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Thursday 15 September 2022
Former President of Washington State Manufacturer Charged with Selling Tainted Fruit JuiceRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Yakima, Washington, returned an indictment charging a Washington woman and her now-closed company with manufacturing and distributing tainted fruit juice and deceiving customers about the contaminated products.
The indictment alleges that Mary Ann Bliesner, 80, of Sunnyside, Washington, and her company, Valley Processing Inc. (VPI), conspired with others to distribute tainted and potentially unsafe apple and grape juice concentrate to customers in the United States and abroad. The indictment alleges that between October 2012 and June 2019, Bliesner’s juice products were made under insanitary conditions and contained potentially harmful levels of contaminants, such as arsenic.
The indictment further alleges that Bliesner (the former president and primary owner of VPI) and VPI lied to customers about the age and quality of their products. The indictment alleges that in some instances, the defendants sold juice products after storing them for years outside and exposed to the elements. According to the indictment, at least some of those products later were sold to customers who supplied the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced-cost lunches to children. The indictment additionally alleges that Bliesner and VPI failed to register two facilities that they used to store fruit juice products and lied to inspectors with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the existence and use of those facilities.
In November 2020, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking to enjoin Bliesner and VPI from producing, storing or selling juice or juice products. In January 2021, Bliesner and VPI agreed to a consent injunction in which Bliesner and VPI promised that they were no longer processing, manufacturing, preparing, packing, holding or distributing any type of food, and would not do so in the future without first notifying and receiving approval from the FDA. VPI subsequently closed.
The criminal indictment returned today charges Bliesner with 12 felony counts of fraud, conspiracy, false statements, and violating the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The defendant is scheduled for her initial court appearance Oct. 5 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Ekstrom of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Trial Attorney James J. Hennelly and Senior Trial Attorney David Gunn of the Justice Department’s Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene for the Eastern District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit their website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Maui Public Official and Honolulu Businessman Charged with Federal Bribery and Honest Services Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill announced that Stewart Olani Stant, 55, a former Maui County public official, and Milton Choy, 60, a Honolulu businessman, have been charged with felony offenses stemming from their operation of a long running bribery scheme. The charges—which were brought in two separate criminal Informations unsealed today—allege that Choy bribed Stant with cash, bank deposits, and gambling trips to Las Vegas in order to receive lucrative sole source contracts from Maui County’s Department of Environmental Management. A court appearance for both defendants is scheduled for Monday, September 19th.
One Information alleges that Stant was a public official employed by Maui County’s Department of Environmental Management (“DEM”), and served as its Director between approximately December 2015 and December 2018. The Information alleges that between October 2012 and December 2018, Stant accepted bribes from Choy comprised of cash, bank deposits, casino chips, travel benefits, and/or other gifts, totaling up to $2,000,000, in exchange for Stant’s agreement, in his official capacity as a Maui County official at DEM, to steer and award over $19 million dollars in sole source contracts and purchase orders to Choy’s company, H2O Processes, LLC. This Information charges that by accepting the bribes to funnel contracts to H2O, and corruptly failing to disclose them, Stant conspired to commit honest services wire fraud and deprived the citizens of Maui County of their right to his honest and conflict free services as a public official.
A second Information charges Choy with corruptly bribing Stant over the same six-year period alleged in the Stant Information. Choy’s Information charges that his bribery of a local official, Stant, violated federal law because the value of the contracts exceeded $5,000 and Maui County received more than $10,000 in federal funding during each of the calendar years of the continuing bribery scheme.
If convicted, Stant faces a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, Choy faces a sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. An Information is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation in the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Sorenson, Micah Smith and Michael Albanese of the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
Former Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department Detective Indicted for Sexual AssaultsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Topeka, Kansas, returned a six-count indictment, unsealed today, charging former Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department detective Roger Golubski with federal civil rights crimes for sexually assaulting two victims while acting under color of law.
The first three counts of the indictment charge Golubski with sexually assaulting the first victim on multiple occasions between 1998 and 2001 by digitally penetrating her and forcing her to perform oral sex on him in his vehicle; by raping her in his vehicle; and by performing oral sex on her, making her perform oral sex on him and raping her in and next to his vehicle. The remaining three counts of the indictment charge Golubski with sexually assaulting the second victim on multiple occasions between 1999 and 2002 by raping her in her home; making her perform oral sex on him in his vehicle; and making her perform oral sex on him and raping her in her home. The indictment alleges that Golubski’s conduct included aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping.
If convicted, Golubski faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case in conjunction with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Florida Atlantic University Student Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Shawn Anthony Jackson Outler, 23, has pled guilty in Ft. Pierce federal court to producing child pornography.
According to court records, Outler formed online relationships with children as young as 12 through social media. After befriending the minors, he would entice them to create sexually explicit videos. He also directed them to engage in sexually explicit activity by video conferencing. Outler directed one 14-year-old victim to masturbate during one such conference. He took and saved screenshots of the activity.
At sentencing, Outler faces between 15 and 30 years in prison and up to a lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is set for December 16, 2022, at 10:10 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt, FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Diana Acosta is prosecuting 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 at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-14018.
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Former Employee Admits Embezzling $339,000 from St. Louis County CompanyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Waterloo, Illinois on Thursday admitted embezzling $339,844 from his former employer.
Ronald Scott Miller, 54, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark to one count of wire fraud and admitted using several schemes between March 27, 2014 and Sept. 29, 2020, to steal the money.
Miller was the warehouse and labor supervisor for a small floor covering business in St. Louis County, responsible for supervising the company’s installers, scheduling their weekly shifts and drafting their timesheets. He also had the authority to hire flooring installers.
Miller submitted false timesheets for himself, his partner and his son. His partner did not work for the company, but Miller submitted timesheets anyway, then collected the paycheck and forged his partner’s signature to deposit it in his own account.
Miller falsely inflated the hours worked by his son without his son's knowledge and did the same for himself by claiming he was working on installation projects when he was not.
Miller also submitted fraudulent invoices in the name of two fake companies, claiming he had made purchases there. Miller created accounts with Square Inc. in the names of those companies so he could pay himself with company credit cards or caused the company to issue checks to pay the fake invoices.
Finally, Miller altered and inflated receipts for legitimate purchases that he made and then sought reimbursement from his company.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced December 28. The wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The FBI and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Former Elected County Coroner Convicted for Illegal Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Kentucky man today for illegally prescribing controlled substances Oxycontin, Klonopin, Ambien, and Valium in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. David Suetholz, 71, of Ludlow, unlawfully prescribed controlled substances to his patients outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Some patients were prescribed high doses of medication and in dangerous combinations without justification. Suetholz also prescribed to patients without assessing their risks for addiction or their past history of substance abuse.
Suetholz was convicted of 12 counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division; Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron made the announcement.
The FBI, DEA, HHS-OIG, and the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch and Maryam Adeyola of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Former Dean of USC’s Social Work School Agrees to Plead Guilty to Bribery for Funneling $100,000 Payment to Secure County ContractRead the Press Release
PLEA AGREEMENTLOS ANGELES – The former dean of the University of Southern California’s school of social work has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge that she bribed longtime politician Mark Ridley-Thomas by funneling $100,000 he provided from his campaign account through USC to a nonprofit operated by his son to obtain a lucrative county contract, the Justice Department announced today.
Marilyn Louise Flynn, 83, of Los Feliz, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery and pay a fine of no less than $100,000. She is expected to plead guilty to the charge in the coming weeks.
Ridley-Thomas, currently a Los Angeles city councilmember who was suspended from office pending his federal criminal trial, has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of bribery, two counts of honest services mail fraud and 15 counts of honest services wire fraud in connection with a federal indictment stemming from his time as a Los Angeles County supervisor. His trial is scheduled for November 15.
According to her plea agreement, from 1997 to 2018, Flynn was a tenured faculty member at USC and the dean of its social work school. In 2018, Flynn was seeking an amendment to an existing contract between USC’s social work school and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) related to services provided by USC Telehealth. Telehealth was a clinic in which social work school students provided online mental health and counseling services to patients referred by the county. USC and the social work school received compensation in return for services rendered. According to the indictment, at the time Flynn sought the lucrative county contract amendment, the social work school was facing a multimillion-dollar budget deficit.
In April 2018, Ridley-Thomas, then serving as an elected official on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, understood Flynn wanted to secure an amended Telehealth contract with DMH and the county, the plea agreement states. He also understood that she very much wanted a meeting with a particular high-level county official to move the amended Telehealth contract forward in the county approval process.
At Ridley-Thomas’s request, Flynn agreed to have USC serve as a conduit for a $100,000 payment from his campaign account to the social work school. Per their agreement, Flynn then arranged for a nearly simultaneous $100,000 payment from USC to the United Ways of California for the benefit of the Policy, Research & Practice Initiative (PRPI), a new nonprofit initiative led by Ridley-Thomas’s son, who had recently and abruptly resigned from his elected position in the California State Assembly. According to the indictment, Ridley-Thomas’s son resigned while the subject of an internal sexual harassment investigation and needed funds to support PRPI, which Ridley-Thomas hoped to supply but without any public connection to himself or his campaign account.
To facilitate their scheme, Flynn and Ridley-Thomas concealed from USC that Ridley-Thomas had directed a $100,000 payment to USC with the intent that the funds be used to support USC’s nearly simultaneous $100,000 payment to United Ways and PRPI, the plea agreement states. Had it known this fact, USC would not have approved the $100,000 payment.
To expedite the payment and meet a deadline set by Ridley-Thomas, Flynn also violated USC policy by improperly using a vendor account at USC to process the $100,000 payment. According to the plea agreement, Flynn’s use of this vendor account violated USC policy because, as she knew, United Ways and PRPI were not vendors providing services to USC. But for Flynn’s violation of USC policy, USC would have declined to make the $100,000 payment.
Immediately after Flynn informed Ridley-Thomas that the USC payment to United Ways and PRPI had been “cleared,” the plea agreement states that Ridley-Thomas facilitated a May 10, 2018 meeting between Flynn and the high-level county official to move forward expeditiously on the county’s approval of the amended Telehealth contract.
On May 11, 2018, the day United Ways and PRPI received the $100,000 check from USC, Ridley-Thomas emailed Flynn to discuss county business – in his words, to talk about “master contract stuff” and “somehow use yesterday’s ‘discussion’ to advance it [winking face emoji].”
Ridley-Thomas later voted in favor of Flynn’s desired amendment to the Telehealth contract with DMH, according to the indictment.
Upon pleading guilty, Flynn will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend she satisfy her custodial term by way of home confinement and also have agreed to seek a fine of no more than $150,000 against Flynn.
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.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Greer Dotson, Ruth C. Pinkel, and Thomas F. Rybarczyk of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.
Florissant Bank Manager Accused of Defrauding Elderly CustomersRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A bank branch manager from Florissant, Missouri appeared in court Thursday to answer charges accusing her of stealing $175,000 from elderly customers.
Andrea Nicole Hopkins, 28, was indicted September 7 on four felony counts of bank fraud. She pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Hopkins’ indictment alleges that from Feb. 20, 2020 to May 25, 2021, while manager of the Commerce Bank branch on Natural Bridge Avenue in St. Louis, she devised a scheme to divert money from numerous customer accounts for her own use.
Hopkins targeted elderly customers, including two 80-year-olds, one 95-year-old and one 82-year-old, the indictment says. She logged into customer accounts and transferred funds out, the indictment says, sometimes obtaining cashier’s checks or prepaid cards. She changed the address on some account statements, forged customer signatures and transferred funds among customers to try and hide the thefts, the indictment says.
In all, Hopkins fraudulently diverted $328,273 from customer accounts, but $152,431 of that she transferred internally among customers to hide her theft, the indictment says.
Each bank fraud count is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Bateman is prosecuting the case.
Florida Businessman Pleads Guilty in Three Cases Involving Conspiracies to Commit Health Care Fraud, Pay and Receive Unlawful Kickbacks, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of conspiracy related to the submission of fraudulent health care claims, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Daniel Hurt, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, pay and receive unlawful kickbacks, and commit money laundering, as charged in a criminal Information filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania on July 26, 2022; one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, as charged in a criminal Information filed in the District of New Jersey on August 31, 2022; and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, as charged in a Second Superseding Indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida. Prior to the defendant’s guilty pleas, the cases originating in the District of New Jersey and the Southern District of Florida were transferred to the Western District of Pennsylvania.
As to the conduct originating in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hurt admitted during his plea hearing that beginning in late 2018 and continuing through approximately October 2019, he participated in a conspiracy related to Medicare billing for cancer genomic (CGx) testing. CGx testing used DNA sequencing to detect mutations in genes that could indicate a higher risk of developing certain types of cancers in the future. CGx testing, however, was not a method of diagnosing whether an individual presently had cancer. Hurt admitted that he and his co-conspirators, including individuals associated with so-called marketing entities, acquired thousands of testing samples from Medicare beneficiaries located throughout the United States. Marketers used targeted campaigns to induce beneficiaries to submit CGx specimens by means of cheek swabs sent to their homes or provided to them at purported “health fairs” held throughout the United States.
Hurt subsequently caused CGx specimens to be sent to Ellwood City Medical Center (ECMC), a hospital located in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Hurt further used ECMC as the billing entity for Medicare purposes despite the fact that the facility did not possess properly validated equipment to conduct any CGx testing on-site and, as such, ECMC staff were required, at Hurt’s direction, to repackage the samples and send them to third-party reference laboratories that were capable of completing the testing. In order to justify Medicare reimbursement for the CGx testing, Hurt and his co-conspirators obtained CGx prescriptions from telemedicine physicians without regard to the fact that the doctors did not conduct proper telemedicine visits, were not treating the Medicare beneficiaries for cancer or symptoms of cancer, and did not use the test results in the treatment of the beneficiaries. Hurt further admitted causing ECMC to submit Medicare claims for CGx testing that regularly exceeded $12,000 per beneficiary. In total, between approximately January 2019 and October 2019, Medicare reimbursed ECMC more than $25 million for CGx testing. During this time, Hurt directed ECMC staff to transfer millions of dollars from ECMC-related accounts to bank accounts that Hurt controlled. In turn, Hurt admitted using funds he obtained from ECMC to pay millions of dollars in kickbacks to the marketers, among others, in exchange for their efforts to obtain CGx samples. To disguise such kickbacks, Hurt entered into sham contracts with the marketers to make it appear that they were engaged in, and being paid for, legitimate marketing and referral services. Likewise, Hurt, acting through entities he controlled, entered into similar agreements and business arrangements with ECMC that disguised the payments he obtained from the facility as purportedly legitimate payments, including payments related to management services at ECMC’s laboratory. Payments, in fact, were based on the volume of CGx tests and the amount of resulting Medicare reimbursements. Finally, Hurt admitted that he and others used a portion of Medicare reimbursements obtained through the fraudulent submission of CGx claims to engage in monetary transactions in excess of $10,000, including approximately $3 million in payments toward the purchase of a luxury watercraft in Florida called “In My DNA.”
As to the conduct originating in the District of New Jersey, Hurt admitted his involvement in a similar but separate conspiracy between January 2019 and October 2021. Specifically, Hurt admitted that he owned several clinical laboratories that conducted or arranged for a variety of medical tests, and that he paid kickbacks and bribes to various entities who supplied referrals and orders for CGx for Medicare and other health care benefit program beneficiaries, without regard to medical necessity. The Hurt-controlled laboratories submitted claims for payment to Medicare for these CGx tests, and Medicare reimbursed the laboratories without knowing that the services were not medically necessary or were procured through the payment of kickbacks. During the conspiracy, Hurt, through the laboratories, submitted or caused to be submitted claims to Medicare, including claims for beneficiaries residing in New Jersey. Hurt likewise admitted paying kickbacks to entities who supplied referrals for each CGx test that was billed to Medicare and other health care benefit programs. To conceal the payments of bribes, Hurt and the suppliers entered into sham contracts to make it appear that the suppliers were engaged in, and being paid for, legitimate marketing and referral services. This conspiracy resulted in Medicare paying the Hurt-controlled laboratories at least $53.3 million for CGx test claims, with Hurt receiving at least $26.9 million from the Medicare reimbursements.
As to the conduct originating in the Southern District of Florida, Hurt admitted that he and his co-conspirators were engaged in a scheme to defraud health insurance plans, including two plans funded by the U.S. government, TRICARE and CHAMPVA. TRICARE provides worldwide health care benefits to military personnel and their dependents, as well as military retirees. CHAMPVA operates through the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and shares the costs of health care services for eligible beneficiaries, including veterans. Hurt admitted that he and his co-conspirators participated in a scheme to bill TRICARE, CHAMPVA, and other insurance providers for expensive compounded medications that were not medically necessary. Hurt and his co-conspirators worked with patient recruiters to solicit patients who had health care insurance, including TRICARE and CHAMPVA. The patient recruiters, in turn, would generate prescriptions containing the patients’ information, and a limited selection of expensive compounded medications. These prescriptions, which used formulations created or altered to obtain the maximum possible reimbursement from the insurance companies, were then referred to a telemedicine service located in Utah. Hurt and his co-conspirators paid for the telemedicine services only after the prescriptions had been generated, and the prescriptions were then sent to a pharmacy owned by Hurt and his coconspirators.
Beginning in the fall of 2014, Hurt and two co-conspirators formed a corporation, OptimuMD. Through OptimuMD, Hurt and his co-conspirators purchased a three (3) percent interest in Executive Pharmacy, located in Broward County, Florida. In return, Hurt and his co-conspirators were to receive up to 70% of the gross revenues from Executive Pharmacy. During the conspiracy,
Hurt and his co-conspirators directed patient recruiters and the telemedicine service to send thousands of medically unnecessary prescriptions to Executive Pharmacy. After filling the prescriptions, the pharmacy would bill the patients’ insurance plan thousands of dollars for the compounded medications. Once the pharmacy received payment for the prescriptions, the pharmacy would then pay a kickback to Hurt and his co-conspirators. Hurt and his co-conspirators would then pay kickbacks to the patient recruiters. Executive Pharmacy paid OptimuMD millions of dollars during the scheme—money generated by the prescriptions for medically unnecessary compounded medications. As part of his plea, Hurt admitted to personally receiving $4,265,144 from the scheme. Furthermore, he has agreed to pay $18,440,230 in restitution to TRICARE and $450,844 in restitution to CHAMPVA.
As part of his plea agreement, Hurt has agreed to pay restitution to Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA in an amount totaling $97,360,451.76. Hurt has separately agreed to the entry of forfeiture money judgments totaling $31,148,624.70, and to forfeit the luxury watercraft, “In My DNA.”
As to each of the conspiracies charged originally in the Western District of Pennsylvania and Southern District of Florida, Hurt faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of not more than the greater of $250,000 or an alternative fine in an amount not more than the greater of twice the gross pecuniary gain to any person or twice the pecuniary loss to any person other than the defendant. As to the conspiracy originally charged in the District of New Jersey, Hurt faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of not more than the greater of $250,000 or an alternative fine in an amount not more than the greater of twice the gross pecuniary gain to any person or twice the pecuniary loss to any person other than the defendant. 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 Eric G. Olshan of the Western District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government. Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Sherman handled the investigation of the conduct that led to the Information originally filed in the District of New Jersey, and Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Wood of the Southern District of Florida handled the investigation that led to the Second Superseding Indictment originally filed in the Southern District of Florida. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division – Florida Fraud Resident Unit conducted the investigations of the defendant.
Five defendants associated with scuba dive shops convicted of defrauding the Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Five people affiliated with Georgia dive shops have admitted submitting false claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through scuba classes targeting military veterans education benefits.
The five defendants, all of whom have entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court, are owners, managers, and/or instructors at Scooba Shack in Savannah and Richmond Hill, Ga., or at Diver’s Den in St. Marys, Ga., said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Collectively, the five defendants are responsible for defrauding more than $4 million from VA education benefits.
“The scope of the fraud uncovered in this investigation is stunning, particularly when you consider the scheme siphoned funds intended for providing legitimate education assistance to former service members,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We applaud the work of the VA Office of Inspector General in identifying and halting this fraud.”
As described in court documents, the five defendants worked in various capacities with the businesses and caused false submissions to be made to the VA. The false submissions misstated the businesses’ compliance with VA regulations, dates of students’ attendance, and hours of instructions, among other information. Some of the defendants also participated in creating fictitious scholarship programs to provide the appearance that a required percentage of non-VA students participated in those classes. The businesses billed the VA up to more than $20,000 per veteran student enrollee for the classes.
“Safeguarding Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit funds reserved for deserving veterans remains a priority,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “These guilty pleas are a testament to our commitment to holding accountable those who would defraud VA’s benefit programs.”
The defendants include:
- Kenneth Meers, 54, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, a charge with a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and substantial financial penalties, followed by up to three years of supervised release. Meers was a school certifying official and course director at Scooba Shack from about May 2018 to April 2021, and became a consultant at Diver’s Den around May 2020 and an instructor from about June 2021 to February 2022. In those capacities, Meers prepared and submitted Scooba Shack’s application and course catalog for VA approval, and developed Diver’s Den’s program, knowing that those applications contained false information. He also directed other defendants to create the fake scholarships used to mask the percentage of students receiving VA education benefits. As part of his plea agreement, Meers agrees that the cost to the VA of the scheme exceeded $3.5 million.
- Robert Lanoue, 63, and his wife, Judith Lanoue, 59, both of Savannah. Each has pled guilty to False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims, a charge that carries a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and significant financial penalties, followed by up to three years of supervised release. Robert Lanoue and Judith Lanoue are owners of Scuba Shack. As part of their plea agreement, the two will forfeit $270,893.75 from their bank account, funds that will apply toward restitution of more than $3.2 million in losses to the VA.
- David Anderegg, 42, of Richmond Hill, Ga., pled guilty to False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims. He is the store manager, instructor, and a school certifying official of Scooba Shack.
- Theresa Whitlock, 55, of St. Marys, Ga., pled guilty to False Statement, a charge that carries a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison. Whitlock operated Diver’s Den and served as a school certifying official, providing false information to the VA about Diver’s Den’s diving programs, and submitting claims to the VA for tuition payments totaling more than $1.1 million. As part of any restitution, Whitlock agrees to forfeit $64,260.30 seized from Diver’s Den’s bank accounts.
The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Five Defendants Indicted in a Conspiracy to Distribute Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal grand jury in West Palm Beach has charged five men with one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography and multiple counts of distribution and solicitation of child pornography.
Anthony Wayne Santiago, 28, of Novi, MI; Jacob Dominic VanDyke, 25, of Muskegon, MI; Johnathan Scott Fleak, 32, of Pryor, OK; Aaron Ray Iuliano, 27, of Ravenna, OH; and Michael Paul Gianfrancesco, 39, of Livingston, TN, were members of a chat room predicated on the distribution of pornography of children under the age of 13 years.
According to the indictment, from September to October 2021, the five defendants entered and participated in a private online chat. These defendants all distributed and or solicited child pornography amongst more than 50 other individuals.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), made the announcement.
HSI Miami and PBSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting the case.
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.
An indictment contains mere allegations and defendants are innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-80127.
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Federal Judge Sentences Rockford Man to More Than 7 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded GunRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced today to seven and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semi-automatic handgun.
SHAZARIYAH F. HIBBETT, 33, illegally possessed the gun on Oct. 27, 2020. Hibbett was a passenger in a vehicle that Rockford Police officers attempted to stop. The driver of the vehicle drove from officers at a high rate of speed, eventually stopping in a residential area. Hibbett got out of the passenger side and immediately discarded the handgun outside of the vehicle. He then fled on foot before being apprehended by police a few blocks away.
Hibbett pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal possession of a firearm. He had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and was prohibited by federal law from possessing a gun.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the 90-month sentence after a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional Time for Threatening Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA —Stanley J. Kowalewski, 50, of North Carolina, was sentenced to more than an additional year in federal prison for mailing a threatening communication to a United States District Court Judge.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that following a federal jury trial in the Northern District of Georgia, Kowalewski was convicted on 22 counts related to a sophisticated fraud scheme and sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison.
While serving that sentence in a prison in South Carolina, a federal judge received a letter that threatened to cause the women close to the judge to disappear if the judge did not grant pending motions for compassionate release (a request for a reduction in sentence and release from prison) by a certain date. Specifically, the letter stated:
“Judge [Redacted],
You have failed to do the right things. Now you make us do this. You will grant ALL pending motions in your court for compassionate release by July 2nd, 2021 at 3:00 PM or earlier. They are all to be reduced to time served with NO supervised release. They will be immediate release from prison and no delays. If not, then we will begin to disappear the women closest to you. We know where they live, work, or go to school. If you try to alert the authorities, we will know and your loved ones will disappear. Do your job and everyone will be happy and you’ll never here from us again.
A.C.B.”
The day before the threat was mailed, an individual visited Kowalewski in the low security prison where Kowalewski was then housed. When that person arrived, Kowalewski gave the visitor two envelopes, one inside the other, telling him to handle it with gloves, to not get fingerprints on it, to not ask questions, and to place it in the mail. Kowalewski called the visitor after he left and told him to hurry up and mail the letter.
At the time of the threat, Kowalewski had a motion for compassionate release pending before the victim Court, and the threat came during a time Kowalewski had directed others to conduct an aggressive campaign contacting the Court asking for that motion to be granted. Three weeks before the threat, Kowalewski said in a recorded call, “I just told everybody to double up on [the victim judge] and call twice a week and really make their life miserable.”
When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and United States Marshal’s Service initially confronted Kowalewski, he lied about his participation in the threat and then sent out letters that provided the visitor a false story to tell agents if he was approached. If the visitor stuck with the story, Kowalewski wrote, “this will be over.”
Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell sentenced Kowalewski to serve an additional 15 months in federal prison (to be served consecutive his current sentence), with three years of court-ordered supervision to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and agencies in the Northern District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Federal Indictment Charges Chicago Man with Illegally Possessing Cocaine and HandgunsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a Chicago man for allegedly illegally possessing cocaine and two semiautomatic handguns in the city last month.
An indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges SEAN DWYER, 51, with conspiracy, drug, and firearm offenses. The charges allege that Dwyer illegally possessed cocaine at two locations on the South Side of Chicago. Federal law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search on Aug. 17, 2022, and discovered cocaine and the two firearms, as well as more than $85,000 in cash. Dwyer was previously convicted of multiple felonies in state court and was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
The federal charges against Dwyer carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. Dwyer pleaded not guilty today during his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Chicago. Dwyer is currently in federal custody and a detention hearing is set for Monday.
The indictment also charges BRIDGETT MASSEY, 35, of Chicago, with conspiracy and drug possession. Massey pleaded not guilty today during her arraignment before Judge Cole. She was ordered released from custody on a personal recognizance bond.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco.
Holding alleged drug and firearm offenders 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 crime issues facing the district.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un distrito escolar de Massachusetts para garantizar la igualdad de oportunidades educativas para todos los estudiantes, incluyendo aquellos que hablan quichéRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy un acuerdo conciliatorio con las escuelas públicas de New Bedford, el cual resuelve la investigación del Departamento de las prácticas del distrito escolar en su comunicación con padres y tutores cuyo dominio del inglés es limitado, incluyendo con personas que hablan quiché, un idioma indígena maya. Entre otros pasos, el Distrito implementará medidas eficaces para identificar correctamente los idiomas que los estudiantes hablan, así como los que hablan sus padres y tutores, para que el personal escolar no dé por sentado que personas que hablan quiché sean hispanoparlantes nativos, con base en su país de origen. Asimismo, el Distrito ha acordado mejorar su prácticas y desarrollo profesional con el fin de abordar las necesidades específicas de estudiantes que hablan quiché y que están aprendiendo inglés para que estos puedan acceder a las mismas oportunidades educativas que otros estudiantes en el Distrito.
«Estudiantes y familias que provienen de comunidades indígenas mayas suelen enfrentar barreras únicas a la hora de acceder a oportunidades educativas. Este acuerdo integral asegura que el Distrito reconozca y aborde las necesidades de su población considerable de estudiantes que hablan quiché y que empodere a padres a participar plenamente en la educación de sus hijos», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles está comprometida a proteger el derecho de cada niño a la igualdad de participación en la escuela».
El acuerdo es el resultado de la investigación del Departamento al amparo de la ley de Igualdad de Oportunidades Educativas de 1974 que se inició en el año 2020. El Distrito cooperó en cada paso de la investigación y se comprometió a mejorar sus programas mediante una revisión de sus prácticas y el desarrollo profesional. Por otra parte, el Departamento de Justicia supervisará la implementación del acuerdo conciliatorio por parte del Distrito durante al menos tres años escolares completos con el fin de garantizar que el Distrito cumpla con sus obligaciones.
La ejecución de la ley de Igualdad de Oportunidades Educativas de 1974 es una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, visite su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol.
Dipartamentu di Justisa ta asegura un akordu ku Distritu Skolar di Massachusetts pa Garanti Igualdadi di Oportunidadis Idukativu pa Tudu Alunus, inkluindu falantis di K'icheRead the Press Release
Oji Dipartamentu di Justisa anunsia un akordu ku Skólas Públiku di New Bedford (New Bedford Public Schools) pa rizolve investigason di dipartamentu sobri kes prátika di distritu skolar pa kumunika ku pais y tutoris ku kunhisimentu limitadu na inglês, inkluindu falantis di K’iche’, un língua nativu Maia.
Entri otus midida, distritu ta inplimenta mididas efikas pa identifika kes língua faladu pur alunus kuretamenti, y tanbé pa pais y tutoris, asi pa kes funsionárius di skóla ka ta pensa ma falantis di K'iche' é falantis nativu di spanhol pamodi ses país di orijen. Distritu tanbé konkorda na midjora ses prátika y dizenvolvimentu profisional pa satisfaze nisisidadis spesífiku di alunus di inglês ki ta fala K'iche' asi pa es pode ten asésu pa kes mésmu oportunidadis idukativu sima kes otus alunu di distritu.
“Alunus y famílias di kumunidadis indíjina Maia, txeu bês, ta infrenta bareras úniku pa ten asésu pa oportunidadis idukativu”, asi ki Prokurador-Jeral Adijuntu Kristen Clarke fla, di Divizon di Direitus Sivil di Dipartamentu di Justisa (Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division). “Es akordu jeral ta garanti ma distritu ta rikunhese y ta satisfaze kes nisisidadis di grandi parti di populason di studantis di língua kiche’ y ta kapasita pais pa partisipa na idukason di ses fidjus konpletamenti. Divizon di Direitus Sivil (The Civil Rights Division) sta inpenhadu pa proteje direitu di tudu kriansas a partisipa di forma igual na skóla”.
Es akordu ta rizulta di invistigason di dipartamentu konformi Lei di Igualdadi di Oportunidadis Idukativu di 1974 (Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974), inisiadu na 2020. Distritu kopera na tudu kes etapa di investigason y konprometi midjora ses prugrama através di rivizon di prátikas y dizenvolvimentu prufisional. Dipartamentu di Justisa ta kontrola inplimentason di es akordu di distritu duranti peluménus três anu letivu konpletu pa garanti ki distritu ta kunpri ku ses obrigason.
Aplikason di Lei di Igualdadi di Oportunidadis Idukativu di 1974 é un di kes prinsipal prioridadi di Divizon di Direitus Sivil di Dipartamentu di Justisa. Informason adisional sobri Divizon di Direitus Sivil sta dispunível na ses pájina di internet na www.justice.gov/crt.
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Departamento de Justiça Estabelece Acordo com o Distrito Escolar de Massachusetts para garantir igualdade de oportunidades educacionais a todos os alunos, incluindo os Falantes de K'icheRead the Press Release
O Departamento de Justiça anunciou hoje um acordo com as Escolas Públicas de New Bedford (New Bedford Public Schools) para resolver a investigação do departamento sobre as práticas do distrito escolar relativamente à comunicação com os pais e tutores com proficiência limitada em inglês, incluindo falantes de K’iche, uma língua indígena maia.
Entre outras medidas, o distrito irá implementar medidas eficazes no sentido de identificar corretamente as línguas faladas pelos alunos, bem como pelos pais e tutores, para que os funcionários da escola não assumam que os falantes de K'iche são falantes nativos do espanhol com base no seu país de origem. O distrito também concordou em melhorar as suas práticas e o desenvolvimento profissional para atender às necessidades específicas dos alunos de inglês que falam K'iche para que possam ter acesso às mesmas oportunidades educacionais que os outros alunos do distrito.
“Muitas vezes, os estudantes e as famílias das comunidades indígenas maias enfrentam obstáculos únicos no acesso às oportunidades educacionais”, disse a Procuradora-geral Adjunta Kristen Clarke, da Divisão de Direitos Civis do Departamento de Justiça (Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division). “Este acordo abrangente garante que o distrito reconheça e dê resposta às necessidades da sua população substancial de estudantes de língua K'iche e capacita os pais a participar plenamente na educação dos seus filhos. A Divisão de Direitos Civis está empenhada em proteger o direito de todas as crianças de fazer parte da escola de forma equitativa.”
O acordo resulta da investigação do departamento ao abrigo da Lei de Igualdade de Oportunidades Educativas de 1974 (The Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974), iniciado em 2020. O distrito cooperou em todas as etapas da investigação e comprometeu-se a melhorar os seus programas através da revisão das práticas e do desenvolvimento profissional. O Departamento de Justiça irá supervisionar a implementação do acordo pelo distrito durante pelo menos três anos letivos completos para garantir que o distrito cumpra as suas obrigações.
A aplicação da Lei de Igualdade de Oportunidades Educativas de 1974 é uma prioridade absoluta da Divisão de Direitos Civis do Departamento de Justiça. Informações adicionais sobre a Divisão de Direitos Civis estão disponíveis na website www.justice.gov/crt.
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Convicted Fugitive Drug Trafficker Captured and Returned to United States to Serve SentenceRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A fugitive from justice who was captured in the Dominican Republic on July 12, 2022, by the U.S. Marshals Service and other law enforcement officials in the Dominican Republic has been returned to the United States to serve her prison sentence, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
In 2006, Ramona Cruz pleaded guilty to an indictment charging her with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In 2007, Cruz was sentenced to a term 40 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. She was given the opportunity to voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at a later date. Approximately three days prior to her surrender date, Cruz cut off her ankle bracelet and fled to the Dominican Republic to avoid prison, where she remained a fugitive until her recent apprehension.
The narcotics charge to which Cruz pleaded guilty to stems from illegal narcotics activity in 2005, which she took part in with her codefendant (and brother) Ramon Dejesus. In July 2005, an individual was apprehended upon entry into the United States while in possession of approximately three kilograms of cocaine. Later, while under surveillance by law enforcement, Cruz and Dejesus took possession of a piece of luggage which they believed contained the cocaine. The investigation revealed that all three individuals involved had been in touch with the same narcotics contact in the Dominican Republic. Dejesus also pleaded guilty to the narcotics charge and has since served his prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., and special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill Office and Newark Division Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Reinhold, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Deputy U.S. Attorney Andrew Carey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Convicted Felon with Ghost Gun Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Marty Eugene Days, Jr. (33, Williston) to 27 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Days had pleaded guilty on June 16, 2022.
According to court documents, on February 23, 2022, a City of Ocala police officer stopped an automobile driven by Days for erratic driving. Days, the sole occupant, did not have a valid driver license. After detaining Days, the officer located a bag on the ground next to the automobile that contained Days’s Florida ID card, two of his credit cards, and a 9mm handgun. Video surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store showed Days tossing the bag out of the passenger-side window. The firearm—a “ghost gun” with no manufacturer serial number—was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. At the time, Days had a prior felony conviction for attempted robbery with a deadly weapon. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
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.
Colorado City Man Arrested on Federal Obstruction of Justice ChargesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 46, of Colorado City, Arizona, was arrested on Tuesday in Colorado City for charges returned by a federal grand jury on September 6, 2022. The indictment charges Bateman with Destruction of Records or an Attempt to Destroy Records in an Official Proceeding; Tampering or Attempting to Tamper with an Official Proceeding; and Destruction of Records in a Federal Investigation.
The indictment alleges that on August 28, 2022, Bateman destroyed or attempted to destroy records, by deleting or aiding and abetting others to delete, electronic communications associated with Signal accounts. Signal is an encrypted messaging application. The indictment further alleges that Bateman did so in order to obstruct, influence, and impede an investigation and prosecution in federal court. A conviction for each of these crimes carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bateman had his initial appearance yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Camille D. Bibles in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The Phoenix Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is handling the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office would like to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, as well as the Colorado City Marshal’s Office, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. George resident agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08092-PCT-DGC (ESW)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-156_Bateman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Citizen of Jamaica Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARVEL JOHNSON, 50, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Derby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for making false statements to receive Medicaid benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2008 and 2020, Johnson used false social security numbers to enroll and maintain his enrollment in the Connecticut Medicaid health care benefits program known as “Husky.” In November 2015, called Access Health CT, the agency responsible for administering Medicaid/Husky enrollment for Connecticut, and provided false social security numbers in an attempt to receive retroactive insurance coverage for his recently-born son. Johnson did not receive the retroactive coverage for his son, but he and his family continued to remain enrolled in Husky. In 2018, following a verification request by Access Health CT for a citizenship document, Johnson mailed a false New Jersey birth certificate bearing his name. Johnson was, in fact, born in Jamaica.
Judge Meyer ordered Johnson to pay restitution of $150,380.83
Johnson was arrested on November 19, 2020. On April 28, 2022, he pleaded guilty to making false statements in health care matters.
Johnson, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 1.
This investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security; the U.S. Department of State, Office of Inspector General; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Caila Vance, 27, of Charleston was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vance sold more than 100 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a firearm to a confidential informant on February 8, 2022. The substance later tested positive as methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-57.
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California Man Used Nevada Post Offices to Mail 250 Pounds of Oregon Marijuana to Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Seiad Valley, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
James White, age 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. White was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that White transported over 250 pounds of marijuana from Oregon to various post offices located in Nevada. White then mailed parcels containing marijuana on behalf of George Charlan, a supplier living in Oregon, to distributors living in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for White on Jan. 26, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. The law provides for a sentence of a maximum of five years in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
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.
Bureau of Prisons employee convicted of illegal firearm possession and witness tamperingRead the Press Release
Seattle – An employee at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Detention Center (FDC), was convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle of two federal felonies related to his conduct outside of his employment, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Joshua Adam Shuemake, 37, was convicted of illegal firearm possession, and witness tampering after a three-day jury trial. The jury deliberated about three hours before reaching its verdicts.
“Truthful and honest conduct is the minimum we expect from federal employees,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Mr. Shuemake tried to fool the King County court, federal investigators, and his employer, by violating the order of the court, the rule of law, and specific employment rules. We appreciate the jury taking the time to see through the web of lies.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, following a domestic violence incident in April 2021, Shuemake was served with a no contact order and informed by a King County judge that he had to surrender all firearms. Shuemake signed a statement saying he had no firearms. However, evidence at trial showed Shuemake working as a restaurant and bar security guard, and despite the court order, he was seen on surveillance video multiple times with a firearm in a holster on his hip. When law enforcement searched the apartment where they had seen Shuemake living, they found a handgun in the closet. The gun had Shuemake’s DNA on the grip. Shuemake tried to claim he lived at a different address, and then pressured friends to lie to investigators about how the gun came to be in the apartment.
In closing argument, Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca noted how Shuemake tried to get others to lie to the FBI and to the court about his conduct saying, “He manipulated, abused and exploited the people in his life to try to get away with these crimes.”
In addition to the two guilty verdicts, the jury found Shuemake “not guilty” of lying to federal investigators.
Shuemake has been on unpaid leave from the Bureau of Prisons pending the outcome of this case.
Illegal possession of a firearm is punishable by up t0 10 years in prison. Witness tampering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The ultimate sentence is up U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones who can impose any sentence up to the statutory maximum after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Manca, Cindy Chang, and Ye-Ting Woo.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Guns and DrugsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Birmingham man on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Terry Lee Skanes, Jr., 22, to 120 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during and in relation to that drug trafficking crime.
According to the plea agreement, in October 2021, Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Skanes. When Skanes exited the vehicle, a deputy smelled marijuana and saw drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. In searching the vehicle, deputies recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol, a 5.56 American Tactical pistol, approximately 31 grams of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances.
“Guns in the hands of a drug dealer is a frequently deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Our law enforcement partners focus their efforts on offenders whose activities threaten our communities with illegal drugs and the violence associated with drug dealing. We are grateful for the work of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF in taking this dealer off the street.”
“Illegal firearm possession and the distribution of narcotics in our communities is dangerous and damaging to everyone involved in the criminal activity,” said SAC French. “The ATF along with our local, state, and federal partners work tirelessly to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics, and other acts of violence within our community. ATF will remain in lockstep with our local, state, and federal partners in our continuing effort to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.”
ATF investigated the case, along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty prosecuted the case.
Baltimore Business Owner Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Federally Insured Loans to Sell Two Baltimore Properties He OwnedRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Philip Abramowitz, age 50, of Pikesville, Maryland, Maryland to one year in federal prison and one year of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy for fraudulently obtaining federally insured home loans. Judge Bennett also ordered Abramowitz to pay $373,684 in restitution and forfeit $493,037.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jerome A. Winkle of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.
“Abramowitz blatantly lied to federal entities and abused a federal loan program intended to ease the financial stress of purchasing a home. Our office will continue to prosecute those who abuse federal programs.” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron.
“Abramowitz’s conduct is unacceptable and undermines the goals of FHA loan program,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jerome A. Winkle. “HUD OIG is committed to working with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold individuals like Mr. Abramowitz accountable and recover funds fraudulently obtained from HUD programs.”
According to his guilty plea, from May 2016 to April 2017, Abramowitz and others conspired to defraud two financial institutions by fraudulently obtaining Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans and property under false pretenses. The FHA is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and provides mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders. To qualify for the FHA-insured loans, the buyer must use the residence as their primary residence, disclose any familial or business relationship between the seller and buyer, and disclose the source of the money the buyer intends to use for the down payment and closing costs.
Philip Abramowitz admitted that he used his company, 163 N. Potomac St., LLC, to facilitate the sales of his Potomac Street, Baltimore, Maryland properties using FHA-insured loans. For example, in May 2016, Abramowitz sold one of his Potomac Street properties (Property 1) to his brother, Calvin Abramowitz, and entered into an agreement with Calvin Abramowitz to purchase the property using an FHA-insured loan.
According to court documents, Calvin Abramowitz applied for and received a $294,566 FHA-insured loan with a mortgage company (Mortgage Company 1) by falsely representing Philip Abramowitz’s bank account records as his own. Calvin and Philip Abramowitz also: concealed their family relationship from Mortgage Company 1 by submitting false company filings during the loan application process; had Philip Abramowitz’s property manager (Property Manager 1) pose as the sole seller and manager of 163 N. Potomac St., LLC; and arranged for Property Manager 1 to sign the FHA-loan contact as the official seller of the property. Philip Abramowitz’s ownership of 163 N, Potomac St., LLC or involvement in the sale was never disclosed.
To meet the requirements of the loan procurement process, Philip Abramowitz gave Calvin Abramowitz $10,500 to pay for the closing costs for Property 1, as Calvin did not have the financial means to make the purchase. Based on the fraudulent financial information presented during the loan application process, Mortgage Company 1 loaned Calvin Abramowitz $294,566 for the purchase of Property 1. Most of the loan proceeds were subsequently deposited into Philip Abramowitz’s bank account. Ultimately, Calvin Abramowitz never used Property 1 as a primary residence and rented the property to tenants for a year before ceasing mortgage payments and allowing the property to fall into foreclosure.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Philip Abramowitz arranged the sale of his second Potomac Street property (Property 2) in March 2017 to another family member (Relative 1) using an FHA-insured loan. To facilitate the sale of Property 2, Relative 1 applied for an FHA-insured loan with another mortgage company (Mortgage Company 2). Using the same manner to defraud Mortgage Company 1, Philip Abramowitz concealed his familial relation to Relative 1, falsely listed his property manager as the sole seller and owner of Property 2 and submitted multiple fraudulent documents to Mortgage Company 2, including an LLC affidavit of title asserting that no other person or entity had ownership in Property 2.
As he did in the sale of Property 1, Philip Abramowitz violated FHA-loan requirements by: providing Relative 1 $8,750 for the closing costs of the sale; misrepresenting his own bank account information as Relative 1’s in the FHA-loan procurement process; and having the majority of the loan proceeds deposited to his personal bank account. Relative 1 never used Property 2 as a primary residence or paid monthly mortgage payments to Mortgage Company 2, which caused the property to fall into foreclosure.
Calvin Abramowitz, age 48, of Lakewood, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud in connection with his role in the scheme and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Judge Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Calvin Abramowitz on December 6, 2022, at 2:30 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HUD-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin J. Clarke, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Asheville Man Is Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for His Role in Burglary of Gun StoreRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Lyron Deshawn Greenlee to 102 months in prison, for his role in the burglary of a gun store in Asheville, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Greenlee, 35, of Asheville, was also ordered to serve three years under court supervision upon completion of his prison term.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief David Zack of the Asheville Police Department (APD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Greenlee conspired with his co-defendants, Jesse Lynn Williams, and Alexa Rae Bassillo, to organize and plan the burglary of Carolina Guns and Gear West, LLC (Carolina Guns and Gear), a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) located at 3106 Sweeten Creek Road, in Asheville. Court records show that on January 7, 2022, Williams broke into the gun store and stole 33 firearms, while Greenlee and Bassillo served as lookouts or drivers during the burglary.
According to court documents, immediately after the burglary, Greenlee, Williams and Bassillo traveled to Greenlee’s residence, where they divvied up the stolen firearms. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Greenlee received eight of the stolen firearms, two of which Greenlee sold to his co-defendant, Bernard Eugene Carson, a prohibited person who is not permitted to own a firearm due to prior criminal convictions. To date, law enforcement have recovered eight of the 33 stolen firearms.
On April 25, 2022, Greenlee pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from an FFL and aiding and abetting. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Williams, Bassillo, and Carson have entered guilty pleas and are currently awaiting sentencing.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and APD for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is handling the prosecution.
Apopka Man Indicted for Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Charles Vincent Yannaccone (51, Apopka) with three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of sexual abuse material. Yannaccone faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison on each receipt count. On the possession count, Yannaccone faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. The indictment also notifies Yannaccone that the United States intends to forfeit his cellphone, which is alleged to have been used to commit the charged offenses.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the 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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Amarillo Man Pleads Guilty to Threating Prominent New York RabbisRead the Press Release
An Amarillo man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to threatening to execute three prominent Jewish rabbis, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Christopher Stephen Brown was charged via criminal complaint on Dec. 6, 2021 and indicted later that month. He plead guilty yesterday to making interstate threatening communications before U.S. Magistrate District Judge Lee Ann Reno in Amarillo.
“In addition to expressing disgusting anti-Semitic views, Mr. Brown made specific threats of violence against multiple individuals, which is prohibited under federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “We will not allow our citizens to be subjected to this sort of menacing conduct.”
“Mr. Brown’s statements indicated he wanted to potentially commit violent acts against members of the Jewish community; this type of behavior is not tolerated by law enforcement. This action is a criminal violation and also instills fear in a community that has long been a target of hateful rhetoric and violence,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “The FBI’s mission is to uphold the U.S. Constitution and to protect the American people. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals who pose a threat to public safety.”
According to plea papers, Mr. Brown admitted to placing threatening calls to Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish organization that has provided spiritual guidance and assistance to Jewish people since before the Holocaust. Chabad is headquartered in New York City and maintains more than 3,500 institutions worldwide.
In those calls, the defendant sated his name was “Madrikh Obadiah” and threatened to “execute” several rabbinical leaders, identified in court documents as L.S., Y.K., and M.K. Over the course of multiple calls, he vowed he would tear their eyes and tongues out, blow their heads of, and kill every rabbi he could find.
According to court documents, he also sent messages to the organization via their website, calling for death to all Jews and linking to his YouTube channel, which also contained threatening content.
Mr. Brown now faces up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Amarillo Resident Agency and the Randall County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in partnership with the FBI’s New York Field Office and the New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto is prosecuting the case.
Allentown Man Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Manufacturing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Luis Perez Rodriguez, 34, of Allentown, PA, was sentenced to 120 years of in prison and a lifetime of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson for his convictions on multiple child exploitation offenses.
In December 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty to four counts each of manufacturing and distributing child pornography. The charges stemmed from Rodriguez’ sexual abuse of two pre-pubescent children, aged 3 and 10 years old, and his recording of the abuse of each child. The defendant then distributed those images and videos over the internet to groups of other child sex offenders, and encouraged those offenders to redistribute them further to even more people on the internet. The defendant also solicited tips on what kind of child exploitation images to produce from other members of chat groups focused on creating such horrific illicit material. The videos and images not only depicted Rodriguez’ sexual abuse of each child, but also showed the faces of each child victim. The defendant was arrested in May 2020, shortly after distributing the child exploitation images to an online chat where one of the participants was an undercover FBI agent.
“Rodriguez sexually assaulted two very young children and then distributed images of those assaults online, where they will exist indefinitely,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “For that depravity, this defendant will now spend more than a lifetime in prison; securely confined and unable to victimize any more children. Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting these heinous crimes in order to hold people like Rodriguez accountable.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Jones.
23 Members of a Violent Gang Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations in Yauco, Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 14, 2022, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 23 violent gang members from the municipality of Yauco with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as well as firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), Ponce Strike Force, led the investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).
“Today’s arrests reflect the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who fuel violence in our streets through illegal drug trafficking activities” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I commend the hard work of the agents and prosecutors who worked tirelessly on this investigation to make our community safer.”
“HSI San Juan remains committed to work side by side with our state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal organizations,” said Iván Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations. “This investigation is the direct result of multiple law enforcement entities working together towards a safer Puerto Rico.”
The indictment alleges that from 2019 until the date of the return of the indictment, the drug trafficking organization distributed cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), heroin, cocaine, and marihuana within 1,000 feet of the Santa Catalina Public Housing Project. The object of the conspiracy was the large-scale distribution of controlled substances in the municipality Yauco for significant financial gain and profit.
The 23 defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of their organization, including as leaders, drug point owners, suppliers, runners, enforcers, sellers, facilitators, and lookouts. Nine of the defendants are also facing a charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The members of the drug trafficking organization routinely possessed, carried, brandished, and used different types of firearms, including modified automatic firearms and high-capacity rifles.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants and their co-conspirators established a drug distribution point that would move within different areas inside the public housing projects to avoid police detection, including the basketball court and a tree in front of the old school inside the Santa Catalina PHP. Sometimes the defendants moved the drug point to the third floor of a building and dispatched the controlled substances from a balcony using a rope down to the first floor to avoid law enforcement detection.
Members of the organization would steal cars and use them to further their drug trafficking activities like transport money, narcotics, and firearms. The members of the gang used force, violence, and intimidation to maintain control of the areas in which they operated. They often abducted and assaulted rival drug traffickers, as well as members of their own drug trafficking organization, to intimidate and maintain control of the drug trafficking operation.
The defendants charged are:
Jesús Manuel Castro-Oliveras, a.k.a. “Chuy/Chui”
Giovanni Joel Vargas-Maldonado, a.k.a. “Giova, Jova, La J”
Carlos Irving Caraballo-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Coco/Vizco”
Ángel Osvaldo Pietri-Velázquez, a.k.a. “Chuleta”
Dayan Joel Caraballo-Ortiz, a.k.a. “Jowel/Joel”
José Ramón Cannizaro-Burgos, a.k.a. “Monchito”
Luis Antonio Irizarry-Albino, a.k.a. “Luisito”
Isaías Manuel Rivera
Irving Joel Torres Pacheco
Jean Carlos Ayala-Morales, a.k.a. “Flaco”
Ángel Edid Vélez-Echevarría, a.k.a. “Gordo Ángel/Hammer”
Néstor Rodríguez-Echevarría, a.k.a. “Tito”
Steven Vélez-Echevarría, a.k.a. “Steven”
Jean Carlos Cabello-Maldonado, a.k.a. “Pikin”
José Ángel Velázquez-Seda, a.k.a. “Tito Chuleta”
Richardson Enoc Cordero-Gallardo, a.k.a. “Richard”
Alejandro Martín Borrero-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Alejandro”
Kevin Joel Bermúdez-Torres
Daniel Pérez
Liz Marie Rosado-Vélez, a.k.a. “La Gorda”
Benjamín Vélez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Benji”
Manuel De Jesús Castro-Peña, a.k.a. “Manolo/Manuel De-Jesús-Castro”
Harvey Ramírez-Pérez
All the defendants are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $10,501,050.
Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Tereza Zapata-Valladares, Special AUSAs Cristina Caraballo and R. Vance Eaton are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life in prison.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Wednesday 14 September 2022
“Triple C” Gang Member Admits to Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including at Least Five Attempted Murders and One MurderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Zeno Burnette, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering conspiracy, including attempted murder, in relation to his participation in the violent Baltimore street gang known as Cruddy Conniving Crutballs or “Triple C”.
The guilty plea was announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, Burnette admitted that he and other Triple C members engaged in a pattern of criminal racketeering activity between 2015 and 2020, including more than a dozen murders and numerous non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings. The violent criminal acts were committed in the effort to promote the reputation of Triple C and to instill fear in the neighborhood. Other names for the enterprise are “SCL” and recently, “TRD”.
As detailed in his plea agreement, the enterprise financially benefited from, and affected interstate commerce by, selling narcotics, murdering drug dealers, taking contract killings, and engaging in street robberies. Triple C members also robbed dice games for cash and occasionally carjacked vehicles. Members divided the proceeds of the robberies and murders among members who participated, and often contacted each other to commit a robbery if that member needed money.
Also, Triple C members routinely used social media to identify and locate victims and to share information concerning possible retaliation for violent crimes committed by gang members. Triple C members and associates used at least 14 firearms to commit crimes, often trading with each other or other groups to avoid detection through ballistic evidence. They limited conversations about criminal plans to members of Triple C and critiqued each other after committing crimes regarding ways to improve their actions.
Burnette admitted that he participated in at least five attempted murders including the attempted murders of two rival gang members, and the December 2018 murder of Corey Moseley. Burnette also admits that his co-conspirators committed other acts that he did not participate in which included sixteen murders, at least twenty attempted robberies, two robberies, and three carjackings.
Co-defendants Rashaud Nesmith, a/k/a Shaud, age 21, and Michael Chester, a/k/a Mikkie, age 23, both of Baltimore, pled guilty to their participation in a racketeering conspiracy in June 2022. Chester, Nesmith and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts their pleas, Chester will be sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and Nesmith will be sentenced to 40 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for Chester of October 7, 2022, at 10 a.m. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for Nesmith on October 28, 2022, at 12 p.m.
Burnette and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Burnette will be sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the FBI and the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Worcester Man Sentenced for Attempting to Purchase $83,000 Sports Car and Opening Bank Accounts Using Stolen IdentitiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for using two victims’ identities to open bank accounts and attempting to purchase an $83,000 Chevrolet Camaro.
Brandon Brouillard, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 47 months in prison and five of supervised release. On April 7, 2022, Brouillard pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In February 2021, Brouillard used the identity of a New Hampshire resident to open a bank account at Avidia Bank where he wired $108,000 from another individual’s Bank of America account. Brouillard also fraudulently obtained a New Hampshire driver’s license in the name of a New Hampshire resident, which he used to attempt to obtain a car loan from Capital One which was ultimately denied.
On April 17, 2021, Brouillard test drove a 2021 Chevrolet Camaro at a dealership in Norwood, Mass. After test-driving the Camaro, Brouillard agreed to purchase the car for $83,000 and paid for the vehicle with a cashier’s check made out to the dealership. He provided his Massachusetts driver’s license, proof of insurance, signed sales contract, Massachusetts application for registration and car title in connection with the purchase.
On April 19, 2021, Brouillard picked up the Camaro from the dealership. A few days later, the dealership learned that the account listed on the bank check provided by Brouillard was frozen. The dealership contacted Brouillard, who promised that he would wire $83,000 to pay for the car.
On April 26, 2021, an Arizona resident contacted local police and reported an attempted fraudulent wire transfer of $83,000 from the victim’s bank account. The victim reported that a fraudulent email purportedly from the victim was sent to the bank, requesting a wire transfer of $83,000 to pay for the victim’s “brother-in-law’s car.” The bank contacted the victim for verification, and the victim did not approve the transfer. Starting in or about September 2020, the victim’s accounts were compromised, and large fraudulent purchases were made and shipped to Brouillard’s address. It is estimated that approximately $500,000 of the victim’s funds were stolen.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Braintree, Natick, Newton, Norwood, Worcester and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Washington, D.C. man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Emmanuel Kwame West, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 130 months of incarceration for selling heroin and fentanyl, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
West also known as “Donte West,” 41, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of “Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Mixture.” West admitted to selling a mixture of fentanyl and heroin in March 2021 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Violent Repeat Felon Found in Unlawful Possession of a Firearm Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison After Fleeing Police Following a Traffic StopRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Kendrick Hoggan, 27, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on February 9, 2021, an officer with the Kokomo Police Department (KPD) stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction near the intersection of North and Indiana Streets in Kokomo, Indiana. The officer smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and asked the occupants of the vehicle to exit. Hoggan exited from the front passenger seat and began running. Another officer attempted to stop Hoggan by grabbing his jacket and sweatshirt. The jacket and sweatshirt slid off Hoggan and he continued running.
A KPD officer caught up with Hoggan a short time later. Hoggan resisted by kicking the officer and damaged the officer’s lapel radio microphone. The officer was eventually able to secure Hoggan in handcuffs. A .357 caliber handgun that slid out of Hoggan’s jacket while he was running was recovered by police. Officers searched Hoggan’s person and his jacket finding multiple cell phones, U.S. currency and a user quantity of methamphetamine.
Hoggan has multiple prior felonies in state court, including convictions for robbery and alteration of a handgun’s identifying marks. Hoggan committed the February 2021 offense while serving a criminal sentence for robbery. Hoggan is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms due to his prior felony convictions.
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, Columbus Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the Kokomo Police Department. Sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Hoggan be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton 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.
Victorville Woman Arrested on Indictment Alleging She Used Prison Inmates’ Names to Fraudulently Obtain over $500,000 in COVID ReliefRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A San Bernardino County woman was arrested today on a seven-count federal grand jury indictment alleging she fraudulently obtained more than $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits by using the names of inmates locked up the California state prison system.
Cynthia Ann Hernandez, 32, a.k.a. “Cynthia Roberts,” of Victorville, was taken into custody and is expected to appear for her arraignment tomorrow in United States District Court in Riverside.
Hernandez is charged with four counts of mail fraud, one count of access device fraud in excess of $1,000, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment returned on September 9, from June 2020 to August 2020, Hernandez filed with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) fraudulent applications for UI benefits in the names of persons incarcerated in the California state prison system. EDD manages California’s unemployment insurance benefit program.
Hernandez allegedly falsely stated on the UI benefits applications that the named claimants were individuals whose employment had been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and were eligible for pandemic unemployment assistance under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Congress passed the CARES Act in March 2020, in part, to help individuals whose employment and finances were adversely affected by the pandemic.
The applications also falsely stated that the named claimants were eligible for the UI benefits and that they resided and worked in Los Angeles and Orange counties. EDD then authorized Bank of America to issue debit cards in the claimants’ names and were mailed to Hernandez’s mailing address, according to the indictment. Once Hernandez allegedly received the debit cards, she used them to withdraw cash at ATMs and banking centers.
In total, Hernandez allegedly caused at least 29 fraudulent applications to be filed with EDD, resulting in losses to EDD and the United States Treasury of approximately $515,138.
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.
This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; the California Employment Development Department – Investigation Division; Homeland Security Investigations; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the United States Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and United States Customs and Border Protection – Special Response Team.
Assistant United States Attorney Solomon Kim of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney, Vermont Attorney General, and Rutland Area NAACP to Co-Host Hate-Free Vermont Forum in BenningtonRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, and the Rutland Area NAACP will be co-hosting a Hate-Free Vermont Forum in Bennington on September 28, 2022, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
“The Forum aims to bring policymakers, stakeholders, and community members together for productive and difficult conversations that will work to reduce animus, discord, and misunderstandings,” said co-facilitator Etan Nasreddin-Longo. “When we began these conversations in 2019, our goal was to take the pulse of Vermonters’ experience of discrimination. Much has happened since that time, and our hope is to engage and to listen to our historically-disadvantaged communities about what they view as the continuing and new problems in 2022.”
Community members are encouraged to join us for a conversation on understanding and addressing bias, discrimination, and hate crimes in Vermont.
When: Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Where: The Forum will be hosted in-person and also remotely.- Physical location: Mount Anthony Union High School, Cafeteria, 301 Park St, Bennington, VT 05201
- Remote registration link: bit.ly/3Sm1Deq1
- In-person registration link (optional): bit.ly/3RVUnRY
Who: All are welcome.
For physical attendance, masks are requested. Registration is required for remote attendance.
Tukwila, Washington, man who fired shot while running from police pleads guilty to assault and illegal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 29-year-old Tukwila, Washington, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle today to assault on a federal officer and using a firearm in a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Defendant Francisco Luis Rodriguez and prosecutors will both recommend a 10-year prison sentence when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on December 6, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, on October 27, 2021, agents with the U.S. Marshal Service Violent Offender Task Force were working to arrest Rodriguez in connection with the October 14, 2021, armed kidnapping of his former girlfriend. Task Force officers located Rodriguez at a gas station in Des Moines, Washington. The officers blocked Rodriguez’ car and identified themselves as police. Rodriguez jumped out of the car and fired one shot into the roof of the gas station. As he fled, he was waving the gun around and pointing it at police and at his head. The firearm was a Glock handgun with an extended magazine. Rodriguez ran towards a busy grocery store nearby. Task force officers followed and fired shots to stop Rodriguez before he reached the store. Rodriguez was wounded and taken to Harborview Medical Center where he recovered.
Assault on a federal officer is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Use of a firearm in a crime of violence is punishable by a mandatory minimum seven years in prison and up to life in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal Service (USMS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Des Moines Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Three Iranian Nationals Charged with Engaging in Computer Intrusions and Ransomware-Style Extortion Against U.S. Critical Infrastructure ProvidersRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging three Iranian nationals with allegedly orchestrating a scheme to hack into the computer networks of multiple U.S. victims.
As alleged in the indictment, from October 2020 through the present, Mansour Ahmadi, aka Mansur Ahmadi, 34; Ahmad Khatibi Aghda, aka Ahmad Khatibi, 45; and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari, aka Amir Hossein Nikaeen, aka Amir Hossein Nickaein, aka Amir Nikayin, 30, engaged in a scheme to gain unauthorized access to the computer systems of hundreds of victims in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Iran, and elsewhere, causing damage and losses to the victims.
“The Government of Iran has created a safe haven where cyber criminals acting for personal gain flourish and defendants like these are able to hack and extort victims, including critical infrastructure providers,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This indictment makes clear that even other Iranians are less safe because their own government fails to follow international norms and stop Iranian cyber criminals.”
The defendants’ hacking campaign exploited known vulnerabilities in commonly used network devices and software applications to gain access and exfiltrate data and information from victims’ computer systems. Ahmadi, Khatibi, Nickaein and others also conducted encryption attacks against victims’ computer systems, denying victims access to their systems and data unless a ransom payment was made.
The defendants victimized a broad range of organizations, including small businesses, government agencies, nonprofit programs and educational and religious institutions. Their victims also included multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including health care centers, transportation services and utility providers.
“Ransom-related cyberattacks — like what happened here — are a particularly destructive form of cybercrime,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “No form of cyberattack is acceptable, but ransomware attacks that target critical infrastructure services, such as health care facilities and government agencies, are a threat to our national security. Hackers like these defendants go to great lengths to keep their identities secret, but there is always a digital trail. And we will find it.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to work with our U.S. government partners for the purpose of imposing cost on our adversaries,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “This indictment, when coupled with other disruptive operational activities, demonstrates what’s possible when we team up with our domestic and international partners and take a whole-of-government approach. We, along with our partners, remain dedicated to protecting the United States of America and the victims affected by these egregious crimes.”
According to court documents, in February 2021, the defendants and their conspirators targeted a township in Union County, New Jersey. They exploited known vulnerabilities to gain control and access to the township’s network and data and used a hacking tool to establish persistent remote access to a particular domain that was registered to Ahmadi.
In or before February 2022, the defendants and their conspirators targeted an accounting firm based in Morris County, New Jersey. They again exploited a known vulnerability to gain unauthorized access and then used a particular hacking tool to establish a connection to a server that was registered to Nickaein and to steal data. In March 2022, the defendants launched an encryption attack against the accounting firm; after denying the firm access to some of its systems, Khatibi demanded payment of $50,000 in cryptocurrency and threatened to sell the data on the black market.
The defendants also compromised, and often encrypted and extorted, hundreds of other victims, including an accounting firm based in Illinois; a regional electric utility company based in Mississippi; a regional electric utility company based in Indiana; a public housing corporation in the State of Washington; a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Pennsylvania; a County government in Wyoming; a construction company located in the State of Washington that was engaged in work on critical infrastructure projects; and a state bar association.
Ahmadi, Khatibi and Nickaein, all residents of Iran, are each charged by indictment with one count of conspiring to commit computer fraud and related activity in connection with computers; one count of intentionally damaging a protected computer; and one count of transmitting a demand in relation to damaging a protected computer. Ahmadi is charged with one additional count of intentionally damaging a protected computer. All defendants remain at large abroad.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The intentional damage to protected computers charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The transmission of a ransom demand charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The offenses also carry a potential maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David E. Malagold and Matthew Feldman Nikic for the District of New Newsey, and Trial Attorney Andrew D. Beaty of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Iranian Nationals Charged with Engaging in Computer Intrusions and Ransomware-Style Extortion Against U.S. Critical Infrastructure ProvidersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An indictment was unsealed today charging three Iranian nationals with allegedly orchestrating a scheme to hack into the computer networks of multiple U.S. victims, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and National Security Division Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen announced today.
As alleged in the indictment, from October 2020 through the present, Mansour Ahmadi, aka “Mansur Ahmadi,” Ahmad Khatibi Aghda, aka “Ahmad Khatibi,” and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari, aka “Amir Hossein Nikaeen,” aka “Amir Hossein Nickaein,” aka “Amir Nikayin,” engaged in a scheme to gain unauthorized access to the computer systems of hundreds of victims in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Iran, and elsewhere, causing damage and losses to the victims.
The defendants’ hacking campaign exploited known vulnerabilities in commonly used network devices and software applications to gain access and exfiltrate data and information from victims’ computer systems. Ahmadi, Khatibi, Nickaein, and others, also conducted encryption attacks against victims’ computer systems, denying victims access to their systems and data unless a ransom payment was made.
The defendants victimized a broad range of organizations, including small businesses, government agencies, non-profit programs, and educational and religious institutions. Their victims also included multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including healthcare centers, transportation services, and utility providers.
“Ransom-related cyberattacks — like what happened here — are a particularly destructive form of cybercrime,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “No form of cyber-attack is acceptable, but ransomware attacks that target critical infrastructure services, such as health care facilities and government agencies, are a threat to our national security. Hackers like these defendants go to great lengths to keep their identities secret, but there is always a digital trail. And we will find it.”
“These defendants may have been hacking and extorting victims – including critical infrastructure providers – for their personal gain, but the charges reflect how criminals can flourish in the safe haven that the Government of Iran has created and is responsible for,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said. “According to the Indictment, even other Iranians are less safe because their own government fails to follow international norms and stop Iranian cyber criminals.”
“I want the people of New Jersey, and across the country, to know that the FBI is working tirelessly every day to protect you from people and things you may never see,” Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Division James Dennehy said. “This coordinated, global effort amongst law enforcement and the intelligence community should send a clear message to those actors who think they can’t be found in cyberspace: the days of hiding behind a keyboard and perpetrating crimes against the American people without consequence are waning, and we will bring the full force of the American Justice system to disrupt your criminal behavior.”
According to documents filed in this case:
In February 2021, the defendants and their conspirators targeted a township in Union County, New Jersey. They exploited known vulnerabilities to gain control and access to the township’s network and data and used a hacking tool to establish persistent remote access to a particular domain that was registered to Ahmadi.
In or before February 2022, the defendants and their conspirators targeted an accounting firm based in Morris County, New Jersey. They again exploited a known vulnerability to gain unauthorized access and then used a particular hacking tool to establish a connection to a server that was registered to Nickaein and steal data. In March 2022, the defendants launched an encryption attack against the accounting firm; after denying the firm access to some of its systems, Khatibi demanded payment of $50,000 in cryptocurrency and threatened to sell the data on the black market.
The defendants also compromised, and often encrypted and extorted, hundreds of other victims, including an accounting firm based in Illinois; a regional electric utility company based in Mississippi; a regional electric utility company based in Indiana; a public housing corporation in the State of Washington; a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Pennsylvania; a County government in Wyoming; a construction company located in the State of Washington that was engaged in work on critical infrastructure projects; and a state bar association.
Ahmadi, 34, Khatibi, 45, and Nickaein, 30, all residents of Iran, are each charged by indictment with one count of conspiring to commit computer fraud and related activity in connection with computers; one count of intentionally damaging a protected computer; and one count of transmitting a demand in relation to damaging a protected computer. Ahmadi is charged with one additional count of intentionally damaging a protected computer.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years in prison. The intentional damage to protected computers charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The transmission of a ransom demand charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The offenses also carry a potential maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David E. Malagold and Matthew Feldman Nikic of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorney Andrew D. Beaty of the National Security Division in Washington, D.C.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years for Felonious Possession of Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Malachi Deloch (23, Tampa) was sentenced to four years and seven months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Deloch had pleaded guilty on June 14, 2022. He was also ordered to forfeit the semi-automatic pistol used in the offense.
According to court documents, on February 7, 2022, Deloch, a convicted felon, was in possession of multiple firearms, including a black Springfield XD 9mm with an extended magazine. As a convicted felon, Deloch is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. As pictured below, Deloch was seen openly carrying the firearm in a residential area of Tampa. Prior to his arrest, Deloch fled from Tampa Police Department officers that had arrived on the scene.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman.
Stratford Man Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 300 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
EL PASO – Johnny George Gonzalez, 35, of Stratford, TX was sentenced to life in prison for numerous counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. United States District Judge Frank Montalvo also sentenced Gonzalez to an additional 300 years in prison to run consecutive to his life sentence.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers with the Ontario Provincial Police encountered Gonzalez in a Dark Web forum wherein members exchanged videos and images of child sexual abuse material. Gonzalez shared links to digital storage folders containing thousands of images of child pornography and child erotica. The case was referred to the FBI and after executing a search warrant at his residence in El Paso, agents discovered over 65 electronic devices, including laptop computers, desktop computers, computer hard drives, cell phones, thumb drives and tablets. To date, approximately one million images and videos constituting child pornography and child erotica have been found on Gonzalez’s devices.
Investigators learned that Gonzalez made surreptitious recordings of pre-pubescent boys and girls in retail stores across El Paso, with a particular focus on their breasts, genitals and buttocks. A thorough review of those devices and his online storage accounts also revealed that Gonzalez had produced no fewer than 13 different series of child sexual abuse material.
During today’s sentencing, the court heard how Gonzalez abused the trust of friends and neighbors in a tight-knit community in North Texas.
On May 25, 2022, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and 10 counts of production of child pornography. By pleading guilty, Gonzalez admitted that he filmed himself sexually abusing at least six minor children beginning as early as 2014 and later shared the videos online via cloud storage applications, email and the Dark Web. The children depicted range in age from four to 10 years old. An additional two minor victims were identified between the time of Gonzalez’s plea and today’s sentence.
Gonzalez further admitted that in late July 2021 he traveled from El Paso through New Mexico to Stratford with the intent to engage in a sexual act with one of the minor children.
Gonzalez was arrested on September 9, 2021 and has remained in custody since that time.
“For eight years, Gonzalez documented his depraved sexual abuse through photographs and videos, which he then shared with pedophiles around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “The heinous nature of his conduct will digitally live forever and continue to victimize these children. While this sentence will not repair their pain and damage, it will ensure that he will never again have the opportunity to prey upon children.”
“Protecting children from dangerous child predators is a priority for the FBI. The crimes committed by these offenders cause incalculable damage to their young innocent victims,” said Jeffrey R. Downey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “I hope today’s sentencing brings some closure to the victims knowing this predator will be in federal prison for a very long time. I want to thank the members of the FBI El Paso’s Crimes Against Children/Human Trafficking task force for their work on this case and their commitment to protecting our most vulnerable population, our children, to ensure justice is served for them.”
The FBI El Paso Division investigated the case with substantial assistance from FBI Dallas-Amarillo Resident Agency. The Ontario (Canada) Provincial Police also contributed to the investigation. This investigation remains ongoing as the FBI attempts to identify additional child victims. To report information related to this investigation, call the El Paso FBI office at 915-832-5000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Winters and Catherine Dos Santos prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Steelton Man Charged with Attempting to Kill A Federal WitnessRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Melvin R. Thomas, age 43, of Steelton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on intimidation of a witness and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on August 24, 2022, in Dauphin County, Thomas retaliated against a federal witness who testified in a federal proceeding. The indictment also charges that Thomas used a firearm in furtherance of the retaliation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Steelton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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St. Paul Man Sentenced to 43 Years in Prison for Targeting More Than 1,100 Minor Victims in Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 516 months in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for victimizing more than 1,100 minor girls across the country and abroad in an extensive online sextortion scheme, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“For several years, Yue Vang victimized more than 1,000 young girls – in Minnesota and beyond – through a vicious sextortion scheme. Using popular social media apps to prey on his victims, Vang’s manipulation began with compliments and expressions of flattery, which quickly turned into threats and extortion,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Today’s 40-year prison sentence shows that the reprehensible crime of child sexual exploitation will not be tolerated.”
“There are few crimes as damaging and traumatic to a young person as sextortion. Vang is a predator who targeted innocent and impressionable young girls, exploiting their innocence for pictures and videos. He robbed them of their childhood and forever altered their lives and the lives of their families,” said Michael Paul, FBI Special Agent in Charge, Minneapolis Division. “This case demonstrates the extensive reach of social media and the irreparable trauma one predatory individual inflicted on over a thousand young girls. However, the ensuing investigation highlights the immense collaboration and dedication of law enforcement partners throughout the country who worked tirelessly to identify the victims and hold Vang accountable for his atrocious crimes.”
According to court documents, for at least five years, Yue Vang, 31, created and used multiple Internet applications and social media services, including Kik, Snapchat, and Skype, to communicate with hundreds of minor girls throughout the United States and elsewhere. Vang created fake female personae to prey on vulnerable minor girls he met online in order to entice and coerce them to create sexually explicit images and videos to send to him. Vang also threatened to disseminate sexually explicit images of the minor victims to their family members, friends, and classmates, unless they created and sent him additional images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in June 2016, Vang contacted a 15-year-old girl and threatened to distribute sexually explicit pictures of her to her classmates and parents to “ruin her life” unless she complied with Vang’s demands to send additional sexually explicit images and videos.
On June 2, 2022, Vang pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. Vang was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
To date, at least 750 minor females have been identified, although law enforcement is attempting to confirm the identity of many other victims. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Vang’s offenses or who has information about this matter is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-yue-vang-investigation or www.Justice.gov/usao-mn/child-sextortion-victim-information.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and multiple FBI Field Offices, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, the Chandler (Arizona) Police Department, the Delhi Township (Ohio) Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi prosecuted the case.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 121 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Andre Pittman, 35 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. on his plea of guilty to two counts; a hobbs act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to that crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Pittman was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in June 2021, Pittman robbed a liquor store in South Bend at gunpoint. After brandishing a handgun at the store clerk, he made off with cash from the register. Pittman was later caught and admitted to committing multiple robberies, including the armed robbery of the liquor store. Pittman has a lengthy criminal history which includes a prior federal conviction for the armed robberies of other retail stores. He was out of federal prison for 1 ½ months before embarking on his recent robbery spree.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Rochester Man Going to Prison for More Than 15 Years for Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jacob Daniel Pimentel-Hernandez, 22, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who handled the case, stated that on June 2, 2021, Pimentel-Hernandez sold fentanyl to two individuals, identified as E.G. and M.H., in the area of the Valero gas station at 799 North Clinton Avenue in Rochester. After ingesting the fentanyl, E.G. and M.H. began to drive home but pulled over on the side of the road on Interstate 490 in Gates, NY, and were later found unconscious and unresponsive in the car. M.H. was taken to Unity Hospital but never regained consciousness and died a day later, on June 3, 2021. That same day, an undercover law enforcement officer purchased fentanyl from Pimentel-Hernandez at the same Valero gas station. Pimentel-Hernandez was subsequently arrested, at which time investigators recovered $580 in cash, quantities of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and a loaded .380 caliber pistol from the defendant.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET); the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David M. Smith.
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Recording Artist Robert Kelly Convicted on Federal Child Pornography and Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted recording artist ROBERT SYLVESTER KELLY, also known as “R. Kelly,” on child pornography and exploitation charges.
Evidence at the four-week trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago revealed that Kelly enticed multiple girls to engage in sexual activity and recorded some of the abuse on videotape. Kelly met the victims in the late 1990s and engaged in sex acts with them while they were under the age of eighteen.
Kelly, 55, of Chicago, was convicted on three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Each count of producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. The maximum sentence for each count of enticement of a minor is ten years. In all, Kelly faces a sentence of ten to 90 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber did not immediately set a sentencing date.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; R. Sean Fitzgerald, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeannice W. Appenteng, Elizabeth R. Pozolo, Jason A. Julien, and Brian F. Williamson represented the government.
The jury acquitted Kelly on seven other counts, including one count of child pornography, one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography, and two counts of enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. The jury also acquitted two co-defendants, who were former employees of Kelly’s music business: DERREL MCDAVID, 61, of Chicago (acquitted of one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography, and two counts of receiving child pornography) and MILTON BROWN, also known as “June Brown,” 56, of Chicago (acquitted of one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography).
“The guilty verdicts finally hold Robert Kelly accountable for the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl, and they help right the wrongs that occurred in a prior prosecution in Cook County,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “The damage Mr. Kelly inflicted on his victims is immeasurable. I want to thank the victims for their strength, perseverance, and courage in coming forward to testify at trial. With regard to the not-guilty verdicts, we respect the jury’s decision. While certain aspects of the charges and the trial made it difficult to obtain convictions for all of the charged conduct, it is clear that justice has been served by the guilty verdicts returned today.”
Recidivist Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Additional 15 Years in Federal Prison for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Derrick Outlaw, 48, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 1 kilogram of a mixture or substance containing heroin.
According to court documents, on April 18, 2021, DEA was investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in Indianapolis, and they identified Outlaw as a heroin distributor for the organization. On April 20, 2021, after conducting surveillance and seeing Outlaw drive different vehicles to various locations in and around Indianapolis, law enforcement officers stopped him at an Indianapolis gas station.
Outlaw agreed to speak to officers and admitted that there was heroin inside the vehicle. Law enforcement officers located 1.36 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture. According to the DEA, as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. Law enforcement officers also located two cellular telephones, one of which Outlaw used to conduct his drug trafficking business. Outlaw admitted that he drove to Camby, Indiana on April 20 to pick up 1.5 kilograms of heroin for which he was to receive $70,000 in U.S. currency.
A search warrant was executed at Outlaw’s apartment where law enforcement officers located $26,521 in rubber-banded U.S. currency and multiple cellular telephones. Prior to committing the April 20, 2021, offense, Outlaw served a ten-year sentence in federal prison for trafficking cocaine.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
DEA investigated the case. Sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. As part of the sentence, Judge Stinson ordered that Outlaw be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Karwoski who prosecuted this case.
Randolph County man admits to fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Zane Matthew Young, of Coalton, West Virginia, has admitted to possessing fentanyl, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Young, 26, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Young admitted to possessing fentanyl in Upshur County in November 2020 with the intent to distribute it.
Young faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Lakes Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest on Outstanding WarrantsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Lamont King, 22, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2021, law enforcement officers saw King exit from a residential apartment building. King was under surveillance because he was a suspect in a March 30, 2021, armed robbery and had two outstanding arrest warrants stemming from other charges. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (IMPD SWAT) was in the vicinity because King was known to carry a firearm on his person.
IMPD SWAT approached King to arrest him and commanded him to stop. King was at the driver’s side door of a vehicle when he saw the officers approach. King moved towards the rear bumper and removed a pistol from his waistband dropping it on the ground. King was taken into police custody.
Police recovered the loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol and located a plastic baggie containing 21 pills of 30 mg Oxycodone Hydrochloride in King’s pants pocket. King was transported to the Marion County Jail. Following an interview with law enforcement officers, a single 30 mg Oxycodone Hydrochloride pill was located on the floor underneath where King had been sitting.
King’s outstanding warrants were for failure to appear. King failed to appear in court for a probation violation related to a 2018, armed robbery felony conviction, and failed to appear related to a 2020 arrest for drug possession and drunk driving offenses. King is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to his 2018 felony conviction.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office; and Police Chief Randal Taylor of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD); made the announcement.
FBI investigated the case in conjunction with IMPD. Sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that King be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence D. Hilton 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.