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18 April 2023
Illinois Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced to over seven years in prison on April 17, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Kayne Russell Donath, age 23, from East Dubuque, Illinois, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
At sentencing, the Court found that Donath received a ride from an individual in the community who was providing him a personal ride-sharing service. During this service, Donath revealed his possession of a firearm. After the individual was pulled over by law enforcement, officers discovered Donath had a warrant for his arrest. The Court found that Donath pulled down the gear shifter and forced the individual to elude law enforcement. Donath assaulted the individual with the firearm during the high-speed chase. Officers recovered the firearm after it was discarded in a nearby alley. The Court also found that Donath had previously committed assaults against law enforcement and another individual.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Donath was sentenced to serve 90 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three‑year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system. Donath remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood and was investigated by the City of Dubuque Police Department’s Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-1028.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Home Confinement Compliance Supervisor Sentenced to Prison Term for Sexually Abusing InmateRead the Press Release
MIAMI — A 60-year-0ld Miami man in charge of monitoring the compliance of federal inmates in home confinement is headed to federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a woman he monitored.
Benito Montes de Oca Cruz worked as a site supervisor for Riverside House, a federal Bureau of Prisons contractor responsible for providing custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary oversight to federal inmates in home confinement. As part of monitoring compliance, Cruz visited inmates at their homes.
On December 28, 2020, Cruz visited a woman who was serving part of her 51-month sentence at home. While there, Cruz engaged in sexual contact with the victim, including touching her sexually while they were both naked.
Law enforcement received information on this illicit activity and promptly investigated. Evidence against Cruz included a video that captured the illegal activity and DNA that Cruz left behind.
The full sentence imposed by United States District Judge Robert N. Scola was four months’ imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release (with the first 120 days of supervised release in home confinement). In determining the sentence, Judge Scola noted the serious nature of the offense but also considered Cruz’s lack of prior criminal history, among other factors. Cruz must surrender to the federal Bureau of Prisons on June 1.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge James Boyersmith of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), announced the sentence.
DOJ-OIG investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-20459.
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Former physician's assistant sentenced for health care fraud after posing as a licensed practitionerRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Theresa Pickering has been sentenced to federal prison for committing health care fraud by posing as a licensed physician’s assistant, which resulted in approximately $147,000 in attempted losses to insurers.
“Pickering previously served prison time for similar conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Then in blatant disregard for the law and safety, she knowingly placed patients at significant risk by again posing as a licensed medical provider.”
“Pickering did not learn from her previous fraud conviction. Instead, she chose to continue to endanger patient lives through theft and lies,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentence will serve as a reminder to others that the FBI will not tolerate healthcare providers who engage in schemes that defraud the industry and put innocent patients at risk.”
"This individual egregiously lied about her qualifications to obtain access to patient information, which she then used to steal from federal health care programs," said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who put patients at risk and undermine the integrity of federal health care programs."
“At OPM OIG, our number one priority is protecting patients from harm,” said Conrad J. Quarles, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, OPM OIG. “This sentencing demonstrates our commitment to working with our Federal partners to hold accountable those that would seek to put the safety of Federal health care enrollees at risk.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: On or about September 24, 2019, Pickering was hired as a licensed physician’s assistant at a family practice in Norcross, Georgia. But Pickering was not a licensed physician’s assistant in Georgia at that time, nor had she been a licensed physician’s assistant in any state since March 2014. After Pickering served a prison sentence for a 2015 fraud and narcotics case related to her illegal practice as a physician’s assistant in the State of Mississippi, Pickering relocated to Georgia and again obtained employment as a licensed physician’s assistant at the Norcross-based family practice.
While employed at the practice, Pickering treated patients, diagnosed illnesses, ordered diagnostic tests and lab work, and handled sick visits and prescribed drugs to patients – none of which was authorized by law based on her lack of licensure and exclusion from federal health care programs. Pickering also issued prescriptions, including prescriptions for controlled substances, in the name of Doctor 1, a physician contracted by the practice, and without Doctor 1’s permission. Pickering caused the practice to submit at least approximately $147,000 in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare and numerous private insurance companies.
Theresa Pickering, 55, of Norcross, Georgia, was sentenced on April 18, 2023, to two years, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $48,742.30.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. O'Neal prosecuted the case.
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.
Former insurance agent sentenced to prison for defrauding victims by creating life insurance policies in their names without their knowledgeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former insurance agent was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for defrauding dozens of victims in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.
Seneca Birchmore, 45, of Cincinnati, committed aggravated identity theft. Birchmore also fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans.
As part of his sentence, Birchmore was ordered to pay nearly $147,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, Birchmore lost his license as an insurance agent in 2019 because he was writing unauthorized insurance policies so that he could collect the commissions.
After losing his license, Birchmore then stole the identities of two other insurance agents and used those identities to write more life insurance policies for customers who did not want them. Birchmore had the commissions from dozens of local victims’ policies deposited into his own bank accounts.
Local law enforcement departments received complaints from victims that money was being automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts for insurance policies they never ordered. Many of the victims are senior citizens, and most reside in Dayton, Englewood, Middletown and Cincinnati.
The commissions for Birchmore’s original fraudulent insurance policies under his own name as an agent totaled more than $8,000. The commissions for policies created under the stolen identities of other agents totaled more than $93,000.
“This case is based plainly on Birchmore’s greed combined with his wanton acts to take advantage of some of society’s most vulnerable people, the senior customers,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Unfortunately, the victims in the case are not only the customers, but also the insurance agents whose identities he stole as well as the insurance companies he caused to pay the fraudulent commissions.”
As part of his conviction, Birchmore was ordered to pay the following restitution:
- Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company: $34,820.37
- Columbian Life Insurance Company: $16,604.01
- Transamerica Life Insurance Company: $4,671
- Mutual of Omaha: $2,104.65
- Great Western Insurance Company: $16,303.17
- Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company: $8,826.84
- American General Life Insurance Company: $2,718.45
- Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company: $17,906.07
- Integrity Market: $1,000.00
- U.S. Small Business Administration: $41,665
In a separate scheme, Birchmore fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling more than $40,000. Birchmore claimed on both loan applications that he owned a business in his name and stated his gross income for 2019 was more than $13 million. No such business existed.
The defendant was charged federally and arrested in June 2022. He pleaded guilty in January 2023.
“I commend the diligence of the Ohio Department of Insurance's investigatory team for bringing detailed aspects of this case to light, and the work of the partner agencies to ensure accountability for breaking the law,” said Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French. “Insurance crimes are serious. They negatively impact consumers and also drive up the cost of insurance for all Ohioans.”
U.S. Attorney Parker and Director French were joined by the Social Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret ServiceOhio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Marshals Service, Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Cincinnati Police Department in announcing the sentence imposed on April 13 by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry represented the United States in this case.
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Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Theft of Firearms from Police Weapons Vault and Tampering with Multiple WitnessesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Former police officer William Cintrón-Rivera, a.k.a. “El Kid/Kid” pleaded guilty to the theft of 54 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, Guayama headquarters on July 17, 2019. On January 20, 2021, a federal grand jury charged the defendant with multiple counts of firearms violations and tampering with witnesses.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2019, in the District of Puerto Rico, defendant Cintrón-Rivera stole 54 firearms from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Guayama headquarters. At the time of the theft, defendant Cintrón-Rivera was a police officer in the PRPB. In addition, the defendant was charged with the possession of six of the stolen firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The investigation revealed that Cintrón-Rivera attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade two individuals to provide false information to federal investigators relevant to the theft, such as Cintrón-Rivera’s whereabouts on the night of the crime. Cintrón-Rivera also attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade a female to provide false information to federal investigators regarding (a) the nature and duration of their relationship; (b) Cintrón-Rivera’s whereabouts during the timeframe of the theft; (c) the identity of an alleged informant; and (d) communications involving Cintrón-Rivera and her, including payment for an alleged cell phone.
Cintrón-Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Christopher Robinson, Special Agent in Charge for ATF, made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Valentin and Jonathan L. Gottfried, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section, were in charge of the prosecution of the case.
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Former Physician Associated with 1-800-GET-THIN Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Massive Fraud Against Health InsurersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former doctor has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for scheming to defraud private insurance companies and the Tricare health care program for U.S. military service members by fraudulently submitting nearly $120 million in claims related to the 1-800-GET-THIN Lap-Band surgery business, the Justice Department announced today.
Julian Omidi, 54, of West Hollywood, was sentenced Monday evening by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee.
Judge Gee also sentenced Surgery Center Management LLC (SCM), an Omidi-controlled Beverly Hills-based company, to five years’ probation. A separate hearing on restitution and forfeiture in this case, along with SCM’s fine, is expected in the coming weeks.
At the conclusion of a three-month trial, a federal jury in December 2021 found Omidi and SCM guilty of 28 counts of wire fraud and three counts of mail fraud. Omidi also was found guilty of two counts of making false statements relating to health care matters, one count of aggravated identity theft and two counts of money laundering. Omidi and SCM also were found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“As found by the jury, the defendant Julian Omidi deliberately and repeatedly acted with an eye towards business and profits, rather than in the interest of GET THIN’s medical patients, by inducing patients to undergo medical treatment premised on fraud rather than medical necessity, including surgeries that carry significant risks and life-long health impacts,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Those who engage in fraud – to the detriment of vulnerable patients and the insurance companies – must always be held accountable.”
“Patients rely on medical providers to give them information that is truthful and accurate, so that the patients do not make inappropriate decisions about medical devices, which FDA oversees,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “When providers give inaccurate information, we will investigate and bring to justice those who place profits over public health.”
“Mr. Omidi made millions at the expense of the multiple victim companies he defrauded, and he violated his oath to ‘do no harm’ by callously misleading patients about the need for a sleep study and subsequent weight loss surgery,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “This successful prosecution should send a clear warning to anyone in the medical profession who intends to falsify insurance claims for unnecessary procedures or provide faulty medical advice to patients seeking reliable care.”
“Medical providers are in a position of great trust, and this former doctor broke that trust victimizing patients including military service members with medically unnecessary treatment to boost his own profits by hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “Medical provider fraud is a multi-billion-dollar problem that drives up health insurance premiums and creates a drain on our economy. My Department of Insurance and our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating fraud and protecting consumers and the health care system.”
Omidi is a former dermatologist whose medical license was revoked in 2009 after state authorities found he had engaged in dishonesty and unprofessional conduct related to his application for his California medical license.
He controlled, in part, the GET THIN network of entities, including SCM, that focused on the promotion and performance of Lap-Band weight-loss surgeries. Omidi established procedures requiring prospective Lap-Band patients – even those with insurance plans he knew would never cover Lap-Band surgery – to have at least one sleep study, and employees were incentivized with commissions to make sure the studies occurred.
Omidi used the sleep studies to find a reason – the “co-morbidity” of obstructive sleep apnea – that GET THIN would use to convince the patient’s insurance company to pre-approve the Lap-Band procedure.
After patients underwent sleep studies – irrespective of whether any doctor had ever determined the study was medically necessary – GET THIN employees, acting at Omidi’s direction, often falsified the results. Omidi then used the falsified sleep study results in support of GET THIN’s pre-authorization requests for Lap-Band surgery.
Relying on the false sleep studies – as well as other false information, including patients’ weights – insurance companies authorized payment for some of the proposed Lap-Band surgeries. Moreover, even if the insurance company did not authorize the surgery, GET THIN still was able to submit bills for approximately $15,000 for each sleep study. Prosecutors estimate that Omidi’s conduct caused insurers and Tricare to pay at least approximately $41 million for Lap-Band procedures, sleep studies, and CPAP devices and accessories tainted by this fraud.
The victim health care benefit programs include Tricare, Anthem Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Health Net, Operating Engineers Health and Welfare Trust Fund, and others.
“Today, marks the end of the appalling chapter of Julian Omidi and 1-800-GET-THIN. Omidi was well educated; he had every opportunity to be successful and make ethical decisions. However, driven by greed, he committed some of the most unconscionable and atrocious acts,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office. “There are no words strong enough to describe the actions taken by Omidi. We hope this sentencing brings some closure to all the victims affected by Omidi and 1-800-GET-THIN. IRS Criminal Investigations is committed to using our financial expertise to bring down people and organizations that take advantage of our community and cause irreparable harm.”
In 2014, the government seized more than $110 million in funds and securities from accounts held by individuals and entities involved in the criminal scheme, including Omidi. The government is seeking a money judgment order of forfeiture against defendants Omidi and SCM in the amount of $98,280,221 and is pursuing civil forfeiture of the seized property totaling $107,539,422.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations; the FBI; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; IRS Criminal Investigation; and the California Department of Insurance investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Williams, Ali Moghaddas, and David H. Chao of the Major Frauds Section, and Assistant United States Attorney David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the asset forfeiture portion of this case.
Former Hinds County Detention Officer Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Madison man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, on August 18, 2018, Marcell Anderson, 26, a Hinds County detention officer, attempted to introduce contraband into the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond, Mississippi. Anderson had an electrical taped bundle in his pants containing methamphetamine, marijuana, spice (synthetic marijuana), Xanax pills, rolling papers, and lighters.
Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury and he pled guilty on January 25, 2023 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights ChargeRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Former Bureau of Prisons Officer Emilio Rodríguez-Arroyo pleaded guilty today to one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law for using excessive force by striking an inmate whose hands were handcuffed behind his back and who was not resisting, resulting in bodily injury, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on November 8, 2021, Rodríguez-Arroyo, a correctional officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico deprived victim E.R.R. of his Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment when the defendant struck E.R.R. in the head and face area shortly after having deployed oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray (also known as “pepper spray”) onto that area, and while E.R.R. was handcuffed behind his back, surrounded and controlled by other officers, and not resisting.
The defendant’s sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
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Former Executive at Williams Sonoma, Inc. Charged with Three Others in Alleged Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Eric Marsiglia, Kourosh Mirmehdi, Augusto Alizo, and Michael Podhurst, charging the defendants with conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and related charges for their respective roles in two separate fraudulent schemes involving kickbacks and the diversion of millions of dollars of rebates belonging to Williams Sonoma, Inc., announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian. The indictment was filed April 11, 2023, and unsealed earlier today.
Two of the defendants, Marsiglia, 49, of Olive Branch, Miss., and Augusto Alizo, 51, of Weston, Florida, were arrested today in Mississippi and Florida, respectively.
According to the indictment, while employed by Williams Sonoma, Inc. (WSI), Marsiglia was involved in two fraudulent schemes. The first scheme was a conspiracy to divert rebates from commercial real estate brokers that should have gone to WSI; the rebates were diverted to accounts that Marsiglia controlled. As part of this scheme, Marsiglia allegedly paid a portion of the diverted funds to his co-conspirators, Kourosh Mirmehdi, 63, of Irvine, Calif., and Alizo. The second scheme involved the payment of kickbacks in exchange for Marsiglia directing business to companies controlled by codefendant Michael Podhurst, 63, of Union, New Jersey.
“Today’s arrests target a years-long fraud centered on defendant Marsiglia, who abused the trust placed in him by a prominent San Francisco public company,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “The indictment alleges how each defendant, in separate ways, sought to capitalize on Marsiglia’s valued position within the company—but all with the singular goal of lining their own pockets with millions of dollars at the expense of his employer. Rest assured, we will prosecute corporate executives who accept kickbacks and bribes in exchange for steering contracts to undeserving individuals or companies.”
“This investigation and today’s arrests are a result of the hard work and dedication of IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Northern District of California. Our agents and prosecutors pursued a group of individuals, across state lines, who took advantage of members of our community for greed and personal enrichment,” said Special Agent in Charge Darren Lian of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office. “CI special agents are determined to hold those who deceive and cheat accountable for their actions.”
Williams Sonoma, Inc. (WSI) is a home-goods retailer that operates brands Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, West Elm, and others. Marsiglia was WSI’s Vice President of Engineering, Projects, Planning, Facilities, and Real Estate, and, as such, was responsible for identifying commercial real estate opportunities for the company. For example, Marsiglia located warehouses that WSI could use as distribution centers, worked with landlords and commercial real estate brokers to negotiate the terms of leases, and outfitted warehouses and distribution centers. In his position, Marsiglia allegedly orchestrated the negotiation of real estate contracts on behalf of WSI that required third parties to pay millions of dollars in brokerage fee rebates to WSI. According to the indictment, rather than ensure that WSI received the brokerage fee rebates, Marsiglia instead created a shell company and then conspired with others to have the rebates paid to his company. In addition, as part of this scheme, Marsiglia allegedly paid a portion of the proceeds of this illegal scheme to his co-conspirators. Separately, Marsiglia also allegedly received kickback payments from another co-conspirator in exchange for directing contracts for business to companies controlled by the co-conspirator.
The indictment describes details of the alleged rebate diversion scheme. According to the indictment, around 2020 WSI experienced an increase in its need for warehouse space to enable it to more easily store products and ship them to consumers around the country. To meet this need, WSI worked with third-party logistics companies to assist in the negotiations with commercial real estate brokers. Marsiglia allegedly worked with codefendant Mirmehdi, who worked for a global third-party logistics company, to assist in the negotiations with commercial real estate brokers and landlords. The indictment describes how a common feature of such leasing arrangements includes the payment of rebates from the real estate brokers to the entity leasing the warehouse space. The indictment alleges Marsiglia and Mirmehdi used their positions and influence to formulate contracts and/or agreements that directed commercial real estate brokers to forward rebate payments to Marsiglia’s company, rather than to WSI. Specifically, Marsiglia created, owned, and operated a shell company named REM Group LLC. Marsiglia or Mirmehdi then allegedly represented to real estate brokers that REM Group was connected to or a part of WSI, inducing the brokers to pay rebates to REM Group. Marsiglia allegedly thereafter sent portions of the illegal proceeds of the scheme to codefendants Mirmehdi and Alizo, who was Mirmehdi’s boss at the logistics company. Marsiglia, Mirmehdi, and Alizo redirected broker fees to REM Group for warehouses leased to WSI in Florida, New Jersey, and Arizona, and attempted to do so for an additional warehouse being leased in California. In total, the indictment alleges Marsiglia, Mirmehdi, and Alizo diverted and misappropriated approximately $5.9 million in broker commission rebates owed to WSI.
The indictment also provides details of the kickback scheme. In his role at WSI, Marsiglia had authority to identify vendors and authorize and approve contracts for work to be done in the distribution centers. According to the indictment, beginning in 2018, Marsiglia worked with Podhurst to arrange for kickback payments to be paid to Marsiglia and REM Group in exchange for Marsiglia directing contracts for business in WSI’s warehouses to companies connected to Podhurst. Podhurst worked as a salesperson at a forklift and supply chain company (the Forklift Company) based in New Jersey. The indictment alleges Marsiglia and Podhurst first agreed that Marsiglia would hire the Forklift Company to provide goods or services for Williams Sonoma; in exchange, Marsiglia established REM Group as a consultant and the Forklift Company made kickback payments to REM Group. This kickback scheme continued when Podhurst and others founded a storage and material handling company to provide and build racking systems in WSI warehouses. Later, Podhurst started his own company, Precision Industrial Installations, and Marsiglia awarded contracts to that company in exchange for more kickbacks.
In total, WSI awarded companies connected to Podhurst more than $48 million in contracts for work done at warehouses around the country, and Marsiglia and Podhurst arranged for more than $12 million in kickbacks to be paid to Marsiglia’s company, REM Group.
The indictment alleges that from approximately 2018-2022, Marsiglia received nearly $20 million through his shell company, REM Group, all of which was in the form of stolen broker rebate payments or kickbacks received for awarding business to entities related to Podhurst.
In sum, the defendants were charged with the following counts:
Count(s)
Defendants
Charge
1
Eric Marsiglia
Kourosh Mirmehdi
Augusto Alizo
18 U.S.C. § 1349 – Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
2-5
Eric Marsiglia
Kourosh Mirmehdi
Augusto Alizo
18 U.S.C. § 1343 – Wire Fraud
6
Eric Marsiglia
Michael Podhurst
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346, 1349 - Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Honest Services Wire Fraud
7-12
Eric Marsiglia
Michael Podhurst
18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346 – Wire Fraud and Honest Services Wire Fraud
13
Eric Marsiglia
Kourosh Mirmehdi
Augusto Alizo
18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) – Money Laundering Conspiracy
14
Eric Marsiglia
Michael Podhurst
18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) – Money Laundering Conspiracy
Marsiglia made his initial appearance this morning in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. An initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco has not yet been scheduled. Alizo made his initial appearance this morning in federal court in the Southern District of Florida. An initial appearance in federal court in San Francisco has not yet been scheduled. Mirmehdi and Podhurst have not yet appeared in federal court for their initial appearance.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, if appropriate, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1346, and 1349, as well as a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $500,000, plus restitution, if appropriate, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §1956(h). The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term as part of any sentence. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Christiaan Highsmith are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Elizabeth Kim. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.
Former Detroit Police Lieutenant in Charge of Integrity Unit Sentenced to 2 ½ Years in Prison for Taking Bribes Connected to TowingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former police lieutenant in charge of the Detroit Police Department’s Integrity Unit was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison for accepting bribes in a conspiracy with another Detroit police officer in connection with corruption in the towing industry in Detroit, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
John F. Kennedy, 57, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, at one point commanded the Detroit Police Department’s Integrity Unit—a division of the department’s Internal Affairs Division—and was responsible for investigating reports of law violations and professional misconduct by police officers and other city employees. Kennedy conspired with fellow Detroit police officer Daniel S. Vickers to commit bribery by accepting money and other items of value in exchange for Kennedy using and promising to use his influence as a supervisor to persuade other officers to make tow referrals to a towing company in violation of the city’s ordinance and Detroit Police Department policy. Under the city’s towing rotation, qualifying private towing companies are called by the police to tow cars that are seized by the police or reported stolen. Kennedy and Vickers were aware that by making towing referrals directly to a towing company which was not on the city’s towing rotation, they were violating the city’s rules and an ordinance which prohibit a towing company from receiving towing referrals if they are not on police department’s towing rotation.
Kennedy and fellow Detroit police officer Vickers agreed to accept bribes in the form of thousands of dollars in cars, car parts, car repairs, and new carpeting for Vickers’ home. Besides making illegal tow referrals in exchange for the bribes, Vickers and Kennedy also agreed to provide the towing company that Kennedy was investigating with confidential information about the status of the Integrity Unit’s case.
In total, Kennedy accepted bribes amounting to $14,950 during the course of the conspiracy. In addition, Vickers accepted over $3,400 in bribe payments from the towing company.
Vickers has pleaded guilty to the bribery conspiracy and was sentenced in February of this year to 27 months in prison.
Vickers and Kennedy were charged as part of the government’s investigation of corruption within the government and the Police Department of the City of Detroit relating to the towing industry and other matters. Thus far, six defendants have been charged in the probe, and five of those six defendants have been convicted.
U.S. Attorney Ison said, “Today’s sentence underscores our commitment to ensuring local police agencies embody the utmost commitment to excellence, integrity, and professionalism. Thankfully, today’s result is not emblematic of the character of our law enforcement partners. Nevertheless, this type of immoral conduct will and must be punished. We thank Chief of Police James White for his assistance in this investigation.”
“Police officers take an oath to protect and serve their community. Today, John Kennedy is being held accountable for violating that oath and using his official position to benefit himself personally,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “We appreciate the partnership and cooperation of Detroit Police Chief James White as the FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force continues to address public corruption in the City of Detroit.”
“This former officer’s actions are unacceptable for anyone who has the privilege to wear the Detroit Police badge,” said Detroit Police Chief James E. White. “We appreciate U.S. Attorney Ison’s work to bring accountability to those who fail in their sworn duty to serve and protect the public and will continue to collaborate with her office in any investigation of alleged wrongdoing by our officers. Delivering transparent, accountable, policing excellence that Detroiters deserve is a top priority of my administration.”
The case was investigated by the Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force, which is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Detroit Police Department, Michigan Attorney General's Office, Customs & Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
Former Detroit Police Lieutenant in Charge of Integrity Unit Sentenced to 2 ½ Years in Prison for Taking Bribes Connected to TowingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former police lieutenant in charge of the Detroit Police Department’s Integrity Unit was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison for accepting bribes in a conspiracy with another Detroit police officer in connection with corruption in the towing industry in Detroit, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
John F. Kennedy, 57, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, at one point commanded the Detroit Police Department’s Integrity Unit—a division of the department’s Internal Affairs Division—and was responsible for investigating reports of law violations and professional misconduct by police officers and other city employees. Kennedy conspired with fellow Detroit police officer Daniel S. Vickers to commit bribery by accepting money and other items of value in exchange for Kennedy using and promising to use his influence as a supervisor to persuade other officers to make tow referrals to a towing company in violation of the city’s ordinance and Detroit Police Department policy. Under the city’s towing rotation, qualifying private towing companies are called by the police to tow cars that are seized by the police or reported stolen. Kennedy and Vickers were aware that by making towing referrals directly to a towing company which was not on the city’s towing rotation, they were violating the city’s rules and an ordinance which prohibit a towing company from receiving towing referrals if they are not on police department’s towing rotation.
Kennedy and fellow Detroit police officer Vickers agreed to accept bribes in the form of thousands of dollars in cars, car parts, car repairs, and new carpeting for Vickers’ home. Besides making illegal tow referrals in exchange for the bribes, Vickers and Kennedy also agreed to provide the towing company that Kennedy was investigating with confidential information about the status of the Integrity Unit’s case.
In total, Kennedy accepted bribes amounting to $14,950 during the course of the conspiracy. In addition, Vickers accepted over $3,400 in bribe payments from the towing company.
Vickers has pleaded guilty to the bribery conspiracy and was sentenced in February of this year to 27 months in prison.
Vickers and Kennedy were charged as part of the government’s investigation of corruption within the government and the Police Department of the City of Detroit relating to the towing industry and other matters. Thus far, six defendants have been charged in the probe, and five of those six defendants have been convicted.
U.S. Attorney Ison said, “Today’s sentence underscores our commitment to ensuring local police agencies embody the utmost commitment to excellence, integrity, and professionalism. Thankfully, today’s result is not emblematic of the character of our law enforcement partners. Nevertheless, this type of immoral conduct will and must be punished. We thank Chief of Police James White for his assistance in this investigation.”
“Police officers take an oath to protect and serve their community. Today, John Kennedy is being held accountable for violating that oath and using his official position to benefit himself personally,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “We appreciate the partnership and cooperation of Detroit Police Chief James White as the FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force continues to address public corruption in the City of Detroit.”
“This former officer’s actions are unacceptable for anyone who has the privilege to wear the Detroit Police badge,” said Detroit Police Chief James E. White. “We appreciate U.S. Attorney Ison’s work to bring accountability to those who fail in their sworn duty to serve and protect the public and will continue to collaborate with her office in any investigation of alleged wrongdoing by our officers. Delivering transparent, accountable, policing excellence that Detroiters deserve is a top priority of my administration.”
The case was investigated by the Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force, which is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Detroit Police Department, Michigan Attorney General's Office, Customs & Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
Former Department of Energy Contractor Sentenced to 121 Months for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 18, 2023, the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, sentenced David Bryon King, age 57, to serve 121 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime on supervised release for attempted distribution and possessing child pornography. During the time of the offense, King was a contractor working as a fire inspector for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
According to the filed plea agreement, King admitted that he distributed child pornography to others in 2022, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2522A(a)(2)(B), and possessed child pornography in 2021 and 2022, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B). King was identified as making online payments to individuals believed to be selling child pornography. Agents with the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General interviewed King at his residence. During the interview, King admitted to being in possession of child pornography, specifically on his smartphone. Agents seized the device and obtained a federal search warrant to search the device. Forensic analyses of King’s smartphone uncovered images and videos of child pornography and other evidence linking King to the attempted distribution of child pornography.
“Protecting children and holding perpetrators accountable is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.
“I commend our agents and our partners at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for investigating and prosecuting such heinous crimes against children,” said Teri L. Donaldson, Inspector General for the Department of Energy. “Our investigators will continue doing everything they can to identify and investigate instances of child exploitation within the Department. Crimes against children have absolutely no place anywhere, and we will continue working with the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to investigate and prosecute the offenders.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Former Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Obtaining Phone RecordsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced former Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Lane Chaudry, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of fraud in connection with obtaining confidential phone records. As part of his guilty plea, Chaudry admitted that he committed the crime to stalk his victims.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“Adam Chaudry egregiously abused his power,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We wield prosecutorial power for the public interest, not for personal interest. This office will tolerate nothing less.”
“Prosecutors, like law enforcement, are expected to protect the innocent and hold accountable those who partake in criminal activities. For Chaudry to abuse his power and the trust of both law enforcement and the public for his own inappropriate purposes hinders the ability to carry out the mission and feeds public skepticism,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Today’s sentence is a message such exploitation will not mar the reputation of prosecutors and law enforcement who take pride and responsibility in maintaining law and order.”
According to the plea agreement, from June 2009 to June 18, 2021, Chaudry worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office (“BSAO”). From September 2015 until he left the BSAO, Chaudry worked in the BSAO’s Homicide Division. During his tenure in the office, Chaudry maintained an intimate relationship with two of the victims. At no time were any of the victims a witness or target of any criminal investigation or prosecution by the BSAO.
As detailed in the guilty plea, Chaudry fraudulently caused 65 grand jury and trial subpoenas to be sent to telecommunications companies in Florida and New Jersey requesting telephone records of the victims. Additionally, an investigator at BSAO provided Chaudry information that he previously requested, including a victim’s home address, MVA information, and driver’s license photograph. Chaudry then used this information, along with information from the fraudulent subpoenas, to get details about the victims’ hotel stays and other personal and private information.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the State Prosecutor’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. David, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Account Administrator Pleads Guilty to Payroll Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Warrenetta Renee Smith, 56, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to one count of First-Degree Fraud for a payroll fraud scheme in which she stole more than $62,000 from her former employer. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Chief Robert Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Smith, who was employed by a Washington, D.C. small business as an account specialist in the company’s accounting department, used her access to the company’s payroll management system to falsify her own payroll information for at least 84 pay periods between July 2018 and May 2020. To perpetuate the scheme, Smith would compile the weekly payroll information for each of the company’s employees to submit for approval by the company’s CFO. However, after receiving the necessary approvals, Smith altered her own approved regular hours, overtime, or leave in the company’s payroll management system, in order to fraudulently increase her pay for the applicable pay period.
The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld accepted Smith’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Smith agreed to pay $35,000 in restitution.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg for investigating and prosecuting the case.
Foreign National Involved in Religious Institution Check Theft Conspiracy Sentenced to Almost Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Daniel Velcu, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 34 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his sentence, Velcu will be required to pay $1,313,499.79 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Serra of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Mid-Atlantic Region; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Terry Sult of the Cary, North Carolina, Police Department; and Sheriff Dusty Rhoades of the Williamson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.
According to his guilty plea, beginning in June 2018 to October 2020, Velcu and his co-conspirators conspired to steal checks from the U.S. mail intended for religious institutions and deposit the illegally obtained funds into multiple fraudulent bank accounts at various victim financial institutions. Conspirators, including Velcu, conducted the thefts by driving to roadside mailboxes of churches and other religious institutions and removing the mail, specifically targeting donation checks.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Velcu and other co-conspirators fraudulently opened bank accounts at victim financial institutions, often in fictitious names, with the aid of co-conspirator Diape Seck, who was an employee at one of the victim financial institutions. Velcu used false names and accompanying fraudulent identity documents containing his photograph to open accounts and receive ATM cards and account information, in addition to using accounts opened by Seck. Velcu and others deposited stolen checks into the fraudulently opened bank accounts and into bank accounts held in his own or a family member’s identity. Velcu and co-conspirators then withdrew cash from the fraudulent bank accounts through ATMs and spent the illegally obtained proceeds using debit cards associated with the bank accounts.
During the course of the conspiracy, Velcu personally deposited at least 70 stolen checks, totaling at least $40,357.50 and those accounts received at least $48,987.44 from approximately 101 stolen checks. Information found on Velcu’s cellular phone revealed that eight additional accounts in the name of Velcu or a family member received at least $82,872.65 from approximately 145 stolen checks
On October 9, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Velcu’s residence and storage unit in Baltimore and recovered approximately $87,064 is cash, assorted gold coins and jewelry, all of which are being forfeited as proceeds of the conspiracy. Law enforcement also seized fraudulent French identity documents containing photographs of Velcu and a false name.
Five other conspirators previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and were sentenced to up to five years in federal prison. Former bank employee Seck was convicted after trial. Seck faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; making false entries in bank records; and receipt of a bribe or reward by a bank employee. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Seck on June 2, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Cary (North Carolina) Police Department, and the Williamson County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Florida Man Found Guilty of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted James Dean Hanapel, age 22, of Jacksonville, Florida, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet following a 3-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 13, 2023.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hanapel was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2021.
Evidence at trial established that Hanapel was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following his sending of multiple chats and sexually explicit text messages to a person Hanapel believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Hanapel negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Hanapel arrived at the pre-determined location to meet the person he believed was the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
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 South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Everett A. Simpson Convicted of Kidnapping and Interstate Transportation of Stolen VehiclesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – Following a jury trial, Everett A. Simpson, 45, formerly of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was convicted on all counts – two counts of federal kidnapping and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen vehicles.
According to court documents and testimony, on January 4, 2019, Simpson absconded from the Valley Vista treatment facility in Bradford, Vermont, and stole a commercial van in Newbury, Vermont, eventually deserting that vehicle in a parking garage in Manchester, New Hampshire on the morning of January 5. Later that same day, in the parking lot of the Mall of New Hampshire, Simpson kidnapped a young woman and her four-year-old child after forcing his way into the young woman’s car. Simpson held the woman and her child against their will, driving from New Hampshire into Vermont, where Simpson attempted to locate his estranged wife. After abandoning the effort to find his wife, Simpson continued the kidnapping, now seeking to sexually assault the young woman. Simpson assaulted the woman in her car and at a hotel in White River Junction, before freeing her and her child. Simpson fled the area in the woman’s stolen car. Simpson was eventually arrested after two high-speed pursuits in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, during the second of which he was driving a third vehicle he had stolen.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated, “The crimes committed by Everett Simpson are of the worst variety; Simpson preyed on random victims, including a child. And, although the harms suffered by Everett Simpson’s victims are indelible, today’s across-the-board guilty verdict represents a significant step in holding Everett Simpson responsible for the heinous crimes he committed on January 5, 2019.”United States Attorney Kerest also commended the investigative agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire, the Vermont State Police, the Hartford Police Department, the Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department, and the Upper Darby, Pennsylvania Police Department, all of whom worked diligently alongside the trial team and were necessary to achieve today’s guilty verdict.
Simpson faces a statutory mandatory minimum of twenty years’ imprisonment, and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Simpson’s actual sentence will be determined by District Judge Sessions and will be advised by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Lasher and Paul Van de Graaf represented the United States in the prosecution of Simpson. Simpson represented himself at trial with Steven Barth of the Office of the Federal Public Defender serving as stand-by counsel.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con General Motors y anuncia un nuevo recurso para ayudar a los empleadores a evitar la discriminación relacionada con la inmigración en cuanto al cumplimiento con las leyes de control de exportacionesRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con General Motors (GM) que resuelve la determinación del Departamento que GM discriminó a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU., en contra de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés). Por otra parte, el Departamento anunció la publicación de una nueva hoja informativa que ayudará a los empleadores a evitar la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía a la hora de cumplir con las leyes de control de exportaciones, las cuales gobiernan la capacidad de las empresas estadounidenses a exportar ciertos bienes y software, tecnología y datos técnicos. La investigación de GM que el Departamento realizó reveló que las infracciones de la compañía se debían, en parte, a no haber considerado adecuadamente los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA en el momento de cumplir también con las leyes de control de exportaciones.
«Las leyes de control de exportaciones no justifican ni autorizan a un empleador a discriminar a no ciudadanos de los EE. UU., en contra de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «Cuando los empleadores cometen actos discriminatorios ilegales, la División de Derechos Civiles seguirá obligándoles a rendir cuentas de sus acciones. La División de Derechos Civiles está emitiendo una nueva hoja informativa que ayudará a educar a los empleadores y promover mayor cumplimiento con las leyes antidiscriminatorias en el futuro».
Conforme los reglamentos y leyes de control de exportaciones, tales como los Reglamentos sobre el Tráfico Internacional de Armas y los Reglamentos para la Administración de Exportaciones, toda «persona en los EE. UU.» que está trabajando para una compañía estadounidense puede acceder a artículos sometidos al control de exportaciones sin la autorización del Gobierno de los EE. UU. En virtud de estas leyes, las personas en los EE. UU. incluyen a ciudadanos de los EE. UU., nacionales de los EE. UU., residentes permanentes legales, refugiados y asilados. Es posible que un empleador necesite la autorización del Departamento de Estado o el Departamento de Comercio para poder compartir o entregar artículos sometidos al control de exportaciones a trabajadores que no son «personas en los EE. UU.» Para confirmar si un empleador necesita pedir una autorización para un empleado para acceder a información sometida al control de exportaciones, puede que el empleador necesite obtener información sobre el estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía del trabajador para poder determinar si son una «persona en los EE. UU.» A este proceso se le llama una «evaluación del cumplimiento de exportaciones».
La investigación del Departamento determinó que, al menos hasta septiembre del 2021, las evaluaciones del cumplimiento de exportaciones de GM requerían, de manera innecesaria, que residentes permanentes legales proporcionaran un pasaporte extranjero vigente como condición de empleo, lo que les impuso una barrera discriminatoria durante el proceso de contratación. Y al menos desde julio del 2019 hasta mayo del 2021, GM combinó, de manera incorrecta, su proceso para verificar el permiso de los trabajadores para trabajar en los Estados Unidos con su evaluación del cumplimiento de exportaciones, lo que tuvo el efecto de que GM requirió, de forma innecesaria, que no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. que fueran recién contratados proporcionaran documentos específicos e innecesarios para demostrar su permiso para trabajar.
Conforme el acuerdo, GM pagará una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos que asciende a $365,000. Asimismo, el acuerdo requiere que GM capacite a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a los requisitos de supervisión y declaración del Departamento. En concreto, GM deberá separar su proceso de verificación del permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos de su proceso de evaluación del cumplimiento de exportaciones y dejar de requerir que los residentes permanentes legales presenten pasaportes extranjeros como condición de su empleo.
Por lo general, la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores discriminen por motivos de ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen durante el proceso de contratación, lo que incluye la imposición de exigencias documentales innecesarias como condición de empleo. Asimismo, esta ley prohíbe que los empleadores pidan documentos específicos o más de los necesarios a la hora de comprobar el permiso para trabajar de un empleado por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. Las leyes federales permiten a los trabajadores elegir los documentos válidos y legalmente aceptables que desean presentar para demostrar su identidad y permiso para trabajar, independientemente de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen. Tal y como se explica en la hoja informativa que se emitió hoy, estas obligaciones del empleador no cambian cuando uno tiene que cumplir con los reglamentos y leyes de control de exportaciones.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley, por norma general, prohíbe la discriminación con base en el estatus de ciudadanía y la nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas; las represalias y la intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este video corto. Para más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en su cumplimiento con los requisitos de control de exportaciones, vaya al sitio web de la IER. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a inscríbase.
Durham Man Sentenced for 2021 Black Friday Shooting at the Streets at SouthpointRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Durham man was sentenced yesterday to 110 months in prison, after pleading guilty to a firearms charge related to a mall shooting in the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC), announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
ROMEO KEVANTE PRIDE, age 27, pled guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm in December of 2022. According to court documents and facts found by the court at sentencing, Pride, a convicted felon, went to the Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham on November 26, 2021, a date colloquially known as “Black Friday,” armed with a loaded .40 caliber Glock handgun. In the course of a botched attempted robbery of another mall patron, both Pride and the patron discharged handguns. Durham Police Department officers recovered a spent .40 caliber shell casing fired from Pride’s handgun and surveillance video from the mall confirmed the events. Pride and two innocent bystanders were shot during the exchange of gunfire.
PRIDE was sentenced yesterday to a 110-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, PRIDE was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force with assistance from the Durham Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney JoAnna G. McFadden.
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Drug Enforcement Administration Announces Spring Take Back DayRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA– The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced the date of its 24th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On Saturday, April 22, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.
For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—that too often become a gateway to addiction.
Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.
- What: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
- When: Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time
- Who: DEA & Local Law Enforcement
- Where: Collection Site Search
In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 8,300 tons of medication from circulation since its inception.
Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
For more information and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
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Crawfordville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Justin Deangelo Randolph, 38, of Crawfordville, Florida was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence.
“The collective efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, in particular the North Star Drug Task Force, are resulting in the removal of addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is further evidence of our commitment to support their efforts through the vigorous investigation and prosecution of criminals distributing drugs in North Florida.”
Randolph was part of a drug trafficking organization in the Wakulla and Leon County, Florida area that was responsible for the distribution of over 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as fentanyl distributed as fake oxycodone.
“I’m proud of the hard work the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the North Star Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, along with our local, state and federal partners are doing to keep our community safe,” said Wakulla County Sheriff Jared F. Miller.
“DEA’s top priority is stopping those responsible for bringing these highly addictive and destructive drugs into our communities and holding them accountable for their actions,” said Deanne L. Reuter, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Field Division. “This investigation is a testament to the strength of our relationship with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners and underscores our commitment in keeping our Florida communities safe and healthy.”
Randolph’s imprisonment prison sentenced will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
This conviction was the result of the collaborative efforts of numerous local, state, and federal agencies, including the North Star Drug Task Force, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Mountin.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms Used in Two ShootingsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced yesterday to 8 years in prison for charges relating to his possession of firearms involved in two shootings in 2021, including one where he indiscriminately fired over thirty rounds at the home occupied by his domestic partner, other adults, and two children, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF in Michigan.
Jason Foley, 39, who pleaded guilty to two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment by United States District Judge Nancy Edmunds.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2021, officers from the Warren Police Department recovered two loaded firearms, a Diamondback .223 caliber rifle with a drum magazine and a Smith & Wesson 9-milimeter semiautomatic pistol, from Foley’s vehicle. A firearms examiner determined that the Diamondback rifle was used in a shooting on August 4, 2021, and the 9-milimeter handgun was used in a shooting on October 9, 2021. On August 4, 2021, Foley was involved in a shooting into a home occupied by several adults and children where officers recovered thirty-one .223 caliber casings and observed at least twenty gunshots in the target home. Officers also observed gunshots in a nearby house and two vehicles. Foley was also involved in a shooting on October 9, 2021, where officers recovered ten 9-millimeter casings that had been fired by Foley at a residence. In both shootings, the intended target was Foley’s girlfriend. Foley has a history of domestic violence involving at least three different victims, including a 2016 domestic violence conviction. Foley’s felony convictions include carrying concealed weapons, felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle.
“This defendant used firearms and a hail of bullets to terrorize a neighborhood and numerous citizens, including two small children,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This case is an example of our focused approached to removing the drivers of violence from our community to make it safe.”
“Removing violent offenders from our communities is ATF’s highest priority,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir “We are proud of our long-standing partnerships in the law enforcement community expanding efforts to disrupt and dismantle these violent criminals.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by Special Agent Kevin Rambus of the ATF, and officers with the Detroit Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Asher prosecuted this case for the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Controller Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $1.67 Million Dollars from Company and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Renfrew, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud and making false statements on her tax returns, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Constance Stobert, 57, pleaded guilty to eleven counts before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Stobert worked as a controller for a company called Mechanical Operations Company (MOC) from 1994 until July 2021. Between January 2014 and July 2018, Stobert embezzled at least $1,678,893 in MOC’s assets to fund her gambling habit and to pay for her personal expenses. Among other things, Stobert wrote checks from MOC’s business banking accounts to make personal credit card payments and used MOC’s credit cards to withdraw cash at ATMs in casinos located in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. Stobert also admitted that, during the tax years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, she willfully and knowingly filed false tax returns, in which she failed to report the money she embezzled from MOC, resulting in a tax loss to the government of $545,990.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, for each of the seven wire fraud counts, and a sentence of three years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, for each of the four counts of filing false tax returns. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Stobert.
Consultant Sentenced to More Than Four and a Half Years in Prison for Bribing City OfficialsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A consultant has been sentenced to more than four and a half years in federal prison for offering and providing bribes to City of Chicago officials in an effort to benefit his clients.
ROBERTO CALDERO, 70, of Chicago pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in September, 2022. Caldero admitted in a plea agreement that in 2016, he offered and arranged for bribes to be provided to a City of Chicago alderman and a Chicago Public Schools employee in exchange for them taking official actions to benefit Caldero’s clients, who were seeking a custodial services contract at CPS, an honorary street name designation in Chicago, and the renaming of a parcel of property believed to be a Chicago Park District park. The benefits Caldero offered the CPS employee included the prospect of future employment, champagne, discounted event space for a family event, and admission to an annual benefit for a museum. To influence the alderman, Caldero arranged for campaign contributions to be made to political organizations affiliated with the alderman or his ward. Unbeknownst to Caldero, the alderman was cooperating with the FBI.
U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger sentenced Caldero to 57-months on April 14, 2023.
The sentence is announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Robert W. Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Michelle Kramer and Amarjeet Bhachu.
Connecticut Behavioral Health Clinician Group Pays $234K to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, today announced that KELLY STUTZMAN (“Stutzman”), and her business, K-ASSIST, LLC (“K-Assist”), entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and paid more than $234,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
K-Assist is a private behavioral health practice that provided in-home behavioral health services in the greater New Haven area. K-Assist is enrolled as a Behavioral Health Clinician Group and Stutzman is enrolled as a Professional Counselor in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CMAP”), which includes the state’s Medicaid program.
The Government alleged in its civil investigation that Stutzman and K-Assist submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy services. Stutzman and K-Assist falsely represented that a licensed provider had rendered the services when, in fact, an unlicensed individual rendered the services. To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, Stutzman and K-Assist agreed to pay $234,064.89 in order to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from February 1, 2018 through August 1, 2019.
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $13,085 to $27,018 for each false claim.
In a separate state criminal proceeding, Stutzman pleaded nolo contendre to health insurance fraud. As part of that plea, Stutzman agreed to pay $63,764.23 in restitution and be subject to a three-year suspended jail sentence and five-year conditional discharge.
This case stems from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity in the area of behavioral health services, which has been jointly conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office and the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, with support from the Connecticut Department of Social Services.
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann, and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS or the Health Care Fraud Task Force at (203) 777-6311.
Columbia County Convicted Felon Indicted on Narcotics and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kristofferson Farmer, Jr. (22, Lake City) with possessing with the intent to distribute alpha-PVP (a.k.a. flakka) and fentanyl, both controlled substances. Additionally, he was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of those drug trafficking offenses. Farmer, a previously convicted felon, is also charged with possessing two Glock pistols and an AR-15 rifle after being convicted of offenses in Columbia County in 2018. If convicted, Farmer faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to life, in federal prison.
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 investigation began with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office’s Task Force, and the case was then further investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Download IndictmentClay County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Jeffery Ullum, 33, of Maysel, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 15, 2021, a law enforcement officer encountered Ullum at the Clay-Maysel GoMart with a handgun in the back of his pants. When Ullum saw the officer, he attempted to flee in a vehicle. The officer ordered Ullum to stop and recovered the handgun, a loaded 9mm Short Hungarian pistol, as well as a loaded Remington 597 .22-caliber Magnum rifle from the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Ullum was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 7, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Troy D. Adams and R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
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. 2:22-cr-36.
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Civil War Reenactor Admits to Planting Bomb at Cedar Creek BattlefieldRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Gerald Leonard Drake, a Winchester, Virginia man and former Civil War reenactor, pleaded guilty yesterday to mailing threatening letters and planting a pipe bomb at the Cedar Creek Battlefield in Middletown, Virginia during a Civil War reenactment event in 2017. In the mailings sent to victims and two newspapers, Drake purported to be a member of Antifa and threatened harm, including referencing the Unite the Right riots in Charlottesville.
Drake, 63, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of an unregistered explosive device and stalking.
“Our highest priority at the Department of Justice is to keep our nation safe. This defendant sought to intimidate and harm innocent people, and further, he tried to sow discontent by falsely claiming that the attempted bombing was politically motivated,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am deeply grateful to the first responders for their work to quickly neutralize the bomb, as well as the special agents of the FBI and the federal prosecutors who – for years – tirelessly worked this case to identify Mr. Drake and bring him to justice.”
“The mission of the FBI is to protect the American people. Those who seek to instill fear and cause harm will be investigated and held accountable for their actions. Mr. Drake's plea is representative of the FBI, state and local law enforcement's cooperative efforts to keep our communities safe. We implore anyone who may have information about similar crimes or potential threats to contact law enforcement immediately,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Division.
According to court documents, Drake belonged to a reenactment unit that participated in the annual reenactment at Cedar Creek Battlefield until he was removed from his unit in 2014. In later years, Drake volunteered with the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation (CCBF), which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of history related to the Cedar Creek Battlefield and which hosts an annual reenactment attended by merchants, reenactors, and visitors.
On September 23, 2017, a letter was received at the CCBF visitor center addressed to “Cedar Creek Battlefield people.” The envelope and its letter both bore a printed Antifa symbol depicting a black flag overlayed atop a red flag inside of a circle. The letter claimed the reenactment event “clearly celebrates the war to keep African-Americans in chains,” and warned the reenactment organizers that if the event was not cancelled, the trouble Antifa would inflict on Cedar Creek Battlefield would make the riots that took place in Charlottesville in August look like “a Sunday picnic.”
On October 14, 2017, the CCBF hosted the planned 153rd anniversary and reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek. During the afternoon hours, as the reenactment of the battle was coming to an end, an unexploded pipe bomb was discovered in one of the merchant tents. The pipe bomb contained metal nuts, a mercury switch, a battery, ball bearings, black and red wires, powder, and other items.
Deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene to investigate and seize the explosive device, which was later rendered safe by Virginia State Police. Due to its discovery, however, all remaining reenactment activities were cancelled, and individuals were evacuated from the area.
Following this incident, Drake continued writing letters purporting to be sent by Antifa, including letters to the CCBF, its board members, an individual associated with Civil War reenactments, and news publications. During this same time frame, Drake continued to volunteer with the CCBF.
Drake admitted today that he manufactured the pipe bomb using a metal pipe nipple, metal nuts, a 9-volt battery, black and red wires, and a mercury switch. The bomb contained powder, Pryodez, and BBs. Drake admitted to placing the bomb at Cedar Creek Battlefield to instill fear and cause harm to those attending the reenactment.
In addition, Drake admitted today to being the author of the threatening letters sent to members of the CCBF and various news agencies between September 2017 and December 2018. Those letters included threats of violence and sexual assault against members of the CCBF and their family.
At sentencing, Drake faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Virginia State Police, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Middletown Police Department participated in the investigation.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Burroughs Medearis, Melanie Smith, and Cagle Juhan are prosecuting the case.
California Man Indicted for Importing More Than 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine from MexicoRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – David Daniel Gallegos, 21, of Pomona, California, was indicted last week on two counts: Importation of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The United States alleges that, on March 14, 2023, Gallegos applied for admission into the United States from Mexico via a vehicle lane at the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luis, Arizona. United States Customs and Border Protection officers conducted an inspection that revealed a total of 103 packages hidden within the vehicle’s doors, rear quarter panel, and center console. The total weight of the packages was 104.47 pounds, and they contained a white substance that field tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Homeland Security Investigations, Yuma Office, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph K. Nwoga, District of Arizona, Yuma, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00553-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-055_Gallegos# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Brooklyn Federal Correctional Officer Charged with BriberyRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Quandelle Joseph, a correctional officer currently employed by the United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP), with receiving bribes in exchange for providing contraband to prison inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Joseph was arrested this morning in Brooklyn, and his initial appearance was this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho and he was released on $50,000 bond pending trial.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, New York Field Office (DOJ-OIG), and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendant violated his duty as a correction officer and accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to smuggle contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “By accepting bribes, the defendant violated the public’s trust and promoted conditions that risked the safety of the officers and inmates in the MDC. This Office will continue rooting out corruption at our federal and local jails, and holding corrupt public officials accountable.”
“As alleged, Joseph’s corrupt actions of accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into MDC Brooklyn endangered his fellow correctional officers, inmates, and the public. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to rooting out these kinds of dangerous schemes,” stated DOJ-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Geach.
“We allege the defendant participated in a scheme to smuggle contraband into a federal prison in exchange for money, breaking not only his oath of duty but also the law. The defendant’s actions put both the inmates of MDC and his fellow correctional officers at risk. The FBI will continue to ensure corrupt individuals abusing the authority given to them by the public are held responsible in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
As alleged in the complaint, Joseph became a correctional officer at the MDC in May 2020. During his employment, Joseph accepted tens of thousands of dollars from at least two different inmates to smuggle narcotics, cigarettes, and cell phones into the MDC. In one instance, Joseph entered a unit he was not guarding during a lockdown, opened an inmate’s cell and provided him with contraband. A few hours later, MDC staff smelled marijuana in that inmate’s cell and recovered a contraband cell phone from the cell during a search; the inmate had flushed the marijuana down the toilet prior to the search. In June 2020, Joseph texted the inmate’s contact outside the facility that the inmate owed him $12,000. Joseph also used a “burner” telephone to communicate with another inmate about the bribery scheme and warn him about upcoming contraband searches. For example, on January 26, 2021, Joseph texted an inmate from whom he was receiving bribes, “[t]ighten up search comin clean phones out call logs n text n try to stash it.” The next day, Joseph texted the inmate, “keep your phones cleannnnnnnnnn erase texts and call logs every night.”
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Joseph faces a maximum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Marietou Diouf are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
QUANDELLE JOSEPH
Age: 32
Brooklyn, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-MJ-359
Bank Robber Gets 50 Years in Prison for Murdering Security GuardRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS – A U.S. District Court judge sentenced a St. Louis man to a total of 50 years in federal prison after he murdered a security guard during a bank robbery in East St. Louis in August 2021.
Jaylan Quinn, 23, pled guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of using a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence. After his imprisonment, the defendant will serve five years of supervised release. Quinn was also ordered to pay $7,280 in restitution.
“Although this sentence won’t bring back Ted Horn, it’s a small sigh of relief that the man responsible for taking his life will spend the foreseeable future in federal prison for his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Swift action by the FBI, the Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department led to this successful investigation, and I applaud their efforts to remove this dangerous, uncivilized criminal from society.”
FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz said, “Today’s significant sentence reflects the severity of Jaylan Quinn’s actions. And while it brings a conclusion to this case, the loss experienced by the family of Ted Horn will last a lifetime. We hope that in some way today’s sentence provides a degree of comfort for the victim’s family.”
“Strong and swift investigation by law enforcement, working with the justice system, enabled us to send a convicted murderer to prison,” said ISP Zone 6 Commander Lt. Mike Lewis. “The Illinois State Police will continue working with our local and federal law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to ensure those breaking the law are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Quinn and Andrew R. Brinkley, 21 of St. Louis, Missouri, entered First Bank in East St. Louis located at 350 River Park Dr. around 4 p.m. on Aug. 27, 2021. Wearing masks, the pair approached the teller and displayed a demand note. The note read, “I GOT A BOMB STRAPPED TO MY CHEST PUT ALL THE MONEY IN OR EVERYONE DIE.” After receiving funds, the two men ran toward the door.
Ted Horn, 56, of St. Libory, Illinois, was working at the bank as a uniformed security guard and followed the men to observe, but Quinn drew a semi-automatic handgun and fatally shot Horn in the head. The robbers then fled in a white Lexus sedan. Horn was pronounced dead at the scene.
Bank surveillance video quickly led to the identification of Brinkley as a suspect. By 2 p.m. the next day, FBI agents arrested Brinkley and Quinn at Brinkley’s residence in St. Louis.
Agents executed a search warrant at the residence and recovered a loaded 9mm handgun, two marked bills that were taken during the First Bank robbery and clothing that matched the description of the robbers. A white Lexus sedan was found parked at the residence.
Brinkley was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Jan. 12, 2023. He was ordered to pay $7,280 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The FBI-Springfield Field Office led the investigation with assistance from the Illinois State Police and the East St. Louis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Reppert and Ali Burns prosecuted the case.
Ansonia Man Sentenced to 44 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Offense, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEVAUGHN WATSON, also known as “Russ,” 29, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 44 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a drug trafficking offense, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a previous federal conviction.
This matter stems from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force into a drug trafficking organization headed by Tajh Wiley, also known as “Yung,” of Norwalk. The investigation, which included a court-authorized wiretap of Wiley’s phone, revealed that Wiley conspired to distribute quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana and distributed drugs throughout Connecticut and elsewhere with the assistance of other associates.
Wiley, Watson, and six others were arrested in June 2021. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately a kilogram of fentanyl, a kilogram of cocaine, approximately 83 grams of crack cocaine, more than 12 pounds of marijuana, two press machines and other items and materials used by Wiley and his co-conspirators to process and package illegal drugs. Investigators also seized from Wiley jewelry valued at more than $100,000, and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz valued at approximately $146,000.
On July 25, 2022, a jury found Wiley guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and marijuana, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”). The jury found Watson guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
On February 23, 2017, Watson was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 46 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin to a 25-year-old woman who subsequently died of an overdose in August 2016. He was released from prison in February 2020 and was on supervised release when he participated in Wiley’s drug trafficking conspiracy.
Watson has been detained since his arrest on June 9, 2021.
On December 28, 2022, Judge Arterton sentenced Wiley to 12 years of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bridgeport Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, Stratford Police Department, Yonkers (New York) Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elena L. Coronado, Robert S. Dearington, Patrick J. Doherty, and Margaret M. Donovan through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Alleged Kidnapper Competent to Stand TrialRead the Press Release
Evidence Shows Defendant Faking Incompetency
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten for the Western District of Michigan today announced that U.S. Magistrate Judge Ray Kent found Gerald Bennett, 63, of Detroit, competent to stand trial for kidnapping a minor in 2018.
“Today’s ruling is an important step forward,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “My office is prepared to prove these allegations against Mr. Bennett as we seek justice for the victim’s family.”
In August of 2022, a federal grand jury charged Bennett with kidnapping a minor in 2018. Bennett’s trial was subsequently delayed so he could undergo an evaluation for mental competency.
During today’s hearing, Judge Kent considered evidence prepared by Dr. Leticia Armstrong, a forensic psychologist from the Bureau of Prisons. Dr. Armstrong concluded that Bennett understood the nature of the proceedings against him and was able to participate in his own defense. The court noted Dr. Armstrong’s finding that, “there is evidence to suggest the defendant is feigning symptomology, or exaggerating, with the goal of being found incompetent to stand trial . . . .” As Dr. Armstrong explained in her report, Bennett’s “attempt to feign and exaggerate during the current evaluation evidenced higher ordered, complex thinking.” After considering this evidence, Judge Kent ruled that Bennett was competent.
The Court’s ruling allows the case to proceed to trial. If convicted of the offense, Bennett will face a minimum term of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison. If released from prison, Bennett must serve at least 5 years on supervised release and could spend the rest of his life under the court’s supervision.
The court’s ruling is the most recent event in a case that has been unfolding since 2017. The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office charged Gerald Bennett and Quinn James with murder of the minor victim in a related case. James proceeded to trial and was convicted of both the rape and murder of the minor victim, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. After considering conflicting expert testimony, the judge presiding over the case found Bennett was mentally impaired and adjudicated him incompetent. Afterwards, Bennett’s state charges were dismissed, and he was freed without conditions in March of 2022.
The case was then referred to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for consideration of federal charges. In July 2022, Bennett was arrested on a federal criminal complaint for kidnapping a minor and was formally charged by a federal grand jury by indictment on August 9, 2022. The court will schedule Bennett’s arraignment, detention hearing, and trial at a later date.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Mekaru and Austin Hakes and investigated by the Grand Rapids Police Department and the FBI in cooperation with the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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22-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer and Improper EntryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hugo Alexander Garcia-Sales, 22, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty last week to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer With a Deadly Weapon or Dangerous Instrument and one count of Improper Entry by an Alien.
On October 13, 2022, Garcia-Sales assaulted a United States Customs and Border Protection helicopter pilot by throwing five softball-sized rocks at the helicopter. Although Garcia-Sales failed to hit the helicopter, one rock came within several feet of striking the aircraft. As part of his plea agreement, Garcia-Sales admitted that striking the helicopter with any of the rocks could have caused the aircraft to crash. Additionally, Garcia-Sales admitted that he is not an American citizen, and that he entered the country without legal permission to enter or remain in the United States.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2023, before United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02445-RM-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-054_Garcia-Sales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
17 April 2023
名中國國家員警被控實施針對美國居民的跨國鎮壓陰謀Read the Press Release
美國紐約東區檢察官辦公室今天在布魯克林聯邦法院公佈兩起刑事訴訟，指控 44 名被告犯有與中華人民共和國國家員警—公安部（MPS）騷擾居住在紐約大都市區和美國其他地區的中國公民有關的各種罪行。被告包括 40 名公安部官員和兩名中國網信辦官員。他們涉嫌對政治觀點和行為(例如在中國宣導民主)不受中國政府青睞的美國居民實施跨國鎮壓陰謀。
在這兩項陰謀中，被告創建並使用虛假社交媒體帳戶，騷擾和恐嚇居住在國外的中國異見者，並試圖壓制異見者在一家美國電信公司（公司1）平臺上的言論自由。據信，這些陰謀中受控的被告居住在中國或亞洲其他地方，並且仍然在逃。
美國司法部國家安全司助理司法部長馬修·奧爾森說：“這些案件表明，中華人民共和國政府會竭盡全力，壓制和騷擾那些行使基本權利公開反對中華人民共和國壓迫的美國人士，包括非法利用一家總部位於美國的科技公司。” “此類行為違反了我們的法律，是對我們民主價值觀和基本人權的侮辱。”
美國聯邦調查局反情報司代理助理主任庫爾特·羅諾（Kurt Ronnow）表示：“中國公安部利用特工，針對那些有勇氣公開反對中國共產黨的華裔人士，其中一種是秘密傳播宣傳，破壞人們對我們民主進程的信心，另一種是壓制美國視頻會議用戶的言論自由。” “我們不會容忍中共在美國的鎮壓—即其威脅、騷擾和恐嚇人民的行為。聯邦調查局將繼續對抗中國政府違反我們法律並壓制我國人民權利和自由的行為。”
披露：紐約東區美國檢察官布倫·皮士(Breon Peace) 回避本案，未參與美國訴朱利安·金(Julien Jin) 等人 (20-mj-1103) 的案件。
美國訴白雲鵬等人。
該兩項罪名起訴書指控 34 名公安部官員串謀傳播州際威脅和串謀進行州際騷擾。據信所有被告均居住在中國，但仍然在逃。
據指控，這些官員與北京市公安局合作，目前或曾經被分配到一個名為“912特別項目工作組”（簡稱“工作組”）的精英特遣隊。該工作組的目的，是對付世界各地（包括美國）的中國異見者。
紐約東區美國檢察官布倫·皮斯表示：“正如所指控，中國政府部署國家員警和912特別項目工作組不是作為維護法律和保護公共安全的工具，而是作為一個酸民農場，對在我國以其認為令人不快的方式行使言論自由的人實施攻擊，並進行宣傳，其唯一目的是在美國境內煽動分裂。” “我讚揚調查團隊，因為其全面揭露了一項針對美國居民的國家主導犯罪陰謀的陰險性。”
起訴書列出該工作組成員如何在推特等社交媒體網站上創建數千個虛假網路角色，通過線上騷擾和威脅，針對中國異見者。此類網路人物還傳播中華人民共和國政府的官方宣傳和敍事，以對抗中國異見人士的民主言論。例如，據稱，工作組成員通過臨時電子郵件，創建和維護虛假社交媒體帳戶，發佈中國政府官方內容，並與其他線上用戶互動，以避免工作組帳戶涉嫌“淹沒”特定社交媒體平臺。工作組跟蹤成員履行線上職責的表現，並在成功運營多個線上角色的工作組成員，而不會被託管平臺的社交媒體公司或平臺的其他用戶發現時對其獎勵。
調查還發現，公安部官方要求該工作組成員根據某些主題撰寫文章和視頻，例如針對海外中國異見者的活動或美國政府的政策。
據稱，被告還試圖通過傳播中華人民共和國政府的宣傳或敍事，招募美國人在不知情的情況下，充當中華人民共和國政府的代理人。被告多次利用網路角色聯繫被評估為同情和支持中國政府言論的個人，並要求這些人傳播工作組內容。
此外，該工作組成員多次採取明確的行動，將中國異見者及其會議從公司1的平臺上刪除。例如，該工作組成員通過平臺的聊天功能，發佈針對參與者的威脅，擾亂了異見者通過視頻會議，紀念天安門廣場大屠殺的努力。在中國異見者組織的另一場以反共為主題的第一連視頻會議中，工作組成員擠滿了視頻會議，大聲的音樂、粗俗的尖叫聲和針對民主派參與者的威脅淹沒了會議。
美國訴 朱利安·金等人。
該修訂後起訴書指控 10 名人士，包括一名前駐中華人民共和國 公司1 員工、六名公安部官員和兩名網信辦官員，串謀實施州際騷擾和非法串謀實施轉移身份識別手段。據信，其中九名被告居住在中國，目前仍在逃。據信第十名被告居住在印尼或中國，並且仍然在逃。
紐約東區美國第一助理檢察官波科尼(Pokorny)說：“對一名美國電信公司前駐中國員工提出的修訂後起訴書中的指控表明，在中國運營的美國公司面臨著內部威脅。”他感謝公司1 在政府調查中的合作。 “據指控，朱利安·金及其在中國公安部和網信辦的同謀將雇傭他的美國電信公司武器化，以恐嚇和壓制異見者並執行中國法律，從而損害了紐約等地的中國活動人士的利益，後者我國尋求庇護，以和平方式表達其民主觀點。”
“此類案件表明，中國共產黨再次試圖恐嚇、騷擾和鎮壓在美國的中國異見者，”聯邦調查局華盛頓辦事處助理主任大衛·桑德伯格(David Sundberg)說。 “在美國，言論自由是我們民主的基石，聯邦調查局將不懈努力，捍衛每個人對自由言論的權利，而不必擔心中共的報復。這些複雜的調查揭示，公安部通過利用美國通訊平臺和虛假社交媒體帳戶審查政治和宗教言論來鎮壓個人。”
2020 年 12 月，該部門首次宣佈對朱利安•金提出指控，罪名是他努力擾亂 2020 年 5 月和 6 月在公司1 平臺上舉行的一系列紀念 1989 年天安門廣場大屠殺的會議。 金擔任公司1 與中國政府執法和情報部門的主要聯絡人。在那個角色中，他定期回應中國政府的要求，終止會議並遮罩公司1 視頻通信平臺上的用戶。
正如原起訴書詳細描述，金和其他人在中國政府的指示下，合謀使用公司1 的美國系統，審查位於美國和其他地區人士的政治和宗教言論。例如，金和其他人擾亂了公司1 平臺上舉行的會議，討論中國政府不可接受的政治敏感話題，包括天安門廣場大屠殺。金及其同謀捏造了所謂不當行為的證據，導致公司1 的美國員工終止會議。
經修訂起訴書中的指控顯示，金與公安部和網信辦的被告直接合作，並接受被告的命令，擾亂公司1 平臺上的會議，且同案被告自 2018 年以來，始終對付在美異見者在公司1 平臺上的言論。
從 2018 年起，金和他的同案被告多次試圖終止一名居住在紐約市的中國異見人士組織的視頻聊天會議，該人士一直直言不諱地批評中國政府和中國共產黨。在 網信辦要求公司1 終止異見者在公司1 平臺上的會議後，金努力查明與異見者相關的所有帳戶，使與異見者相關的會議在“隔離區”（即回應時間已知滯後的伺服器上）舉行，隨後努力封鎖與異見者相關的所有帳戶。同樣，2019 年，金與公安部和網信辦合作，封鎖了紀念天安門廣場大屠殺的帳戶。
聯邦調查局華盛頓辦事處對上述案件進行了調查。
紐約東區的美國助理檢察官亞歷山大·所羅門 (Alexander A. Solomon)、安托瓦內特·蘭格爾 (Antoinette N. Rangel)、伊恩·理查森 (Ian C. Richardson)、尼古拉斯·莫斯科 (Nicholas J. Moscow) 和潔西嘉·威格爾 (Jessica K. Weigel) 以及國家安全部反情報和出口管制科的審判律師斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee) 正在起訴這些案件。
聯邦調查局創建了一個網站，供受害者舉報外國政府跟蹤、恐嚇或襲擊美國民眾的行為。請訪問： www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression 。
名中国国家警察被控实施针对美国居民的跨国镇压阴谋Read the Press Release
美国纽约东区检察官办公室今天在布鲁克林联邦法院公布两起刑事诉讼，指控 44 名被告犯有与中华人民共和国国家警察—公安部（MPS）骚扰居住在纽约大都市区和美国其他地区的中国公民有关的各种罪行。被告包括 40 名公安部官员和两名中国网信办官员。他们涉嫌对政治观点和行为(例如在中国倡导民主)不受中国政府青睐的美国居民实施跨国镇压阴谋。
在这两项阴谋中，被告创建并使用虚假社交媒体账户，骚扰和恐吓居住在国外的中国持不同政见者，并试图压制持不同政见者在一家美国电信公司（公司1）平台上的言论自由。据信，这些阴谋中受控的被告居住在中国或亚洲其他地方，并且仍然在逃。
美国司法部国家安全司助理司法部长马修·奥尔森说：“这些案件表明，中华人民共和国政府会竭尽全力，压制和骚扰那些行使基本权利公开反对中华人民共和国压迫的美国人士，包括非法利用一家总部位于美国的科技公司。” “此类行为违反了我们的法律，是对我们民主价值观和基本人权的侮辱。”
美国联邦调查局反情报司代理助理主任库尔特·罗诺（Kurt Ronnow）表示：“中国公安部利用特工，针对那些有勇气公开反对中国共产党的华裔人士，其中一种是秘密传播宣传，破坏人们对我们民主进程的信心，另一种是压制美国视频会议用户的言论自由。” “我们不会容忍中共在美国的镇压—即其威胁、骚扰和恐吓人民的行为。联邦调查局将继续对抗中国政府违反我们法律并压制我国人民权利和自由的行为。”
披露：纽约东区美国检察官布伦·皮士(Breon Peace) 回避本案，未参与美国诉朱利安·金(Julien Jin) 等人 (20-mj-1103) 的案件。
美国诉白云鹏等人。
该两项罪名起诉书指控 34 名公安部官员串谋传播州际威胁和串谋进行州际骚扰。据信所有被告均居住在中国，但仍然在逃。
据指控，这些官员与北京市公安局合作，目前或曾经被分配到一个名为“912特别项目工作组”（简称“工作组”）的精英特遣队。该工作组的目的，是对付世界各地（包括美国）的中国持不同政见者。
纽约东区美国检察官布伦·皮斯表示：“正如所指控，中国政府部署国家警察和912特别项目工作组不是作为维护法律和保护公共安全的工具，而是作为一个酸民农场，对在我国以其认为令人不快的方式行使言论自由的人实施攻击，并进行宣传，其唯一目的是在美国境内煽动分裂。” “我赞扬调查团队，因为其全面揭露了一项针对美国居民的国家主导犯罪阴谋的阴险性。”
起诉书列出该工作组成员如何在推特等社交媒体网站上创建数千个虚假网络角色，通过在线骚扰和威胁，针对中国持不同政见者。此类网络人物还传播中华人民共和国政府的官方宣传和叙事，以对抗中国持不同政见人士的民主言论。例如，据称，工作组成员通过临时电子邮件，创建和维护虚假社交媒体帐户，发布中国政府官方内容，并与其他在线用户互动，以避免工作组账户涉嫌“淹没”特定社交媒体平台。工作组跟踪成员履行在线职责的表现，并在成功运营多个在线角色的工作组成员，而不会被托管平台的社交媒体公司或平台的其他用户发现时对其奖励。
调查还发现，公安部官方要求该工作组成员根据某些主题撰写文章和视频，例如针对海外中国持不同政见者的活动或美国政府的政策。
据称，被告还试图通过传播中华人民共和国政府的宣传或叙事，招募美国人在不知情的情况下，充当中华人民共和国政府的代理人。被告多次利用网络角色联系被评估为同情和支持中国政府言论的个人，并要求这些人传播工作组内容。
此外，该工作组成员多次采取明确的行动，将中国持不同政见者及其会议从公司1的平台上删除。例如，该工作组成员通过平台的聊天功能，发布针对参与者的威胁，扰乱了持不同政见者通过视频会议，纪念天安门广场大屠杀的努力。在中国持不同政见者组织的另一场以反共为主题的第一连视频会议中，工作组成员挤满了视频会议，大声的音乐、粗俗的尖叫声和针对民主派参与者的威胁淹没了会议。
美国诉 朱利安·金等人。
该修订后起诉书指控 10 名人士，包括一名前驻中华人民共和国 公司1 员工、六名公安部官员和两名网信办官员，串谋实施州际骚扰和非法串谋实施转移身份识别手段。据信，其中九名被告居住在中国，目前仍在逃。据信第十名被告居住在印度尼西亚或中国，并且仍然在逃。
纽约东区美国第一助理检察官波科尼( Pokorny)说：“对一名美国电信公司前驻中国员工提出的修订后起诉书中的指控表明，在中国运营的美国公司面临着内部威胁。”他感谢公司1 在政府调查中的合作。 “据指控，朱利安·金及其在中国公安部和网信办的同谋将雇佣他的美国电信公司武器化，以恐吓和压制持不同政见者并执行中国法律，从而损害了纽约等地的中国活动人士的利益，后者我国寻求庇护，以和平方式表达其民主观点。”
“此类案件表明，中国共产党再次试图恐吓、骚扰和镇压在美国的中国持不同政见者，”联邦调查局华盛顿办事处助理主任大卫·桑德伯格(David Sundberg)说。 “在美国，言论自由是我们民主的基石，联邦调查局将不懈努力，捍卫每个人对自由言论的权利，而不必担心中共的报复。这些复杂的调查揭示，公安部通过利用美国通讯平台和虚假社交媒体账户审查政治和宗教言论来镇压个人。”
2020 年 12 月，该部门首次宣布对朱利安•金提出指控，罪名是他努力扰乱 2020 年 5 月和 6 月在公司1 平台上举行的一系列纪念 1989 年天安门广场大屠杀的会议。 金担任公司1 与中国政府执法和情报部门的主要联络人。在那个角色中，他定期响应中国政府的要求，终止会议并屏蔽公司1 视频通信平台上的用户。
正如原起诉书详细描述，金和其他人在中国政府的指示下，合谋使用公司1 的美国系统，审查位于美国和其他地区人士的政治和宗教言论。例如，金和其他人扰乱了公司1 平台上举行的会议，讨论中国政府不可接受的政治敏感话题，包括天安门广场大屠杀。金及其同谋捏造了所谓不当行为的证据，导致公司1 的美国员工终止会议。
经修订起诉书中的指控显示，金与公安部和网信办的被告直接合作，并接受被告的命令，扰乱公司1 平台上的会议，且同案被告自 2018 年以来，始终对付在美持不同政见者在公司1 平台上的言论。
从 2018 年起，金和他的同案被告多次试图终止一名居住在纽约市的中国持不同政见人士组织的视频聊天会议，该人士一直直言不讳地批评中国政府和中国共产党。在 网信办要求公司1 终止持不同政见者在公司1 平台上的会议后，金努力查明与持不同政见者相关的所有帐户，使与持不同政见者相关的会议在“隔离区”（即响应时间已知滞后的服务器上）举行，随后努力封锁与持不同政见者相关的所有帐户。同样，2019 年，金与公安部和网信办合作，封锁了纪念天安门广场大屠杀的账户。
联邦调查局华盛顿办事处对上述案件进行了调查。
纽约东区的美国助理检察官亚历山大·所罗门 (Alexander A. Solomon)、安托瓦内特·兰格尔 (Antoinette N. Rangel)、伊恩·理查森 (Ian C. Richardson)、尼古拉斯·莫斯科 (Nicholas J. Moscow) 和杰西卡·威格尔 (Jessica K. Weigel) 以及国家安全部反情报和出口管制科的审判律师斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee) 正在起诉这些案件。
联邦调查局创建了一个网站，供受害者举报外国政府跟踪、恐吓或袭击美国民众的行为。请访问： www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression 。
West Bloomfield Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Distributing Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
DETROIT, Mich. - A West Bloomfield physician pleaded guilty today to illegally distributing over 7,000 oxycodone pills, a Schedule II prescription drug-controlled substance, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division.
Scott Henry Cooper, 61, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood.
According to court records, Cooper practiced as a primary care physician at a medical clinic, Comprehensive Medical Associates, located in West Bloomfield, MI, from 2013 through 2018. A portion of his practice involved patients who sought highly abused and valuable prescription drug-controlled substances such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, alprazolam (Xanax) and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall). The defendant was required by his employer to see Medicaid (low income) patients. Cooper admitted that his controlled substance patients were problem patients, he did not want to see them, and in fact he often did not see them while continuing to prescribe controlled substances.
One such patient served time in prison from January 9, 2015 until December 7, 2017. For almost three years the defendant wrote monthly prescriptions for the patient without an examination or determination of medical necessity. The prescriptions were picked up at the front desk by a relative while the patient was in prison. The drugs prescribed by Cooper to the patient while the patient was in prison totaled over 7,000 dosage units. The count of conviction relates to a prescription written on October 16, 2017, without an examination or determination of medical necessity. The prescription was for 120 dosage units of oxycodone 15mg.
Under the terms of the guilty plea agreement, the judge must impose a sentence of at least 44 months in prison and may impose a sentence of up to 87 months of imprisonment. The exact sentence imposed will be determined at sentencing, which will take place on August 24, 2023, at 2 PM.
The defendant has not been able to prescribe any prescription drug-controlled substances since June of 2020, due to bond conditions imposed by the court.
“A doctor who supplies a patient with addictive and dangerous controlled substances without assessing the patient’s need for the drugs endangers the patient and the community,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is committed to keeping highly addictive opioids off the street, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute doctors who illegally distribute controlled substances.”
Special Agent in Charge Orville stated, ““Dr. Cooper’s actions were reckless and criminal. This type of negligence by medical personnel is what fuels addiction. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who act illegally and put patients’ health and safety at risk.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne F. Pratt of the Health Care Fraud Unit.
Webster Man Found Guilty of Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Jesse James Bertetto (29, Webster) guilty of four counts of distributing, receiving, and possessing child sexual abuse material. Bertetto faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for each count. He is also required to register as a sex offender. Bertetto had been indicted on May 10, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in December 2020, Bertetto possessed child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, including images and videos of minors under the age of 12. The web history on his cellphone revealed that he had searched for child sexual abuse material and had visited websites known to law enforcement as frequently containing child sexual abuse material.
In January 2022, Bertetto continued to possess images and videos of children on another cellphone, including young children being sexually abused. He also actively traded videos of child sexual abuse material over a social media platform in January 2022.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Tampa, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest of Bronx Woman for Threatening to Shoot up A New Rochelle Restaurant and Sports Bar on A Saturday NightRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Robert Gazzola, the Commissioner of the New Rochelle Police Department (“NRPD”), announced that JAYLEEN MOTA was arrested on April 16, 2023, and charged via a criminal Complaint filed in White Plains federal court with making threatening interstate communications, in which MOTA threatened to shoot up a popular nationwide chain restaurant and sports bar located on LeCount Place in New Rochelle on Saturday night. MOTA will be presented in White Plains federal court later today before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Actual or threatened gun violence cannot be tolerated. Simply put, those who place the public in fear by engaging in or threatening the use of violence will be held accountable. This Office commends the swift action of the New Rochelle Police Department and the FBI in quickly tracking down this threat.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “As alleged, Ms. Mota sent a series of text messages in which she threatened to commit a mass shooting at a crowded New Rochelle restaurant. Communicating threats like those we allege she made can waste valuable law enforcement resources and cause unnecessary alarm in our communities. Today’s charges should serve as a reminder for all that the FBI takes these types of threats seriously, and there will be consequences for those who make them.”
NRPD Commissioner Robert Gazzola said: “I want to commend the New Rochelle Police detectives, members of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety's Real Time Crime Center, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office. They worked quickly and diligently to identify and arrest the individual who allegedly made threats of mass violence directed at a local New Rochelle restaurant. It is a testament to the professional cooperation that exists in law enforcement today. The New Rochelle Police Department does not tolerate such acts and will make every effort to identify and arrest anyone making such threats.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed today:[1]
On April 15, 2023, the NRPD received a call from an individual (“Caller-1”) who had received an initial text message from an unknown person, later identified as MOTA, threatening to “shoot[] up” a popular nationwide chain restaurant and sports bar located on LeCount Place in New Rochelle (the “Victim Restaurant”). The text message further stated that there would be a “massacre” and “lots of people are going down.” A subsequent text message stated that “[t]odays a busy night because of the game DON’T TAKE ME AS A JOKE lots of people will die DON’T CALL THE STORE AND RUIN MY PLANS I’m gonna make the news.”
That same day, the NRPD received a call from a second individual (“Caller-2”) who had received an identical text message from an unknown person threatening to “shooting[] up” the Victim Restaurant and commit a “massacre,” stating, “lots of people are going down.”
The NRPD took the phone number from which the text-message threats were sent and traced the number back to MOTA. On the evening of April 15, 2023, pursuant to a search warrant, the FBI and New Rochelle Police searched MOTA’s apartment and found both MOTA and the cellphone from which MOTA sent the threats. After informing MOTA of her Miranda rights, she consented to being interviewed and admitted that she had sent text messages threatening to shoot up the Victim Restaurant to five individuals.
* * *
MOTA, 21, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with making threatening interstate communications, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the NRPD and the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI and other New York state and local agencies.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Ly is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Inmates Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapons at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Two inmates were each sentenced today for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison for separate incidents at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell.
Artemas Roberts, 42, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 6, 2022, FCI McDowell staff conducted a random visual search of Roberts. Staff found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” and several doses of a substance that Roberts admitted was suboxone. The shank was a sharpened metal medical scalpel with a plastic handle, and was designed and intended to be used as a weapon. Roberts admitted to possessing the shank and the suboxone, and further admitted that he did not have a prescription for the suboxone.
Ray Ramirez-Bueno, 59, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. On June 10, 2021, a FCI McDowell staff member conducting a pat-down search of Ramirez-Bueno found a “shank” on his person. The object was a piece of metal approximately four inches long, sharpened to a point on one end. Ramirez-Bueno admitted to possessing the object and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the cases.
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. 1:22-cr-143 (Roberts) and (1:21-cr-210).
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Two Individuals Arrested for Operating Undeclared Police Station of the Chinese Government in Chinatown in ManhattanRead the Press Release
Today, a complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging two defendants in connection with opening and operating an undeclared overseas police station, located in lower Manhattan, for the Ministry of Public Security (“MPS”) of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). Lu Jianwang and Chen Jinping were arrested earlier this morning at their homes in New York City. Their initial appearances are scheduled this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI, New York Field Office, announced the arrests and charges.
“This prosecution reveals the Chinese government’s flagrant violation of our nation’s sovereignty by establishing a secret police station in the middle of New York City,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “As alleged, the defendants were directed to do the PRC’s bidding, including helping locate a Chinese dissident living in the United States, and obstructed our investigation by deleting their communications with a Chinese Ministry of Public Security official. Such a police station has no place here in New York City—or any American community.”
“The PRC, through its repressive security apparatus, established a secret physical presence in New York City to monitor and intimidate dissidents and those critical of its government,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “The PRC’s actions go far beyond the bounds of acceptable nation-state conduct. We will resolutely defend the freedoms of all those living in our country from the threat of authoritarian repression.”
“The defendants, operating on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China, are alleged to have operated an undeclared police station in downtown New York City,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “Upon learning of the FBI’s investigation into the police station, the defendants erased their communications to conceal their activities. Clandestine police stations operating within our communities are not only illegal but infringe on the United States' freedom - they will not be tolerated. The FBI is unwavering in our mission to protect the American people and uphold our Constitution; anyone working on behalf of a hostile foreign nation to violate our national security and freedoms will be held accountable.”
As alleged in the complaint, Lu Jianwang and Chen Jinping are charged with conspiring to act as agents of the PRC government as well as obstructing justice by destroying evidence of their communications with an MPS official (the “MPS Official”). While acting under the direction and control of the MPS Official, the defendants worked together to establish the first known overseas police station in the United States on behalf of the Fuzhou branch of the MPS. The police station—which closed in the fall of 2022—occupied an entire floor in an office building in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Lu and Chen helped open and operate the clandestine police station. None of the participants in the scheme informed the U.S. government that they were helping the PRC government surreptitiously open and operate an undeclared MPS police station on U.S. soil.
Before helping open the police station in early 2022, Lu had a longstanding relationship of trust with PRC law enforcement, including the MPS. Since 2015, and through the operation of the secret police station, Lu was directed to assist the PRC government’s repressive activities on U.S. soil:
- In 2015, during PRC President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States, Lu participated in counterprotests in Washington, D.C. against members of a religion that is forbidden under PRC law. A deputy director of the MPS awarded Lu a plaque for the work he performed on behalf of the PRC government.
- In 2018, Lu was enlisted in efforts to cause a purported PRC fugitive to return to the PRC. The victim reported being repeatedly harassed to return to the PRC, including through threats of violence made to the victim and the victim’s family in the United States and in the PRC.
- In 2022, the MPS Official sought Lu’s assistance in locating an individual living in California who is a pro-democracy activist. In turn, Lu enlisted the help of another co-conspirator. Later, when confronted by the FBI about these conversations, Lu denied that they occurred.
In October 2022, the FBI conducted a judicially authorized search of the illegal police station. In connection with the search, FBI agents interviewed both Lu and Chen and seized their phones. In reviewing the contents of these phones, FBI agents observed that communications between Lu and Chen, on the one hand, and the MPS Official, on the other, appeared to have been deleted. In subsequent consensual interviews, Lu and Chen admitted to the FBI that they had deleted their communications with the MPS Official after learning about the ongoing FBI investigation, thus preventing the FBI from learning the full extent of the MPS’s directions for the overseas police station.
If convicted of conspiring to act as agents of the PRC, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The obstruction of justice charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The charges in the complaints are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, and Antoinette N. Rangel are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
The Defendants:
Lu Jianwang
Age: 61
Bronx, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-MJ-265
Chen Jinping
Age: 59
Manhattan, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-MJ-265
Two Arrested for Operating Illegal Overseas Police Station of the Chinese GovernmentRead the Press Release
A complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging two defendants in connection with opening and operating an illegal overseas police station, located in lower Manhattan, New York, for a provincial branch of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). “Harry” Lu Jianwang, 61, of the Bronx, and Chen Jinping, 59, of Manhattan, were arrested earlier this morning at their homes in New York City. Their initial appearances are scheduled this afternoon in Brooklyn before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes Jr.
As alleged in the complaint, Lu and Chen are charged with conspiring to act as agents of the PRC government as well as obstructing justice by destroying evidence of their communications with an MPS official. The defendants worked together to establish the first overseas police station in the United States on behalf of the Fuzhou branch of the MPS. The police station – which closed in the fall of 2022 after those operating it became aware of the FBI’s investigation – occupied a floor in an office building in Manhattan’s Chinatown. While acting under the direction and control of an MPS Official, Lu and Chen helped open and operate the clandestine police station. None of the participants in the scheme informed the U.S. government that they were helping the PRC government surreptitiously open and operate an illegal MPS police station on U.S. soil.
“The PRC, through its repressive security apparatus, established a secret physical presence in New York City to monitor and intimidate dissidents and those critical of its government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The PRC’s actions go far beyond the bounds of acceptable nation-state conduct. We will resolutely defend the freedoms of all those living in our country from the threat of authoritarian repression.”
“This prosecution reveals the Chinese government’s flagrant violation of our nation’s sovereignty by establishing a secret police station in the middle of New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “As alleged, the defendants and their co-conspirators were tasked with doing the PRC’s bidding, including helping locate a Chinese dissident living in the United States, and obstructed our investigation by deleting their communications. Such a police station has no place here in New York City – or any American community.”
“It is simply outrageous that China’s Ministry of Public Security thinks it can get away with establishing a secret, illegal police station on U.S. soil to aid its efforts to export repression and subvert our rule of law,” said Acting Assistant Director Kurt Ronnow of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “This case serves as a powerful reminder that the People’s Republic of China will stop at nothing to bend people to their will and silence messages they don’t want anyone to hear. The FBI is dedicated to protecting everyone in the United States against efforts to undermine our democratic freedoms, and we’ll hold any state actors – and those who help them – accountable for breaking our laws.”
Before helping to open the police station in early 2022, Lu had a longstanding relationship of trust with PRC law enforcement, including the MPS. Since 2015, and through the operation of the secret police station, Lu was tasked with carrying out various activities, including to assist the PRC government’s repressive activities on U.S. soil:
- In 2015, during PRC President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States, Lu participated in counterprotests in Washington, D.C,. against members of a religion that is forbidden under PRC law. A deputy director of the MPS awarded Lu a plaque for the work he performed on behalf of the PRC government.
- In 2018, Lu was enlisted in efforts to cause a purported PRC fugitive to return to the PRC. The victim reported being repeatedly harassed to return to the PRC, including through threats of violence made to the victim and the victim’s family in the United States and in the PRC.
- In 2022, the MPS Official sought Lu’s assistance in locating an individual living in California who is a pro-democracy activist. In turn, Lu enlisted the help of another coconspirator. Later, when confronted by the FBI about these conversations, Lu denied that they occurred.
In October 2022, the FBI conducted a judicially authorized search of the illegal police station. In connection with the search, FBI agents interviewed both Lu and Chen and seized their phones. In reviewing the contents of these phones, FBI agents observed that communications between Lu and Chen, on the one hand, and the MPS Official, on the other, appeared to have been deleted. In subsequent consensual interviews, Lu and Chen admitted to the FBI that they had deleted their communications with the MPS Official after learning about the ongoing FBI investigation, thus preventing the FBI from learning the full extent of the MPS’s directions for the overseas police station.
If convicted of conspiring to act as agents of the PRC, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The obstruction of justice charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The FBI New York Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Antoinette N. Rangel for the Eastern District of New York, and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit: www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
The charges in the complaint are merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Men Indicted for Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Jagninder Singh Boparai, 46, of Manteca; Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 45, of Dublin; and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 49, of Tracy; charging all three with conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, and charging Boparai with the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and the other defendants throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of Victim 1, and once he proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job. The following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault of Victim 1. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. According to court documents, after more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of Victim 1 laying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”
According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder of Victim 2. Sandhu provided Victim 2’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that Victim 2 must disappear without any evidence remaining. Boparai then made two calls to Birla asking for Victim 2’s Facebook profile. Boparai subsequently received a Facebook profile picture of Victim 2, which he showed to the confidential informant. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill Victim 2 and take Victim 2’s remains to Mexico in a suitcase.
All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sumter Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison in Tax and Covid-19 Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Maggie-Anne Boler, 61, of Sumter, was sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison in relation to a scheme to submit false tax returns and a fraudulent Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loan to the United States. The schemes defrauded the United States out of roughly $180,000.
According to evidence presented during Boler’s trial and sentencing, Boler promised friends and family that she knew a secret way to get them large refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Boler used her bogus system to prepare tax returns for herself, her disabled brother, and others. Boler would claim huge unsubstantiated withholdings on the returns, generating tax refunds of as much as $44,000. Some of Boler’s family members were unemployed and had no actual withholdings during the year. Once the fraudulent returns were discovered by the IRS, Boler’s friends and family were forced to repay the refunds and were burdened with additional penalties and fees. Many of the relatives testified during the trial that Boler took a fee for preparing the returns and promised them that her methods were lawful and that she knew obscure rules that would get them large refunds.
In addition to the tax fraud, Boler received a $20,000 PPP loan based on her fraudulent claims. Evidence produced during the trial showed that Boler took these PPP funds while also receiving thousands of dollars in South Carolina unemployment benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Maggie-Anne Boler made false promises, defrauded American taxpayers, and stole from businesses in desperate need of support during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office is committed to vigorously prosecuting financial fraud in all its forms, and we encourage the public to ensure they are only working with reputable tax professionals this tax season.”
“The defendant in this case thought she had figured out a clever scheme to thwart the IRS and steal from American taxpayers,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing is an important victory for America's taxpayers who play by the rules and have no tolerance for those who make up their own rules.”
“Financial fraud undermines the integrity of the U.S. tax system and erodes consumer confidence,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge, Steve Jensen. “This sentence should serve as a warning to others that such criminal activity will not be tolerated. The FBI, along with our federal partners, will continue to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.”
Senior United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Boler to 30 months in prison. She was also ordered to repay $53,696.00 in restitution to the United States Small Business Administration and the IRS.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cate Cardinale and T. DeWayne Pearson.
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South Los Angeles Man Found Guilty of Knowingly Recruiting Teenage Girls for Commercial Sex Work and Trafficking an Adult via ThreatsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was found guilty by a jury today of nine felonies for recruiting and enticing teenage girls for whom he acted as a “pimp” and providing them for commercial sex work.
Donavin Dwayne Bradford, 31, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking with a minor, three counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for the purpose of producing a sexually explicit visual depiction, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of sex trafficking through threats of force, fraud, or coercion.
According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, from the summer of 2021 to February 2022, Bradford conspired with Layla Kalani Valdivia, 23, of Ventura, to cause one of the minor victims – a then-15-year-old girl – to be used for commercial sex acts. Bradford recruited the victim to work for him as a commercial sex worker. As the victim’s “pimp,” Bradford expected the girl to earn him $1,000 per night.
Bradford and Valdivia advertised the girl for commercial sex work on various websites, and customers who responded to the ads were directed to various hotels and motels where they engaged in commercial sex acts with the victim. Sometimes the minor victim would be required to perform sex acts with Valdivia and a sex client together. Customers paid Bradford for “dates” with the victim or she would be required to give Bradford or Valdivia her earnings.
Bradford assaulted the minor victim when she tried to stop working for him on two separate occasions. Bradford also filmed himself engaging in sex acts on two separate occasions with her.
From March 2021 to November 2021, Bradford recruited and enticed two other girls – ages 16 and 17 – to engage in commercial sex activity.
From May 2021 to August 2022, Bradford also recruited and sex trafficked an adult victim through threats of force, fraud or coercion, including multiple instances of violence.
Bradford and Valdivia have been in federal custody since August 2022.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled an August 17 sentencing hearing, at which time Bradford will face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
Valdivia pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and one count of sex trafficking of a minor. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 4, at which time she will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office and the FBI Los Angeles Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force coordinated with multiple law enforcement partners and thanks them for their participation and assistance, including: the Los Angeles Police Department; the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; the Inglewood Police Department; the Pomona Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office; the Santa Maria Police Department; the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services; and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell and Kathy Yu of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
“Operation Cross Country,” an FBI-led nationwide effort which ran in August 2022, focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex trafficking and human trafficking.
Sibley Hospital and Johns Hopkins Health System Settle Allegations of Improper Compensation ArrangementsRead the Press Release
Sibley Hospital (Sibley) and its parent company, Johns Hopkins Health System (Johns Hopkins), have agreed to pay the United States $5 million to resolve allegations arising from claims that Sibley submitted to the Medicare Program, the Justice Department announced today.
The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. It is intended to ensure that medical decision-making is not influenced by improper financial incentives and instead is based on the best interests of the patient.
Today’s settlement resolves allegations that, from 2008 through 2011, Sibley violated the Stark Law by billing Medicare for services referred by ten cardiologists to whom Sibley was paying compensation that exceeded the fair market value of the services provided. These allegations arose out of conduct that Sibley and Johns Hopkins self-disclosed to the United States.
“Improper financial arrangements between hospitals and physicians can influence the type and amount of health care that is provided,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who violate prohibitions designed to protect the integrity of physician decision-making.”
“Patients have the right to medical care that is strictly about their health and not about the financial benefit or obligation that a physician might receive or owe,” said U.S. Attorney Graves for the District of Columbia. “We welcome conversations with anyone who might have credible information that medical care is being undermined by outside influences. This office works in concert with many partners to protect the public, including the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice and the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health, to ensure the rules are followed.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services.
This matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorney David Wiseman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Graham-Oliver for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Sergeant Bluff Business Owner Sentenced in Federal Court for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
The owner of a Sergeant Bluff, Iowa construction firm was sentenced on Friday, April 14, 2023, to two years in federal prison for his role in tax evasion offenses, including for evading payment of his company’s employment taxes, his personal income taxes, and evading payment of a company’s employment taxes which he kept in the name of another.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kevin Alexander, 62, of Sioux City, owned K&L Construction, Inc., a landscaping and construction company. As the sole shareholder and president of K&L Construction, Alexander was responsible for filing quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. From the second quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2017, K&L Construction paid approximately $3.8 million in wages to its employees and withheld approximately $1 million in payroll taxes, but the company did not pay over any of these withholdings to the IRS.
During IRS collection proceedings, Alexander accepted responsibility for paying K&L Construction’s outstanding tax balance. Alexander, however, submitted a false form to the IRS that concealed some of his assets. Alexander admitted that he submitted the false form for the purpose of concealing assets and evading payment of K&L Construction’s outstanding payroll tax liability. He evaded payment of K&L Construction’s tax debt by operating it through another company, Circle A Construction, Inc. and keeping ownership of Circle A Construction in another’s name. Alexander was found liable, for sentencing purposes, of at least $757,314.74 in tax liability for Circle A Construction. Alexander also willfully evaded paying his personal income taxes for 2014, 2015, and 2016, totaling $667,544 in personal income tax loss.
Alexander was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 24 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $1,678,722.39 in restitution. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Mr. Alexander admitted that he purposely hid his assets to avoid paying his company’s outstanding payroll tax liability,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, IRS Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office. “Employers cheat their employees when they fail to meet that obligation. That’s a serious offense that harms the employee and all the honest taxpayers who’ve paid their fair share of taxes in a timely manner.”
U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax of the Northern District of Iowa and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4092.
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Rusk County Man Sentenced to 18 Months for False Statements to Federal Agencies Regarding Non-Citizen WorkersRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Bruce, Wisconsin man was sentenced today for making false materials statements to the U.S. Department of Labor and to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security concerning foreign workers. The sentencing is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Alfredo Aguilar, 52, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to eighteen months in prison. Aguilar was ordered to pay restitution to the non-citizen workers in the amount of $1,144,693.56 and a civil penalty in the amount of $210,696.39. Aguilar pleaded guilty to these charges on January 13, 2023 and has paid over the full fine and restitution for the immigrant workers.
From 2015 until December 2018, Aguilar was a co-owner of Northwoods Forestry, Inc., a business based in Eleva, Wisconsin. Aguilar recruited workers from Mexico and Central America, known as H-2B workers, to work in forestry by planting and caring for trees and clearing and developing woodland. Through the H-2B program, employers are permitted to hire temporary workers from other countries to perform labor to address one-time, seasonal, intermittent, or peak needs. Northwoods Forestry agents made statements and attestations under oath to the Department of Labor and USCIS regarding the type of work the workers would do and the wages they would receive.
Aguilar admitted that he placed Northwoods Forestry H-2B workers with non-forestry employers, including in meat packing, construction, roofing, agriculture, painting, fur processing, and landscaping businesses, and that he assured those employers that the H-2B employees could legally work at their businesses when he knew that was not true. Aguilar also admitted that Northwoods Forestry did not pay the workers the highest applicable wages, did not pay the workers overtime, deducted the cost of safety boots from the wages of employees sent to work in meat packing, and deducted expenses and subsistence for transportation to and from the United States from the H-2B employees’ pay, all contrary to their sworn statements to the Department of Labor.
“My office is committed to holding accountable those who exploit vulnerable workers,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “We will continue to work with the Department of Labor and our other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute such offenses.”
“Alfredo Aguilar and co-conspirators made false statements to the U.S. Department of Labor in order to fraudulently obtain H-2B work visas. Aguilar and his co-conspirators failed to pay the required prevailing wages to the foreign workers he employed pursuant to that program. Today’s sentencing is an affirmation of our efforts, along with those of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, to pursue individuals who abuse the H-2B program for financial gain,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“The Wage and Hour Division’s investigation that led to this result is a significant accomplishment on behalf of workers seeking to use the nonimmigrant visa programs. The resulting collaboration with our federal criminal law enforcement was nothing short of seamless and outstanding,” explained Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Michael Lazzeri in Chicago. “The widespread placement of workers in unapproved job classifications and falsification of payment records during the investigation by this employer demonstrated a reckless disregard for the respective visa program. Today the victims have been made whole through restitution and this egregious employer has been debarred from participation in the H-2B Visa program for the next five years. Employers who seek to abuse these programs should take note of this result and reconsider.”
The investigation in this matter was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Wage and Hour Division, with assistance from the U.S. Department of State and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. U.S. Attorney O’Shea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger handled the prosecution.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Four Home Invasions Targeting Drug DealersRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Robert Forbes, Jr. a/k/a Ra Ra a/k/a Henny, 37, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and two counts of Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Marangola and Cassie M. Kocher, who are handling the case, stated that between February 18, and March 26, 2020, Forbes participated, with others, in four separate home invasions in Rochester and Greece, NY. Forbes took part in planning, recruiting participants, obtaining, and providing information about the suspected presence of controlled substances and/or money derived from the sale of controlled substances in the residences, driving individuals to and from the residences, and providing a firearm to use. During some of the home invasions, individuals were restrained, pistol-whipped, and/or suffered injuries. Forbes was arrested April 1, 2020, on W. Ridge Road after a 13-minute car chase in the City of Rochester.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 23, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
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Readout of Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.’s Trip to LithuaniaRead the Press Release
On April 13 and 14, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, to meet with the Ukraine Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which is investigating core international crimes committed in Ukraine.
Representatives of the JIT in attendance were from the countries of Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, and Romania, as well as Eurojust and the International Criminal Court.
“We had productive conversations on ongoing investigations, and I pledged the U.S. Department of Justice’s increased support,” said Assistant Attorney General Polite. “Just one month ago, on March 3, in Lviv, Ukraine, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with all seven JIT national members, becoming the first country to do so. On Thursday, in an effort to further strengthen this partnership, the U.S. Department of Justice pledged to second an experienced prosecutor to the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) that will be based at Eurojust in The Hague. We look forward to providing additional resources to assist our colleagues from Ukraine and other JIT member partners, including by sharing our expertise to enhance investigations into atrocities committed by Russian perpetrators. Our mission is clear, our resolve will not weaken, and our determination to seek justice will not waiver. The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to holding Russian perpetrators accountable for their brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
(From Left to Right) Assistant Attorney General Polite, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė, and Eurojust Vice President and National Member for Lithuania Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė.One of the main agenda points of the JIT coordination meeting was the ICPA's implementation and future work. The ICPA will be part of the existing support structure for the JIT. It will be based at Eurojust in The Hague and will have a specific focus on supporting and enhancing investigations into the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
AAG Polite concluded April 13 by attending a reception organized by the Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė. On April 14, AAG Polite met separately with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin. Also on April 14, the three leaders and Eurojust Vice-President and National Member for Lithuania, Ms. Margarita Šniutytė-Daugėlienė, delivered remarks at a press conference with Lithuanian press. The same day, AAG Polite had a courtesy call with U.S. Ambassador Robert Gilchrist and Deputy Chief of Mission Tamir Waser to convey the Department’s gratitude for the Embassy’s support for the Justice Department’s personnel and programs.
(From Left to Right) Assistant Attorney General Polite, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, and Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė.The AAG’s trip concluded with a visit to Lithuania’s Old Town.
Assistant Attorney General Polite in Vilnius, Lithuania.Partners agreed to cooperate extensively and emphasized their shared commitment and dedication to ensuring that Russian perpetrators of war crimes in Ukraine are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.