, 2022.
According to information presented to the court, forensic audits of the devices revealed 1,059 images and 24 videos depicting child pornography.
Tracy pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dulce Donovan and Julie M. White.
The matter, first brought to the attention of law enforcement in a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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Wheeling man sentenced to 15 years for cocaine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling, West Virginia man was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for the distribution of cocaine.
Antonio Cunningham, age 46, was ordered to serve 188 months in prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, Cunningham sold cocaine to a confidential informant on multiple occasions earlier this year at his residence on South Broadway Street in Wheeling. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant at his home and recovered cocaine along with a loaded Taurus model G2C pistol. Cunningham has two prior felony drug convictions and was determined to be a career offender under the guidelines set forth by the United States Sentencing Commission.
“Repeat drug offenders like Mr. Cunningham won’t receive any breaks in the federal criminal justice system,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I’m pleased that the residents of Wheeling Island won’t have to worry about him for a long, long time.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Taskforce, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Warren Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploiting an Infant and Young ChildRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Warren resident was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison on charges of sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
Sentenced was Amber Nicole Dunbar, 27. Dunbar pleaded guilty in March before United States District Judge George Caram Steeh.
As part of her plea, Dunbar admitted that in August 2022 she created images of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with an infant. She sent these images to another individual located in Tennessee, who was being investigated for child pornography charges. This individual had caused numerous women to produce and send him child pornography.
Once agents in Michigan learned of this abuse, they swiftly executed a search warrant and Dunbar admitted to the abuse of the child. Further investigation revealed that Dunbar had also produced child pornography involving a five-year-old child.
“I am thankful for the agents who acted so quickly to save these children from continued abuse. This defendant not only engaged in unthinkable abuse of an infant, but also shared the abuse with someone else on the internet. This sentence demonstrates our commitment to ensure that those who harm the most vulnerable in our community will pay a significant price for their actions. responsible,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
"Ms. Dunbar's exploitation of her daughter and other victims is deplorable," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "While the harm the defendant inflicted on these innocent children cannot be undone, we hope this sentence brings a small sense of justice to all those impacted in this case. Protecting children from dangerous predators is a top priority for the FBI, and we remain fully committed to investigating criminals who take advantage of minors in this indefensible way. We continue to urge the public to report alleged crimes of child sexual and physical abuse by calling 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online to http://tips.fbi.gov."
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Rawsthorne.
Violent felon sentenced for gun chargeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old Alton man has been ordered to federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Juan Manuel Teran Jr., aka El Blunt, pleaded guilty June 22.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Teran to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information about Teran’s history of robbery, repeated assaults on women and felony drug possession. In imposing the sentence, Judge Crane adopted findings that Teran was trafficking in narcotics at the time that he possessed the firearms.
In January, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call at a residence in McAllen. The incident resulted in an arrest warrant for Terran for assault on a pregnant person.
Upon his arrest, authorities found Terran to be in possession of meth, cocaine, marijuana, Alprazolam, Clonazepam and heroin. He also had two firearms.
As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Teran was prosecuted as part of a joint Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office initiative known as Operation: Knock Down. It started in 2022 and focuses federal resources on armed and violent offenders in the Rio Grande Valley.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Guerra Jr. prosecuted the case.
Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Bernabe Lopez, age 58, of Utica, New York, pled guilty yesterday to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
In pleading guilty yesterday, Lopez admitted that from May 2020 through October 2021, he acquired quantities of fentanyl from co-conspirators, which he then re-distributed to others in the Utica, New York area. Lopez admitted that the combined amount of fentanyl that he distributed during this time frame exceeded 40 grams. Lopez also admitted that during the conspiracy, he sold a cutting agent to member of the conspiracy for $10 a gram knowing that the co-conspirators were adulterating fentanyl with the cutting agent to increase volume for sales.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 29, 2024, in front of United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Lopez faces a minimum of 5 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, New York State Police, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, Utica Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Rome Police Department, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, Yorkville Police Department, Whitesboro Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
Utah Resident Sentenced to 45 Years for MurderRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Brandon Redfoot, 28, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, was sentenced Wednesday to 540 months’ imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release, after a federal jury convicted him of murder. Redfoot is also ordered by the court to pay $5,955.36 in restitution.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Redfoot shot and killed another man, on June 7, 2018. In August 2023, he was found guilty on all counts charged in the indictment, including murder in the second degree while within Indian Country, assault with a dangerous weapon while within Indian Country, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and two counts of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Mr. Redfoot’s senseless act of violence put many lives at risk and took the life of one young man,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. "We will continue to work with our Tribal and federal law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims and their families."
Evidence presented at trial showed Redfoot was in a physical altercation with the victim outside a store in Randlett, Utah. After the fight, and after the two men parted ways in separate vehicles, Redfoot told the driver of the vehicle he was in to turn around and drive back in the direction the victim had traveled. After the driver refused, Redfoot pulled out a firearm, later identified as a KelTec Sub-2000 9mm folding rifle and threatened the driver to turn around by firing the gun inside the vehicle. The driver complied, and ultimately arrived outside a residence where Redfoot spotted the victim. Redfoot fired at least twenty-nine shots in the direction of the victim and others, ultimately hitting the victim in the back of the head and killing him.
“Redfoot acted with no regard for the victim’s life and recklessly endangered other innocent lives that day,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “We are committed to working with our Tribal partners to investigate the most egregious crimes in our Native American communities and help keep them safe.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the FBI Vernal Resident Agency and investigations from the Ute Tribe.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Thorpe and Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Seized and Files Forfeiture Action to Recover over $54 Million of Cryptocurrency Traceable to Narcotics Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action today to recover $54 million of cryptocurrency that it previously seized and is traceable to the proceeds of an illegal narcotics distribution scheme operating in and around New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
“The civil action we are taking today seeks to recover millions of dollars of cryptocurrency, which the defendant allegedly obtained from drug sales. Whether it’s as simple as bags of cash or as sophisticated as cryptocurrency, we will take the steps necessary to seize financial gains defendants obtain from criminal activity.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“Many criminals use cryptocurrency on the darknet to operate away from the prying eyes of law enforcement,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Our forfeiture action of $54 million should serve as a lesson to those who mistakenly believe we can't trace their illicit behavior or their ill-gotten proceeds. We will successfully hold all criminals responsible in the open, with real world consequences.”
According to the complaint:
From 2010 to 2015, Christopher Castelluzzo and others conspired to sell various narcotics. Around 2013, Castelluzzo and his conspirators began to sell narcotics on darknet sites in exchange for Bitcoin. Castelluzzo then used some of the Bitcoin he had earned from narcotics sales to purchase 30,000 Ether in Ethereum’s Initial Coin Offering in July 2014. Castelluzzo also received an amount of an additional cryptocurrency – 30,000 Ethereum Classic – in 2016. Castelluzzo used the additional cryptocurrency to purchase various other cryptocurrencies. The complaint seeks the forfeiture of all of the cryptocurrency Castelluzzo obtained as a result of his narcotics sales.
Castelluzzo is currently serving concurrent 20-year federal and state prison sentences for drug distribution convictions. While Castelluzzo was incarcerated as a result of these convictions, and as Ethereum increased in value, Castelluzzo plotted from prison to avoid taxes and to move the 30,000 Ether outside of the United States. Before he could do so, however, the United States learned of Castelluzzo’s efforts to launder the cryptocurrency through recorded prison telephone calls in 2021, intervened, and seized Castelluzzo’s cryptocurrency holdings traceable to his drug trafficking crimes.
Today, the value of the 30,000 Ether is approximately $54 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit (VAU) under the direction of Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the Financial Crimes Section of the Criminal Investigative Division; FBI Newark Atlantic City Resident Agency under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; the FBI-Denver Field division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek; Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz; the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin; the New Jersey Special Investigation Division under the direction of Timathy Gonzalez; and the Colorado Springs, Colorado, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Adrian Vasquez, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Frazer of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit, DeNae M. Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Jordan M. Anger of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations.
castelluzzo.complaint.pdfUnion County Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested for possessing videos depicting child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Matthew T. Williams, 43, Westfield, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court on Nov. 1, 2023, and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2023 to November 2023, Williams possessed on devices in his home videos depicting child sexual abuse, which he made available for distribution through a peer-to-peer file-sharing service. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Williams’s home on the morning of Nov. 1, 2023 and discovered software open on a computer downloading child pornography. Williams had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct in New York.
The charge of possession of child exploitation material carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or the gross pecuniary harm to victims of the offense.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, Child Exploitation Group under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
williams.complaint.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas Granted Funding for Investments in Public SafetyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide.
Through this funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded $11,028,393 to the Western District of Texas to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
“The grant award announced today by the Justice Department is a critical investment in public safety for our district,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I am grateful for the support from the Attorney General and across the Department, and I look forward to continuing our partnership with local law enforcement agencies to ensure that the people of the Western District are safe and secure.”
The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California.
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont Announces Grant Funding for Investments in Public SafetyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) announced today grants totaling more than $334 million including funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide.
Through this funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont is pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded $389,250 to Vermont organizations to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont Nikolas Kerest stated, “I offer my congratulations to the City of Vergennes and the Town of Pittsford for their $125,000 COPS Hiring Program Awards, the Town of Hartford for its $29,000 awards towards projects associated with law enforcement mental health and wellness, and the Mill River Unified Union School District’s $110,250 award from the COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program. All of these grants should help make Vermont safer.”
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana Granted Funding for Public Safety InvestmentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS,LA – Today, the Department of Justice announced several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy harnesses federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier along with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding awarded today to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants include funding for law enforcement agencies to hire more than 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country, along with critical funding for school safety and the advancement of community policing nationwide
Through this grant funding, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana (EDLA) is pleased to announce that the Department of Justice’s COPS Office awarded $9,418,156 to EDLA to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
Awards include:
2023 COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $3,418,156 2023 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $2,000,000 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards City of Gretna $375,000 Kenner Police Department $2,500,000 Town of Lutcher $125,000 Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office $1,000,000“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
“In the Eastern District of Louisiana, communities continue, in some capacity, to be affected by violent crime and its collateral consequences, ” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “The awards reflect DOJ’s commitment to support effective law enforcement and to also encourage taking preventative measures to reduce illegal drug trafficking and drug addiction.” “The Department of Justice will provide our state and local partners with the necessary tools to enhance public safety and combat violent crime through its public safety initiatives.”
The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California.
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana Granted Funding for Public Safety InvestmentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS,LA – Today, the Department of Justice announced several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy harnesses federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier along with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding awarded today to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants include funding for law enforcement agencies to hire more than 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country, along with critical funding for school safety and the advancement of community policing nationwide
Through this grant funding, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana (EDLA) is pleased to announce that the Department of Justice’s COPS Office awarded $9,418,156 to EDLA to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.
Awards include:
2023 COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $3,418,156 2023 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) Awards Louisiana Department of State Police $2,000,000 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards City of Gretna: $375,000 Kenner Police Department: $2,500,000 Town of Lutcher: $125,000 Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office: $1,000,000“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.”
“In the Eastern District of Louisiana, communities continue, in some capacity, to be affected by violent crime and its collateral consequences, ” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “The awards reflect DOJ’s commitment to support effective law enforcement and to also encourage taking preventative measures to reduce illegal drug trafficking and drug addiction.” “The Department of Justice will provide our state and local partners with the necessary tools to enhance public safety and combat violent crime through its public safety initiatives.”
The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California.
Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA.
Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
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U.S. Attorney and Federal Law Enforcement Officials Assemble with State Law Enforcement Officers and Local Dignitaries in Show of Unity Against Fentanyl Trafficking in the Tenderloin District of San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey convened a press conference today bringing together numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities to announce “All Hands on Deck,” a law enforcement initiative to address what has become endemic drug dealing in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. U.S. Attorney Ramsey explained that the new joint initiative, focused on the Tenderloin, is designed to change the basic cost/benefit analysis for fentanyl dealers throughout the Northern District of California.
Representing several state and local entities were notables including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Chief of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) William Scott, San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, Commander Sunshine Garside of the California Highway Patrol, and Deputy Chief of the Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Chris Vogan. They were joined on stage by federal law enforcement personnel: Brian Clark of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Robert Tripp of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jennifer Cicolani of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Tatum King of Homeland Security Investigations; and Shawn Bradstreet of the U.S. Secret Service, as well as Acting U.S. Marshal Jay Bieber, Executive Director of the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Mike Sena, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez, and Internal Revenue Service– Criminal Investigation Supervisory Special Agent Steve Martins.
Although All Hands on Deck focuses on drug dealing in the Tenderloin, several of the elements have reach outside of the San Francisco neighborhood and throughout the Northern District of California. Elements of the initiative include the following:
• ramping up arrests of street dealers and suppliers of fentanyl who sell fentanyl near federal buildings (including near the James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse at 7th and Mission Streets, the Nancy Pelosi Federal Building on 7th and Mission Streets, and the Phillip Burton Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse at 450 Golden Gate Avenue); • expanding efforts to track down and hold accountable suppliers of fentanyl; • bringing additional charges against persons operating money services operations who turn a blind eye to drug trafficking and money laundering transactions on their networks; • using targeted wiretaps, arrests, and searches throughout the Bay Area to enable drug seizures and to stem the flow of drugs and dealers coming into San Francisco from nearby counties; • conducting regular joint federal and SFPD “jump out” operations in the Tenderloin to make on-the-spot arrests for open-air drug dealing; • “fast-tracking” certain federal cases so that they take as little as a month from time of arrest to disposition; and
• federal “adoption” of state cases to raise the stakes by holding drug dealers accountable in the federal system.U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated that “our drug crisis has been fueled in part because selling fentanyl has become a lucrative vocation for people who have found our neighborhoods, and principally the Tenderloin District, to be a convenient and risk-free marketplace.” The U.S. Attorney disclosed that several of the participants at the press conference have been coordinating closely for months to disrupt fentanyl distribution in San Francisco and to remove fentanyl dealers from San Francisco neighborhoods. The result, U.S Attorney stated, has been an increase in collaboration, cooperation, and coordination between all the participants at the press conference. “All Hands on Deck,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “is designed to change the basic cost/benefit analysis for fentanyl dealers. Today’s message is simple: selling fentanyl in the Tenderloin will result in your arrest and prosecution.”
“The Tenderloin has become ground zero for drug tourism. On average, we lose three lives a day to drug poisoning from sales connected to this area,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “The community has said, loud and clear, that they are sick and tired of the death and destruction caused by this lawlessness. As leaders in law enforcement, I can tell you we are working tirelessly to hold accountable the people responsible for this devastation.”
“We’ve seen an increased and significant presence from federal law enforcement taking on drug enforcement,” said Mayor Breed, “and we greatly appreciate their partnership in this city. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney and his team and the DEA for dedicating resources to disrupting the flow of drugs on our streets and for their commitment to San Francisco. Their work, along with our state and local law enforcement, is having an impact on our streets.”
“Law enforcement approaches traditionally applied to drug dealing in our neighborhoods simply have not caught up the challenges presented by this new drug,” stated U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “Yet, the tools of law enforcement can address some of the root causes of this epidemic. We in law enforcement are determined to double-down, triple-down, and take all necessary steps to prevent this poison from reaching our streets.”
“Current conditions on our streets are completely unacceptable and require all levels of government to work together to close open-air drug markets and hold suspected drug dealers accountable for the unprecedented death and addiction that their trade has wrought on our city,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “I would like to thank Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for her steadfast leadership and tireless advocacy on behalf of San Franciscans, which accelerated the federal government’s approval of San Francisco for Operation Overdrive. Working together with our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies, we will be more able to identify, arrest and prosecute suspected drug traffickers at all levels. Every legal resource available to us must be used to deter and disrupt the flagrant drug trafficking in our community.”
“The SFPD will not tolerate people dealing drugs on our streets, and we will hold these dealers accountable, and sustain the effort over time,” Chief Bill Scott said. “I want to thank our federal partners and our officers for their hard work in helping make our beautiful city safe for everyone to enjoy.”
The participants at the press conference stressed that a new reality for San Francisco drug dealers exists and that the consequences for dealing drugs in the Tenderloin are changing. The chances of getting caught have increased and any hope for profits must now be weighed against unacceptable losses in time, money, seized drugs, and other disruptions that criminal convictions present. Over the past four months, nearly 50 kilograms of fentanyl were removed from the streets in the Tenderloin, nearly double the amount taken off the streets in the same area during the same period last year. Similarly, 12 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized in the last four months—a 169% increase from the same period last year.
Information shared at the press conference made clear that greater resources from each of the represented law enforcement partners are being deployed. U.S. Attorney Ramsey pledged that every criminal Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of California will be involved in this fight in one way or another. In addition, the DEA described how additional resources are being contributed through Operation Overdrive, and Mayor Breed, Chief Scott, and DA Jenkins all described devoting additional resources to respond to the fentanyl crisis. As stated by U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “‘All Hands on Deck’ means we are using our resources in a way that addresses the magnitude of the problem that fentanyl presents.”
Two Sioux Falls Women Sentenced for Their Roles in Multi-Pound Methamphetamine and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced two Sioux Falls, South Dakota, women convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on October 30, 2023.
Kessara Mikkelson, 35, was sentenced to nineteen years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Asia Gunhammer. 31, was sentenced to ten years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mikkelson and Gunhammer were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. Mikkelson pleaded guilty on July 25, 2023, and Gunhammer pleaded guilty on July 20, 2023.
Mikkelson and Gunhammer were involved in a large-scale methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution network that originated out of California and made its way into South Dakota through shipments that were both mailed through FedEx and driven in semi-trailers. The source of supply for this organization, Terry Morris, Jr., who was also indicted as part of this conspiracy, was, and continues to be, incarcerated in a California state prison. He is set to be sentenced on November 13, 2023. Mikkelson was personally responsible for organizing and handling over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and 25,000 fentanyl pills during her involvement in this conspiracy. Gunhammer was one of the known sub-distributors for Mikkelson. The methamphetamine in this conspiracy was known to be sourced by the Mexican cartels.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Mikkelson and Gunhammer were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Nigerian Nationals Sentenced to Prison for International Scheme That Defrauded Elderly U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
Two Nigerian nationals who were extradited to the United States from Spain were sentenced to 128 and 87 months in prison for their roles in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With today’s sentencing, five defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom and Spain in connection with this matter have been sentenced.
According to court documents, Ezennia Peter Neboh, 48, who was sentenced today to 128 months of incarceration, was the lead defendant of a group of fraudsters who sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. The defendant and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then instructed those former victims to forward the fraud proceeds to others.
On Oct. 23, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 87 months of imprisonment. Three other co-defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. On June 21, Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel to 82 months in prison; on July 25, Judge Williams sentenced Jerry Chucks Ozor to 87 months in prison; and on August 29, Judge Williams sentenced Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to 90 months in prison, for their roles in the scheme.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We thank our colleagues at the Spanish National Police and the Ministry of Justice for assisting with the successful investigation and extradition of these defendants. This prosecution is a testament to the critical role of transnational collaboration in tackling transnational crime.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas for the USPIS Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”
“HSI has a long history of aggressively pursuing criminals to ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown for HSI Arizona. “When criminals indiscriminately target the elderly or otherwise vulnerable, the impact and harm is particularly long-lasting. These sentences send a message to those around the world who think they can escape our laws - anyone who engages in or facilitates deceptive practices like these will not go undetected. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to hold those criminals accountable and bring justice to victims.”
The Consumer Protection Branch, USPIS and HSI are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Two Arrested for Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been arrested in connection with conspiracies to traffic cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.
Malcolm Desir, 32, of Brockton and Cordell Miller, 27, of Haverhill, were charged with one count each of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, being a felon in possession of a firearm and firearms trafficking. The defendants were arrested this morning and were detained following an appearance in federal court in Boston today.
According to the charging documents, Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. Over a three-month investigation beginning in August 2023, Miller allegedly sold several firearms to a cooperating witness during controlled purchases and offered to sell distribution weight cocaine. It is alleged that the drug deals were handled by Desir, who distributed the powder cocaine in a number of controlled purchases. During one controlled purchase, Desir also allegedly sold a firearm he had purchased from Miller two years prior. It is further alleged that Miller recently facilitated the controlled purchase of four firearms – which included two ghost guns, one of which being an assault rifle – directly from one of his sources.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldwork of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Time Child Pornography Possessor Pleads Guilty to Fourth Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — David Elliott Paulsen, 61, pled guilty to his fourth federal offense of Possession of Child Pornography.
At the plea hearing, Paulsen admitted that within four months of his release from the Bureau of Prisons for a 2014 conviction for possession of child pornography, he possessed a contraband phone and child pornography.
After his release from federal prison in March 2023, Paulsen was required to complete the remainder of his sentence at a residential reentry facility in Columbia. Paulsen admitted that on July 13, 2023, employees of the residential reentry center discovered a contraband phone in his room. Law enforcement searched the phone and discovered over 1,200 images containing child sex abuse material (CSAM) and at least one video. These CSAM images included adults sexually abusing children that were tied with ropes or duct tape. Paulsen admitted that he kept these images in password protected cellphone applications and was downloading these images from the Dark Web.
Paulsen has three prior federal convictions from 1993, 2004, and 2014 for possession of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison. Paulsen, who was previously ordered detained, will remain detained until sentencing before United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse in Columbia.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.
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Three Men Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charge for Allegedly Murdering Man to Increase Positions in Chicago Street GangRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Three men have been indicted on a federal racketeering charge for allegedly murdering a man to maintain and increase their positions in a violent Chicago street gang.
CAMERON CALLISON, 24, JUAN ALCARAZ, 23, and VICTOR RAMIREZ, 24, all of Chicago, are charged with one count of murder in aid of racketeering. Callison, a previously convicted felon, is also charged with illegally possessing a handgun.
The indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It accuses the trio of murdering Victor Ochoa on June 17, 2019, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the Ambrose street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violence and trafficked narcotics. Ochoa was fatally shot while riding in a vehicle in the 2900 block of North Broadway in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
The defendants were arrested this morning and will make initial appearances in federal court in Chicago this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be seeking to have the defendants detained pending trial.
The indictment and arrests were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Nutini and Maureen McCurry.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Murder in aid of racketeering is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison, and the death penalty is also possible. The firearm charge against Callison is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Callison et al indictmentThree Indicted for Contract Killing of 17-Year-Old High School Student in Order to Prevent Her Testimony in CourtRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Brooksville residents Lenard White (36), a/k/a “Len,” “Mike Williams,” and “Stick,” Sheldon Robinson (21), a/k/a “Poboy,” and Keshawn Woods (22) with conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence which caused the death of I.S., and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. White and Robinson were also charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice. Janet Williams (44, Brooksville), Robinson’s mother, has been charged with multiple counts of false statements to federal agents.
If convicted on all counts, White, Robinson, and Woods each face mandatory life imprisonment, or the federal death penalty. Williams faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for each of the three false statement counts.
According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, on February 6, 2023, a 17-year-old victim (I.S.) and her mother (L.P.) went to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office to report that I.S. had been sexually assaulted by White. White then contracted with Robinson and Woods to murder I.S. for $10,000 to prevent her from further pursuing criminal charges against him. The following day, Robinson and Woods arrived at I.S. and L.P.’s home and knocked on the door. When the door was opened, a barrage of gunshots were fired at I.S. and L.P. I.S. was shot four times and killed. L.P. was struck by gunfire but survived.
As the federal investigation of I.S.’s murder progressed, White, Robinson, and Williams attempted to hinder the investigation by disposing of evidence, tampering with witnesses, obstructing justice, and making false statements to law enforcement.
Janet Williams made her initial appearance in federal court on October 26, 2023, and was released on conditions including home detention. Keshawn Woods had his initial appearance in federal court on November 1, 2023, and was ordered detained. White and Robinson are currently in state custody. They are scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court on November 9, 2023, at 12:30 p.m.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cory Donnell Bryant, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on September 7, 2022, Bryant was in possession of a Mossberg, 12-gauge shotgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knew of such conviction.
During the plea hearing, Bryant admitted to possessing the shotgun despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
The charges arose from an investigation by the by the Cherokee County Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Bryant will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark and Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Samuel Bankman-FriedRead the Press Release
“Sam Bankman-Fried perpetrated one of the biggest financial frauds in American history – a multibillion-dollar scheme designed to make him the King of Crypto – but while the cryptocurrency industry might be new and the players like Sam Bankman-Fried might be new, this kind of corruption is as old as time. This case has always been about lying, cheating, and stealing, and we have no patience for it.
When I became U.S. Attorney, I promised we would be relentless in rooting out corruption in our financial markets. This is what relentless looks like. This case moved at lightning speed – that was not a coincidence, that was a choice. This case is also a warning to every fraudster who thinks they’re untouchable, that their crimes are too complex for us to catch, that they are too powerful to prosecute, or that they are clever enough to talk their way out of it if caught. Those folks should think again, and cut it out. And if they don’t, I promise we’ll have enough handcuffs for all of them.
This verdict would not have been possible without the amazing work by the career prosecutors from my Office and the FBI agents who have given their all for this case. We have pushed them hard, and they have delivered every step of the way. They are the best of the best, and I am grateful for them.
This case has received a tremendous amount of attention, and I understand why that is, but the women and men of the Southern District of New York consistently deliver outstanding public service on behalf of the American people – without fear or favor and often without any public recognition. They do it because they believe in the rule of law, because they love this country, and because they are patriots. I am proud to serve with them.”
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Bankman-Fried, 31, of Stanford, California, was convicted of two counts of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He was also convicted of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
St. Louis County Felon Caught with Guns Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a felon caught with a rifle and a pistol to 15 years in prison.
Arnell Jackson, 46, of Norwood Court, Missouri, pleaded guilty in July to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Feb. 21, 2022, police responded to reports of a man using an AR-style rifle to shoot at moving company employees working at a neighbor’s house. After a lengthy standoff, Jackson was taken into custody, and officers found an Adams Arms 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle and a Taurus .40-caliber pistol inside the front door of his home. Jackson has prior felony convictions, including for second-degree murder, and is barred from possessing firearms.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke prosecuted the case.
Southern Pine Credit Union President and Controller Plead Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The former President and the former Controller of Southern Pine Credit Union in Valdosta both pleaded guilty to long-running multimillion-dollar bank loan and aggravated identity theft schemes.
Teresa Paulo, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft today. Co-defendant Leah Lehman, 63, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Oct. 26. Both women face a maximum of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, and a mandatory two years in prison in addition to any other prison term imposed for aggravated identity theft, to be followed by a maximum of five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine.
U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands is presiding over this case. Lehman’s sentencing date is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2024. Paulo’s sentencing date will be determined by the Court. The defendants are not eligible for parole.
“As leaders of this credit union, the defendants knowingly put their members—local paper mill employees and their families—at great risk with their complex schemes to enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the FBI and FDIC investigators for unraveling their carefully engineered criminal fraud and helping us hold them accountable.”
“These guilty pleas are the direct result of a diligent investigation by hardworking FBI employees and our partners at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,” said Rich Bilson, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. “Paulo and Lehman’s greed driven scheme stole hundreds of thousands of dollars and damaged the financial security of innocent victims. They will now be held accountable for their blatant misuse of the power of their positions.”
According to court documents, Lehman served as President of Southern Pine Credit Union (SPCU) in Valdosta from 1990 to 2020. Paolo was SPCU’s controller from Oct. 2011 to June 2020. The Credit Union’s members are employees of the local paper mill and their families. Lehman and Paolo were both authorized to originate all types of loans, were responsible for filing quarterly reports to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and had access to all SPCU employees’ usernames and passwords for all SPCU computers and software.
Lehman began her fraud in June 2003, when she created a share secured loan in a SPCU account using the name and social security number of a member without that individual’s knowledge. From Feb. 2012 to May 31, 2020, Lehman paid off the loan and rebooked it multiple times with additional advances. She would take the proceeds and put them in a joint share draft account she had with the individual, using the proceeds to pay for a boat, a hunting club share, personal expenses and gifts to family members. This loan was repaid in full. However, Lehman created another share secured loan in another individual’s name without their knowledge and would also pay off the loan and rebook it multiple times for personal spending. To conceal these activities, Lehman created false credit transactions using the names and passwords of SPCU employees. These transactions would advance the due date on the loans, which prevented these loans from appearing on quarterly call reports to the NCUA and allowed Lehman to defer or not make payment on these loans. Following these transactions, Lehman created debit entries to put the loans back on the accounts, which would often include interest accrued on the outstanding loans. She made additional fraudulent loan advances simultaneously with those entries to advance the loan dates. She reflected the loans as being paid off at the end of the quarter to prevent possible detection of artificial growth in the SPCU loan portfolio. In total, the drafts needed to pay off the loan balances at each quarter grew to $4,112,870.63, excluding payments and interest, as of May 31, 2020.
Paulo committed a similar fraud scheme to Lehman. In Oct. 2011, Paulo created a share secured loan in a SPCU account using the name and social security number of a member without that individual’s knowledge. From Nov. 2011 until May 29, 2020, Paulo took out additional advances on the loan as well as additional loans from the account. Paulo would transfer the loan proceeds into a joint account for personal spending purposes. She created another share secured account using the personal identity of another individual and would pay off the loan and rebook it multiple times with additional advances, using the proceeds for her own personal expenses or electronically transfer money into her family’s accounts. Paulo concealed her schemes as Lehman concealed hers: creating false credit transactions using the usernames and passwords of SPCU employees to simulate the payoff of the loans, which would advance the due date on the loans. Paulo also created debit entries using other people’s usernames and passwords to put the loans back on the accounts, which would often include interest accrued on the outstanding loans. The drafts needed to pay off the loan balances at each quarter grew to $1,233,201.77, excluding payments and interest, as of May 31, 2020. Paulo made $7,736.16 in legitimate payments to the loan balances.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting this case for the Government.
South Florida law enforcement officers receive latest hate crimes trainingRead the Press Release
MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI Miami, State Attorney Harold F. Pryor for Broward County, and State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle for Miami-Dade County addressed over 200 South Florida law enforcement officers during a day-long interactive training session on hate crimes in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
The training was jointly sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI, along with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office Hate Crimes Unit and the Broward State Attorney's Office Hate Crimes Taskforce Unit. Presenters addressed federal and state hate crimes statutes, recent federal cases, victim services, and held a panel discussion. Highlights included a keynote address from Judy and Dennis Shepard of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and a presentation by the Anti-Defamation League.
This type of law enforcement training is extremely impactful and reinforces the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI to combat hate crimes. Training programs also help to ensure that hate crimes are promptly and properly addressed. All law enforcement agencies within the FBI Miami area of responsibility were invited to attend the training program, along with several other agencies.
“It is our united responsibility to stand against hatred and bigotry in all its forms and protect those most vulnerable in our society,” stated U.S. Attorney Lapointe. “By facilitating and taking part in invaluable training programs, we can better serve our communities and collectively work to thwart potential threats to our diverse south Florida residents.”
“Educating the public -and law enforcement – about hate crimes is an ongoing, continuous effort that FBI Miami will always prioritize,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Training events like this one today are an excellent opportunity for law enforcement professionals to learn so that we are in a better position to protect our communities against bias motivated crimes and investigate incidents when they occur.”
Lapointe and Veltri recently issued a statement addressing their commitment to combat hate crimes and potential threats to the community. A copy of the statement can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/joint-statements-us-attorney-markenzy-lapointe-southern-district-florida-and-special.
The community is encouraged to report all suspected hate crimes to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
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SoCal Trio Charged with Armed Robberies During One-Week Spree in Which Their Flight from Police Resulted in Fatal Car CrashRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three Southern California residents have been charged in a federal criminal complaint with allegedly committing three armed robberies of a liquor store, gas station, and convenience store – a crime spree that ended in the death of an innocent bystander in a fatal car accident while the defendants fled from police, the Justice Department announced today.
The following defendants have been charged via a criminal complaint filed last Wednesday with Hobbs Act robbery and using and carrying a firearm during an in relation to a crime of violence:
- Kaelenn Maea, 26, of Long Beach;
- Salagi Iakopo, 30, of Carson; and
- Mathew Salanoa, 23, of Placentia
Maea and Salanoa are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Law enforcement continues to search for Iakopo.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the defendants committed three armed robberies from September 22 to September 29 in Downey, Compton, and South El Monte. In each of the robberies, one of the robbers allegedly used a short-style rifle to control the cashier and customers while another robber took full cash registers or drawers before all the robbers fled in an SUV.
Specifically, on September 27, the three defendants allegedly robbed a Compton gas station. One of the robbers, believed to be Salanoa, was caught on surveillance footage approximately 10 minutes before the robbery casing the store in preparation to rob it. The robbers left briefly before returning. Another robber, believed to be Iakopo, grabbed and detached the cash register from the counter. The final robber, believed to be Maea, pointed a rifle at the cashier and customers preventing them from exiting the store. The robbers allegedly stole approximately $1,500 inside the cash register and fled in a stolen Range Rover.
Two days later, two defendants, believed to be Maea and Iakopo, robbed a convenience store in South El Monte. One of the robbers pointed a rifle at the cashier while the other robber stole the cash register drawer. In total, the robbers stole approximately $350 to $400. The robbers then fled in the stolen Range Rover.
On October 9, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies found the stolen Range Rover, which allegedly sped off and almost immediately hit another car, killing a civilian motorist inside. The suspects then ran away, but deputies found Iakopo hiding in a trash can in the area, the affidavit alleges. Deputies later found clothing believed to belong to Maea beside a small crawl space under a nearby house. Inside the stolen Range Rover, deputies found clothing, identification and a cellphone believed to belong to Maea, according to the affidavit.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of both charges, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the Hobbs Act robbery count and up to life in federal prison for the firearm count.
The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, and the Downey Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 110 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the July 2021 robbery of a Bristol County Savings Bank branch in Dartmouth. At the time of the robbery, the defendant was on supervised release for a 2015 federal bank robbery conviction.
David A. Frates, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 77 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $20,000 to the Bristol County Savings Bank for the bank robbery. Frates was also sentenced to 33 months in prison for committing the offense while on federal supervised release for a prior bank robbery conviction. The 33-month period is to be served consecutive to the 77 months imprisonment, for a total term of 110 months in prison.On July 21, 2021, Frates was arrested and charged with the July 19, 2021 robbery of the Bristol County Savings Bank, and has remained in custody since that time. He pleaded guilty in March 2022.
On July 19, 2021, an individual – later determined to be Frates – entered a Bristol County Savings Bank branch in Dartmouth. Frates approached a teller and demanded $20,000. The teller handed Frates money from the bank’s vault and Frates exited the bank. A subsequent investigation identified Frates as the robber and he was arrested on July 21, 2021. At the time of his arrest, Frates was in possession of over $9,000 in cash.
Frates was convicted in 2015 of federal bank robbery charges for the armed robbery of a St. Anne’s Credit Union branch in New Bedford and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. In May 2020, that sentence was reduced to 81 months in prison based, in part, on changes in the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bobby Laymone Sanders, age 63, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The Indictment alleged that on April 13, 2023, Sanders was in possession of an Iberia Firearms Inc. (Hi-Point), Model JCP, .40 S&W caliber, semi-automatic pistol and two rounds of ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a convicted felon. At the time of the offense, Sanders had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knew of such conviction.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Judge Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sanders will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Second Man Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of St. Louis 7-ElevenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a second man to 10 ½ years in prison for the armed robbery of a St. Louis, Missouri 7-Eleven in 2020, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Thursday.
Harvey Cameron, 33, of Ferguson, was one of two men involved in the robbery of the 7-Eleven at 5350 Chippewa Street on June 21, 2020. One of the men entered the store and pointed a Zastava AK-47-style rifle at an employee, demanding cash from the register. The pair were caught shortly after the robbery, with the cash and the gun.
Cameron pleaded guilty in July to robbery, possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The other man, Monte Kent, 35, pleaded guilty to the robbery and the firearm brandishing charges and was sentenced to 10 ½ years in prison in March of 2022.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI.
Schenectady County Man Sentenced for Stealing Precious Metals from VA Dental ClinicRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Arthur Hanvey, age 65, of Delanson, New York, was sentenced today to 1 year of probation and to pay restitution for his theft of government property. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Hanvey admitted that while employed as a dental technician at the Albany Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, between October 2017 and May 2021, he stole and converted to his own use precious metals and noble alloys that were intended to be recycled and used to manufacture crowns, bridges and other dental prostheses, and then sold those precious metals to a third-party refinery for a profit.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci ordered Hanvey to pay $13,533.04 in restitution, which he paid at sentencing.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.
Sand Springs Man Pleaded Guilty to Assault and StrangulationRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sand Springs man who assaulted and strangled his victim, pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Phillip Gene Laird, 42, pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country. Laird is a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation.
According to the plea agreement, Laird admitted while he was intoxicated and arguing with the victim, that he pinned her to the ground. Larid further admitted that he strangled his victim.
Laird will remain in custody pending sentencing that will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restation after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial, Michael Harder and Melissa Weems are prosecuting the case.
Riverhead Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Large Quantities of Narcotics Including FentanylRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Marquis Douglas, a narcotics trafficker who operated a drug business that was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, along with other illicit substances throughout the North Fork of Long Island, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and the distribution of controlled substances resulting in death. Douglas was charged in June 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
“Today, Douglas has admitted his role in a large scale narcotics distribution operation as well as his role in the distribution of fentanyl laced cocaine that led to the deaths of four men in a single day,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We hope today’s guilty plea begins to bring a measure of solace to the victims’ families.”
Mr. Peace also extended his thanks to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the Riverhead Police Department, the Southold Police Department, the Shelter Island Police Department, and the New York State Police for their assistance in the investigation.
According to court filings and statements made during today’s proceeding, Douglas orchestrated a years’ long conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, 280 grams of crack cocaine, 40 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of fentanyl analogues. In August of 2021, Douglas’ operation distributed a quantity of cocaine laced with a fentanyl analogue in Greenport, New York. When this cocaine was re-distributed at the street level, it ultimately led to four fatal overdoses on a single day across Greenport and Shelter Island. When apprehended in Suffolk County on May 5, 2022, Douglas was found in possession of large, sellable quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. When sentenced, Douglas faces up to life in prison.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Andrew P. Wenzel, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dana Gremaux.
The Defendants:
MARQUIS DOUGLAS
Age: 38
Riverhead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-246 (JS)
Responsible Parties Reach Settlement for More Than $33 Million to Restore Natural Resources in Portland HarborRead the Press Release
The Justice Department lodged two proposed consent decrees yesterday in federal court among Tribal, state and federal natural resource trustees and over 20 potentially responsible parties (PRPs) at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site in Oregon. The agreements, with an estimated restoration value of approximately $33.2 million, require the PRPs to pay cash damages or purchase credits in projects to restore salmon and other natural resources that were lost due to contamination released from the responsible parties’ facilities into the Willamette River. This settlement includes more than $600,000 in damages for the public’s lost recreational use of the river, and restoration and monitoring of culturally significant plants and animals.
The settlement also includes additional funds to pay costs incurred by the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council for assessing the harm to the injured natural resources. The Trustee Council is comprised of representatives from the Five Tribes, which includes the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe, along with representatives of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and State of Oregon.
“This settlement represents years of hard work by the Portland Harbor natural resource trustees and responsible parties who cooperated to restore the harm caused by those parties’ contamination,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The resulting restoration projects funded by these agreements will provide permanent ecological benefits to help restore the biodiversity of the Willamette River system.”
“The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe wholly support this settlement,” said the Five Tribes. “Contamination has uniquely affected tribal members because of their cultural use of and relationship with affected natural resources in and around the Portland Harbor Superfund Site. The Five Tribes believe the collaborative process of this settlement represents the best path forward for restoring Portland Harbor natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations.”
“The trustees are very pleased that the responsible parties in this settlement have advanced restoration over litigation. The large-scale restoration projects facilitated by this settlement will help address the most important habitat needs of fish and wildlife injured by contamination in Portland Harbor,” said Director Curt Melcher of Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We will continue our settlement discussions with the remaining responsible parties who are participating in the early settlement initiative so we can achieve additional permanent restoration of natural resources. Partnering with restoration project developers has already produced on-the-ground restoration even prior to today’s settlement.”
The use of restoration credits in four natural resource projects that were developed in partnership with private developers is a novel and critical feature of the settlement. Restoration credits are like ecological “shares” in a restoration project, and the natural resource trustees decide how many “shares” each project is worth. Defendants in the settlement can purchase restoration credits from the restoration project developers instead of paying cash to resolve the ecological injury portion of their liability. Using this approach at Portland Harbor has produced on-the-ground restoration much sooner and at less cost than traditional cash-only settlements. Collectively, the restoration value in these projects is the largest natural resource credit bank at any Superfund Site in the country.
The four restoration projects selling restoration credits – Alder Creek, Harborton, Linnton Mill and Rinearson Natural Area – provide habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act and of tremendous cultural significance to the Five Tribes. The projects will also restore habitat for other fish and wildlife injured by contamination in Portland Harbor – like bald eagle, mink and lamprey – as well as Tribally significant native plants – like camas, wapato and sweetgrass. Construction is complete and habitat development is underway at all four projects, which are expected to provide ecological benefits in perpetuity, will be permanently protected from development and will receive long-term stewardship.
The agreements result from an early settlement collaboration between the natural resource trustees at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and a group of PRPs who participated in that effort. Negotiations are continuing with other PRPs that also are participating in the trustees’ early settlement initiative. If the trustees reach agreements in those ongoing negotiations, it could include additional cash settlements or restoration credit purchases in the four restoration projects.
On behalf of the trustees on the Trustee Council, the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed the complaint and lodged the proposed consent decrees in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
The proposed decrees resolve the natural resource damages allegations of the United States, Oregon and the Five Tribes for releases of contamination from the PRPs’ identified facilities. Alleged violations are in connection with Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; the Oil Pollution Act and the Clean Water Act.
The settlement is subject to a 45-day public comment period and final court approval. It is available for viewing at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. Please refer to the upcoming Federal Register notice for instructions on submitting any public comments on the settlement. Additional information is available on the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council website at www.fws.gov/portlandharbor/news/two-consent-decrees-lodged.
Rapid City Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 24, 2023.
Jonah Burning Breast, 29, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Burning Breast was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 4, 2023.
The conviction stems from Burning Breast, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly being in possession of an O.F. Mossberg & Sons Incorporated 12 gauge, pump-action shotgun in Rapid City in January of 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Burning Breast was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on October 30, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Leonard Jones, age 37, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 2, 2023.
Jones is required to register as a sex offender under federal law. Jones had registered an address in Rapid City with the Rapid City Police Department in August of 2022, following his release from prison. In January of 2023, Jones left that address without notifying the police or his probation officer. Jones did not update his registration until his arrest for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in July of 2023.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Jones was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Passaic County Lawyer Admits Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $300,000 in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, attorney today admitted that he illegally obtained more than $300,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Morton Chirnomas, 61, of Clifton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court to an information charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From May 2020 to September 2020, Chirnomas fraudulently obtained a $150,000 loan through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans program. He also falsely obtained $200,000 in unemployment insurance benefits using the names and identities of other people without their authorization.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Chirnomas or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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