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Monday 19 December 2022
Raleigh Man Convicted at Trial After Seeking Child Pornography in Online Chat RoomsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury today convicted William Robert Jeffery, 61, of Wake County of accessing the internet with intent to view child pornography.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in spring of 2020, the Raleigh Police Department received reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding illegal internet activity at Jeffery’s Raleigh home. NCMEC reported that on five occasions from October 2019 to January 2020, a user at that address had submitted images of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM, often referred to as child pornography) into the Microsoft Bing reverse image search, seeking similar images.
On March 17, 2020, FBI and the Raleigh Police Department executed a search warrant at Jeffery’s home. He admitted to using a pornographic chat website and viewing clothed images of children, but he denied possessing CSAM material. A forensic examination of his laptop showed extensive activity on the chat website and was able to recover multiple CSAM images that had been deleted from the internet history. The forensic analyst also recovered deleted images of CSAM material on an older computer that Jeffery has used in 2006-2009, along with earlier activity on the same chat website.
Jeffery has a prior conviction in federal court for traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in a sex act with a minor in 2020, and in 2021, he was convicted in Dare County Superior Court of two counts of indecent liberties with a minor. Jeffery faces a maximum penalty of 240 months in prison when sentenced March 2023.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Raleigh Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.2:20-CR-0464-D).
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RGV tax preparer sent to prison for preparing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A local tax preparer has been ordered to federal prison following her conviction of preparing false and fraudulent tax returns on behalf of taxpayers, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Linda Lopez pleaded guilty April 7.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Lopez to serve the statutory maximum of 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. Judge Alvarez noted that she was imposing the maximum sentence allowed under the statute because of the lengthy duration of the tax fraud scheme Lopez perpetrated through her tax preparation business.
“The IRS entrusted Lopez to prepare and electronically file accurate returns for her clients. She violated that trust with the IRS, her clients and the citizens of the United States by instead submitting false tax returns. As we approach the tax filing season, those tax preparers considering preparing false tax returns should know of the extremely negative consequences as evidenced in today’s sentencing,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS-Criminal investigation (IRS-CI) - Houston Field Office. “The special agents within IRS-CI, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office, will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who would attempt to defraud the U.S. tax system."
Lopez was the owner and operator of a tax preparation business known as Premier Tax Solutions which operated from 2012 through 2022 in and around Mission.
At the time of her plea, Lopez admitted that she prepared a federal tax return for a taxpayer that included multiple instances of false and fraudulent information, including false employee business expenses and false residential energy credit qualifying expenses.
She also agreed to a loss amount that included a tax loss to the IRS related to several fraudulent tax returns she prepared.
Lopez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz prosecuted the case.
Quincy Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man has been sentenced for drug trafficking offenses in connection with conspiring to distribute and possess, and possessing with intent to distribute, over a kilogram of fentanyl, including counterfeit fentanyl pills.
Damian Cortez, 34, was sentenced on Dec. 15, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 23, 2022, Cortez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Cortez is one of 10 defendants indicted together in June 2020 as part of a broader federal sweep targeting numerous NOB street gang members and associates in which 31 total defendants were charged. All of Cortez’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various charges and are scheduled to be sentenced in the upcoming months.
According to court documents, NOB – an abbreviation for the Norton/Olney/Barry streets in Dorchester – is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in numerous types of criminal activities throughout Massachusetts, including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, drug trafficking, sex trafficking and illegal firearms offenses. Numerous contraband items including 11 firearms, over one kilogram of fentanyl (including over 2,000 fentanyl pills manufactured to appear as commercial oxycodone pills), a commercial pill press, over 15 pounds of marijuana and approximately $36,000 in cash were recovered during the investigation.
Cortez was a significant fentanyl trafficker and NOB member/associate who supplied drugs to and supported various crimes on behalf of the gang. On June 16, 2020, a search of an apartment where Cortez was residing resulted in the seizure of a commercial pill press, dyes, cutting agent, and over a kilogram of fentanyl, some of which was pressed into pills manufactured to appear as pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone pills, among other drug trafficking paraphernalia.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Bryan Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan; Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, Jr.; Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III; and Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick W. McDermott made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Portland Area Mail Thief Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft, and Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for using stolen bank checks and debit cards to defraud local residents and illegally possessing distribution quantities of methamphetamine.
William Anthony McCormack, Jr., 40, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $8,553 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, between June and September 2020, McCormack devised a scheme whereby he would steal bank checks and debit cards from community mailboxes, primarily in Washington County, and use them to make unauthorized withdrawals from victims’ bank accounts. On at least five separate occasions, McCormack deposited stolen checks into victims’ Rivermark Community Credit Union accounts and immediately made unauthorized withdrawals from the same accounts.
On September 29, 2020, during a traffic stop for speeding and driving with a suspended license, a Tualatin Police officer arrested McCormack pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. At the time of his arrest, McCormack possessed 30 small plastic baggies containing approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine and two 9mm handguns. Officers also found several driver’s licenses, U.S. passports, and pieces of stolen mail in McCormack’s vehicle and hotel room.
On September 24, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 12-count indictment charging McCormack with possession of stolen mail, possession of counterfeit U.S. Postal Service arrow keys, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Later, on March 29, 2021, he was charged by superseding criminal information with one count each of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On April 14, 2021, McCormack pleaded guilty to all three charges in the superseding criminal information.
Prior to pleading guilty, on March 16, 2021, McCormack was released from custody on conditions and placed into a residential drug treatment program. Less than three weeks after pleading guilty, he absconded from the treatment program and a warrant was issued for his arrest. McCormack’s whereabouts were unknown for more than a year before he was arrested by the Tigard Police Department on June 5, 2022.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
If you or someone you know are the victim of or witness a mail-related crime, please contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by visiting www.uspis.gov/report.
Poplarville Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful User of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Poplarville man was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Bobby Joseph Crochet, Jr., 24, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, On December 26, 2021, Hancock County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a call of a subject sleeping in a vehicle, which was in the roadway near 30285 Highway 603 in Hancock County, Mississippi. Upon arrival, Deputies located Bobby Joseph Crochet, Jr., asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle, while in drive, while in the roadway. Deputies instructed Crochet to exit the vehicle and ultimately located methamphetamine and working digital scales concealed inside the driver’s door pocket.
Deputies searched Crochet’s home and found multiple unused, clear sandwich baggies, drug paraphernalia, a Beretta APX 9mm handgun (loaded), more methamphetamine, and marijuana.
Crochet was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022. He pled guilty on July 15, 2022, to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Prison for Threatening to Kill United States Congressman and Perpetrating Online Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSHUA HALL was sentenced today by United Stated District Judge Gregory H. Woods to 20 months in prison for making threats to kill a member of the United States Congress and impersonating family members of the then-President of the United States on social media to fraudulently raise funds for a fictitious political organization. HALL previously pled guilty to one count of making interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of wire fraud.
According to the Information, Superseding Information, and statements made in court proceedings and filings:
Threat Offense
On August 29, 2022, HALL placed a series of telephone calls from in or around Yonkers, New York, to the California office of a member of the United States Congress (the “Congressman”). During those telephone calls, HALL conveyed threats to kill the Congressman to at least three different members of the Congressman’s staff (“Staff Member-1,” “Staff Member-2,” and “Staff Member-3”).
On a telephone call with Staff Member-1 and Staff Member-2, HALL stated, in substance and in part, that he had a lot of AR-15s; that he wanted to shoot the Congressman; that he intended to come to the Congressman’s office with firearms; and that if he saw the Congressman, he would kill him. He further stated, in substance and in part, that he wanted to “beat the shit out of” the Congressman and that he would find the Congressman wherever he was and hurt him. On a telephone call with Staff Member-3, HALL stated, in substance and in part, that he intended to come to the Congressman’s office to kill the Congressman with firearms.
Fraud Offense
From September 2019 until December 2020, HALL defrauded hundreds of victims by making false representations in the course of raising funds for a purported political affinity organization (“the Fictitious Political Organization”) for the ostensible purpose of supporting the reelection of the individual who was at that time serving as President of the United States (“the President”). However, the Fictitious Political Organization did not exist, and HALL used the funds for his own personal living expenses.
Central to the scheme was the impersonation by HALL of members of the President’s family, including the President’s minor child, among others, through his creation and use of social media accounts bearing those family members’ names and photographs. HALL used those accounts to amass more than 100,000 followers on social media and to obtain media coverage, a public platform he then exploited to confer on himself and the Fictitious Political Organization a false imprimatur of close ties with the President’s family and to encourage victims to make monetary contributions to the Fictitious Political Organization.
In total, the scheme devised and executed by HALL yielded thousands of dollars from hundreds of victims located throughout the United States, including in the Southern District of New York.
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In addition to the prison term, HALL, 23, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police and thanked the City of Yonkers Police Department for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit and General Crimes Unit. Assistant US Attorneys Robert B. Sobelman and Alexandra S. Messiter are in charge of the prosecution.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tytus Lamaar Shields, 34, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Shields and searched his Parkersburg residence. Shields admitted that he possessed a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol found by officers.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Shields knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for trafficking in drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in the Washington County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on October 29, 2014.
Shields was on parole at the time of his arrest and has a long criminal history that includes 16 misdemeanor convictions and 17 felony convictions. These convictions include several for drug trafficking offenses in Ohio.
Shields is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting 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. 2:21-cr-268.
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Out-Of-State Drug Traffickers Prosecuted in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
BOISE – Three out-of-state individuals were recently prosecuted in federal court for bringing illicit drugs into the Magic Valley area, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit today.
“These prosecutions reflect that the people of Idaho will not tolerate drug traffickers bringing their poisons into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The strong partnerships we have between federal, state, and local law enforcement are the backbone of our counter-drugs program and will continue to make a positive impact statewide.”
According to court records, on December 14, 2022, Brian David Schroeder, 47, of Arizona, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute them to others. In September, Schroeder was stopped by sheriff’s deputies while driving on Highway 93 through Jerome, Idaho. After deputies observed a marijuana dispensary container in the car, a search was conducted. Inside the car was approximately 3.25 pounds of fentanyl, 3.15 pounds of methamphetamine, and a loaded 9mm handgun. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid responsible for an increase in overdose deaths in Idaho. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 15, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye.
Incidents of out-of-state individuals transporting drugs into Idaho have become all too common.
Earlier this month, on December 9, 2022, Cortez Williams, 46, of Reno, Nevada, was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill after he was caught traveling from Nevada to Idaho with the plan to distribute six pounds of methamphetamine to an individual in the Magic Valley. Police found the drugs hidden between the trunk liner and fender of his car. Williams had at least five prior convictions for drug trafficking at the time of his sentencing.
On November 9, 2022, Fabian Panuco Clark, 44, of Yuma County, Arizona, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison by Judge Winmill for attempting to traffic drugs in Idaho. After Clark fled to Idaho to avoid arrest in Arizona, he was located in Twin Falls and found in possession of approximately 900 pills containing fentanyl, over 200 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun. After being booked into the Twin Falls County Jail, Clark again attempted to bring drugs into Idaho by arranging for another person to drive to Nevada to obtain more methamphetamine. Police were able to interdict this shipment of methamphetamine before it could be brought back to Idaho for distribution.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, for their work on these cases.
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Oswego County Woman Indicted on Charges Related to Theft of Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lisa Waldron, age 44, of Palermo, New York, was arraigned Friday on a federal indictment charging her with multiple counts of Theft of Government Property and Social Security Fraud, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
The charges in the 25-count indictment relate to Waldron’s misuse and theft of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits intended for the care of Jordan Brooks, her disabled son. Waldron was Jordan Brooks’s representative payee at the time she committed the alleged offenses, which occurred both before and after Brooks’s death on May 9, 2021. A representative payee is a person or organization who received Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and is tasked with ensuring the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary.
Waldron was released on existing conditions of supervision monitored by the Oswego County Probation Department from a pending case in Oswego County Court.
If convicted, Waldron faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kenneth Emeni, 30, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Martinsburg, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Emeni was also ordered to pay $904,126.96 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least August 2017 to October 8, 2020, Emeni took part in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million. Emeni’s co-conspirators created false personas to establish romantic, friendship or business relationships with unwitting individuals via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.
Emeni admitted that he accepted money transfers from victims to his bank account that he knew was from unlawful activity. Once the victims’ funds were deposited in his account, Emeni kept some and forwarded some to his co-conspirators via wire transfers or the Zelle digital payments network. Emeni received approximately $42,050 transferred by his co-conspirators’ transfers and transferred approximately $46,197 to his co-conspirators during the money laundering conspiracy. Emeni further admitted that he and his co-conspirators transferred large sums of their fraud proceeds to offshore accounts. From 2018 until 2020, Emeni transferred over $358,846 to accounts in Nigeria and Ghana.
“This heartless conspiracy exploited individuals who often were particularly vulnerable, and wreaked havoc in their lives and that of their loved ones,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
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. 3:21-cr-68.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced on Carjacking and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant, DEVIN WEAVER, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on December 14, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Lance M. Africk to a total term of 168 months. As to Counts 1 and 3, the Court sentenced WEAVER to 84 months of imprisonment, to be served concurrently with each other. As to Count 2, WEAVER was sentenced to a term of 84 months, to be served consecutively to the terms imposed on Counts 1 and 3. Additionally, upon release from imprisonment, Judge Africk ordered that WEAVER be placed on supervised release for a term of 3 years for each of Counts 1, 2, and 3, such terms to run concurrently. Finally, WEAVER was ordered to pay a total of $300 in mandatory special assessment fees for Counts One, Two, and Three of the three-count superseding indictment.
Count One of the superseding indictment charged WEAVER with a carjacking that took place on August 21, 2019, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(1) and 2. Count Two charged him with brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, that is, a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section, 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). Finally, Count Three charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), and 2. WEAVER was found guilty on all counts after a two-day jury trial.
A jury convicted WEAVER for a carjacking which occurred on August 21, 2019, in New Orleans, LA. As descibed during the trial, during the carjacking, WEAVER and his co-defendant approached the victim, pointed a gun at her, and demanded her car. New Orleans Police Department responded to the scene and located the victim’s vehicle through her iPhone, which was inside the vehicle when it was taken. Investigators stopped the vehicle at a gas station on the Westbank Expressway approximately 30 minutes after the carjacking. WEAVER’s co-defendant was inside the stolen vehicle along with the victim’s iPhone and a firearm. After reviewing the surveillance footage from the station, investigators learned that WEAVER was inside the store when police arrived. WEAVER fled on foot from the store upon seeing the police vehicles. Several hours later police tracked the victim’s second iPhone to WEAVER’s residence in New Orleans, LA.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit and Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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New Castle Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Pennsylvania resident pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Tony McKnight, 57, of New Castle, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine from March of 2019 through September of 2020 before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. McKnight is one of thirteen defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated throughout the United States, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Beginning in December of 2019 and continuing through August of 2020, the DEA received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. McKnight, as a member of this multistate drug trafficking organization, was intercepted discussing acquiring and distributing cocaine throughout western Pennsylvania. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization, including McKnight.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of 40 years of imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The DEA in Pittsburgh, PA; the DEA, Columbus, OH; the DEA, Harrisburg, PA; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Pittsburgh, PA; HSI, Orlando, FL; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service, Columbus, Ohio; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force – Special Investigations Unit; and New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of McKnight.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kymoni Davis, also known as “Money,” 33, of Redford, Michigan, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Davis admitted to shooting into a Huntington club after his ejection during a New Year’s Eve party.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 1, 2020, Davis fired a Ruger & Co., model P95 DC, 9mm pistol through the front door of the Kulture Hookah Bar before fleeing the scene.
Davis had been ejected from the club prior to midnight. Seven individuals were injured in the shooting. Surveillance video captured the shooting, and along with statements from witnesses helped to identify Davis. Spent casings at the scene collected by law enforcement officers were later matched with a firearm seized by Charleston Police officers in an unrelated investigation. Davis was arrested in the Detroit area several months later and returned to West Virginia.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Davis knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for uttering and publishing in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Circuit Court on March 26, 2018, false pretenses with intent to defraud in Kent County, Michigan, Circuit Court on May 24, 2018, and delivering a check without account in Wayne County, Michigan, Circuit Court on January 25, 2019.
“This senseless act of gun violence demonstrates the consequences when firearms are in the wrong hands,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.”
“Protecting the public is ATF’s top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of ATF’s Louisville Division. “Working with local police to provide federal resources, like the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, or NIBIN, is one of the ways we accomplish our mission. This case demonstrates how NIBIN can help investigators link shootings, and how violent offenders are removed from the street when they use firearms to commit violent crimes. I commend the Huntington Police Department, ATF’s Charleston Field Office, and the prosecution team for their work to bring justice to the victims in this case.”
Huntington Police Department Chief Karl Colder also cited the relationship and partnership that HPD has with ATF as members of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
“I would also like to recognize the effort of the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office assigned to the investigation, and our detectives who spent timeless hours investigating the violent activities of Kymoni Davis,” Colder said. “These investigations of this magnitude can’t be accomplished without collaboration between agencies at the local, state and federal levels. This investigation sends a message that the Huntington Police Department will pursue any and all acts of violence in the city and investigate violent criminal activity.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. 3:20-cr-18.
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Manteca Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mario Gonzalez, 40, of Manteca, California, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on December 16, 2019, Manteca Police Department officers searched Gonzalez’s truck after arresting him on a state arrest warrant. During the search, officers located a loaded firearm and a total of 48 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. Gonzalez has several prior felony convictions—including three prior domestic violence felonies—which prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, the Manteca Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.
Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2023, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Gonzalez faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 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.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Gun and Drugs in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun and cocaine at a Chicago gas station.
JEREMY INGRAM, 30, of Chicago, illegally possessed the gun and drugs on July 11, 2019, in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. The firearm had a 16-round magazine attached to it, while the cocaine was packaged in multiple clear baggies. When Chicago Police officers approached Ingram, he attempted to flee in his car. Ingram continued to physically resist the officers as they apprehended and arrested him.
Ingram had previously been convicted of multiple felonies in state court and was not legally allowed to possess a firearm. He was on parole for his most recent felony conviction at the time of the federal offenses.
Ingram pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal firearm and drug charges. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman on Dec. 14, 2022, imposed a prison sentence of 12 years and seven months.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey L. Matthews, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic represented the government.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Man Sentenced for Role in Attempted Robbery of New Haven Restaurant Where Employee was ShotRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TREIZY LOPEZ, 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in the attempted robbery of a New Haven restaurant, during which he shot an employee, in April 2015.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 11, 2015, Lopez, Tythrone Ford and another man entered the Smokin’ Wings restaurant on Congress Avenue in New Haven and demanded money at gunpoint. Lopez subsequently discharged a firearm and shot a female employee in the stomach. Lopez, Ford and their associate then fled the restaurant. Responding New Haven Police officers subsequently located a .22 caliber revolver in a nearby trash can.
Approximately eight hours before the Smokin’ Wings robbery, Lopez, Ford and another man traveled together to Bridgeport. Lopez and the other individual, armed with handguns, entered Sapiaos Market on Lexington Avenue and demanded money. During the attempted robbery, the owner of the market, Jose Salgado, was shot and killed. Ford waited in a car outside of the market during the attempted robbery. After the murder, the three men traveled back to New Haven together. Hours later, Ford and Lopez participated in the gunpoint robbery at Smokin’ Wings.
Forensic analysis of the revolver found in the trash can in New Haven, and projectiles collected from the scene of both attempted robberies, revealed that the gun was used in both shootings. DNA collected from the gun revealed that both Lopez and Ford possessed the gun.
Lopez has been detained since his arrest on December 12, 2019. On September 23, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery.
In March 2018, Lopez was found guilty of first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first degree robbery for his role in the Sapiaos Market robbery and homicide. On August 16, 2018, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for those offenses. Judge Meyer ordered Lopez to begin serving his federal sentence after he completes his state sentence.
Ford pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by robbery for his role in the Smokin’ Wings robbery. On March 15, 2022, was sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment for that offense. Ford was not charged in relation to the Sapiaos Market robbery.
This matter stemmed from a cold case investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis and Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity.
PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, 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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
Le Ministère de la Justice annonce une nouvelle initiative pour assurer l’accès linguistique dans le cadre de l’application de la loiRead the Press Release
Le Ministère de la Justice a annoncé le lancement de l'Initiative d'accès linguistique pour les organismes d'application de la loi, un effort national visant à aider les organismes d'application de la loi à s'acquitter de leurs obligations de fournir une aide linguistique utile aux personnes ayant une maîtrise limitée de l'anglais (limited English proficient, LEP). L’initiative s’appuiera sur le travail de longue date du Ministère pour s’assurer que les organismes d’application de la loi respectent leurs obligations en matière d’accès linguistique.
« Fournir aux organismes d’application de la loi les outils dont ils ont besoin pour assurer un accès linguistique efficace et utile encourage et favorise une plus grande sécurité pour les personnes ayant moins de compétences en anglais », a déclaré la Procureure adjointe Kristen Clarke de la Division des droits civils du Ministère de la Justice. « Grâce à cette initiative, nous serons en mesure de partager ces meilleures pratiques en matière d’accès linguistique et des ressources semblables avec les organismes d’application de la loi partout au pays. »
L’initiative sera dirigée par la Section fédérale de la coordination et de la conformité de la Division des droits civils, en partenariat avec les Bureaux des procureurs des États-Unis. Plus précisément, l’initiative :
- Mettra au point des ressources et des outils d'assistance technique qui peuvent aider les organismes locaux et des États chargés de l’application de la loi à fournir un accès linguistique utile aux personnes et aux populations ayant une maîtrise limitée de l'anglais (limited English proficient, LEP) relevant de leur juridiction ;
- Engagera de manière positive les organismes d’application de la loi qui souhaitent examiner, mettre à jour et / ou renforcer leurs politiques, plans et formations en matière d'accès linguistique ;
- Tirera parti de la collaboration avec les Bureaux des procureurs des États-Unis pour organiser des formations dans les collectivités de tout le pays afin de sensibiliser davantage les organismes d’application de la loi aux obligations en matière d’accès linguistique et d’encourager l’adoption généralisée des meilleures pratiques ; et
- Renforcera les liens et l’engagement du Ministère avec les parties prenantes de la communauté LEP et les populations LEP.
En plus de l’annonce aujourd’hui de cette initiative, le Ministère de la Justice et le Bureau du procureur des États-Unis pour le district du Colorado ont annoncé un accord pour résoudre une enquête sur des allégations de discrimination du service de police de Denver sur la base de l'origine nationale à l'encontre de personnes LEP, en violation du titre VI de la Loi de 1964 sur les droits civils. Le titre VI interdit la discrimination fondée sur la race, la couleur et l'origine nationale de la part des bénéficiaires de l'aide financière fédérale.
« Cet accord avec le service de police de Denver aidera les policiers à faire leur travail », a déclaré Matthew Kirsch, Procureur des États-Unis, agissant en vertu de l'autorité conférée par Section 515 du Titre 28 du Code des États-Unis pour le district du Colorado. « Qu’il s’agisse de mener des activités de sensibilisation communautaire ou d’arrêter des personnes accusées d’avoir enfreint la loi, l’accès facile à des services linguistiques exacts permet aux agents de servir et de protéger tous les membres de la communauté, quelle que soit leur compétence en anglais. »
L’enquête du Ministère de la Justice sur le service de police de Denver a débuté après que des membres de la collectivité ont exprimé des préoccupations au sujet d’incidents impliquant des résidents LEP de langue birmane et de langue rohingya vivant dans le quartier East Colfax à Denver. L’enquête a révélé de nombreux cas où les agents du service de police de Denver n’ont pas fourni d’aide linguistique aux personnes LEP ou ont fourni une aide linguistique inefficace ou inappropriée. Par exemple, l'enquête a permis de découvrir des situations où l'on a fait appel à des enfants, à des membres de la famille et à des passants pour obtenir de l'aide linguistique, y compris dans des circonstances où une aide linguistique plus fiable et plus objective aurait dû être fournie.
Dans le cadre de cet accord de règlement, le service de police de Denver a accepté de mettre en œuvre une série de changements à ses politiques, procédures et formations en matière d'accès linguistique, notamment :
- Mettre à jour sa politique et son plan d'accès linguistique afin d'établir des procédures de communication avec les personnes LEP, y compris les témoins et les suspects, et d'interdire l'utilisation d'enfants, de membres de la famille ou de passants pour communiquer avec les personnes LEP, sauf dans des circonstances urgentes ;
- Nommer son tout premier coordonnateur LEP et établir des points de contact pour l'accès linguistique dans chaque district du service de police de Denver ;
- Former tous les employés et nouvelles recrues du service de police de Denver à identifier des individus LEP et à communiquer avec eux, ainsi qu’à documenter les interactions avec ces derniers ; et
- Créer un comité d’accès linguistique qui comprend des parties prenantes représentant les intérêts de la communauté LEP.
Des informations supplémentaires sur la Division des droits civils sont disponibles sur son site Web à l'adresse www.justice.gov/crt et des informations sur les compétences limitées en anglais et le Titre VI sont disponibles à l'adresse www.lep.gov. Les membres du public peuvent signaler d’éventuelles violations des droits civils à l’adresse https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
English
Amharic: አማርኛ
Arabic: العربية
Burmese: မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese, Simplified: 简体字
Chinese, Traditional: 簡體字
Farsi: فارسی
French: Français
Karen: ကညီ
Nepali: नेपाली
Rohingya: Ruáingga
Russian: Pусский
Somali: Soomaaliga
Spanish: Español
Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt
Justice Department Announces New Language Access Law Enforcement InitiativeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced the launch of the Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative, a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in meeting their obligations to provide meaningful language assistance to limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. The initiative will build on the department’s longstanding work to ensure that law enforcement agencies are complying with their language access obligations.
“Providing law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to ensure effective and meaningful language access promotes and advances greater safety for limited English proficient people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this Initiative, we will be able to share these language access best practices and similar resources with law enforcement agencies all across the country.”
The initiative will be led by the Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. Specifically, the initiative will:
- Develop technical assistance resources and tools that can assist local and state law enforcement agencies in their efforts to provide meaningful language access to LEP individuals and populations within their jurisdiction.
- Affirmatively engage law enforcement agencies that want to review, update, and/or strengthen their language access polices, plans and training.
- Leverage collaboration with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to conduct trainings in communities across the country to increase awareness of language access obligations and encourage widespread adoption of best practices by law enforcement agencies.
- Strengthen the department’s ties and engagement with LEP community stakeholders and LEP populations.
In addition to today’s initiative announcement, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced an agreement to resolve an investigation into allegations that the Denver Police Department (DPD) discriminated on the basis of national origin against LEP individuals in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits race, color, and national origin discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.
“This agreement with the Denver Police Department will help police officers do their jobs,” said Matthew Kirsch, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. §515 for the District of Colorado. “Whether it’s conducting community outreach or arresting individuals accused of breaking the law, ensuring ready access to accurate language services enables officers to serve and protect all members of the community, regardless of English proficiency.”
The Justice Department’s investigation of the DPD began after community members raised concerns about incidents involving Burmese and Rohingya-speaking LEP residents living in the East Colfax area of Denver. The investigation revealed numerous instances where DPD officers either failed to provide language assistance to LEP individuals or provided language assistance that was ineffective or inappropriate. For example, the investigation uncovered situations where children, family members and bystanders were relied upon for language assistance, including in circumstances where more reliable and objective language assistance should have been provided.
As part of this settlement agreement, the DPD has agreed to implement a series of changes to its language access policies, procedures and training, including:
Updating its Language Access Policy and Plan in order to establish procedures for communicating with LEP individuals, including witnesses and suspects, and to prohibit the use of children, family members, or bystanders to communicate with LEP individuals, except in exigent circumstances;
- Appointing its first-ever LEP Coordinator and establish Language Access Points of Contact (LAPCs) in every DPD district;
- Training all DPD employees and new recruits on identifying, communicating with, and documenting interactions with LEP individuals; and
- Creating a Language Access Committee that includes stakeholders representing LEP community interests.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Amharic: አማርኛ
Arabic: العربية
Burmese: မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese, Simplified: 简体字
Chinese, Traditional: 簡體字
Farsi: فارسی
French: Français
Karen: ကညီ
Nepali: नेपाली
Rohingya: Ruáingga (Audio)
Russian: Pусский
Somali: Soomaaliga
Spanish: Español
Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt
Justice Department Announces New Language Access Law Enforcement InitiativeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced the launch of the Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative, a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in meeting their obligations to provide meaningful language assistance to limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. The Initiative will build on the department’s longstanding work to ensure that law enforcement agencies are complying with their language access obligations.
“Providing law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to ensure effective and meaningful language access promotes and advances greater safety for limited English proficient people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this Initiative we will be able to share these language access best practices and similar resources with law enforcement agencies all across the country." Video statement
The Initiative will be led by the Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. Specifically, the Initiative will:
• Develop technical assistance resources and tools that can assist local and state law enforcement agencies in their efforts to provide meaningful language access to LEP individuals and populations within their jurisdiction.
• Affirmatively engage law enforcement agencies that want to review, update, and/or strengthen their language access polices, plans, and training.
• Leverage collaboration with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to conduct trainings in communities across the country to increase awareness of language access obligations and encourage widespread adoption of best practices by law enforcement agencies.
• Strengthen the department’s ties and engagement with LEP community stakeholders and LEP populations.In addition to today’s Initiative announcement, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced an agreement to resolve an investigation into allegations that the Denver Police Department (DPD) discriminated on the basis of national origin against LEP individuals in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits race, color, and national origin discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.
“This agreement with the Denver Police Department will help police officers do their jobs,” said Matthew Kirsch, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. §515 for the District of Colorado. “Whether it’s conducting community outreach or arresting individuals accused of breaking the law, ensuring ready access to accurate language services enables officers to serve and protect all members of the community, regardless of English proficiency.”
The Justice Department’s investigation of the DPD began after community members raised concerns about incidents involving Burmese and Rohingya-speaking LEP residents living in the East Colfax area of Denver. The investigation revealed numerous instances where DPD officers either failed to provide language assistance to LEP individuals or provided language assistance that was ineffective or inappropriate. For example, the investigation uncovered situations where children, family members, and bystanders were relied upon for language assistance, including in circumstances where more reliable and objective language assistance should have been provided.
As part of this settlement agreement, the DPD has agreed to implement a series of changes to its language access policies, procedures, and training, including:
• Updating its Language Access Policy and Plan in order to establish procedures for communicating with LEP individuals, including witnesses and suspects, and to prohibit the use of children, family members, or bystanders to communicate with LEP individuals, except in exigent circumstances;
• Appointing its first-ever LEP Coordinator and establish Language Access Points of Contact (LAPCs) in every DPD district;
• Training all DPD employees and new recruits on identifying, communicating with, and documenting interactions with LEP individuals; and
• Creating a Language Access Committee that includes stakeholders representing LEP community interests.Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/
Amharic: አማርኛ
Arabic: العربية
Burmese: မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese, Simplified: 简体字
Chinese, Traditional: 簡體字
Farsi: فارسی
French: Français
Karen: ကညီ
Nepali: नेपाली
Rohingya: Ruáingga
Russian: Pусский
Somali: Soomaaliga
Spanish: Español
Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt
Download Memorandum of Agreement
Download DPD Language Access Policy
Jacksonville Man Charged with Possessing A Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jonathan Donte Rogers, Jr. (21, Jacksonville) with possessing a stolen firearm as well as not registering the firearm, which was a short-barreled rifle. If convicted of the offenses, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Rogers that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms and ammunition traceable to the offense (see photo below).
According to court documents, on September 6, 2022, Rogers illegally possessed a stolen short-barreled rifle that belonged to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer. Rogers posted a video of himself possessing the rifle on social media. Possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a short-barreled rifle without properly registering it are violations of federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be 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.
Jacksonville Man Charged with Illegal Purchase of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Pernell Dewayne Bodiford, Jr. (24, Jacksonville) with illegally purchasing a firearm by providing a false statement to a federal firearms dealer. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The indictment also notifies Bodiford, Jr. that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms and ammunition traceable to the offense.
According to the indictment, on July 2, 2021, Bodiford, Jr. bought a Glock pistol from Cash City Pawn of Jacksonville by providing false information intended to deceive the dealer. Bodiford, Jr. provided information stating that he was the actual buyer of the Glock pistol when, in fact, he was buying the pistol for someone else that was prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. Providing false information to a federal firearms dealer is a violation of federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be 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.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Eddie Guy Jewell, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jewell’s Idlewood Drive residence in Huntington. Officers found approximately 73.73 grams of fentanyl, a Bushmaster, AR-15 5.56mm rifle, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. Jewell admitted to possessing the fentanyl, intending to distribute it in the Huntington area. Jewell further admitted that the search occurred after he sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant on multiple occasions.
Jewell is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting 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. 3:22-cr-155.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Frazier, 42, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 9, 2022, Frazier possessed a Taurus, model G2C, 9mm pistol in Huntington.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Frazier knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery in Wayne County Circuit Court on April 14, 2000, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 2, 2018.
Frazier is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting 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. 3:22-cr-222.
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Honeywell UOP to pay over $160M to resolve foreign bribery investigations in U.S. and BrazilRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – UOP LLC, dba as Honeywell UOP, a U.S.-based subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., has agreed to pay more than $160 million to resolve parallel bribery investigations by criminal and civil authorities in the United States and Brazil stemming from bribe payments offered to a high-ranking official at Brazil’s state-owned oil company.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s resolution is coordinated with prosecutorial authorities in Brazil as well as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
According to court documents, Honeywell UOP entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the department in connection with a criminal information filed in the Southern District of Texas charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
According to the company’s admissions and court documents, between 2010 and 2014, Honeywell UOP conspired to offer an approximately $4 million bribe to a then-high-ranking executive of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A (Petrobras) in Brazil. Specifically, Honeywell UOP offered the bribe to secure improper advantages in order to obtain and retain business from Petrobras in connection with Honeywell UOP’s efforts to win an approximately $425 million contract from Petrobras to design and build an oil refinery called Premium.
“This case exemplifies corporate misconduct on a global level,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Prosecuting and investigating this type of crime is an important role our office takes seriously in order to ensure fair and equal playing fields for U.S. companies and consumers. We will continue our efforts to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who violate the FCPA and combat corrupt practices in order to preserve the integrity of our nation’s business dealings here and abroad.”
According to court documents, in order to effectuate the bribery scheme, Honeywell UOP entered into an agency agreement with a sales agent for the purpose of funding and paying the $4 million bribe to the high-ranking Petrobras executive. In exchange for the bribe, and after obtaining business advantages including inside information and secret assistance from the Petrobras executive, Honeywell UOP won the contract. Honeywell UOP earned approximately $105.5 million in profits from the corruptly obtained business.
“Honeywell UOP offered to pay millions of dollars in bribes to a high-ranking executive at Brazil’s state-owned oil company to win a lucrative contract,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s resolution once again demonstrates that in our relentless fight against corruption, the Department of Justice will work together with our partners, both domestic and foreign, to hold companies accountable for their criminal conduct.”
Pursuant to the DPA, Honeywell UOP will pay a criminal penalty of approximately $79 million. The department has agreed to credit up to approximately $39.6 million of that criminal penalty against amounts the company has agreed to pay to authorities in Brazil in connection with related proceedings to resolve an investigation by the Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU), the Ministério Público Federal (MPF) and the Advocacia-Geral de União (Attorney General’s Office). In addition, Honeywell UOP will pay approximately $81 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest as part of the resolution of a parallel investigation by the SEC.
“Honeywell UOP conspired to bribe a high-ranking official at Petrobras to win a contract from the company, effectively stifling competition,” said Acting Assistant Director in Charge Michael H. Glasheen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Bribery schemes like this one transcend borders, and collaboration with our foreign partners is crucial to the fight against international corruption. The resolution announced today demonstrates the FBI's commitment to leveling the playing field across the global marketplace."
“Money is the center of the criminal world and this company became a part of that world when it failed to adhere to national and international laws,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Houston Field Office. “It did not live up to the trust placed on it by both the public and its shareholders. In situations like this, IRS-CI will pursue criminal enterprises, regardless of where they operate. Our investigation in this case remains open and we are working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that crime doesn’t pay.”
As part of the DPA, Honeywell UOP has agreed to continue to cooperate with the department in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, under the agreement, Honeywell UOP and its parent company, Honeywell International Inc., agreed to continue to enhance its compliance program and provide reports to the department regarding the implementation of compliance measures for the term of the DPA.
The department reached this resolution with Honeywell UOP based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Honeywell UOP received full credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included, among other things, (i) proactively disclosing certain evidence of which the department was previously unaware; (ii) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (iii) making detailed presentations to the department; (iv) voluntarily facilitating interviews of employees; and (v) collecting and producing voluminous relevant documents and translations to the department, including documents located outside the United States. The company promptly engaged in extensive remedial measures including, among other things, terminating and disciplining certain employees involved in the misconduct and strengthening its compliance program. In light of these considerations, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the bottom of the applicable guidelines fine range.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the IRS-CI Houston Field Office are investigating the case. Brazil’s MPF, CGU and AGU as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady for the Southern District of Texas and Assistant Chief Gerald M. Moody Jr. and Trial Attorney Gwendolyn Stamper of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Honeywell UOP to Pay over $160 Million to Resolve Foreign Bribery Investigations in U.S. and BrazilRead the Press Release
UOP LLC, doing business as Honeywell UOP, a U.S.-based subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., has agreed to pay more than $160 million to resolve parallel bribery investigations by criminal and civil authorities in the United States and Brazil stemming from bribe payments offered to a high-ranking official at Brazil’s state-owned oil company.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s resolution is coordinated with prosecutorial authorities in Brazil, as well as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
According to court documents, Honeywell UOP entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the department in connection with a criminal information filed in the Southern District of Texas charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
According to the company’s admissions and court documents, between 2010 and 2014, Honeywell UOP conspired to offer an approximately $4 million bribe to a then-high-ranking executive of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A (Petrobras) in Brazil. Specifically, Honeywell UOP offered the bribe to secure improper advantages in order to obtain and retain business from Petrobras in connection with Honeywell UOP’s efforts to win an approximately $425 million contract from Petrobras to design and build an oil refinery called Premium.
“Honeywell UOP offered to pay millions of dollars in bribes to a high-ranking executive at Brazil’s state-owned oil company to win a lucrative contract,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s resolution once again demonstrates that in our relentless fight against corruption, the Department of Justice will work together with our partners, both domestic and foreign, to hold companies accountable for their criminal conduct.”
According to court documents, in order to effectuate the bribery scheme, Honeywell UOP entered into an agency agreement with a sales agent for the purpose of funding and paying the $4 million bribe to the high-ranking Petrobras executive. In exchange for the bribe, and after obtaining business advantages, including inside information and secret assistance, from the Petrobras executive, Honeywell UOP won the contract. Honeywell UOP earned approximately $105.5 million in profits from the corruptly obtained business.
“This case exemplifies corporate misconduct on a global level,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Prosecuting and investigating this type of crime is an important role our office takes seriously in order to ensure fair and equal playing fields for U.S. companies and consumers. We will continue our efforts to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who violate the FCPA and combat corrupt practices in order to preserve the integrity of our nation’s business dealings here and abroad.”
Pursuant to the DPA, Honeywell UOP will pay a criminal penalty of approximately $79 million. The department has agreed to credit up to approximately $39.6 million of that criminal penalty against amounts the company has agreed to pay to authorities in Brazil in connection with related proceedings to resolve an investigation by the Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU), the Ministério Público Federal (MPF), and the Advocacia-Geral de União (Attorney General’s Office). In addition, Honeywell UOP will pay approximately $81 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest as part of the resolution of a parallel investigation by the SEC.
“Honeywell UOP conspired to bribe a high-ranking official at Petrobras to win a contract from the company, effectively stifling competition,” said Acting Assistant Director in Charge Michael H. Glasheen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Bribery schemes like this one transcend borders, and collaboration with our foreign partners is crucial to the fight against international corruption. The resolution announced today demonstrates the FBI's commitment to leveling the playing field across the global marketplace.”
“Money is the center of the criminal world, and this company became a part of that world when it failed to adhere to national and international laws,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Houston Field Office. “It did not live up to the trust placed on it by both the public and its shareholders. In situations like this, IRS-CI will pursue criminal enterprises, regardless of where they operate. Our investigation in this case remains open and we are working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that crime doesn’t pay.”
As part of the DPA, Honeywell UOP has agreed to continue to cooperate with the department in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, under the agreement, Honeywell UOP and its parent company, Honeywell International Inc., agreed to continue to enhance its compliance program and provide reports to the department regarding the implementation of compliance measures for the term of the DPA.
The department reached this resolution with Honeywell UOP based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Honeywell UOP received full credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included, among other things, (i) proactively disclosing certain evidence of which the department was previously unaware; (ii) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (iii) making detailed presentations to the department; (iv) voluntarily facilitating interviews of employees; and (v) collecting and producing voluminous relevant documents and translations to the department, including documents located outside the United States. The company promptly engaged in extensive remedial measures including, among other things, terminating and disciplining certain employees involved in the misconduct and strengthening its compliance program. In light of these considerations, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the bottom of the applicable guidelines fine range.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the IRS-CI Houston Field Office are investigating the case. Brazil’s MPF, CGU, and AGU, as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, provided substantial assistance in this matter.
Assistant Chief Gerald M. Moody Jr. and Trial Attorney Gwendolyn Stamper of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Hampton Roads Violent Serial Armed Robbery Crew ConvictedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted two men last Friday on charges related to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Harold Spencer, 32, and Jon Morgan, 32, were members of a five-man armed robbery crew that were apprehended on March 18 after a high-speed pursuit through Virginia Beach following an attempted robbery of a Tiger Mart gas station. A pursuing Virginia Beach police cruiser’s dash camera captured the men throwing several loaded weapons from their car. Only after spike strips were deployed multiple times, did the car finally come to a stop. All men were apprehended, and police recovered ski masks and gloves from inside their vehicle. The clothing and shoes each of them was wearing matched what could be seen in video surveillance from six prior armed robberies. One robber wore a NASA sweatshirt at the first two of six robberies. He was arrested wearing that same NASA sweatshirt.
The rental vehicle they were arrested in was traced back to the Norfolk Airport from where it was rented. One of the co-conspirators caught on the airport video wearing purple shoes was caught later that night on surveillance committing an armed robbery of the Jr. Market in Norfolk wearing purple shoes. Spencer, who shot at a fleeing customer during the second of six-armed robberies, took a “selfie” on his cell phone wearing a ski mask worn in all six robberies—a ski mask, which was recovered after the high-speed pursuit and later was shown to contain his DNA. His cell phone also contained photographs of his co-conspirator holding a handgun with a drum magazine, multiple Glock firearms consistent with those thrown from the fleeing vehicle, pictures of large sums of cash, and lottery tickets.
The armed robbery crew stole cash, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. Investigators from the Virginia Lottery received alerts from convenience stores where attempts were made by Spencer and his co-conspirator, Kareem Ross, to cash the stolen tickets. Investigators pulled the surveillance video from those attempts and identified both men. Additionally, through a shoe impression expert from the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, investigators were able to connect the shoes Spencer was arrested in with a lift of an impression made at the Arrowhead Food Mart he had robbed on March 5. Those shoes could be seen at all six armed robberies Spencer had committed.
Several months before to this conduct, Morgan had completed a prior prison sentence for armed robbery.
Spencer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 31 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when. Morgan faces a maximum sentence of 40 years. Both men will be sentenced on June 2, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-conspirators Kareem Ross, 32, of Hampton; Marvin Lockhart, Jr., 32, of Virginia Beach; and Roshaun Griffin, 34, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. They are scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, March 3, and February 23, 2023, respectively.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Paul W. Neudigate, Chief of Police, Virginia Beach Police Department, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe DePadilla and John F. Butler are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-106.
Greenville Men Sentenced to Prison for Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
Oxford, Mississippi – Two Greenville men have been sentenced to prison following their convictions for drug and gun related offenses.
According to court documents, the federal gun and drug charges arose out of a March 22, 2020, incident wherein Lakendrick Motton and Antoine Jackson were seen selling illegal narcotics from the parking lot of Lucky’s Store in Greenville, Mississippi.
Motton, 37, was sentenced on Friday, December 16 by U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Motton will serve a three-year term of supervision upon his release from prison.
According to court documents, Antoine Jackson, 33, was sentenced on November 1, 2022, by Judge Aycock to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Upon release from prison, Jackson will also be placed on supervision for a period of three years.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi and Greenville Police Chief Marcus Turner announced the sentences for Jackson and Motton.
This case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Grand Jury Indicts 2 in ‘Swatting’ Scheme that Took over Ring Doorbells Across U.S. to Livestream Police Response to Fake CallsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two men – one from Wisconsin, the other from North Carolina – have been charged with participating in a “swatting” spree that, over a one-week span, gained access to a dozen Ring home security door cameras nationwide, placed bogus emergency phone calls designed to elicit an armed police response, then livestreamed the events on social media, sometimes while taunting responding police officers, the Justice Department announced today.
Kya Christian Nelson, a.k.a. “ChumLul,” 21, of Racine, Wisconsin, who is currently incarcerated in Kentucky in an unrelated case; and James Thomas Andrew McCarty, a.k.a. “Aspertaine,” 20, of Charlotte, North Carolina (who at the time of the alleged criminal conduct lived in Kayenta, Arizona), who was arrested last week on federal charges filed in the District of Arizona, are charged with one count of conspiracy to intentionally access computers without authorization. Nelson also was charged with two counts of intentionally accessing without authorization a computer and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment returned Friday afternoon by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles, from November 7, 2020, to November 13, 2020, Nelson and McCarty gained access to home security door cameras sold by Ring LLC, a home security technology company. Nelson and McCarty allegedly acquired without authorization the username and password information for Yahoo email accounts belonging to victims throughout the United States.
Then, they allegedly determined whether the owner of each compromised Yahoo account also had a Ring account using the same email address and password that could control associated internet-connected Ring doorbell camera devices. Using that information, they identified and gathered additional information about their victims, according to the indictment.
Nelson and McCarty allegedly placed false emergency reports or telephone calls to local law enforcement in the areas where the victims lived. These reports or calls were intended to elicit an emergency police response to the victim’s residence, the indictment alleges.
The defendants then allegedly accessed without authorization the victims’ Ring devices and transmitted the audio and video from those devices on social media during the police response. They also allegedly verbally taunted responding police officers and victims through the Ring devices during several of the incidents.
For example, on November 8, 2020, Nelson and an accomplice accessed without authorization Yahoo and Ring accounts belonging to a victim in West Covina. A hoax telephone call was placed to the West Covina Police Department purporting to originate from the victim’s residence and posing as a minor child reporting her parents drinking and shooting guns inside the residence of the victim’s parents.
Nelson allegedly accessed without authorization a Ring doorbell camera, located at the residence of the victim’s parents and linked to the victim’s Ring account, and used it to verbally threaten and taunt West Covina Police officers who responded to the reported incident.
The indictment alleges other similar Ring-related swatting incidents occurred in Flat Rock, Michigan; Redding, California; Billings, Montana; Decatur, Georgia; Chesapeake, Virginia; Rosenberg, Texas; Oxnard, California; Darien, Illinois; Huntsville, Alabama; North Port, Florida; and Katy, Texas.
This series of swatting incidents prompted the FBI in late 2020 to issue a public service announcement urging users of smart home devices with cameras and voice capabilities to use complex, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication to help protect against swatting attacks.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If they were to be convicted of the conspiracy charge in the indictment, each defendant would face a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The charge of intentionally accessing without authorization a computer carries a maximum possible sentence of five years, and the charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Khaldoun Shobaki of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Gallup man sentenced to 25 years in prison for second degree murderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Darrell Desiderio was sentenced on Dec. 16 to 25 years in prison. Desiderio, 45, of Gallup, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on July 26, 2021, to second degree murder in Indian Country.
On June 7, 2018, Desiderio and an accomplice, conspired to kidnap a victim, identified as John Doe, and take the victim’s truck. The accomplice lured John Doe to Desiderio to assist Desiderio in acquiring a vehicle. Under the pretense that Desiderio “knew some women who would want to ‘party,’” the accomplice and John Doe picked up Desiderio and drove north of Gallup to a remote area. Desiderio ordered John Doe to pull over and pressed a knife to John Doe’s throat. During a struggle for the keys to the vehicle, Desiderio stabbed John Doe. The victim died as a result of the wounds inflicted by Desiderio. The murder occurred in McKinley County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Desiderio will be subject to five years of supervised release.
The Gallup resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Gallup Police Department, McKinley County Sheriff’s Office and the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Spindle prosecuted the case.
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Fresno Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Federal Firearm ConvictionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Keith Delray Breazell, 32, of Fresno, CA, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Ana de Alba to 37 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2021, detectives working for the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC) reported to a cemetery, where they observed Breazell and a group of males congregating. As officers approached the area, the males dispersed. Breazell ran and climbed over a cinder block wall on the property line of the cemetery. Breazell was apprehended by assisting officers. Two detectives canvassed the area where Breazell had been seen standing and saw an abandoned blue backpack. Inside the backpack, officers found a loaded, privately manufactured, semi-automatic, .40 caliber pistol without a serial number (sometimes called a “ghost gun”). The backpack also contained an additional loaded, .40 caliber magazine which contained 13 live .40 caliber rounds of ammunition. The backpack also contained a wallet with Breazell’s California identification card inside. Breazell is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has previously been convicted of several felony crimes. Breazell was arrested, charged, and pled guilty.
The case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and MAGEC. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Fresno Man Sentenced to Almost 15 Years in prison for Fentanyl Distribution to a Minor, Other Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Geno Maciel, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced today to almost 15 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl and alprazolam to a person under 21 years of age, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, alprazolam, and ecstasy, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2021, Maciel provided a 16-year-old with a counterfeit pill that was laced with fentanyl. The juvenile victim died as a result of fentanyl intoxication.
A few weeks later, investigators executed a search warrant at Maciel’s residence, on his car and person, and found additional pills laced with fentanyl, alprazolam, and ecstasy, as well as ammunition and 11 firearms.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Several investigators were part of the FORT team, a team with a mission to deploy to the scene of an overdose, with or without a fatality, to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding the event and ultimately bring a resolution to the victims by prosecuting the sources of supply who are responsible. The team is also focused on education on the dangers of fentanyl and how first responders treat these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Former Portland Area Non-Profit Director Pleads Guilty to Stealing Covid Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Portland area non-profit director pleaded guilty today for stealing more than $320,000 in federal funds intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Theodore Johnson, 62, a Portland resident, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents, in February 2017, Johnson incorporated and began serving as the director of operations for Ten Penny International Housing Foundation, an Oregon-based non-profit organization. After Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American employers suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdowns, Johnson saw an opportunity to fraudulently obtain government funds on Ten Penny’s behalf.
In early March 2021, Johnson submitted his first of three Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications, falsely claiming Ten Penny employed 16 people and had an average monthly payroll of more than $57,000. To support his application, Johnson submitted fraudulent tax documents and created an electronic counterfeit IRS stamp to make it appear as though a form had been received by the IRS. Based on these false claims, Northeast Bank issued a PPP loan worth more than $143,000 to Ten Penny.
Two months later, in May 2021, Johnson submitted two more fraudulent PPP loan applications. In these applications, he again falsely claimed Ten Penny employed 16 people and had an average monthly payroll of at least $50,000. Johnson further falsely claimed to have used the entirety of his first PPP loan for eligible expenses. As a result, Central Willamette Credit Union issued Johnson a second PPP loan worth more than $130,000.
In addition to his three fraudulent PPP loan applications, Johnson submitted a fraudulent Oregon Cares Fund application on behalf of Ten Penny and received an additional $34,975.
On October 31, 2022, Johnson was charged by criminal information with one count of bank fraud.
Johnson faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on March 16, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.
As part of his plea agreement, Johnson has agreed to pay more than $321,000 in restitution to Northeast Bank, Central Willamette Credit Union, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.
This case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). It is being prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Pinch Elementary Counselor Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, a former counselor at Pinch Elementary School in Kanawha County, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey must also pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in January 2020, Roatsey communicated via the Snapchat instant messaging application with one girl he believed to be 16 and a second female he believed also to be a minor. Roatsey admitted that he posed as an 18-year-old boy while persuading each to record and send him numerous sexually explicit videos that depicted each female masturbating. Roatsey further admitted that he sent both girls videos of himself masturbating.
Roatsey also used this Snapchat account to communicate with several minor females he knew through his position as a Pinch Elementary School counselor. These communications included more than 100 Snapchat videos that Roatsey recorded while communicating with two minor females, each approximately 12 years old. One was a student at Pinch Elementary at the time. During these conversations, Roatsey received numerous videos of the minor females doing what he called “sexy” dance routines or gymnastics poses such as full backbends. The minor females often wore only sports bras and shorts in these videos. Roatsey admitted to responding to these videos by telling the minor females they were “hot” and “sexy.”
The Court found Roatsey had caused “incalculable damage” to his victims.
“As an elementary school counselor, Roatsey intentionally placed himself in a position of trust over the kinds of children to whom he was sexually attracted,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “In our communities, schools are the only constant for a lot of children. A lot of the time, school is the safe place. The fact that Mr. Roatsey made this not a safe place was, I find, to be very horrific.”
Roatsey further admitted to distributing, receiving, possessing, and accessing child pornography, including images and videos depicting infants and toddlers, through a variety of media between at least October 9, 2019, through July 16, 2021. Roatsey possessed child pornography on devices seized from his residence, including his cell phone, and on the encrypted cloud-based file storage service Mega. Using both Mega and the messaging application Kik, Roatsey distributed various images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to other individuals.
On October 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Roatsey’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices found to contain child pornography. Roatsey admitted that several hours after law enforcement completed the search and left his residence, he deleted the Snapchat account he used to engage in these activities. By deleting the account, Roatsey obstructed justice by making various Snapchat records inaccessible to law enforcement and unavailable for any subsequent federal prosecution.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.
“Today’s sentencing is reflective of just how despicable and damaging Todd Roatsey’s crimes against children are and emphasizes HSI’s dedication to holding perpetrators accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “Today’s sentence sends an important message to all predators. We will not allow any crime against children to go unpunished. HSI is dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable population against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence.”
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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. 2:21-cr-235.
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Former Gang Member and California State Inmate Receives over Five Years in Federal Prison for His Role in $25 Million Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Daryol Richmond, 31, who was formerly a gang member and inmate at the Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, California, where he was serving nineteen years for robbery, was sentenced today to five years and five months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) during the COVID-19 pandemic, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Richmond is the first of the eight defendants charged in the case to plead guilty and be sentenced.
According to court records, Richmond obtained the personal identifying information for other individuals, including inmates and non-inmates, who did not authorize him to possess their information. He then provided this information to his co-conspirators inside and outside of prison through emails and jail calls, and caused the applications for the fraudulent claims to contain numerous misrepresentations. The misrepresentations included that the other individuals became unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, were available to work, and had access to the mailing addresses listed in the applications.
The fraudulent claims were worth up to $25 million and $5.5 million was actually paid out for the claims. At sentencing, Richmond was found to be responsible for $1.4 million and $382,000 of these amounts, respectively, and to be unaware of the full scope of the scheme. The money was used to buy vehicles, jewelry and other items.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, EDD, and Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Barton as part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, which is one of three interagency COVID-19 fraud strike forces established by the Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California. This strike force focuses on large-scale, sophisticated relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
The remaining defendants who were charged along with Richmond are currently pending trial. They are: Telvin Breaux, 29, who is an inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi; Holly White, 30, of Los Angeles; Cecelia Allen, 33, of Downey; Fantasia Brown, 33, of Los Angeles; Tonisha Brown, 28, of Los Angeles; Fantesia Davis, 32, of Victorville; and Shanice White, 28, of Hawthorne. The charges against these defendants are only allegations and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Florida Atlantic University Student Sentenced to Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Shawn Anthony Jackson Outler, a 23-year-old former Florida Atlantic University student, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon to 24 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material of a 14-year-old girl.
According to court records, Outler used social media applications to form relationships with nine minor females ranging in ages from 13 to 17. After befriending the minors, he enticed them to create sexually explicit videos and directed them to engage in sexually explicit activity via video conferencing. With some of these minor females, Outler succeeded in establishing dominant/submissive relationships during which time he verbally belittled and humiliated them and had some engage in self-harm such as burning, carving, and cutting. He had some of the females perform degrading acts and threatened to post them online should the minor female fail to comply with his requests for production of sexually explicit acts.
Outler was arrested without incident by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on March 3, 2022.
In addition to Outler’s prison sentence, he will have 25 years of supervised release, pay restitution, and register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami and Florida Atlantic University Police Department investigated the case. Assistance U.S. Attorney Diana M. Acosta prosecuted it.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-CR-14018.
Federal Jury Finds Ringleader Guilty in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of leading a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.
Evidence at trial proved that from approximately June 2020 to July 2021, Jones worked with his fellow gun traffickers and other co-conspirators to recruit individuals from the Beckley area to straw purchase firearms on his behalf. Jones selected the firearms these straw purchasers would buy and provided the money to purchase them. The straw purchasers falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were purchasing them for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy, which is a federal crime.
Jones and his co-conspirators then transported those straw purchased firearms to Philadelphia over the course of a nine-month period. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
“This ringleader and his co-conspirators contributed to the deadly flow of illegally trafficked firearms into our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The multiple convictions secured in this case are a testament to the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew and our trial team.”
“ATF’s primary mission is to protect the country from crimes involving firearms,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “One of the ways we accomplish this is by identifying sources of crime guns and disrupting firearms trafficking schemes. This investigation demonstrated how Bisheem Jones, and others unlawfully obtained firearms, how their actions put guns into the hands of criminals, and ultimately how those guns were used in serious crimes in multiple states. The guilty verdict makes it clear; West Virginia is not the place to source crime guns. I commend the work of the ATF Charleston and ATF Philadelphia offices, and I am grateful for the United States Attorney’s Office who worked hard to hold those involved accountable.”
The federal jury found Jones guilty of conspiracy to travel interstate to engage in the firearms trafficking, the underlying crime of traveling interstate to engage firearms trafficking, and money laundering conspiracy. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced.
Three of Jones’ co-defendants pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. A fourth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Seven co-defendants pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. An additional seven individuals pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the firearms trafficking conspiracy. Ten of the individuals who had pleaded guilty to their roles in this scheme testified at Jones’ trial.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Federal Jury Finds 2 Men Guilty of Charges Related to Robbery and Murder of Stamford JewelerRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found THOMAS LIBERATORE, 65, of White Plains, New York, and PAUL PROSANO, also known as “Tony Pro,” 62, of Brooklyn, guilty of federal offenses in connection with the March 2020 robbery of Marco Jewelers in Stamford, Connecticut. During the robbery, the owner of Marco Jewelers was shot and killed.
The trial before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley began on December 8 and the jury returned the guilty verdicts this afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, on March 28, 2020, at approximately 2:48 p.m., Stamford Police Officers responded to Marco Jewelers, located at 16 Sixth Street in Stamford. When officers arrived, they found evidence of a robbery and encountered the storeowner, Mark Vuono, lying on the ground in front of an open safe. Emergency medical personnel arrived and pronounced Vuono deceased.
Investigators collected and analyzed surveillance video from Marco Jewelers, surrounding businesses and Stamford city cameras. Video obtained from Marco Jewelers revealed that, on March 28, Prosano drove Robert Rallo and Liberatore in a black Jaguar to Marco Jewelers. Rallo and Liberatore then entered the store. Rallo, armed with a handgun, engaged in a physical altercation with Vuono, while Liberatore stole items from the display cases. Vuono, who also possessed a firearm, and Rallo struggled next to a large open safe. During the more than three-minute struggle, Rallo reached into the safe and pulled out a third firearm, a .357 Magnum revolver. Rallo subsequently shot and killed Vuono with the .357 revolver.
Following the robbery, law enforcement located the black Jaguar in Staten Island and maintained surveillance on the vehicle. On March 30, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a black BMW X3, driven by Prosano, pulled up beside the black Jaguar. Rallo exited the rear door of the BMW and entered the driver’s door of a black Jaguar. The two vehicles then left the area and rapidly accelerated. The Jaguar crashed on Tompkins Street. Rallo attempted to flee on foot, but was quickly apprehended. The BMW crashed into a tree and parked car at the intersection of Daniel Low Terrace and Corson Avenue. Prosano also attempted to flee and was apprehended.
A search of the BMW revealed 63 rings, eight bracelets, two tie pins, an earring and a cufflink, and a search of Prosano’s residence revealed 23 pairs of earrings and three rings. These items were stolen from Marco Jewelers on March 28.
Liberatore was also arrested on March 30.
The jury found Liberatore and Prosano guilty of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), an offense that carries a maximum term imprisonment of 20 years, and with interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Liberatore was also found guilty of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to cause a death during a robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Sentencing dates are not scheduled.
The three defendants have been detained since their arrests.
On April 5, 2022, Rallo, 59, of New York, pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, and one count of using a firearm to cause a death during a robbery. He awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stamford Police Department and Greenwich Police Department, with the assistance of the New York Police Department, Yonkers (N.Y.) Police Department and New Rochelle (N.Y.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis, Rahul Kale and Margaret Donovan.
Farrell, PA Man Admits Role in Multi-State Drug Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Pennsylvania resident pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Trevor Austin, 48, of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine from March of 2019 through September of 2020 before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Austin is one of thirteen defendants charged in the Indictment returned in this case.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated throughout the United States, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Beginning in December of 2019 and continuing through August of 2020, the DEA received authorization to conduct a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Austin, as a member of this multistate drug trafficking organization, was intercepted discussing acquiring and distributing cocaine throughout western Pennsylvania. In addition to the intercepted communications, agents seized cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana, firearms, and bulk United States Currency from members of the organization.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of 40 years of imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The DEA in Pittsburgh, PA; the DEA, Columbus, OH; the DEA, Harrisburg, PA; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Pittsburgh, PA; HSI, Orlando, FL; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service, Columbus, Ohio; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Lawrence County Drug Task Force – Special Investigations Unit; and New Castle Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Austin.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
FBI and Partners Issue National Public Safety Alert on Financial Sextortion SchemesRead the Press Release
The FBI, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is issuing a national public safety alert regarding an explosion in incidents of children and teens being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money—a crime known as financial sextortion.
Over the past year, law enforcement has received over 7,000 reports related to the online financial sextortion of minors, resulting in at least 3,000 victims, primarily boys, and more than a dozen suicides. A large percentage of these sextortion schemes originate outside of the United States, and primarily in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast. As many children enter winter break this holiday season, the FBI and our partners implore parents and caregivers to engage with their kids about financial sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.
“The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys—and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is here for victims, but we also need parents and caregivers to work with us to prevent this crime before it happens and help children come forward if it does. Victims may feel like there is no way out—it is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone.”“The protection of children is a society’s most sacred duty,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It calls on each of us to do everything we can to keep kids from harm, including ensuring the threats they face are brought into the light and confronted. Armed with the information in this alert message, parents, caregivers, and children themselves should feel empowered to detect fake identities, take steps to reject any attempt to obtain private material, and if targeted, have a plan to seek help from a trusted adult.”
Financial sextortion schemes occur in online environments where young people feel most comfortable—using common social media sites, gaming sites, or video chat applications that feel familiar and safe. On these platforms, online predators often use fake female accounts and target minor males, between 14 to 17 years old but the FBI has interviewed victims as young as 10 years old.
“The sexual exploitation of children is a deplorable crime. HSI special agents will continue to exhaust every resource to identify, locate, and apprehend predators to ensure they face justice,” said Steve K. Francis, HSI Acting Executive Associate Director. “Criminals who lurk in platforms on the internet are not as anonymous as they think. HSI will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology to end these heinous acts.”
Through deception, predators convince the young person to produce an explicit video or photo. Once predators acquire the images, they threaten to release the compromising material unless the victim sends money or gift cards. Often the predators demand payment through a variety of peer-to-peer payment applications. In many cases, however, predators release the images even if payments are made. The shame, fear, and confusion that victims feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse.
“This is a growing crisis and we've seen sextortion completely devastate children and families,” said Michelle DeLaune, CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “As the leading nonprofit focused on child protection, we've seen first-hand the rise in these cases worldwide. The best defense against this crime is to talk to your children about what to do if they're targeted online. We want everyone to know help is out there and they're not alone.”
What if you or your child is a victim?
If young people are being exploited, they are victims of a crime and should report it. Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has outlined steps parents and young people can take if they or their child are a victim of sextortion, including:
• Remember, the predator is to blame, not your child or you.
• Get help before deciding whether to pay money or otherwise comply with the predator. Cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail and continued harassment.
• REPORT the predator’s account via the platform’s safety feature.
• BLOCK the predator and DO NOT DELETE the profile or messages because that can be helpful to law enforcement in identifying and stopping them.
• Let NCMEC help get explicit images of you off the internet.
• Visit org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere to learn how to notify companies yourself or visit cybertipline.org to report to us for help with the process.
• Ask for help. This can be a very complex problem and may require help from adults or law enforcement.
• If you don’t feel that you have adults in your corner, you can reach out to NCMEC for support at [email protected] or call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST.Take a moment to learn how sextortion works and how to talk to your children about it. Information, resources, and conversation guides are available at fbi.gov/StopSextortion.
FBI and Partners Issue National Public Safety Alert on Financial Sextortion SchemesRead the Press Release
The FBI, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is issuing a national public safety alert regarding an explosion in incidents of children and teens being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money—a crime known as financial sextortion.
Over the past year, law enforcement has received over 7,000 reports related to the online financial sextortion of minors, resulting in at least 3,000 victims, primarily boys, and more than a dozen suicides. A large percentage of these sextortion schemes originate outside of the United States, and primarily in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast. As many children enter winter break this holiday season, the FBI and our partners implore parents and caregivers to engage with their kids about financial sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.
“The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys—and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is here for victims, but we also need parents and caregivers to work with us to prevent this crime before it happens and help children come forward if it does. Victims may feel like there is no way out—it is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone.”
“The protection of children is a society’s most sacred duty,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It calls on each of us to do everything we can to keep kids from harm, including ensuring the threats they face are brought into the light and confronted. Armed with the information in this alert message, parents, caregivers, and children themselves should feel empowered to detect fake identities, take steps to reject any attempt to obtain private material, and if targeted, have a plan to seek help from a trusted adult.”
Financial sextortion schemes occur in online environments where young people feel most comfortable—using common social media sites, gaming sites, or video chat applications that feel familiar and safe. On these platforms, online predators often use fake female accounts and target minor males, between 14 to 17 years old but the FBI has interviewed victims as young as 10 years old.
“The sexual exploitation of children is a deplorable crime. HSI special agents will continue to exhaust every resource to identify, locate, and apprehend predators to ensure they face justice,” said Steve K. Francis, HSI Acting Executive Associate Director. “Criminals who lurk in platforms on the internet are not as anonymous as they think. HSI will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology to end these heinous acts.”
Through deception, predators convince the young person to produce an explicit video or photo. Once predators acquire the images, they threaten to release the compromising material unless the victim sends money or gift cards. Often the predators demand payment through a variety of peer-to-peer payment applications. In many cases, however, predators release the images even if payments are made. The shame, fear, and confusion that victims feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse.
“This is a growing crisis and we've seen sextortion completely devastate children and families,” said Michelle DeLaune, CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “As the leading nonprofit focused on child protection, we've seen first-hand the rise in these cases worldwide. The best defense against this crime is to talk to your children about what to do if they're targeted online. We want everyone to know help is out there and they're not alone.”
What if you or your child is a victim?
If young people are being exploited, they are victims of a crime and should report it. Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has outlined steps parents and young people can take if they or their child are a victim of sextortion, including:
- Remember, the predator is to blame, not your child or you.
- Get help before deciding whether to pay money or otherwise comply with the predator. Cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail and continued harassment.
- REPORT the predator’s account via the platform’s safety feature.
- BLOCK the predator and DO NOT DELETE the profile or messages because that can be helpful to law enforcement in identifying and stopping them.
- Let NCMEC help get explicit images of you off the internet.
- Visit org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere to learn how to notify companies yourself or visit cybertipline.org to report to us for help with the process.
- Ask for help. This can be a very complex problem and may require help from adults or law enforcement.
- If you don’t feel that you have adults in your corner, you can reach out to NCMEC for support at [email protected] or call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST.
Take a moment to learn how sextortion works and how to talk to your children about it. Information, resources, and conversation guides are available at fbi.gov/StopSextortion.
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Evansville Felon Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Scott A. Stagg, 54, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on November 16, 2021, Scott Stagg was in possession of a loaded 9mm pistol as he was driving his vehicle in Evansville, Indiana. Upon seeing a police vehicle, Stagg immediately pulled to the side of the road, parked, then ran down a nearby alley. Stagg placed the gun and other items behind gas station trash containers and continued to flee the area.
Law enforcement officers pursued Stagg and located the loaded pistol, a loaded magazine, a glasses case containing a glass pipe with burnt residue, and a small amount of methamphetamine behind the gas station trash cans. Stagg was located by officers and taken into custody.
At the time of his arrest, Stagg had previously been convicted in Vanderburgh County of possession of methamphetamine, dealing in a sawed-off shotgun, and illegally possessing a firearm.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
“Armed criminals pose a serious risk to our communities,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We will continue to work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners, including ATF and the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, to protect the public and reduce gun violence. The sentence imposed today shows that those who continue to illegally arm themselves and ignore the law will be held accountable.”
ATF investigated this case with valuable assistance from the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office. The sentenced was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Stagg be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 1 year following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Epic Games Inc., Developer of Fortnite Video Game, Agrees to $275 Million Penalty and Injunction for Alleged Violations of Children’s Privacy LawRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced a settlement that, if approved by a federal court, will require Epic Games Inc. (Epic Games) to pay $275 million in civil penalties as part of a settlement to resolve alleged violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule), and the Federal Trade Commission Act. Epic Games will also be subject to a permanent injunction regarding children’s personal information that it previously collected. Epic Games is the developer of the online video game “Fortnite.”
In a complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the government alleged that Epic Games designed and marketed Fortnite for use by children. The government further alleged that Epic Games possessed actual knowledge that it collected personal information from children, including their names, email addresses, and identifiers used to keep track of players’ progress, purchases, settings, and friends lists. Epic Games nonetheless failed to notify parents that it was collecting children’s personal information and to obtain verifiable parental consent for that collection, as required by the COPPA Rule. The government further alleged that Epic Games maintained default privacy settings that were unfair under Section 5 of the FTC Act, in that the default privacy settings publicly broadcast child and teen Fortnite players’ display names and put children and teens in direct, real-time communication with adult Fortnite players.
“The Justice Department takes very seriously its mission to protect consumers’ data privacy rights,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This proposed order sends a message to all online providers that collecting children’s personal information without parental consent will not be tolerated.”
“Parents have a right to know and to consent before companies collect their children’s personal information,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to enforcing the protections against unauthorized collection of information from consumers, particularly children.”
“As our complaint notes, Epic used privacy-invasive default settings that harmed young Fortnite players,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “Protecting the public, and especially children and teens, from online privacy invasions is a top priority for the Commission, and this enforcement action makes clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices.”
“This historic civil penalty, totaling over a quarter-billion dollars, lays down a marker for online service providers everywhere,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The unauthorized collection of personal information from children online violates the law. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have a strong partnership and are committed to deterring violations.”
In a proposed stipulated order filed today, Epic Games has agreed to pay $275 million in civil penalties, the largest civil penalty ever imposed for a COPPA violation. If approved by the court, the order will prohibit Epic Games from collecting personal information from children in a manner that violates the COPPA Rule. It will also prohibit Epic Games from using children’s personal information that was previously collected unless it obtains verifiable parental consent, and imposes compliance reporting obligations upon Epic Games. Further, the agreement requires Epic Games to maintain default privacy settings that protect children’s and teens’ privacy, to delete certain personal information of children that it previously collected, and to maintain a comprehensive privacy program that protects certain personal information.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Michael Wadden and Josh Fowkes and Assistant Director Lisa Hsiao of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Andrew Hasty, James Trilling, and Amanda Koulousias represented the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.
El Departamento de Justicia anuncia una nueva iniciativa del orden público para el acceso lingüísticoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció el lanzamiento de la “Iniciativa del orden público para el acceso lingüístico”, una labor a nivel nacional que busca ayudar a los organismos del orden público a cumplir con sus obligaciones relativas a la provisión de asistencia lingüística importante a las personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado (LEP, por sus siglas en inglés). La iniciativa ha de fundamentarse en el trabajo de larga data del Departamento con el objeto de garantizar que los organismos del orden público cumplan con sus obligaciones relativas al acceso lingüístico.
“Brindar a los organismos del orden público las herramientas que necesitan para garantizar el acceso lingüístico eficaz e importante fomenta y potencia una mayor seguridad para las personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado”, dijo la fiscal general auxiliar Kristen Clarke de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Por medio de esta iniciativa, podremos compartir estas mejores prácticas de acceso lingüístico y recursos similares con los organismos del orden público en todo el país”.
La Sección Federal de Coordinación y Cumplimiento de la División de Derechos Civiles dirigirá la iniciativa en colaboración con las fiscalías federales. En concreto, la iniciativa:
- establecerá recursos y herramientas de asistencia técnica que puedan ayudar a los organismos locales y estatales del orden público a brindar acceso lingüístico importante a personas y poblaciones en su jurisdicción cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado;
- implicará de una manera positiva a los organismos del orden público que desean revisar, actualizar o fortalecer sus políticas, planes y capacitación en materia de acceso lingüístico;
- potenciará la colaboración con las fiscalías federales para llevar a cabo sesiones de capacitación en comunidades de todo el país para mejorar la percatación en cuanto a las obligaciones referentes al acceso lingüístico y para urgir la adopción generalizada de las mejores prácticas por parte de los organismos del orden público; y
- fortalecerá los vínculos y el compromiso del Departamento con las partes interesadas de la comunidad de personas y poblaciones cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado.
Además del anuncio de la iniciativa que se efectúa hoy, el Departamento de Justicia y la Fiscalía Federal del Distrito de Colorado anunciaron un acuerdo para resolver una investigación acerca de una denuncia contra el Departamento de Policía de Denver (DPD, por sus siglas en inglés) en la que se argumentó discriminación por parte de ese cuerpo policial y con base en el origen nacional de personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, infringiéndose el título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964. Ese título prohíbe que los beneficiarios de ayuda financiera federal discrimen contra alguien debido a su raza, el color de su piel o su origen nacional.
“Este acuerdo con el Departamento de Policía de Denver ayudará a los agentes de policía a hacer su trabajo”, indicó Matthew Kirsch, fiscal federal del Distrito de Colorado conforme a las facultades que le confiere el artículo 515 del título 28 del Código de los EE. UU. “Ya sea que se trate de realizar actividades de alcance comunitario o de arrestar a individuos acusados de quebrantar la ley, garantizar el acceso fácil a servicios lingüísticos fiables permite a los agentes servir y proteger a todos los miembros de la comunidad, independientemente de su dominio del inglés”.
La investigación del Departamento de Justicia contra el Departamento de Policía de Denver comenzó después de que unos miembros de la comunidad expusieron sus inquietudes con respecto a unos incidentes que tuvieron que ver con unos residentes cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, cuyos idiomas son el birmano y el rohinyá, y quienes viven en la zona de East Colfax de Denver. Por medio de la investigación se revelaron muchísimos casos en los que agentes del Departamento de Policía de Denver no prestaron ayuda lingüística a personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, o prestaron ayuda lingüística que fue ineficaz o poco apropiada. Por ejemplo, por medio de la investigación se descubrieron situaciones en las que se confió en niños, miembros de la familia y transeúntes para que ayudaran con el idioma, incluso en circunstancias en las que se debería haber prestado ayuda lingüística más fiable y objetiva.
Como parte de este acuerdo de resolución, el Departamento de Policía de Denver ha acordado poner en ejecución una serie de cambios en sus políticas, procedimientos y capacitación relativos al acceso lingüístico como, entre otros:
- actualizar su política y plan de acceso lingüístico con el fin de establecer procedimientos para comunicarse con las personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, incluidos los testigos y los sospechosos, y con el fin de prohibir valerse de niños, familiares o transeúntes para comunicarse con las personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, excepto en último extremo;
- nombrar a su primer coordinador de asuntos relativos a personas y poblaciones cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado y establecer puntos de contacto de acceso lingüístico (LAPC, por sus siglas en inglés) en cada distrito que cubre el Departamento de Policía de Denver;
- capacitar a todos los empleados de este departamento policial y a los empleados recién contratados para que puedan identificar las interacciones con personas cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, comunicarse con estas y documentar las interacciones; y
- crear un comité de acceso lingüístico que incluya a las partes interesadas que representan los intereses de la comunidad cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado.
Hay más información disponible sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en el sitio web https://www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. También hay información disponible en el sitio web https://www.lep.gov/SPA sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el título VI. El público puede denunciar las posibles infracciones de derechos civiles en el sitio web https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
English
Amharic: አማርኛ
Arabic: العربية
Burmese: မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese, Simplified: 简体字
Chinese, Traditional: 簡體字
arsi: فارسی
French: Français
Karen: ကညီ
Nepali: नेपाली
Rohingya: Ruáingga
Russian: Pусский
Somali: Soomaaliga
Spanish: Español
Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt
Eastern Oregon Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A known drug dealer from Umatilla County, Oregon was sentenced to federal prison today after he was convicted at trial on multiple felony drug and firearm charges.
Jordan Anthony Camardese, 32, a resident of Umatilla, Oregon, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit a 9mm firearm used to facilitate his crimes.
According to court documents and trial testimony, on October 29, 2020, Camardese confronted several individuals about their alleged gang affiliations in or near the Pendleton Market, a small convenience store located in Pendleton, Oregon. After being confronted, several of the individuals left the market together in a single vehicle and traveled approximately one mile to a nearby auto detail shop. Camardese got into a vehicle driven by his wife and they sped off after the group.
When Camardese and his wife arrived at the auto detail shop, there was another confrontation and the shop’s owner repeatedly told Camardese to leave. As they drove away, Camardese pulled himself out of the passenger window and took a black handgun out of his waistband. After pausing briefly, the pair continued driving away. After hearing the commotion and seeing Camardese holding the handgun, a nearby witness called 911.
Officers from the Pendleton Police Department responded, located Camardese parked in his wife’s vehicle on a residential street less than a mile away, and placed him under arrest. Officers from the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Task Force (BENT) later searched the vehicle pursuant to a federal search warrant and located several of Camardese’s belongings as well as distribution quantities of heroin and fentanyl and assorted ammunition.
On November 12, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Camardese with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing with intent to distribute heroin. Later, on July 13, 2021, a fourth charge of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl was added.
On August 19, 2022, after a three-day jury trial, Camardese was found guilty on all charges.
This case was investigated by the FBI and BENT. It was prosecuted by Kemp Strickland and Sarah Barr, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
BENT is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force comprised of detectives from the Pendleton Police Department, Hermiston Police Department, Boardman Police Department, Oregon State Police, Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, Milton-Freewater Police Department, and Umatilla Tribal Police Department.
East St. Louis Man Admits Attacking Park Rangers on Arch GroundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from East St. Louis on Monday admitted assaulting Park Rangers in an incident that began on the grounds of the Gateway Arch National Park.
Antione Lamont Hawkins, 38, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry to two counts of assaulting an officer.
Hawkins admitted that on Feb. 28, 2021, Park Rangers made a lawful traffic stop of a vehicle in the Old Cathedral parking lot. Hawkins was in the driver’s seat. An open beer bottle was in the vehicle and an open beer carton was in the backseat.
Hawkins gave his name to the rangers but refused to provide identification and refused to keep his hands on the steering wheel before becoming confrontational. He admitted that he had been drinking.
When rangers tried to handcuff Hawkins, he struggled and resisted, stomping on one ranger’s foot and kicking him in the leg. When rangers tried to put him in a patrol vehicle, he kicked a ranger in the face.
During a struggle in jail, Hawkins grabbed a different ranger by the throat.
At his sentencing March 23, Hawkins could face up to eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both on each count.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
EDVA Takes Action Against COVID-19 Fraud in 2022Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today, Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), announced an update on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s criminal and civil enforcement efforts to combat COVID-19 related fraud, including schemes targeting the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs.
“Our country has been dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years now, but there is still considerable work to be done,” said Aber. “We continue to uncover more CARES Act fraud almost every day. The COVID landscape has changed dramatically in the past year but what has not changed is our dedication to recovering every possible dollar defrauded from these programs. We will continue to use a range of civil and criminal tools, in addition to interagency partnerships, to meet this goal.”
Since the start of 2022, EDVA has charged over 50 defendants in at least 26 cases of fraud schemes connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. These cases involve attempts to defraud almost $125 million from the U.S. government. The success of these cases reflects a degree of reach, coordination, and expertise emblematic of EDVA’s and the Justice Department’s response to COVID-19-related fraud.
In March 2020, Congress passed a $2.2 trillion economic relief bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Anticipating the need to protect the integrity of these taxpayer funds and to otherwise protect Americans from fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Justice immediately stood up multiple efforts dedicated to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting such fraud.
On criminal matters, EDVA’s efforts to combat COVID-19-related fraud schemes in 2022 have proceeded on numerous fronts, including:
- Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud: The PPP fraud cases charged in EDVA this year involve a range of conduct, from individual business owners who inflated their payroll expenses to obtain larger loans than they otherwise would have qualified for, to a serial fraudster applying for multiple loans using false claims about business entities and income. Some charged defendants misappropriated loan proceeds for prohibited purposes, such as the purchase of houses, cars, jewelry, and other luxury items. In one case, U.S. v. Quin Ngoc Rudin, the Secretary, Director and CFO of a tax preparation business filed over 80 fraudulent PPP loan applications seeking over $100 million.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) fraud: EDVA has also focused on fraud against the EIDL program, which was designed to provide loans to small businesses, agricultural and non-profit entities. Nationally, fraudsters have targeted the program by applying for EIDL advances and loans on behalf of ineligible, newly created, shell, or non-existent businesses, and diverting the funds for illegal purposes. In U.S. v. Darakshan, the defendants wrongfully obtained over $3 million, which they used to invest in the stock market, fund a home construction project, travel to Cancun, purchase a car, and pay other personal expenses.
- Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, since March 2020 through April 2022, DOL-OIG reports nationally roughly $16 billion paid in potentially fraudulent UI benefits. Early investigation and analysis indicate that international organized criminal groups have targeted these funds by using stolen identities to file for UI benefits. Domestic fraudsters, ranging from identity thieves to prison inmates, have also committed UI fraud. In U.S. v Huffman, the defendant operated a fraud scheme to obtain over $2 million in pandemic-related unemployment benefits from multiple state workforce agencies, such as the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
EDVA has also used numerous civil tools to address fraud in connection with CARES Act programs. For example, EDVA obtained a civil settlement of $107,347 to resolve allegations that Latifa Brooks, of Superb Movers, Inc., received two PPP loans and subsequently fraudulently obtained forgiveness on both loans. Another civil settlement of $31,000 with Zen Solutions Inc. was obtained this year to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining more than one PPP loan.
“The many cases included in this announcement highlight the unwavering commitment of the federal law enforcement community to hold accountable those who chose to defraud vital pandemic relief programs intended to help individuals through a challenging health and economic crisis,” said Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Washington Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “As the primary federal agency responsible for investigating fraud against the Unemployment Insurance program, the Office of Inspector General is committed to supporting the prosecution of those who seek to undermine the integrity of the program. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Aber, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Virginia Employment Commission, and our other law enforcement partners for their invaluable support of our mission.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic was one of America’s most vulnerable moments. Many businesses and individuals needed federal emergency assistance to stay afloat, but some fraudsters saw it as an opportunity to enrich themselves instead,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “Our work through 2022 highlights the FBI and our partners’ dedication to finding those who commit pandemic-related fraud and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Over the past two years, the FBI and our partners have relentlessly identified and investigated those who have defrauded the programs designed to assist those who were in need during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to holding those accountable who attempt to fleece the government for their own personal benefit.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented opportunity for fraudsters to prey on the very programs designed to provide economic stability to businesses and individuals during this crisis,” said Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office. “The FBI is committed to investigating fraudulent activity and working with our partners to hold accountable those who flagrantly disregard the purpose and need of these programs for the sustainability of our community's economy.”
“Through focused collaboration with law enforcement partners, fraudsters that stole from SBA programs and American taxpayers are being brought to justice,” said the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG is committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“Postal Inspectors have worked aggressively to investigate all types of pandemic related frauds occurring via the U.S. Mail. Our continued commitment to investigate these frauds will bring the offenders to justice and serves as a deterrent to those who attempt to exploit these benefit programs,” said Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Washington Division.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented law enforcement with a new and changing criminal environment,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, fraud has become the ‘go-to crime’ for many perpetrators. Whether it means preventing fraudsters from selling counterfeit treatments, vaccinations, and protective equipment; or abolishing fraudulent websites deceiving the public; or prosecuting financial criminals attempting to defraud the American public; HSI will continue to adapt in order to respond to the evolving criminal environment ushered in by this pandemic. We remain vigilant in our mission to protect the members of our communities from any type of threat.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate criminal exploitation of this national emergency for personal gain,” said Cynthia L. Hearn, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office. “To take advantage of governmental programs designed for those truly in need during the COVID-19 pandemic is incomprehensible and despicable. Those who do so will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Some of the major COVID-19-related cases prosecuted by EDVA in 2022 are as follows:
CaseCase number
Program Targeted
Intended Loss to Taxpayer
US v. Rudin
1:22-cr-46
PPP
$100,000,000
US v. Mitchum*
4:22-cr-47
EIDL, PPP, UI
$5,807,577
US v. Darakhshan
1:22-cr-22
PPP, EIDL
$3,500,000
US v. Huffman
3:22-cr-8
UI
$3,500,000
US v. Mitchell
3:22-cr-44
PPP, EIDL, UI
$1,800,000
US v. Mathews
3:22-cr-43
PPP
$1,700,000
US v. Wilhoit*
1:22-cr-191
UI
$1,500,000
US v. Rosser*
4:22-cr-91
PPP, EIDL
$1,164,999
US v. Parker
2:22-cr-10
UI
$760,921
US v. Obadeyi*
1:22-cr-102
EIDL
$438,000
US v. Crockett*
3:22-cr-32
UI
$318,727
US v. Smith
3:22-cr-20
UI
$223,984
US v. Carter
4:22-cr-60
PPP, UI
$176,829
US v. Jenkins
4:21-cr-69
UI
$141,632
US v. Jafari*
1:22-cr-197
PPP
$124,000
US v. Sherwood
3:22-cr-73
UI
$109,000
US v. Hargrove*
4:22cr49
PPP
$79,165
US v. Davis
4:22-cr-45
UI
$66,232
US v. Kokolis
2:21-cr-55
PPP
$54,112
US v. Ward
2:22-cr-111
UI
$27,000
US v. Toro
4:22-cr-1
UI, EIDL
$16,910
*pending sentencing
In addition to these efforts, last year, the Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force, led by the USPIS and in partnership with EDVA, the FBI Norfolk Field office through its Resident Agency in Newport News, and the Washington Regional Office of DOL-OIG, launched a joint pandemic counter-fraud operation focused on the Virginia Peninsula region. This collaborative initiative targets the trend of criminal organizations and networks incorporating pandemic-related fraud into their other illegal activities. As of October, this operation has resulted in 30 arrests of suspected fraudsters, 24 of whom have been convicted and sentenced, and $1,561,840 of court-ordered restitution.
All these efforts have been made possible through the diligent work of a wide range of law enforcement partners from the FBI (Washington, Norfolk and Richmond Field Offices), DOL-OIG, Department of Homeland Security, USPIS, the International Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and the Office of the Inspector General of the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force is a federal and state partnership led by the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia along with fraud investigators from the FBI and Virginia State Police. The task force’s mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing pandemic. The task force reviews and investigates all credible leads of fraud associated with COVID-19, focusing on schemes to exploit vulnerable populations, including the elderly and concerned citizens.
EDVA continues its fight against COVID-19 related fraud. To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
EDVA Forfeits over 164 Illegal Firearms and Prosecutes 250 Illegal Firearms Offenders in 2022Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced that over the course of the past year, EDVA’s litigative efforts have resulted in the forfeiture of at least 164 illegally owned, possessed, used, or obtained firearms. Firearms that are criminally forfeited are removed from the possession of a convicted criminal defendant and relinquished to the government for disposal, including potentially the return of the firearm to a rightful owner.
“Removing illegal firearms from the hands of felons and other prohibited people is a significant tactic in our office’s efforts to reduce gun violence and keep our communities safe,” said Aber. “If not taken out of circulation, the same weapon can be passed along and used in multiple crimes by many people. The forfeiture of these illegal firearms ensures they will not be used in the future against our law enforcement partners or community members.”
Since the start of 2022, EDVA has charged approximately 250 defendants with federal firearms offenses, including possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and straw purchasing of a firearm. These successes are a result of close cooperation between prosecutors and partners at federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). EDVA also partners with the Virginia State Police and local police and sheriffs across the District.
EDVA’s efforts to seize and forfeit illegal firearms in 2022 was the result of multiple investigative and prosecutorial efforts, including Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which seeks to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), whose purpose is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
“The criminal possession and illegal use of firearms plague the very communities in which we reside and often result in tragic loss,” said Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Washington Field Division. “We will continue to utilize intelligence driven approaches as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to combat gun violence in an effort to maintain safety and security in our communities.”
“We know the significant harm illegal firearms can pose, as well as the harm felons can inflict when they obtain those weapons. That’s why the forfeitures listed here today are so critical to keeping our communities safe,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. “The FBI and its partners will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to fight violent crime, including through the reduction of gun violence.”
"Every day the FBI and our federal, state, and local partners work toward our shared goal of combating violent crime," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division. "As violent criminals continue to threaten our communities, removing firearms from their hands helps us prevent gun violence and ensure our homes and neighborhoods are safe places to live and work."
“I’m grateful for the hard work of the DEA teams, EDVA’s litigative efforts, and our law enforcement partners, with whom we were able to execute dozens of arrests and seize illegal firearms from violent drug trafficking organizations. With these actions, these unscrupulous offenders were held accountable, making our communities safer from gun violence and drug trafficking,” mentioned Jarod Forget, DEA Washington Division’s Special Agent in Charge.
“HSI Washington, D.C. remains committed to leveraging federal resources to help dismantle firearms trafficking operations and keeping illegal weapons off our streets,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of HSI Washington, D.C. “HSI is focused on disrupting the illicit international flow of firearms, firearms components, and ammunition to the Unites States. HSI special agents investigate individuals and criminal organizations that are responsible for the financing, procurement, brokering, transportation, and dissemination of these components in support of transnational criminal organizations. Our aim is to enable law abiding residents to enjoy safety and peace in their communities, while holding criminals, especially those who seek to use a firearm in the commission of a crime, accountable for their actions.”
Some of the major firearms-related cases prosecuted by EDVA in 2022 are as follows:
Defendant
Case #
Conviction
Sentencing info
Patrick Tate Adamiak, 28, of Virginia Beach
2:22-cr-47
receiving, possessing, and transferring unregistered machineguns, and possession of four destructive devices
Sentencing March 21, 2023
Max sentence 10 years
Tre’shawn Brooks, 22, of Richmond
3:22-cr-110
straw purchase conspiracy
Sentenced December 16 to 12 months
Babak Safavi, 59, of Fairfax County
1:22-cr-76
felon in possession of a firearm
Sentenced September 22 to 27 months
Darren Walker, 34, of Suffolk
2:21-cr-89
aiding and abetting the making of a materially false statement during the purchase of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm
Sentenced March 10 to 156 months
Kevin Staton, Jr., 24, of Chesapeake
2:21-cr-141
conspiracy to make false statements in connection with 45 firearm transactions
Sentenced July 6 to 18 months
Tyereis Smith, 19, and Jhaimeek Carter, 19, of Virginia Beach
2:21-cr-92
trafficking firearms
Sentenced February 10 to 2 years
Sentenced January 26 to 30 Months
Rakeim T. Richardson, 27, of Hanover Maryland
1:21-cr-284
making false statements in an attempt to acquire 11 firearms
Sentenced March 2022 to 15 months
Jonathan C. Long, 39, of Hampton
4:22-cr-37
drug conspiracy, possession of over 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and maintaining a drug premises
Sentencing on April 24, 2023
Minimum penalty 35 years
On July 22, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice has launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region, and Washington, D.C. The strike force helps ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including in the Eastern District of Virginia, with their counterparts in locations where many of the firearms originate.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER.
District Court Orders Oklahoma Drug Compounder to Comply with Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal court today issued an order prohibiting Qualgen LLC, an Oklahoma company, Shaun P. Riney, Qualgen’s Chief Executive Officer, and Jasen Lavoie, Qualgen’s Director of Quality, from manufacturing and distributing drugs that are not in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
In a civil complaint filed on December 6, the United States alleged that Qualgen, Riney, and Lavoie violated the FDCA at the company’s facilities in Edmond, Oklahoma, by manufacturing and distributing adulterated drugs. As an outsourcing facility registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Qualgen makes and distributes sterile drug products, including Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy pellets (testosterone, estradiol, and testosterone/anastrozole). The United States alleged that the defendants violated the FDCA by, among other things, failing to follow written procedures applicable to the quality control unit, failing to reject drug products that did not meet specifications, and failing to follow appropriate procedures in handling complaints about its drug products. The complaint also alleged that the FDA inspected the company’s facilities five times, in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022, and that many of the violations were repeat violations the FDA had identified in earlier inspections.
The FDCA’s current good manufacturing practice regulations mandate that manufacturers control the processes and procedures by which their drugs are manufactured, processed, packed, and held, to ensure that the drugs have the identity, strength, quality, purity, and other attributes necessary for their safe and effective use. Drugs not made in conformance with current good manufacturing practice regulations are deemed adulterated under the FDCA. According to the United States’ complaint, the FDA issued Qualgen several warnings, including during meetings with the FDA and in a warning letter to the company in 2016, regarding alleged deficiencies at its facilities.
"Drugs compounded in outsourcing facilities must be manufactured in conformance with applicable regulations," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. "The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with the FDA and take action against compounding drug manufacturers who fail to abide by laws designed to protect public health."
"Failure to manufacture drugs in strict compliance with FDA requirements endangers the very people who need and rely on the quality of those medications," said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. "We gladly partner with the FDA to enforce their regulations in order to ensure public safety is maintained in the pharmaceutical manufacturing and compounding process."
"While drugs compounded by outsourcing facilities are not subject to pre-market review and approval by the FDA for safety and effectiveness, they must comply with rigorous manufacturing quality assurance requirements," said Acting Director Jill P. Furman, J.D. of the Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "The FDA’s commitment to ensuring compliance with current good manufacturing practice requirements is a critical protection for patients. We will remain vigilant and hold all manufacturers accountable to best protect the public health."
Without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, the defendants agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction. The negotiated consent decree entered by the court permanently enjoins the defendants from violating the FDCA, and prohibits, among other things, the defendants from manufacturing, compounding, processing, labeling, holding, or distributing adulterated drugs.
Senior Trial Attorney Natalie N. Sanders of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gallegos for the Western District of Oklahoma handled this matter, with the assistance of Senior Counsel Paige H. Taylor of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
District Court Orders Oklahoma Drug Compounder to Comply with Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic ActRead the Press Release
A federal court today issued an order prohibiting Qualgen LLC, an Oklahoma company, Shaun P. Riney, Qualgen’s Chief Executive Officer, and Jasen Lavoie, Qualgen’s Director of Quality, from manufacturing and distributing drugs that are not in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
In a civil complaint filed on Dec. 6, the United States alleged that Qualgen, Riney, and Lavoie violated the FDCA at the company’s facilities in Edmond, Oklahoma, by manufacturing and distributing adulterated drugs. As an outsourcing facility registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Qualgen makes and distributes sterile drug products, including Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy pellets (testosterone, estradiol, and testosterone/anastrozole). The United States alleged that the defendants violated the FDCA by, among other things, failing to follow written procedures applicable to the quality control unit, failing to reject drug products that did not meet specifications, and failing to follow appropriate procedures in handling complaints about its drug products. The complaint also alleged that the FDA inspected the company’s facilities five times, in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022, and that many of the violations were repeat violations the FDA had identified in earlier inspections.
The FDCA’s current good manufacturing practice regulations mandate that manufacturers control the processes and procedures by which their drugs are manufactured, processed, packed, and held, to ensure that the drugs have the identity, strength, quality, purity, and other attributes necessary for their safe and effective use. Drugs not made in conformance with current good manufacturing practice regulations are deemed adulterated under the FDCA. According to the United States’ complaint, the FDA issued Qualgen several warnings, including during meetings with the FDA and in a warning letter to the company in 2016, regarding alleged deficiencies at its facilities.
“Drugs compounded in outsourcing facilities must be manufactured in conformance with applicable regulations,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with the FDA and take action against compounding drug manufacturers who fail to abide by laws designed to protect public health.”
“Failure to manufacture drugs in strict compliance with FDA requirements endangers the very people who need and rely on the quality of those medications,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “We gladly partner with the FDA to enforce their regulations in order to ensure public safety is maintained in the pharmaceutical manufacturing and compounding process.”
“While drugs compounded by outsourcing facilities are not subject to pre-market review and approval by the FDA for safety and effectiveness, they must comply with rigorous manufacturing quality assurance requirements,” said Acting Director Jill P. Furman, J.D. of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Office of Compliance. “The FDA’s commitment to ensuring compliance with current good manufacturing practice requirements is a critical protection for patients. We will remain vigilant and hold all manufacturers accountable to best protect the public health.”
Without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, the defendants agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction. The negotiated consent decree entered by the court permanently enjoins the defendants from violating the FDCA, and prohibits, among other things, the defendants from manufacturing, compounding, processing, labeling, holding, or distributing adulterated drugs.
Senior Trial Attorney Natalie N. Sanders of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gallegos for the Western District of Oklahoma handled this matter, with the assistance of Senior Counsel Paige H. Taylor of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Dayton woman admits to stealing identities of local victimsRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton woman pleaded guilty in federal court here today to stealing the identities of several young women in the Dayton area and using those identities to commit various types of fraud.
Tiffany Lewis, 29, was charged federally in September 2022. She pleaded guilty today to three counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, in March and April 2021, Lewis stole the identities of two area women and used their information to obtain approximately $8,000 total in personal loans from Lendmark. Lewis cashed out those loans at Checksmart locations in Fairborn and Monroe, Ohio. Lewis was photographed at each Checksmart location and is covering her distinctive neck tattoos in each of the photographs.
In June and July 2021, Lewis used a third stolen identity to commit various acts of fraud.
For example, Lewis used the victim’s identity to obtain a fraudulent Ohio driver’s license and a car loan for approximately $48,000.
In addition, Lewis used the identity on two separate occasions to rent Chevrolet Silverado trucks from Uhaul in Dayton. One of the trucks was later discovered at Lewis’s residence and had been spray-painted black.
Lewis also used the third victim’s identity to write fraudulent checks at Menards in Fairborn totaling more than $3,500. When questioned at the store by a Fairborn police officer, Lewis presented her fake driver’s license, which was flagged as fraudulent in the officer’s computer.
As part of her plea, the parties involved have recommended a sentence of two years in prison. Lewis has agreed to pay restitution as follows:
- $7,999 to Lendmark,
- $67,800 to UHaul,
- $47,596 to Carmax, and
- $3,590.50 to Menards.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Andrew Boockmeier, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) announced the plea. The U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, and Dayton, Fairborn, Whitehall and Riverside police departments all contributed to this investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
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