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25 October 2022
Fort Stockton Man Sentenced to over 157 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALPINE – Thomas Scott Perkins, 31, of Fort Stockton, was sentenced yesterday to 1,890 months in prison for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents determined through investigation that Perkins was sharing child pornography online. A search warrant was executed at Perkins’ residence and multiple hard drive devices were discovered that contained 95,316 images and 1,237 videos of child sexual abuse material.
On July 19, 2022, Perkins was found guilty by a federal jury sitting in Pecos of one count of distribution of child pornography and eight counts of possession of child pornography. Perkins has remained in federal custody since his arrest on September 14, 2020.
“The sentence demonstrates the horrors of this type of crime, which we will continue to relentlessly pursue,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “I want to express my deep gratitude to our law enforcement partners and dedicated prosecutors who worked to bring this defendant to justice.”
“This lengthy sentence is a testament to the repugnant nature of child exploitation crimes, particularly the production of child pornography which only perpetuates the trauma endured by victims,” said Francisco Burrola, Special Agent in Charge, HSI El Paso. “HSI agents make it a top priority to protect vulnerable children from victimization by working with their law enforcement partners to investigate predators involved with the possession and distribution of child pornography and ensure they are held accountable for their heinous actions.”
HSI, with assistance from the FBI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of Public Safety, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott V. Greenbaum and Kevin Cayton 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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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Shauntavus Berklin (34, Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing firearms as a convicted felon and distributing fentanyl. The court also ordered Berklin to forfeit the firearms he illegally had possessed. Berklin had pleaded guilty to the charges, which were contained in two indictments, on July 14, 2022.
According to court documents, on October 16, 2020, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a hotel in Fort Myers where a car linked to a home invasion robbery was parked. The deputies linked the car to a hotel room occupied by Berklin and another suspect in the robbery and obtained a search warrant. During a search of the room, deputies discovered two loaded firearms hidden in a mattress box spring. Subsequent forensic analysis of the firearms linked one of the firearms to Berklin, who had recently been released from a 10-year prison sentence. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Approximately three and a half months later, on January 30, 2021, detectives from the Fort Myers Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a rental vehicle they suspected was being driven by Berklin. Berklin fled from officers at a high rate of speed before crashing the vehicle in a residential neighborhood near downtown Fort Myers and escaping on foot. Inside the vehicle, officers located a loaded firearm and multiple baggies of fentanyl packaged for sale. DNA testing of the firearm later linked the firearm to Berklin, as did other personal items found in the car, including a receipt from his bail bondsman addressed to “Tweet” Berklin, his well-known nickname.
Berklin’s criminal activities continued in April 2021, during which time he twice sold fentanyl to an individual working with the Drug Enforcement Administration for $1,800. On each occasion, Berklin met with the individual in a parking lot of a local Fort Myers businesses and provided the informant with drugs while under constant surveillance by law enforcement.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Myers Police Department. They were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trenton Reichling and Michael V. Leeman.
These cases are 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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Tribal Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Tribal government official of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation (MHA Nation) pleaded guilty today to a bribery scheme in which he admitted to soliciting and accepting bribes and kickbacks from a contractor providing construction services on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, which is the home of the MHA Nation.
According to court documents, Randall Jude Phelan, 58, of Mandaree, North Dakota, was an elected representative on the Tribal Business Council, the governing body of the MHA Nation, from around November 2012 through the middle of 2020. Beginning around 2013 and continuing through 2020, Phelan solicited and accepted bribes and kickbacks from a contractor operating on the Fort Berthold Reservation. In exchange for the payments, Phelan used his official position to help the contractor’s business, including by awarding contracts, fabricating bids during purportedly competitive bidding processes, advocating for the contractor with other Tribal officials, and facilitating the submission and payment of fraudulent invoices.
Phelan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, honest services wire fraud, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the top 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 Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl for the District of North Dakota; and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI Minneapolis Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and John J. Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Greenley for the District of North Dakota are prosecuting the case.
Former Teacher Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Mark Robert Clow, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for receiving material constituting child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The safety and well-being of our children is paramount,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “Those who seek to view and maintain child pornography facilitate the abuse of children by those who produce and profit from this illegal content, robbing our children of their innocence and their very childhood. With our law enforcement partners, we will hold such offenders accountable.”
Between June 2017, and September 2021, Clow distributed, received, and possessed material containing child pornography. The pornographic material found in Clow’s possession involved a minor under the age of 12.
“A teacher holds a position of great responsibility and trust, violating that trust by preying on the innocent destroys the fabric of a healthy and conducive leaning environment for our children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “To collect and distribute this illicit child exploitation material supports the evil industry that creates it. Thanks to our partnership with Leon County Sheriff’s Office, this predator now faces the consequences of exploiting the innocence of our children.”
Clow’s prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions
“This sentencing reflects the dedication of prosecutors and our law enforcement agencies to vigorously pursue justice in these cases,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil. “The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is committed to working with our partners to ensure anyone who is sexually abuses children and/or produces, obtains or shares images of such abuse faces justice.”
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Sailor Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Michigan man was sentenced today in federal court in Portland for sexually abusing a minor, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Matthew Boyd, 33, to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Boyd pleaded guilty on January 25, 2022.
According to court records, in August 2009, Boyd was a 20-year-old active-duty sailor stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard when he began corresponding with a then 11-year-old on Myspace. When the minor was 12, she visited Boyd at the shipyard, and the two engaged in a sexual act. In October 2020, the now adult victim working with law enforcement reached out to Boyd and during the conversation, Boyd confessed.
“The passage of time will not shield sexual predators,” McElwee said. “This case is a fine example of the diligence and commitment to justice we expect to see from our law enforcement community. It is critically important that regardless of the passage of time, sexual predators, particularly those who victimize children, are held accountable for their conduct within the bounds of the law. May the courage of this survivor be an encouraging message to those who have been similarly traumatized that they can seek and achieve justice.”
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.
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Former Memphis Police Officer Sentenced to 12 Years for Criminal Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a former Memphis Police Officer to 12 years in federal prison for criminal civil rights violations. U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.
On January 24, 2020, former Memphis Police Officer Sam Blue 63, pled guilty to conspiracy to violate civil rights by using force, violence, and intimidation, and conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce. On October 25, 2022, United States District Court Judge John T.
Fowlkes Jr. sentenced Blue to 144 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz said: “Our citizens have a right to be policed by officers who follow the law. This officer abused his authority and violated others’ civil rights. He’ll now spend a significant time in federal prison. My hope is that this sentence sends a clear message that law enforcement officers who break the law will be held accountable.”
“This sentencing proves that abuse of law enforcement authority will not be tolerated,” said Bryan
McCloskey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. “Every citizen has the right to expect law enforcement officers to act in accordance with the laws they have sworn to uphold, and the FBI is committed to aggressively investigating and bringing to justice those officers who break the law and violate the public trust.”According to information presented in court, between 2014 and 2018 Sam Blue, a sworn Memphis Police
Department Officer, conspired with others to rob drug dealers of drugs or drug proceeds. Prior to the planned robberies, various co-conspirators would conduct surveillance of the targets. Officer
Blue provided his co-conspirators with information, such as home addresses for the targets of the robberies, obtained from law enforcement restricted sources. Blue also provided his co-conspirators with equipment, including an official MPD badge, and a car dashboard blue light to use during the planned robberies so that they could falsely claim to appear to be law enforcement.In July 2018, Eric Cain was selected as a robbery target by the conspirators. The defendants began conducting surveillance on Cain and put a GPS tracker on his car. Blue provided the gate code used by law enforcement to access Cain’s apartment complex in furtherance of the plan to commit the robbery.
On July 13, 2018, as Cain was leaving his apartment in Memphis around 4:30 a.m., a black car with flashing blue lights pulled up behind his car. Cain believed he was being stopped by law enforcement. Two of the defendants, dressed in black clothing with the word "police" on it and wearing masks and armed with handguns, got out of the car with the flashing lights and ordered Cain to get out of his car and get on the ground. Cain obeyed and the men handcuffed him, put a hood over his face, and placed him in the back of their car. The defendants then drove Cain to a house on Reese Road here in Memphis.
At this new location, Cain was taken inside the house and restrained while the defendants beat him, burned him on his arms, neck, and head, and demandedthat he tell them where he kept his money and/or drugs. Cain was able to escape by jumping through the front window of the house. He was hospitalized for a week in the burn unit and underwent surgery for his injuries.U.S. Attorney Ritz thanked the FBI Tarnished Badge Task Force, which investigated this case, and
Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard, who prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @ WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Former Executive Director of Children’s Not-For-Profit Arrested for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael Alfonso, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”), announced that PHILIP DALLMANN, the former executive director of a children’s not-for-profit organization based in New York City, was charged in a complaint with embezzling funds from the organization from 2018 to 2021. DALLMANN was arrested today in Seattle, Washington, and will be presented this afternoon in Seattle federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Philip Dallmann spent years exploiting his position of trust to line his own pockets with donor funds intended to enrich the lives of children. He also stole for years from his wife’s family, and when he was caught, he claimed he did so in part to help cover the organization’s costs. Dallmann now faces federal charges for this double deception.”
Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Alfonso said: “Dallmann’s insatiable greed led him to allegedly embezzle nearly $100,000 from a not-for-profit organization aimed at helping children participate in the arts. Dallmann betrayed the trust of his employers and took these funds from the hands of children and teachers who deserve them, funding his own lifestyle with the stolen funds. HSI is a leader in federal financial crime investigations, and we will continue to bring our investigative capabilities to expose financial frauds targeting our most vulnerable.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least 2018 through 2021, PHILIP DALLMANN served as the executive director of a children’s not-for-profit organization based in Manhattan. The organization is dedicated to providing inclusive arts programming for students of all development profiles, including autistic children.
In 2018, DALLMANN began embezzling funds from the organization’s bank account for unauthorized personal expenses. In or around 2019, the organization began receiving overdraft notices from the bank, which DALLMANN claimed was caused by the bank’s loss of donor checks. The following year, the organization switched banks, and DALLMANN continued his embezzlement. A subsequent audit revealed that DALLMANN stole a total of approximately $98,000.
While serving as the executive director, DALLMANN married a teacher at the not-for-profit organization. In or around the spring of 2020, DALLMANN’s wife learned that DALLMANN had stolen credit cards that belonged to her father and on which she was an authorized user and that DALLMANN had used the credit cards to make unauthorized transactions, later found to total more than $143,000.
DALLMANN claimed that he had used his wife’s credit cards to cover operational expenses for the not-for-profit organization. DALLMANN then impersonated the organization’s treasurer by email to negotiate repayments by the organization to his wife. Based on DALLMANN’s representations, the organization then, in fact, entered into a contract to pay DALLMANN’s wife $30,000.
In sum, DALLMANN made hundreds of unauthorized personal transactions using the not-for-profit organization’s bank accounts, such as payments for pet grooming, food delivery, restaurants, groceries, alcohol, clothing, shoes, transportation, ESPN Plus and Netflix subscriptions, Amazon orders, and wedding photography services. He also withdrew thousands of dollars in cash from the not-for-profit organization’s accounts.
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DALLMANN, 34, of Seattle, Washington, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of access device fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison. He is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of HSI and thanked local law enforcement partners in Seattle and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Y. Chong is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Former Credit Union employee who repeatedly stole from elderly woman’s account sentenced to a year in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former financial services representative at Alaska USA Federal Credit Union was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to one year and a day in prison for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Lee Michael Griffin, 31, previously of Mount Vernon, Washington, stole more than $129,000 from an elderly bank customer by making unauthorized transfers from the woman’s account to his own. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed three years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
According to records filed in the case, Griffin had worked at the credit union for almost two years when he made his first illegal transfer from the elderly victim’s bank account to a lender to pay off his $7,000 loan. Over the next three years, even after he had left the employ of the credit union, he made 65 additional transfers to do things such as pay his mortgage, pay for a new car and other personal expenses. The victim’s account settings had been changed to stop the mailing of paper statements, and instead just sent electronic statements. However, the victim did not have computer access. The theft was discovered when the victim was hospitalized, and a nephew began assisting with her finances. He discovered the thefts from the account and worked at length with the credit union to ensure the funds were restored.
Noting that Griffin and his wife had declared bankruptcy in 2013, Assistant United States Attorney James Oesterle wrote to the court, “Having taken advantage of the opportunity to get his financial affairs in order and make the most of the fresh start offered by the bankruptcy code, he chose another path. He turned to another source of loan forgiveness, stealing from a seemingly inactive bank account holding thousands of dollars. Mr. Griffin’s conscious choice reflects a character trait no different from a defendant who brazenly steals property only to return time and again emboldened by the fact that they were not caught. The criminal conduct becomes habitual, unburdened by any moral clarity. It reflects an abject failure to distinguish right from wrong and recognize and appreciate the harm it inflicts on others.
Griffin, who now lives in Gilbert, Arizona, paid full restitution to the credit union of $129,194.31 at the sentencing hearing.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James Oesterle.
Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to 41 Months of Imprisonment for $2 Million FraudRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – The former chief financial officer of a company in High Point, North Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
SAMUEL ALLEN MOUZON, age 62, of Lexington, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 41-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, MOUZON was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $5,000 fine and a special assessment of $100.00. A $500,000.00 forfeiture money judgment was also entered against the defendant. He pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022, to wire fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to court records, MOUZON worked as the chief financial officer of a company in High Point for approximately twenty years. Between approximately December 2018 and February 2021, MOUZON embezzled approximately $2,038,285 for his own personal benefit and to fund purchases for himself and his family without the company’s knowledge or approval. During this time, the company received approximately $750,000 in federal pandemic relief funding. The Court ordered MOUZON to pay $2,038,285.66 in restitution to the victim company and an insurance company from which the victim company recovered a portion of the total loss.
In related civil and administrative proceedings, the United States forfeited numerous items of real and personal property that MOUZON paid for with proceeds of the offense, including several bank and investment accounts, a lake-front residence in Lexington, a second residence and two building lots in the same Lexington development, a condominium in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, two 2020 Jeep Wranglers, a 2020 GMC Yukon Denali, two boats, two 2017 jet skis, a 2021 Polaris four-wheeler, and two golf carts.
“Corporate executives who steal from their employers will be prosecuted in the Middle District of North Carolina, where our prosecutors will seek active prison sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “With the unprecedented flow of federal dollars used to support businesses during the pandemic, the need for these prosecutions has never been greater.”
“Stealing from your employer and taking advantage of the Nation’s lifeline to small businesses impacted by the pandemic for personal gain is reprehensible,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “Our office will aggressively pursue evidence of wrongdoing and bring those responsible to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
The investigation was jointly undertaken by the United States Secret Service and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Small Business Administration. The civil case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lynne Klauer. The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tanner Kroeger and Ashley Waid.
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Former Aryan Brotherhood Member Sentenced to 18 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Billings, Mo., man who belonged to the Aryan Brotherhood was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking.
Jimmy Jack Pinkley, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 18 years and four months in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 16, 2021, Pinkley pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Pinkley admitted that he was in possession of methamphetamine when he was stopped by a Christian County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy on Jan. 17, 2021. Pinkley was driving a Dodge Charger, which was later identified as a stolen vehicle, in the area of Evergreen Circle, driving down multiple roads of the trailer park and stopping briefly at multiple houses. When the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, Pinkley pulled into a driveway and got out of the vehicle. The deputy ordered Pinkley to show his hands, but he reached with both his hands to his rear waistband. The deputy removed his firearm and again ordered Pinkley to show him his hands. After a brief pause, Pinkley lifted his hands above his head. The deputy handcuffed Pinkley and frisked him for weapons.
Pinkley appeared to be very nervous, sweating and breathing heavily. The deputy searched the vehicle and found a brown leather bag on the front passenger seat that contained approximately 177 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine in multiple individually wrapped clear plastic baggies.
Pinkley told investigators the methamphetamine was what he had left from the 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine he had obtained from his supplier in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the previous day. Pinkley, who said he had been selling methamphetamine for approximately six months, told investigators he received approximately one pound of methamphetamine during each trip to Oklahoma City. He got his methamphetamine by calling an inmate in Oklahoma State Prison, who would then tell him where to go to obtain his methamphetamine.
Pinkley also told investigators that he had been an active member of the Aryan Brotherhood for more than 20 years, and that he joined the gang during his first stint in state prison. He showed them his patch to the gang.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pinkley’s residence, where they found a loaded Maverick 12-gauge shotgun leaning against a safe in the metal shop located on the property behind Pinkley’s trailer. Inside the safe, officers found a small baggie of methamphetamine and a set of digital scales.
Pinkly was also a passenger in a Pontiac Grand Prix that was stopped by law enforcement officers on Oct. 29, 2020. Officers found a brown nylon case under the front passenger’s seat that contained 11.48 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
According to court documents, since Pinkly obtained his first felony conviction for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in 1997, he has been convicted of either possession, possession with the intent to distribute, or manufacturing a controlled substance in eight different cases. He also has prior convictions for misdemeanor domestic abuse, misdemeanor resisting arrest, felony intimidation of a witness, two felony convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, and two felony convictions for aggravated assault and battery.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Final Defendant in Eight-Person Indictment Pleads Guilty to Gun ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jamaar Saunders, 29, was the last defendant in an eight-person conspiracy that was originally charged in October of 2021. Saunders will be sentenced on January 26, 2023.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, in 2020, the DEA and Gulfport Police Department began investigating a local drug trafficking conspiracy involved in the distribution of oxycodone, marijuana, alprazolam, methamphetamine, and pressed fentanyl pills. As part of the investigation, law enforcement obtained access to the conspirators’ social media and cell phone messages. During the investigation, law enforcement officers learned that various members of the organization, like many drug traffickers, possessed firearms to protect themselves, their drugs, and their proceeds from the sale of drugs. In addition, some members of the conspiracy invested in the purchase of firearms for subsequent resale. Law enforcement officers also discovered that members of the conspiracy transferred firearms between themselves to further the conspiracies goals. With respect to Jamaar Saunders, officers were able to determine that he was involved in the distribution of controlled substances and the acquisition/provision of firearms to at least one other member of the conspiracy.
As a result of this investigation, Jamaar Saunders, Raheem Lane, Mary Matthews, D’Laun Ball, and Malyk Harveston, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sernareo Barnett, Nigel Saunders, and Lafayette Copeland pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Each of these offenses carried a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. In addition, Raheem Lane pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime which exposed him to a consecutive sentence of between 5 years and life imprisonment.
Jamaar Saunders, D’Laun Ball, and Raheem Lane are currently awaiting sentencing. The remaining defendants have already been sentenced.
As a result of the charges brought in this case, and related cases that were brought against Kristopher Weaver and Tyrik Frazier, law enforcement officers seized: 25 firearms, over $25,000 in cash, six vehicles, fentanyl, alprazolam, marijuana, and methamphetamine. The firearms, cash, and vehicles have been or are in the process of being forfeited.
The DEA and Gulfport Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Biloxi Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fentanyl Trafficker Found GuiltyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Juan Carlos Garcia (39, Apopka) guilty of conspiracy and possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute it. Garcia faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 6, 2023. Garcia had been indicted on February 16, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Garcia conspired with a co-defendant to drive to a gas station in Apopka and sell more than a kilogram of fentanyl for $33,000. Garcia drove the vehicle and brought a loaded handgun with him, while his co-defendant brought the drugs and set up the deal. In coordination with DEA, the Apopka Police Department conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, the loaded handgun was recovered from the center console and the package of drugs was found in the backseat. Both defendants were arrested without incident. The drugs were tested by the DEA laboratory and determined to be p-Fluorofentanyl, which is an analogue of fentanyl and is on Schedule I of the Drug Enforcement Administrations’ schedules of controlled substances.
Garcia will also have to forfeit the handgun and ammunition which facilitated the drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Apopka Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John M. Gardella and Courtney Richardson-Jones.
Federal Witness Indicted for Obstruction of Justice and for Soliciting A Bribe from A DefendantRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jolen Michael Ghorbani, a/k/a “Jay,” age 28, formerly of Fairfax, Virginia, for bribery of a witness and obstruction of justice, in connection with a criminal trial in which Ghorbani was a witness. The indictment was returned on October 19, 2022, and unsealed today upon Ghorbani’s arrest.
The defendant is expected have an initial appearance tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the three-count indictment, on February 3, 2021, Ghorbani was the victim of a kidnapping, assault, and robbery committed by Tray David Sherman and Sherman’s co-conspirators. During the kidnapping, Ghorbani was transported from Maryland to Washington, D.C. where Sherman and his co-conspirators assaulted and robbed Ghorbani. Sherman was indicted and arrested on March 31, 2021, for conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
The indictment alleges that Ghorbani used a social meida account to send a series of direct messages to Sherman, including a message where Ghorbani sent his telephone number to Sherman and said “[C]all me If you want to finesse trial.” Approximately three weeks before the scheduled start of Sherman’s trial, Ghorbani sent another series of messages to Sherman through his social media account, this time soliciting a payment of $5,000 from Sherman in exchange for Ghorbani’s agreement to testify falsely or to refuse to testify at all at Sherman’s trial. Ghorbani shared the messages he sent to Sherman with another individual, bragging that he (Ghorbani) was “[d]ancing with the devil,” and telling that person, “I’m auctioning off his freedom.”
If convicted, Ghorbani faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for bribery and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for obstruction of justice. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Washington Field Office and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the FBI Miami Field Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared C. Engelking, who are 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 www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Fayette County Man Charged with Crimes involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A Fayette County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, PA on charges involving the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The seven-count Superseding Indictment named Sean Ryan McKenzie, 37, formerly Perryopolis, PA, as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, on June 5, 2020, Dec. 13, 2020, and June 8, 2021, McKenzie attempted to and did use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any of such conduct. Further, the Superseding Indictment alleges that on March 1, 2022, McKenzie knowingly possessed visual depictions, namely, videos and images in computer graphic and digital files, the production of which involved the use of minors, including prepubescent minors who have not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on June 5, 2020, Dec. 13, 2020, and Feb. 21, 2021, McKenzie knowingly attempted to transport and transported material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $1,750,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations – Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
Fairfield Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Reginald Lamont Thomas, 47, of Fairfield, was sentenced today to six years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $132,685 in restitution for nine counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 2018 and September 2019, Thomas used a victim’s personally identifiable information (PII) to take over the victim’s checking and savings account at Wells Fargo. Thomas convinced Wells Fargo bank representatives to change the address information on the victim’s accounts to an address associated with Thomas and to ship a new debit card to Thomas at the new address. Thomas then used the debit card to make various unauthorized transactions, including buying a used car at a dealership in Solano County and paying for a subscription to the dating service Plenty of Fish. Thomas incurred approximately $112,874 in debit card charges and an additional $20,000 loss by making other payments from the victim’s Wells Fargo bank accounts and applying for and using a Costco Citibank credit card in the victim’s name. These amounts are reflected in the restitution order.
All of the conduct in this case occurred while Thomas was on a term of federal supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise N. Yasinow and Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
Evansville Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Materials Through His Kik AccountRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE– Joshua W. LaForrest, 28, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers learned that LaForrest was transmitting images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct through his Kik account and his cellular telephone.
A search warrant was executed at LaForrest’s residence in Evansville on July 22, 2021. LaForrest was interviewed by police, and he admitted to posting videos containing child sexual abuse materials to a Kik discussion group on December 7, 2020, and February 28, 2021. During the search, police seized LaForrest’s cellular telephone. The cellular telephone was examined, and it contained communications between LaForrest’s Kik application, chat groups, and other individuals in which LaForrest transmitted and received child sexual abuse materials. The materials LaForrest transmitted and received included sexually explicit depictions of children under twelve years old.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. The Indiana State Police provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that LaForrest be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for seven years following his release from federal prison. LaForrest must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of
cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
Employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Charged with Making False Statements to Obtain Security ClearanceRead the Press Release
DETROIT - An employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was charged with making false statements concerning his contacts with the Taiwanese Navy and falsifying records in a federal investigation related to his application for a security clearance in a federal criminal complaint that was unsealed today, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Charged was Yifei Chu, also known as Philip Chu, 57, of Ypsilanti, Michigan.
According to the criminal complaint, Chu, a naturalized U.S. citizen and current employee of NOAA, had recently applied for a three-year detailed assignment to the United States Embassy in Singapore working for the United States Navy in the Office of Naval Research Global. To obtain this position, Chu was required to apply for and obtain a “Secret” security clearance. Chu made several false statements in his security clearance application, during an interview with federal background investigators, and in an affidavit he signed regarding his security clearance application. Chu’s false statements included his failure to disclose extensive contacts with members of the Taiwanese Navy and a Taiwanese company, including the fact that Chu was hired by the Tiwanese company to provide consulting services on a “classified” Taiwanese Navy project, and that he met on multiple occasions with members of the Taiwanese Navy on a military base in Taiwan in performance of his consulting services. The consulting services Chu provided the Taiwanese Navy related to work he did during a period of employment with United States Navy, which predated his work at NOAA. Chu also sought to conceal the fact that he is still a citizen of Taiwan.
The offense of making a false statement carries a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, and the offense of falsification of records in a federal investigation carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald Waterstreet and Michael Martin.
A criminal complaint is only a charging document and is not evidence of guilt.
Eight more defendants charged in COVID-19 relief fraud schemesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Eight more people have been charged in federal court with participating in COVID-19 relief fraud schemes, with two of them pleading guilty.
Each defendant is charged via an Information as the result of ongoing investigations into misuse of the U.S. government’s COVID-19 financial relief programs, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry statutory penalties up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial amounts of restitution and financial penalties, followed by a period of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Millions of distressed businesses found much-needed financial assistance during the pandemic through the U.S. government’s COVID-19 relief programs,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “It’s disappointing that others abused these programs not for saving a valid business, but for lining their own pockets.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed into law in March 2020. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide and/or guarantee loans to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic’s financial challenges. Each of the eight defendants is accused of seeking relief payments through false and fraudulent representations regarding their businesses, real or fictitious, in order to receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
Two defendants have entered guilty pleas:
- Cortazz Russ, 24, of Hampton, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud. Russ admitted filing two PPP loan applications containing false information in May 2021.
- Melvin D’Juan Williams, 34, of Fort Stewart, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud. Williams admitted including false statements in a PPP application in August 2020.
Six additional individuals have been charged via Information, and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty:
- Salmat Deyji, 26, of Stockbridge, Ga., charged with Conspiracy regarding payments received for filing fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of others;
- Aleska Davis, 54, of Decatur, Ga., charged with Wire Fraud regarding two applications for PPP loans;
- Jimmy Cede, 21, of Savannah, charged with Wire Fraud regarding an application for a PPP loan;
- James Andre Wright, 40, of Savannah, charged with False Statements regarding an EIDL application;
- Calvin Beckford, 28, of Hinesville, Ga., charged with Wire Fraud regarding a PPP application; and,
- Devante Williams, 25, of Hinesville, charged with Wire Fraud regarding two applications for PPP loans.
The cases are being investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the FBI, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Service Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Dorchester Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man has been charged in connection with unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
Kevin Blackmore, 45, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and will appear in federal court in Boston on Oct. 27, 2022 at 2 p.m.
According to the charging documents, on June 19, 2022, local law enforcement was dispatched to a hotel in Sharon in response to a call for a possible disturbance involving two vehicles. At the scene, the female occupant of one vehicle allegedly requested police assistance in collecting personal items from Blackmore, who was driving the second vehicle. When officers assisted Blackmore in searching the vehicle for those items, they allegedly recovered a black Smith and Wesson .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm, a Taurus .9mm semi-automatic firearm, 67 rounds of .9mm ammunition and 80 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. Due to prior felony convictions stemming from 2006 through 2020, Blackmore is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Sharon Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Doctor Pleads Guilty to Role in $54 Million Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Texas doctor pleaded guilty today for his role in a $54 million scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing durable medical equipment and cancer genetic testing without ever seeing, speaking to, or otherwise treating patients.
According to court documents, Daniel R. Canchola, 49, of Flower Mound, agreed to electronically sign orders for durable medical equipment (DME) and cancer genetic testing that he knew were used to submit more than $54 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. From August 2018 through April 2019, Canchola received approximately $30 in exchange for each doctor’s order he signed authorizing DME and cancer genetic test orders that were not legitimately prescribed, not needed, or not used—totaling more than $466,000 in kickbacks. The Medicare beneficiaries for whom Canchola prescribed DME and cancer genetic testing were targeted by telemarketing campaigns and at health fairs and were induced to submit to the cancer genetic testing and to receive the DME regardless of medical necessity.
Canchola pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty 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.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region; and Chief William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG and MFCU investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Brynn Schiess of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Dale Eady, 56, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for enticing a minor to produce and transmit child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eady was residing at a St. Albans halfway house in May 2021 when he began communicating with a 13-year-old minor who lived nearby. Eady had been placed at the facility to finish a 15-year prison sentence for his conviction for distribution of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 19, 2010. Eady admitted that during a live video call on May 4, 2021, he enticed and persuaded the young boy to show his genitals. Eady further admitted that he showed his genitals to the boy during the live video call.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Prisons for conducting and assisting in the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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.
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 Nos. 2:22-cr-63 and 2:21-cr-206.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Trying to Buy A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Dontae Edwards (31, Jacksonville) to 18 months in federal prison for making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Edwards had pleaded guilty on July 20, 2022.
According to court documents, Edwards attempted to purchase a .40 caliber pistol from a pawn shop in the Mayport area. He completed the required paperwork and claimed that he was not a convicted felon. At the time, Edwards had five prior felony convictions, including a 2017 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The pawn shop, also a federally licensed gun dealer, performed a background check on Edwards through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and the purchase was denied. All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot and was previously prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Zomorodian.
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.
Connecticut Man Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Connecticut man was convicted by a federal jury of heroin trafficking, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Following an eight-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court, Luis Payano-Perez, 38, of Connecticut, was convicted on Oct. 20, 2022 of one count of possessing with intent to distribute 100 or more grams of heroin.
According to documents in this case and evidence at trial:
In November 2018, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confidential informant provided information to HSI that Payano-Perez was prepared to sell the source a large volume of heroin on Nov. 8, 2018, in the parking lot of a Wawa convenience store in Tuckerton, New Jersey. Payano-Perez and the confidential informant arranged for the quantity of the heroin to be sold, as well as the date, time and location of the planned transaction.
On Nov. 8, 2018, Payano-Perez met with two confidential government informants at the Wawa parking lot to sell them approximately one kilogram of heroin. Shortly after the parties interacted by Payano-Perez’s vehicle, law enforcement officers converged on the Wawa parking lot and arrested Payano-Perez. A subsequent search of Payano-Perez’s vehicle uncovered a bag containing nearly one kilogram of heroin.
The narcotics trafficking charge carries a mandatory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and up to a $5 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of HSI, Atlantic City office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; the Little Egg Harbor Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Hawkins, and the New Jersey State Police, Atlantic City Metro Task Force, under the direction of Col. Patrick Callahan, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden and Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Concord, New Hampshire Man Charged with Production of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and Interstate Enticement of a Minor ChildRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Joshua Pincoske, 47, of Concord, New Hampshire was indicted yesterday by the federal grand jury in Concord, New Hampshire. Pincoske is currently detained and pending trial in Merrimack Superior Court on related charges. Pincoske’s federal arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
According to court records, Pincoske has been charged with production of child sexual abuse materials of a minor female victim on multiple dates between March 11, 2019 and March 12, 2021. Pincoske has also been charged with using a means of interstate commerce to entice a different minor female victim in or about November 2021 and producing child sexual abuse materials of the second minor female victim on November 12, 2021. In addition, Pincoske faces charges related to the distribution, transportation, and possession of child sexual abuse materials.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Pincoske is presumed innocent until and unless convicted of a crime. Pincoske faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, and up to 30 years of imprisonment, for the production of child sexual abuse images; a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, for the interstate enticement of a minor; a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and up to 20 years for the distribution and transportation of child sexual abuse images; and up to 10 years of imprisonment for the possession of child sexual abuse images. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Concord Police Department and the Farmington Police Department. He also thanked the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center, and the United States Secret Service for their vital assistance.
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont has been appointed to handle this prosecution under the authorities conferred in 28 U.S.C. § 515. The prosecutor assigned to the matter is Jonathan A. Ophardt, an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Vermont. Pincoske is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Behzad Mirhashem.
Cocaine Distributor in Fidelis Way Drug Trafficking Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A drug distributor working for a Boston-area drug trafficking organization (DTO) was sentenced today for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving cocaine and cocaine base.
Nelsin Hernandez, 31, of Brighton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to one year and a day in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 28, 2022, Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Hernandez was charged with 23 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall, which ultimately resulted in the charging of two different drug trafficking conspiracies during the overall period of November 2018 through June 2020.
According to the charging documents, the DTO was comprised of Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the DTO assumed control over multiple apartments, where Hernandez and others stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs – most of which consisted of cocaine or cocaine base, which the DTO supplied to customers, wholesalers and distributors. As a result, the DTO caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.
Hernandez distributed between approximately 100 and 200 grams of cocaine base during the course of his participation in the Fidelis Way DTO. Hernandez is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in in the Fidelis-Way related drug conspiracy. The remaining defendants are either pending sentencing or have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. One defendant, Derek Hart, remains at large.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Bryan Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Amir Salvatore Khayyat, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for cyberstalking and sending his victim harassing and threatening emails and voicemails, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, in 2017, Khayyat met the victim, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe.” Jane Doe is a licensed clinical psychologist and a credentialed mental health service provider, who met Khayyat in her professional capacity. Court records show that, from April 2019 to October 2020, Khayyat engaged in an extensive cyberstalking and threats campaign targeting Jane Doe, sending the victim hundreds of harassing emails, including unsolicited sexual imagery, from multiple email addresses, and left numerous harassing voicemails on Jane Doe’s office phone line. Many of the harassing emails and voicemails contained express or implicit threats to harm Jane Doe and law enforcement officers. Khayyat continued to harass and threaten Jane Doe even after she obtained a state court order forbidding Khayyat from communicating with her.
On May 23, 2022, Khayyat pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and making interstate threats. 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.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Warren, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Canton Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Mail by a Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Canton woman pled guilty to the federal crime of embezzling mail, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Scott Pierce, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field Office.
Sherice E. Davis, 34, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, Davis was a Rural Carrier Associate and delivered mail along a rural route in Hinds County. After receiving complaints of mail theft along Davis’ route, agents with the Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated. On March 9, 2022, agents found Davis in possession of opened mail she did not deliver.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on February 7, 2023. She faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
California man admits trafficking meth into Butte communityRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A California man suspected of shipping methamphetamine into the Butte community for redistribution admitted to a trafficking charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Heriberto Tavares, 29, of Anaheim, California, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Tavares faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Tavares was detained pending further proceedings.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. A sentencing date was set for February 21, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other sentencing factors.
In court documents, the government alleged Tavares was trafficking meth from about November 2018 to November 2019. Law enforcement learned that Tavares was shipping drugs, which originated in Mexico, into Montana from California. During an undercover operation, an agent ordered meth from Humberto Villareal, of Sinaloa, Mexico, who was sentenced in 2021 to 17 years in federal prison for conviction of meth trafficking in the Butte area. In July 2019, law enforcement received a package, sent from Tavares, that contained 474 grams, or a little more than one pound, of meth and 37 grams of heroin. Agents paid for the drugs Tavares sent by wiring money to Ricardo Ramos Medina, in Sinaloa, Mexico. Medina was sentenced in 2020 to eight years in federal prison for conviction on trafficking pounds of meth and other drugs to the Butte area.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Butte-Silver Bow Police.
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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California Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Attempting to Obtain over $3.5 Million in CARES Act FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Pierre Rogers, 44, of Irvine, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between March 2020 and November 2021, Rogers and his co-defendant, Joshua Leavitt, agreed to fraudulently apply for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. Congress had authorized the PPP and EIDL relief programs to help the millions of Americans and many small businesses adversely affected by the early stages of the COVID pandemic. PPP loans were issued by private lenders but fully guaranteed by the government, and EIDL funds were issued by the Small Business Administration.
For example, during their conspiracy Leavitt applied for a $175,000 PPP loan from TD Bank for one of their companies, Puro Group. The application falsely claimed that Puro Group’s monthly payroll was $70,000 and that the company had six employees. Rogers knew that the application had false information and signed it.
False supporting documents were included with this application. One of those documents was a false IRS Form 941, or quarterly tax return, for the first quarter of 2020. The document, which was purportedly filed with the IRS, claimed that Puro Group had five employees that quarter who were paid a total of $209,999.99. The document also claimed that the company paid actual federal income tax of $27,600 that quarter. However, that document was never filed with the IRS. The real tax filings showed that Puro Group paid $48,255.53 to its employees during the entire calendar year of 2020, or approximately $4,000 per month.
Rogers then spent $107,780 of the PPP loan proceeds to purchase a Rolls Royce Ghost.
As another example of the fraud, during the conspiracy Leavitt applied and obtained a $29,000 EIDL and $7,000 Economic Injury Disaster Grant for one of Rogers’s companies, Monticello Transnational. The application falsely claimed that Monticello Transnational’s gross revenues for the year preceding January 31, 2020, was $75,000 and that the company had seven employees. However, bank records showed no payments to employees and that the company had only a few thousand dollars’ worth of deposits. In addition, there were no tax filings for the company for 2019 or the first quarter of 2020.
In total, Rogers and Leavitt attempted to fraudulently obtain more than $3.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds. Rogers will be required to pay restitution of $803,756.
Rogers is scheduled to be sentenced on January 31, 2023. Leavitt previously pled guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and Secret Service, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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California Man Is Sentenced to 24 Years for Trafficking 33+ Kilograms of Methamphetamine and 3+ Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. sentenced Juan Octavio Iribe Laveaga, 35, of Norwalk, California, to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, investigators identified Laveaga as a California-based trafficker, in charge of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from California into North Carolina. Court records show that agents working in an undercover capacity made arrangements to purchase multiple kilograms of methamphetamine from Laveaga’s DTO. During the investigation, Laveaga’s couriers transported approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine from California to the Charlotte area. On other occasions, Laveaga’s DTO mailed packages containing methamphetamine from California. After seizing approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine from Laveaga’s DTO during the investigation, in February 2022, agents arrested Laveaga and executed a search warrant at his residence in California, seizing an additional 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly four kilograms of fentanyl, and two firearms.
On May 9, 2022, Laveaga pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting.
Laveaga is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Riverside County (California) Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor G. Stout of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
CEO and President of Hawaii Shipbuilding Company Charged with Securities FraudRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging a married couple for their roles in a decade-long scheme to defraud investors of millions of dollars in connection with Semisub Inc. (Semisub), a Hawaii-based company.
According to court documents, Curtiss E. Jackson, 69, of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Jamey Denise Jackson, 59, currently of Lake Worth, Florida, and formerly of Honolulu, allegedly engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain money by deceiving purchasers of Semisub securities about the company’s business and operations, including its revenue and expenses. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Curtiss Jackson and Jamey Jackson, who were respectively Semisub’s CEO and President, would use funds raised from the sale of securities to develop and build a fleet of semi-submersible vessels for tourism and other commercial purposes and raised over $28 million from more than 400 investors.
For over 10 years, the defendants allegedly falsely told investors that a purported prototype vessel, dubbed “Semisub One,” was “weeks” or “months” away from beginning operations. They also allegedly falsely claimed that Semisub had entered into agreements or developed relationships with marquee government agencies and a well-known private equity firm to build and sell a fleet of additional vessels for $32 million each. The defendants allegedly misused a substantial amount of the money raised from the sale of Semisub securities to pay for luxury residences in California and Hawaii, a Mercedes-Benz automobile, luxury vacations, psychics, marijuana, personal credit card bills, and cash withdrawals for their personal use, among other things. Curtiss Jackson and Semisub were also allegedly barred from offering or selling securities by the Pennsylvania Securities Commission in 2008 and by the California Department of Corporations in 2009 in those states. The defendants nonetheless allegedly continued to sell securities to investors across the United States, including to those in Pennsylvania and California, in violation of both states’ orders.
Curtiss Jackson and Jamey Jackson are charged with securities fraud, conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud. Curtiss Jackson made his initial court appearance yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Jamey Denise Jackson also made her initial court appearance yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Each charged count carries a maximum penalty 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.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Criminal Investigations Group; and Special Agent in Charge Bret R. Kressin of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The USPIS and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Fenton, Matthew Reilly, and Blake Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the USPIS victim hotline at (202) 305-6736.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
British National Sentenced to 8 Months for Failure to Surrender for Service of SentenceRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Paul Ubsdell (a/k/a Paul Upstall and Paul James Kanes), 49, of the United Kingdom, was sentenced today to 8 months in federal prison and a fine of $10,000 for failure to surrender for service of sentence, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ubsdell was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison in 2013 following his guilty plea to wire fraud conspiracy. At the defendant’s request, the sentencing court granted his request to return to the United Kingdom and settle his affairs before reporting to the designated Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility to serve his sentence. Rather than face punishment for his crime, Ubsdell later changed his legal name, and he remained in the United Kingdom for 8 years until his extradition. Ubsdell was taken into custody on August 25, 2021, on the United States’ extradition request, and he was taken into U.S. custody on May 18, 2022.
Ubsdell’s sentence for failure to surrender for service of sentence will run consecutive to the 18 months in prison that was imposed in 2013.
“This prosecution demonstrates that defendants cannot flee from the United States to escape responsibility for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Ubsdell violated his promise to surrender to serve his sentence, and instead spent years avoiding the punishment for his crime. Through hard work and diligence of the U.S. Marshals Service and law enforcement officials in the United Kingdom, Ubsdell was located and extradited back to New Hampshire to face the consequences of his 2013 guilty plea and his flight from justice. Other criminal defendants should take note that efforts to flee from justice will not succeed.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in the UK to secure the arrest and extradition of Ubsdell. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam T. Le.
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Birmingham Man Sentenced on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man was sentenced today for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, 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 Randy Hasan Abdurrahim, 37, to 121 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Abdurrahim pleaded guilty to the charge in June.
According to the plea agreement, on September 2, 2021, while two Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies on patrol were at a Shell gas station on East Lake Boulevard, a Lexus pulled up to the gas pump with the smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Deputies ran the tag, and it came back as belonging to a Nissan Altima. Abdurrahim, driving the Lexus, left the gas station and deputies attempted to perform a traffic stop, but he refused to stop. Abdurrahim hopped out of the Lexus and fled on foot as the vehicle rolled down the hill. Deputies pursued Abdurrahim on foot for a couple of blocks and took him into custody.
Deputies searched the vehicle and recovered 4 grams of cocaine, 9 grams of fentanyl, 6.16 grams of marijuana, 107 grams of methamphetamine, 2 grams of heroin, and drug paraphernalia.
The case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF investigated the case, along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
Bakersfield Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Omar Alberto Navarro, 40, of Arvin, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Sept. 1, 2020, and March 26, 2021, Navarro conspired with others to acquire methamphetamine and fentanyl in Mexico, transport it to the Eastern District of California, unload the narcotics, store, sell and distribute the narcotics to others. In November 2020, Navarro, while in Mexico, coordinated the loading of a vehicle with approximately 132 pounds of pure methamphetamine that he had obtained from a Mexican-based supplier. On another occasion in December 2020, Navarro arranged for a vehicle to be loaded with 41 pounds of methamphetamine in the gas tank and then driven across the border. On both occasions law enforcement stopped the vehicles and seized the methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Shafter Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.
Navarro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Feb. 6, 2023. Navarro faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This effort 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Albuquerque woman pleads guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Stacy M. Underwood pleaded guilty on Oct. 21 to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Underwood, 51, of Albuquerque, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, beginning in January 2005, Underwood and her business partner, David Wellington, 62, of Albuquerque, operated National Business Services, which promoted, sold and created Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) under New Mexico State Law. For many clients, National Business Services would open bank accounts under the names and IRS employer identification numbers (EIDs) of the LLCs, and the clients – whose names were not associated with the bank accounts - would have access to the funds in those accounts. Clients received debit cards, online bank access information and pre-signed checks with Underwood’s signature, which clients could use to access the money despite the bank never associating the client with the account.
Underwood and Wellington organized at least 192 LLCs in New Mexico between 2005 and 2015 on behalf of clients seeking to shield income from the IRS. Underwood opened at least 114 bank accounts for these clients. Underwood was the sole signer for 99 such accounts. Between Jan. 1, 2011, and July 31, 2018, over $40 million was deposited into clients’ accounts that were in the nominal control of Underwood.
Wellington was indicted on June 23, 2021, along with National Business Services client Jerry Shrock, 47, of Meadowview, Virginia. Wellington was arraigned on July 9, 2021, and Shrock was arraigned on June 15, 2021. Wellington and Schrock are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. Wellington faces an additional count of operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. Wellington and Shrock remain on conditions of release pending trial, which is scheduled for Feb. 21, 2023.
According to the indictment, National Business Services created multiple LLCs in New Mexico for Shrock. Between May 9, 2011, and June 30, 2015, Shrock allegedly deposited and withdrew approximately $4,875,940, of which at least $4,347,101 was income for which Shrock never filed a personal or business tax return with the IRS.
Underwood and Shrock face up to five years in prison. Wellington faces up to 10 years in prison.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.
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Acme Pharmacy Agrees to $350,000 Settlement Relating to Controlled Substances Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Murray Drug Company, Inc, which did business as Acme Pharmacy in Homerville, Georgia, has agreed to a $350,000 settlement to resolve allegations that the pharmacy violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Acme Pharmacy ceased operating during the course of the federal investigation.
The CSA subjects all registered handlers of controlled substances to strict requirements regarding the inventory control and recordkeeping of controlled substances. These requirements ensure that DEA registrants account for controlled substances from the time that they are purchased until the time that they are delivered to other registrants, dispensed to patients or discarded. The CSA’s recordkeeping requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting and distribution of controlled substances.
Acme Pharmacy, which is no longer in operation, was registered with the DEA as a retail pharmacy and authorized to dispense controlled substances to customers pursuant to the provisions of the CSA. At issue in the settlement were allegations that Acme failed to account for thousands of dosage units of controlled substances and failed to maintain complete and accurate records and to provide effective controls against theft. Also, during an on-site inspection, controlled substances were discovered unsafeguarded and not properly stored.
“This settlement demonstrates our office’s continued commitment to combating the opioid epidemic on all fronts,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Part of our strategy is making sure that registered opioid handlers keep accurate records of these highly addictive and potentially dangerous drugs. All individuals and facilities—large or small—which are licensed to handle controlled substances are responsible for maintaining accurate records, and all will be held accountable for any failures.”
“DEA Diversion Investigators will continue to aggressively pursue pharmacies that violate the Controlled Substances Act and put our nation at risk in the midst of the ongoing opioid epidemic,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This civil settlement is an important step in keeping our communities safe and speaks volumes of the professionalism and dedication of the DEA Diversion Investigators and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination or admission of liability.
Diversion Investigators Jordan Poe and Tierra Singleton from the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) Savannah District Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Taylor McNeill represented the United States in the settlement agreement.
24 October 2022
在三起獨立案件中，兩人因涉嫌代表中華人民共和國政府在美國參與惡意陰謀而被捕，13 人受到指控Read the Press Release
在紐約東區和新澤西州聯邦檢察官辦公室的三起獨立案件中，司法部對 13 名個人提出指控，其中包括中華人民共和國（中國）安全和情報機構的成員及其特工，罪名是涉嫌為中國政府的利益，在美國非法施加影響力。
紐約東區於10月20日公佈一份包含 8 項罪名的起訴書，指控 7 名中國公民（其中兩人於10月20日在紐約被捕）參與一項迫使一名居住在美國的中國公民被遣返的陰謀。被告被指控對一名美國居民進行監視，並參與騷擾和強迫其返回中國的活動，這是被稱為“獵狐行動”的國際法外遣返行動的一部分。
今天，布魯克林聯邦法院公佈了一份刑事起訴書，指控兩名中華人民共和國情報官員阻礙紐約東區的刑事起訴未遂。被告仍然逍遙法外。
新澤西州地區今天公佈了一份起訴書，指控四名中國公民，其中包括三名國家安全部（MSS）情報官員，充當中華人民共和國特工，針對美國境內人士，長期從事情報活動。
“正如這些案例所表明，中國政府試圖干涉美國人士的權利和自由，並破壞我們保護此類權利的司法制度。他們沒有成功，”美國司法部長梅裏克·加蘭(Merrick B. Garland)說。 “司法部不會容忍任何外國勢力破壞作為我們民主基石的法治的企圖。我們將繼續大力保護我國每個人享有的權利。我們將捍衛我們機構的廉正。”
“今天宣佈的行動是在中華人民共和國政府開展惡意活動的背景下進行的，此類活動包括間諜活動、試圖擾亂我們的司法系統、騷擾個人以及持續竊取美國敏感技術，”副司法部長麗莎·摩納哥(Lisa O. Monaco)表示。 “司法部的全體同仁將繼續保衛美國、我們的機構和我們的人民免受違反法律的外國威脅—無論其採取何種形式。”
聯邦調查局局長克里斯多夫·雷(Christopher Wray)表示：“對中國情報官員和政府官員的這些指控—試圖阻礙美國對一家中國公司的審判、冒充大學教授竊取敏感資訊以及試圖強迫受害者返回中國—再次暴露了中國在我們境內的令人髮指的行為。” “聯邦調查局將與我們的合作夥伴和盟友合作，繼續充分利用我們的反情報和執法部門的力量，制止中國政府對我們的企業、大學和華裔社區實施的犯罪行為。”
“此類案件突顯了中華人民共和國政府對我們的機構和美國人民的權利構成的威脅，”司法部國家安全司助理司法部長馬修·奧爾森(Matthew G. Olsen)說。 “我們不會容忍這些厚顏無恥的行動：對居住在美國的人士進行騷擾和試圖強制遣返他們；試圖敗壞我們的司法系統；並試圖在幌子学术组织的掩護下，為中國招募特工。應對此類威脅是國家安全司使命的基石。”
美國訴全忠安等人，紐約東區
一份包含 8 項罪名的起訴書在布魯克林公佈，共指控 7 名中國公民：安全忠 (Quanzhong An)，55 歲，紐約州羅斯林人；安光陽 (Guangyang An)，34 歲，紐約州羅斯林人；田鵬(Tian Peng)，38歲，中國人；陳成華(Chenghua Chen)，中國人；明春德(Chunde Ming)，中國人；侯學欣(Xuexin Hou)，52 歲，中國人；袁偉東(Weidong Yuan)，55 歲，中國人—參與一項迫使居住在美國的中國國民遣返的陰謀。主要被告安全忠據稱在中國政府省紀委（省委）多名官員（包括彭、陳、明和侯）的指示和控制下行事，對一名美國居民進行監視並參與騷擾和強迫其返回中國的活動，這是一項被稱為“獵狐行動”的國際法外遣返行動的一部分。
安全忠和安光陽於週四被捕，並於當天下午在美國治安法官小拉蒙·雷耶斯 (Ramon E. Reyes Jr.) 面前提審。其餘被告仍然在逃。
紐約東區美國檢察官布倫·皮斯表示：“正如所指控，被告代表中華人民共和國政府在美國領土上採取了單方面且未經協調的執法行動，試圖將一名美國居民強制遣返中國。” “美國將堅決反擊這種粗暴侵犯國家主權的行為，並起訴充當外國非法代理人的個人。”
正如起訴書所稱，被告參與了一項威脅和恐嚇美國居民無名氏1號及其家人的國際活動，以迫使無名氏1號 返回中國。這些努力是“獵狐行動”的一部分，該行動由中國公安部發起，旨在尋找並遣返逃往包括美國在內的外國的涉嫌逃犯。中國政府已將這些被指控的逃犯及其家人作為目標，迫使他們與中國政府合作並自行遣返中國。中國政府未經美國政府批准或協調的情況下，在美國領土上單方面採取此類執法行動。
安全忠是一名在紐約皇后區經營的商人，也是法拉盛一家酒店的大股東，他是省委會在美國和中國針對無名氏1號 及其家人（包括他的兒子無名氏2號）的主要駐美聯絡人。作為該陰謀的一部分，多位中華人民共和國的同謀者強迫其在中國的親屬（無名氏3號）於 2018 年 9 月從中國赴美，與無名氏2號 會面，並傳達威脅，旨在迫使無名氏1號 返回
中國。袁是無名氏3號在中國國家稅務總局的上級，其以旅遊團的名義，護送無名氏3號從中國赴美。
中國的被告和同謀也針對無名氏1號 的家人進行了騷擾行為模式。 2017年11月，侯寫信給無名氏2號，警告他“回來自首是唯一的出路”。侯進一步威脅說，“逃避和一廂情願只會招致嚴厲的法律懲罰”。中國政府還通過向紐約州法院提起訴訟，騷擾無名氏1號 和無名氏2號，指控無名氏1號 從其前中國雇主竊取資金，且無名氏2號 瞭解其父親的陰謀並從中受益。
在 2020 年、2021 年和 2022 年的一系列經錄音的會議中，全忠安多次會見無名氏2號，並試圖說服無名氏2號 促使無名氏1號 返回中華人民共和國。在這些會議上，安全忠承認自己是中國人民政治協商會議常委，該委員會負責在海外執行中國共產黨的規章制度。他多次說明，自己的指示來自于陳、明和彭，並承認獵狐行動的動機是中國政府需要“保住他們的面子”並遣返盡可能多的逃犯。
全忠安承認他是作為省委會的代理人，以提高他在中國的地位。在與無名氏2號會面時，全忠安多次代表中國政府發出威脅。如果無名氏1號不回國，中國政府除了“針對和監視”無名氏1號在中國的親屬之外，還會“繼續糾纏你，讓你的日常生活變得不舒服。”在另一個場合，他表示“他們肯定會找到新的方式來打擾你，”“你所有的親戚肯定都會參與其中。”
根據拘留備忘錄所述，全忠安於2022年9月29 日再次會見無名氏2號。在這次會面中，全忠安敦促無名氏1號在 2022年10月16日開始的中共二十大之前簽署返回中國的協議。作為該協議的一部分，全忠安要求無名氏1號 提供書面供述，該供述將直接提交給中華人民共和國政府。
起訴書中的指控均為控罪，除非被證明有罪，否則被告被推定無罪。如果被定罪為中國代理人，全忠安將面臨最高 10 年監禁。安全忠和安光陽涉嫌串謀洗錢罪，最高可判處20年
監禁。對其餘指控，包括密謀充當中華人民共和國特工以及串謀實施州際和國際跟蹤行為，最高可判處五年監禁。
政府代理律師包括美國助理檢察官亞歷山大·所羅門 (Alexander A. Solomon)、薩拉·威尼克 (Sara K. Winik)、安托瓦內特·蘭格爾 (Antoinette N. Rangel)及國家安全司反情報和出口管制科的審判律師斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)。該辦公室資產追索科的助理美國檢察官布萊恩·莫里斯（Brian Morris）正在處理沒收事宜。
美國訴何東等人，紐約東區
一份刑事起訴書今日在布魯克林聯邦法院公佈，指控兩名中華人民共和國情報官員試圖阻礙紐約東區的刑事起訴。被告仍然逍遙法外。
根據法庭檔，何東（又名何國春、又名何傑基）和王曾（又名王澤）涉嫌策劃一項陰謀，從紐約東區美國檢察官辦公室竊取與正在進行的聯邦刑事調查和起訴一家位於中國的全球電信公司（公司1）相關的檔和其他資訊，其中包括向一名美國政府員工支付 41,000 美元的比特幣賄賂，被告認為該員工是被招募來為中國工作，但實際上該員工是一名為聯邦調查局工作的雙重間諜。
“今天的投訴突顯了中華人民共和國政府對破壞法治的不懈努力，”紐約東區美國檢察官布倫·皮斯(Breon Peace)說。 “正如所指控，該案涉及中國情報官員通過行賄，從本辦公室獲取檔，並與正在進行的起訴中被指控的被告的一家全球電信公司分享這些檔，以阻礙正在進行的起訴。我們將始終採取果斷行動，打擊針對我們司法系統的犯罪行為。”
何東和王正被指控試圖阻礙紐約東區聯邦地方法院對公司1 進行刑事起訴。被告何還被指控洗錢，因其為推進該陰謀，而支付 41,000 美元的比特幣賄賂。
根據訴狀，被告是中國情報官員，代表中國政府並為了公司1 的利益，開展針對美國的外國情報行動。從 2019 年開始，他們指使美國政府執法機構 (GE-1) 的一名員工，竊取有關
對公司1 刑事起訴的機密資訊，以干擾起訴，並認為該員工是他們作為資產招募的。事實上，GE-1 是代表聯邦調查局的雙重間諜。
2021 年 9 月，被告責成 GE-1 報告據稱 GE-1 在紐約東區美國檢察官辦公室與布魯克林檢察官舉行的會議。在書面通訊中，被告表示，他們特別想知道哪些公司1 員工接受過政府約談，並獲得對檢察官證據、證人名單和審判策略的描述。
2021 年 10 月，GE-1 使用加密消息傳遞程式，向被告發送一份據稱是紐約東區美國檢察官辦公室關於公司1 案件的內部戰略備忘錄的一頁。該文件似乎被列為“秘密”文件，並討論了一項指控和逮捕兩名居住在中國的公司1 現有員工的計畫。何東回應稱，這份文件“正是我正在等待的，”他正在“等待一些人的回饋，”確定對這份文件是否有任何問題。何東隨後向 GE-1 支付了大約 41,000 美元的比特幣，作為其竊取該檔的酬勞。
GE-1 還要求被告提供有關“秘密”文件的任何回饋。 2021年11月，何東表示，“[公司1]現在還沒有給我具體回饋，但他們顯然對此感興趣，我的老闆和他們需要進一步的資訊。”何東進一步告訴 GE-1，“[公司1]顯然會對 GE-1 竊取戰略備忘錄的另一部分感興趣，”並且“可能會提供更多” 以換取資訊。 2021 年 12 月，在回應 GE-1 進一步要求公司1 就“他們希望我得到什麼”提供回饋或指導時，何東解釋說，“他們還沒有給我任何積極的回饋，並要求直接與你溝通。”何東表示，他拒絕了公司1直接與 GE-1 通話的要求，因為“這太危險了”。
起訴書中的指控均為控罪，除非被證明有罪，否則被告被推定無罪。如果罪名成立，何東將面臨最高40年的監禁，王將面臨最高20年的監禁。
政府由美國助理檢察官亞歷山大·所羅門 (Alexander A. Solomon) 和馬里帝茲·阿爾法 (Meredith A. Arfa) 以及國家安全部反情報和出口管制科的審判律師斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)代理。
美國訴王林等人，新澤西州地區
一份聯邦起訴書公佈對四名中國公民的指控，其中包括三名國家安全部（MSS）情報官員，他們充當中華人民共和國特工，針對美國境內人士，長期從事情報活動。
起訴書稱，至少從 2008 年到 2018 年，王林，59 歲；畢宏偉，年齡不詳；董婷，又名切爾西¬董，40 歲； 55 歲的王強和其他人進行了廣泛而系統的努力，旨在在招募美國代表中國行事的個人，要求其向中國政府提供資訊、材料、設備和援助，以推進中國的情報目標。此類招募活動包括針對大學教授、一名前聯邦執法和國土安全官員，及其它代表中國政府行事的人。
作為該陰謀的一部分，國家安全局情報人員王林、董婷等人利用中國海洋大學—即國際問題研究所（IIS）—的一個所謂的學術機構作為其秘密情報活動的掩護。王林以所謂的 IIS 主任身份為掩護，與其他以 IIS 學者為幌子的國家安全局特工合作，針對美國大學的教授和美國其他有權訪問敏感資訊和設備的人。
根據今天啟封的起訴書，國家安全部情報官員王林、畢、董等人代表國家安全部和中國政府，有系統地針對美國人，包括但不限於一名作為新澤西州居民的同謀，以及另一名前任聯邦執法官員和州國土安全官員，及一名美國大學教授。
除此之外，該陰謀還針對第二個人，邀請此人在 2008 年和 2018 年參加由 IIS 全額贊助的中國旅行。在此類行程中，王林、董和其他人試圖招募此人作為人脈，要求此人提供敏感的指紋技術、資訊並協助阻止計畫中的 2008 年奧運會火炬傳遞路線在美國舉行的抗議活動，共謀者表示這會讓中國“難堪。”此人還被要求與一家以中國“國家利益和國家安全”為“核心價值”的中國公司簽署所謂的諮詢服務合同，目的是“保護國家利益和中國企業的海外利益”並“建立收集安全資訊的來源和管道。”此人認識到，王林、董等人是中國情報人
員，因此拒絕了這些請求，並向執法部門舉報。
該陰謀還針對新澤西州的同謀者，要求該同謀者在美國採取具體行動，以推進國家安全局的情報目標。 2016年，王強協調同謀者王林和畢宏偉在巴哈馬舉行會面，當時國安部情報官員王林和畢宏偉指示同謀者獲取美元，並將其提供給新澤西州的指定人士。同謀者返回新澤西州，按照王林和畢的指示行事。王強隨後在新澤西州拜訪了同謀者，王強與同謀者詳細討論了他們和其他人在美國代表中國政府進行的活動。
林、畢、董、王強均為中華人民共和國公民和居民。起訴書指控，他們每個人都被指控串謀在美國作為外國政府即中華人民共和國代理人行事，而未按照法律規定，事先通知美國司法部長，並指揮其他人在美國從事此類非法行動。共謀罪的法定最高刑期為 5 年監禁，最高罰款為 250,000 美元。
美國檢察官塞林格（Sellinger）將此次指控歸功於聯邦調查局特工在紐華克特工詹姆斯·丹內利 (James E. Dennehy) 的指導下進行的調查。
政府代表包括特倫頓分處負責人美國助理檢察官布蘭登¬戴( J. Brendan Day)、及該處國家安全部門負責人 喬伊絲¬瑪麗埃特(Joyce M. Malliet)。
起訴書中的指控均為控罪，除非被證明有罪，否則被告被推定無罪。
在三起独立案件中，两人因涉嫌代表中华人民共和国政府在美国参与恶意阴谋而被捕，13 人受到指控Read the Press Release
在纽约东区和新泽西州联邦检察官办公室的三起独立案件中，司法部对 13 名个人提出指控，其中包括中华人民共和国（中国）安全和情报机构的成员及其特工，罪名是涉嫌为中国政府的利益，在美国非法施加影响力。
纽约东区于10月20日公布一份包含 8 项罪名的起诉书，指控 7 名中国公民（其中两人于10月20日在纽约被捕）参与一项迫使一名居住在美国的中国公民被遣返的阴谋。被告被指控对一名美国居民进行监视，并参与骚扰和强迫其返回中国的活动，这是被称为“猎狐行动”的国际法外遣返行动的一部分。
今天，布鲁克林联邦法院公布了一份刑事起诉书，指控两名中华人民共和国情报官员阻碍纽约东区的刑事起诉未遂。被告仍然逍遥法外。
新泽西州地区今天公布了一份起诉书，指控四名中国公民，其中包括三名国家安全部（MSS）情报官员，充当中华人民共和国特工，针对美国境内人士，长期从事情报活动。
“正如这些案例所表明，中国政府试图干涉美国人士的权利和自由，并破坏我们保护此类权利的司法制度。他们没有成功，”美国司法部长梅里克·加兰(Merrick B. Garland)说。 “司法部不会容忍任何外国势力破坏作为我们民主基石的法治的企图。我们将继续大力保护我国每个人享有的权利。我们将捍卫我们机构的廉正。”
“今天宣布的行动是在中华人民共和国政府开展恶意活动的背景下进行的，此类活动包括间谍活动、试图扰乱我们的司法系统、骚扰个人以及持续窃取美国敏感技术，”副司法部长丽莎·摩纳哥(Lisa O. Monaco)表示。 “司法部的全体同仁将继续保卫美国、我们的机构和我们的人民免受违反法律的外国威胁—无论其采取何种形式。”
联邦调查局局长克里斯托弗·雷(Christopher Wray)表示：“对中国情报官员和政府官员的这些指控—试图阻碍美国对一家中国公司的审判、冒充大学教授窃取敏感信息以及试图强迫受害者返回中国—再次暴露了中国在我们境内的令人发指的行为。” “联邦调查局将与我们的合作伙伴和盟友合作，继续充分利用我们的反情报和执法部门的力量，制止中国政府对我们的企业、大学和华裔社区实施的犯罪行为。”
“此类案件突显了中华人民共和国政府对我们的机构和美国人民的权利构成的威胁，”司法部国家安全司助理司法部长马修·奥尔森(Matthew G. Olsen)说。 “我们不会容忍这些厚颜无耻的行动：对居住在美国的人士进行骚扰和试图强制遣返他们；试图败坏我们的司法系统；并试图在幌子学术组织的掩护下，为中国招募特工。应对此类威胁是国家安全司使命的基石。”
美国诉全忠安等人，纽约东区
一份包含 8 项罪名的起诉书在布鲁克林公布，共指控 7 名中国公民：安全忠 (Quanzhong An)，55 岁，纽约州罗斯林人；安光阳 (Guangyang An)，34 岁，纽约州罗斯林人；田鹏(Tian Peng)，38岁，中国人；陈成华(Chenghua Chen)，中国人；明春德(Chunde Ming)，中国人；侯学欣(Xuexin Hou)，52 岁，中国人；袁伟东(Weidong Yuan)，55 岁，中国人—参与一项迫使居住在美国的中国国民遣返的阴谋。主要被告安全忠据称在中国政府省纪委（省委）多名官员（包括彭、陈、明和侯）的指示和控制下行事，对一名美国居民进行监视并参与骚扰和强迫其返回中国的活动，这是一项被称为“猎狐行动”的国际法外遣返行动的一部分。
安全忠和安光阳于周四被捕，并于当天下午在美国治安法官小拉蒙·雷耶斯 (Ramon E. Reyes Jr.) 面前提审。其余被告仍然在逃。
纽约东区美国检察官布伦·皮斯表示：“正如所指控，被告代表中华人民共和国政府在美国领土上采取了单方面且未经协调的执法行动，试图将一名美国居民强制遣返中国。” “美国将坚决反击这种粗暴侵犯国家主权的行为，并起诉充当外国非法代理人的个人。”
正如起诉书所称，被告参与了一项威胁和恐吓美国居民无名氏1号及其家人的国际活动，以迫使无名氏1号 返回中国。这些努力是“猎狐行动”的一部分，该行动由中国公安部发起，旨在寻找并遣返逃往包括美国在内的外国的涉嫌逃犯。中国政府已将这些被指控的逃犯及其家人作为目标，迫使他们与中国政府合作并自行遣返中国。中国政府未经美国政府批准或协调的情况下，在美国领土上单方面采取此类执法行动。
安全忠是一名在纽约皇后区经营的商人，也是法拉盛一家酒店的大股东，他是省委会在美国和中国针对无名氏1号 及其家人（包括他的儿子无名氏2号）的主要驻美联络人。作为该阴谋的一部分，多位中华人民共和国的同谋者强迫其在中国的亲属（无名氏3号）于 2018 年 9 月从中国赴美，与无名氏2号 会面，并传达威胁，旨在迫使无名氏1号 返回
中国。袁是无名氏3号在中国国家税务总局的上级，其以旅游团的名义，护送无名氏3号从中国赴美。
中国的被告和同谋也针对无名氏1号 的家人进行了骚扰行为模式。 2017年11月，侯写信给无名氏2号，警告他“回来自首是唯一的出路”。侯进一步威胁说，“逃避和一厢情愿只会招致严厉的法律惩罚”。中国政府还通过向纽约州法院提起诉讼，骚扰无名氏1号 和无名氏2号，指控无名氏1号 从其前中国雇主窃取资金，且无名氏2号 了解其父亲的阴谋并从中受益。
在 2020 年、2021 年和 2022 年的一系列经录音的会议中，全忠安多次会见无名氏2号，并试图说服无名氏2号 促使无名氏1号 返回中华人民共和国。在这些会议上，安全忠承认自己是中国人民政治协商会议常委，该委员会负责在海外执行中国共产党的规章制度。他多次说明，自己的指示来自于陈、明和彭，并承认猎狐行动的动机是中国政府需要“保住他们的面子”并遣返尽可能多的逃犯。
全忠安承认他是作为省委会的代理人，以提高他在中国的地位。在与无名氏2号会面时，全忠安多次代表中国政府发出威胁。如果无名氏1号不回国，中国政府除了“针对和监视”无名氏1号在中国的亲属之外，还会“继续纠缠你，让你的日常生活变得不舒服。”在另一个场合，他表示“他们肯定会找到新的方式来打扰你，”“你所有的亲戚肯定都会参与其中。”
根据拘留备忘录所述，全忠安于2022年9月29 日再次会见无名氏2号。在这次会面中，全忠安敦促无名氏1号在 2022年10月16日开始的中共二十大之前签署返回中国的协议。作为该协议的一部分，全忠安要求无名氏1号 提供书面供述，该供述将直接提交给中华人民共和国政府。
起诉书中的指控均为控罪，除非被证明有罪，否则被告被推定无罪。如果被定罪为中国代理人，全忠安将面临最高 10 年监禁。安全忠和安光阳涉嫌串谋洗钱罪，最高可判处20年
监禁。对其余指控，包括密谋充当中华人民共和国特工以及串谋实施州际和国际跟踪行为，最高可判处五年监禁。
政府代理律师包括美国助理检察官亚历山大·所罗门 (Alexander A. Solomon)、萨拉·威尼克 (Sara K. Winik)、安托瓦内特·兰格尔 (Antoinette N. Rangel)及国家安全司反情报和出口管制科的审判律师斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)。该办公室资产追索科的助理美国检察官布莱恩·莫里斯（Brian Morris）正在处理没收事宜。
美国诉何东等人，纽约东区
一份刑事起诉书今日在布鲁克林联邦法院公布，指控两名中华人民共和国情报官员试图阻碍纽约东区的刑事起诉。被告仍然逍遥法外。
根据法庭文件，何东（又名何国春、又名何杰基）和王曾（又名王泽）涉嫌策划一项阴谋，从纽约东区美国检察官办公室窃取与正在进行的联邦刑事调查和起诉一家位于中国的全球电信公司（公司1）相关的文件和其他信息，其中包括向一名美国政府员工支付 41,000 美元的比特币贿赂，被告认为该员工是被招募来为中国工作，但实际上该员工是一名为联邦调查局工作的双重间谍。
“今天的投诉突显了中华人民共和国政府对破坏法治的不懈努力，”纽约东区美国检察官布伦·皮斯(Breon Peace)说。 “正如所指控，该案涉及中国情报官员通过行贿，从本办公室获取文件，并与正在进行的起诉中被指控的被告的一家全球电信公司分享这些文件，以阻碍正在进行的起诉。我们将始终采取果断行动，打击针对我们司法系统的犯罪行为。”
何东和王正被指控试图阻碍纽约东区联邦地方法院对公司1 进行刑事起诉。被告何还被指控洗钱，因其为推进该阴谋，而支付 41,000 美元的比特币贿赂。
根据诉状，被告是中国情报官员，代表中国政府并为了公司1 的利益，开展针对美国的外国情报行动。从 2019 年开始，他们指使美国政府执法机构 (GE-1) 的一名员工，窃取有关
对公司1 刑事起诉的机密信息，以干扰起诉，并认为该员工是他们作为资产招募的。事实上，GE-1 是代表联邦调查局的双重间谍。
2021 年 9 月，被告责成 GE-1 报告据称 GE-1 在纽约东区美国检察官办公室与布鲁克林检察官举行的会议。在书面通讯中，被告表示，他们特别想知道哪些公司1 员工接受过政府约谈，并获得对检察官证据、证人名单和审判策略的描述。
2021 年 10 月，GE-1 使用加密消息传递程序，向被告发送一份据称是纽约东区美国检察官办公室关于公司1 案件的内部战略备忘录的一页。该文件似乎被列为“秘密”文件，并讨论了一项指控和逮捕两名居住在中国的公司1 现有员工的计划。何东回应称，这份文件“正是我正在等待的，”他正在“等待一些人的反馈，”确定对这份文件是否有任何问题。何东随后向 GE-1 支付了大约 41,000 美元的比特币，作为其窃取该文件的酬劳。
GE-1 还要求被告提供有关“秘密”文件的任何反馈。 2021年11月，何东表示，“[公司1]现在还没有给我具体反馈，但他们显然对此感兴趣，我的老板和他们需要进一步的信息。”何东进一步告诉 GE-1，“[公司1]显然会对 GE-1 窃取战略备忘录的另一部分感兴趣，”并且“可能会提供更多” 以换取信息。 2021 年 12 月，在回应 GE-1 进一步要求公司1 就“他们希望我得到什么”提供反馈或指导时，何东解释说，“他们还没有给我任何积极的反馈，并要求直接与你沟通。”何东表示，他拒绝了公司1直接与 GE-1 通话的要求，因为“这太危险了”。
起诉书中的指控均为控罪，除非被证明有罪，否则被告被推定无罪。如果罪名成立，何东将面临最高40年的监禁，王将面临最高20年的监禁。
政府由美国助理检察官亚历山大·所罗门 (Alexander A. Solomon) 和梅雷迪思·阿尔法 (Meredith A. Arfa) 以及国家安全部反情报和出口管制科的审判律师斯科特·克拉菲 (Scott A. Claffee)代理。
美国诉王林等人，新泽西州地区
一份联邦起诉书公布对四名中国公民的指控，其中包括三名国家安全部（MSS）情报官员，他们充当中华人民共和国特工，针对美国境内人士，长期从事情报活动。
起诉书称，至少从 2008 年到 2018 年，王林，59 岁；毕宏伟，年龄不详；董婷，又名切尔西¬董，40 岁； 55 岁的王强和其他人进行了广泛而系统的努力，旨在在招募美国代表中国行事的个人，要求其向中国政府提供信息、材料、设备和援助，以推进中国的情报目标。此类招募活动包括针对大学教授、一名前联邦执法和国土安全官员，及其他代表中国政府行事的人。
作为该阴谋的一部分，国家安全局情报人员王林、董婷等人利用中国海洋大学—即国际问题研究所（IIS）—的一个所谓的学术机构作为其秘密情报活动的掩护。王林以所谓的 IIS 主任身份为掩护，与其他以 IIS 学者为幌子的国家安全局特工合作，针对美国大学的教授和美国其他有权访问敏感信息和设备的人。
根据今天启封的起诉书，国家安全部情报官员王林、毕、董等人代表国家安全部和中国政府，有系统地针对美国人，包括但不限于一名作为新泽西州居民的同谋，以及另一名前任联邦执法官员和州国土安全官员，及一名美国大学教授。
除此之外，该阴谋还针对第二个人，邀请此人在 2008 年和 2018 年参加由 IIS 全额赞助的中国旅行。在此类行程中，王林、董和其他人试图招募此人作为人脉，要求此人提供敏感的指纹技术、信息并协助阻止计划中的 2008 年奥运会火炬传递路线在美国举行的抗议活动，共谋者表示这会让中国“难堪。”此人还被要求与一家以中国“国家利益和国家安全”为“核心价值”的中国公司签署所谓的咨询服务合同，目的是“保护国家利益和中国企业的海外利益”并“建立收集安全信息的来源和渠道。”此人认识到，王林、董等人是中国情报人
员，因此拒绝了这些请求，并向执法部门举报。
该阴谋还针对新泽西州的同谋者，要求该同谋者在美国采取具体行动，以推进国家安全局的情报目标。 2016年，王强协调同谋者王林和毕宏伟在巴哈马举行会面，当时国安部情报官员王林和毕宏伟指示同谋者获取美元，并将其提供给新泽西州的指定人士。同谋者返回新泽西州，按照王林和毕的指示行事。王强随后在新泽西州拜访了同谋者，王强与同谋者详细讨论了他们和其他人在美国代表中国政府进行的活动。
林、毕、董、王强均为中华人民共和国公民和居民。起诉书指控，他们每个人都被指控串谋在美国作为外国政府即中华人民共和国代理人行事，而未按照法律规定，事先通知美国司法部长，并指挥其他人在美国从事此类非法行动。共谋罪的法定最高刑期为 5 年监禁，最高罚款为 250,000 美元。
美国检察官塞林格（Sellinger）将此次指控归功于联邦调查局特工在纽瓦克特工詹姆斯·丹内利 (James E. Dennehy) 的指导下进行的调查。
政府代表包括特伦顿分处负责人美国助理检察官布兰登¬戴( J. Brendan Day)、及该处国家安全部门负责人 乔伊斯¬玛丽埃特(Joyce M. Malliet)。
起诉书中的指控均为控罪，除非被证明有罪，否则被告被推定无罪。
两名中国情报官被控阻碍司法公正 策谋贿赂美国政府雇员并窃取对位于中国一家公司 联邦诉讼的有关文件Read the Press Release
今天，一项刑事诉讼在布鲁克林联邦法院启封，指控两名中华人民共和国情报官策划阻挠纽约东区检察院一项刑事诉讼。被告仍然在逃。
法院文件显示，贺国春，又名“何东”和“贺杰克”，与王政，又名“王谮”，涉嫌策谋从美国联邦检察院纽约东区办公室窃取联邦政府对位于中国一家全球电信公司（公司-1）起诉的文件和其他信息，包括向一名美国政府雇员支付约$61,000比特币贿额。被告认为该雇员已被招募为中国政府工作，但事实上该雇员是一个代表联邦调查局（联调局）工作的双重间谍。
美国纽约东区检察官布利昂·皮斯、负责国家安全的助理司法部长马修·G·奥尔森、联调局局长克里斯多弗·雷宣布指控。
美国检察官皮斯表示：“今天的诉讼充分展示了中国政府为破坏法治所作的不懈努力。据指控，此案涉及中国情报官员通过贿赂从本办公室窃取文件并和一个全球通信公司分享，努力阻挠对此公司持续进行的刑事诉讼。我们会始终采取果断行动打击针对我们司法系统的犯罪行为。”
负责国家安全的助理司法部长马修·G·奥尔森指出：“被此案指控的中国情报官的企图和行为远超于收集信息和情报，其实质必须被披露：一个外国政府的代表超乎寻常地干扰美国刑事司法系统的诚信，损害联邦雇员，阻碍美国执法，并为一个位于中国的商业性企业牟利。司法部不会允许其他国家的代表干涉美国刑事程序和调查，不会容忍外国对公正与司法的干预。”
联调局雷局长表示： “联调局的使命是保护美国人民，捍卫美国宪法 - 此案对两者都带来威胁。中华人民共和国情报官试图从纽约东区偷窃文件，不仅危害了刑事司法系统的诉讼程序，而且危害了司法的本意。对司法的威胁是对我们自由社会基础的威胁。联调局时刻保持警惕并致力于保护美国免受这些威胁。”
贺国春与王政被指控试图阻挠纽约东区联邦检察院对公司-1的一宗刑事诉讼。被告贺因为试图进一步促成该阴谋, 支付总值约$61,000比特币贿额，另被指控两项洗钱罪。
根据诉讼，两名被告为中国情报官员，代表中国政府并且为了公司-1的利益，从事针对美国的国外情报行动。自2019年起，他们指使一名他们认为已被招募成功的美国政府执法机构员工（政府雇员-1）窃取对公司-1刑事起诉有关的机密信息，以干扰此案的诉讼。实际上，政府雇员-1是一名代表联调局工作的双重间谍。
2021年9月，两名被告责成政府雇员-1汇报政府雇员-1据称在布鲁克林美国检察院纽约东区办公室与检察官举行的会议。被告在书面沟通中表示他们特别想知道公司-1的哪些员工曾与政府面谈，并想获得检察官所持证据、证人名单和庭审策略的说明。
2021年10月，政府雇员-1 使用加密短信程序向被告发送了有关公司-1案件所谓策略备忘录中的一页。该文件看似归类为“机密” ，提及指控并逮捕两名居住在中国的公司-1现任负责人的计划。[1] 贺国春回应表示这份文件 “正是我在等待的”，他还在“等待某些人的反馈”，看他们对这份文件是否有任何问题。后来贺国春为政府雇员-1偷窃文件支付了约 $41,000比特币。
政府雇员-1亦曾向被告询问有关“机密”文件的任何反馈。2021年11月，贺国春指出“[公司-1] 目前还没有给我具体的反馈，但他们对此显然很感兴趣，我的老板和他们需要更多的资料。”贺国春另外告诉政府雇员-1“[公司-1]显然对”政府雇员-1窃取策略备忘录中另一部分“有兴趣”，并为那些信息“可能会付更多”。2021年12月，在回答政府雇员-1进一步要求公司-1的反馈或指示“他们需要我拿什么”时，贺国春解释说“他们还没有给我任何正面反馈，要求直接和你联系。”贺国春说他拒绝了公司-1直接与政府雇员-1对话的请求因为“这样太危险。”
最近，2022年9月下旬，因为贺国春的“机关已决定给你一笔丰厚的奖金”，贺国春告诉政府雇员-1他准备为政府雇员-1提供的信息再次给政府雇员-1支付比特币 。后来，贺国春于2022年10月付给政府雇员-1约$20,000比特币。
起诉书中的控告只是指控，除非并直到被证明有罪，被告应被视为无罪。如罪名成立，贺国春面临高达60年的监禁，王面临高达20年的监禁。
此案由国家安全和网络犯罪处办理。助理联邦检察官亚历山大·A·所罗门、玛丽迪丝·A·阿法、国家安全司反情报和出口管制处庭审律师斯科特·A·克拉非主理诉讼。
被告人:
贺国春，又名“何东”或 “JACKY HE”
年龄：45
中华人民共和国E.D.N.Y.案卷号 22-MJ-1137
王政，又名 “ZEN WANG”
年龄：37
中华人民共和国E.D.N.Y.案卷号 22-MJ-1137
[1] 诉讼中描述的文件是政府为调查目的而准备的。它既不是从任何与被起诉公司-1相关的实际文件中提取，也不归类为 “机密”。此外，诉讼中政府雇员-1向被告提供的信息并不准确地描述与公司-1诉讼相关的实际会面、通信或其它策略。
“Coyote” Arrested in Yolo County Pleads Guilty to Illegal Transportation of NoncitizensRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mateo Gomez Gonzalez, 29, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to unlawful transportation of noncitizens without status in the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 28, 2022, a concerned resident of Sacramento called law enforcement to report that his relative and a friend were being held over a payment dispute in a human smuggling operation with the human smuggler (also known as a “coyote”). The reporting party conveyed that the driver of a vehicle involved in the transport of Mexican citizens to the United States was threatening to drop the relative and family friend at an unknown stash house rather than to the awaiting family members if additional payment was not made. Acting on the tip, law enforcement met the vehicle at a gas station, discovered four passengers in the vehicle who did not have lawful status in the United States, and arrested the driver, Gomez.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Denise Yasinow are prosecuting the case.
Gomez is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. Gomez faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison per individual smuggled. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
ברוקלין ישיבה איז זיך מודה צו שטארק פארשפרייטע פראגראם און בענעפיט שווינדל קאנספיראציעRead the Press Release
צענטראלע פאראייניגטע תלמודישע אקאדעמיע (''CUTA'' אדער ''די שולע''), א ישיבה אין וויליאמסבורג, ברוקלין, האט זיך היינט מודה געווען אין פעדעראלע געריכט אז עס איז געווען פארמישט אין עטלעכע טיילווייזע דעקונג שווינדלען, ווי אויך א מולטי-מיליאן דאלאר פלאן צו באקומען אומיושרדיקע געלטער דעזיגנירט צו פיטערן נויטיקע שולע קינדער. דער פראצעס איז פארגעקומען פארן US דיסטריקט ריכטער ניקאלעס ג. גאראופיס(Nicholas G. Garaufis) .
CUTA איז אריינגעגאנגען אין א דריי יעריקן אפגעלייגטע משפט הסכם מיט דער רעגירונג אין שייכות מיט א קרימענעל אינפארמאציע איינגעגעבן היינט אין דעם מזרח'דיקן דיסטריקט פון ניו יארק וואס באשולדיקט די שולע מיט קאנספירירן צו באגיין עלעקטראנישער שווינדל. אלץ טייל פונעם הסכם, האט די שולע מסכם געווען צו באצאלן 5 מיליאן דאלאר קנס אין צוגאב צו מער ווי 3 מיליאן דאלאר אין פארגיטיקונג וואס איז שוין באצאלט געווארן, צו לייזן די אויספארשונג אין דער שולעס שווינדל אויפפירעכץ.
אלעזר פארגעס(Elozer Porges) , דער פריערדיגע עקזעקוטיווע דירעקטאר פון CUTA, און יואל לוי(Joel Lowy) , פארגעסעס געהילף, האבן זיך ביידע אנערקענט פאר שולדיג אין מארץ 2018 פאר זייער ראלע צו קאנספירירן אויסנארן די רעגירונג. פארגעס איז פארמשפט געווארן צו צוויי יאר אין טורמע אין אקטאבער 2019, בשעת לוי איז פארמשפט געווארן צו פינף יאר פראבע, 1000 שעה פון קאמיוניטי באדינונג און 98,407.21$ אין צוריקקער אין אפריל 2022.
בריאן פיס, US אדוואקאט פארן מזרחדיקע דיסטריקט פון ניו יארק, מייקל דזש. דריסקאל(Michael J. Driscoll) , געהילפ-דירעקטאר ממונה, פעדעראלע ביורא פון אויספארשונג, ניו יארק פעלד אפיס FBI)), בעט-אן מ. דינקינס(Bethanne M. Dinkins) , ספעציעלע אגענט ממונה, US דעפארטמענט אוו אגריקולטור, אפיס פון אלגעמיינער אינספעקטאר USDA-OIG)), און דזשויס ע. שטרויבער(Jocelyn E. Strauber) , קאמיסיאנער, ניו יארק סיטי דעפארטמענט אוו אינוועסטיגעשענס DOI)), האבן געמאלדן דעם אפמאך.
''דער אומאויפפיר פון CUTA, איז געווען סיסטעמאטיש און פארשפרייט, אריינגערעכנט גנב'ענען איבער 3 מיליאן דאלאר פאר שולע-קינדער אין נויט פון מאלצייטן,'' האט US אדוואקאט פיס פעסטגעשטעלט. ''די היינטיג רעזאלוציע גיט צו פארשטיין CUTA's פארמישונג אין די פארברעכעריי און שטעלט צו א וועג פאראויס צוריק צו צאלן און פארריכטן דעם היזק וואס איז געטאן געווארן צו דער קאמיוניטי, אין דער צייט טוט עס אויך ערלויבן CUTA ממשיך זיין צו צושטעלן חינוך פאר קינדער אין דער קאמיוניטי.
''דאס מודה זיין היינט טוט קלאר מאכן אז עס איז געווען א שטארק פארשפרייטע קולטור פון שווינדל און גייציקייט אויפן ארט אין CUTA. מיר רעכענען זיך אז שולעס זענען ערטער ווי מען לערנט אויס סטודענטן זיך צו פירן געהעריק. די פירער פון CUTA האבן זיך מטריח געווען צו טאן פונקט פארקערט, געשאפן פילפאכיקע סיסטעמס פון שווינדל כדי אפנארן די רעגירונג. די FBI און אונדזערע געזעץ-היטער שותפים וועלן ממשיך זיין צו פארשן די סארטן שווינדלעריי און פלענער, צו פארזיכערן רעגירונג פראגראמען בענעפיטן פאר יענע וואס זענען דעזיגנירט געווארן צו ווערן געהאלפן אן ווערן אויסגעניצט,'' האט דער געהילף דירעקטאר ממונה דריסקל ארויסגעזאגט.
די DOI קאמיסיאנערין דזשאסלין ע. שטרויבער האט געזאגט, ''אזוי ווי עס איז פארצייכנט אין דעם משפט הסכם, איז CUTA געווען פארמישט אין א ברייטן פלאן צו גנב'נען מיליאנען דאלארן פון ציבורדיקע געלטער, אוועקפירנדיק געלט וואס איז געשטעלט אויף צו פיטערן שולע-קינדער און צוגעהאלפן שטייער און בענעפיטן שווינדל דורך זייערע ארבעטער. DOI און אירע געזעץ-היטער שותפים אין די US אדוואקאטס אפיס פאר דער מזרח'דיקן דיסטריקט פון ניו יארק, די FBI און די USDA זענען איערגעגעבן צו פארמיידן שווינדלערייען וואס גראבט אונטער ציבור'דיקע הילף פראגראמען. מיט דער רעזעלוציע, וואס איז כולל א 5 מיליאן דאלאר קנס, האט CUTA אנערקענט און וועט טראגן דאס אחריות פאר איר שלעכטע אויפפירונג.
''USDA אפיס פון אלגעמיינער אינספעקטאר, ספעציעלע אגענט ממונה בעט-אן מ. דינקינס האט געזאגט: דאס קינד און דערוואקסענע קעיר עסן פראגראם (CACFP) איז באשאפן געווארן צו צושטעלן עסנווארג און שפייזונג צו יענע וואס נויטיקן זיך שטארק אויף דער הילף. יענע וואס נעמען אנטייל אין שווינדל און קרומבאניץ פון USDA פיטער פראגראמען וועלן ווערן געפארשט דורך אונדזער אפיס מיטן פולסטן פארנעם. אונדזער בשותפות'דיקע אויספארשונג מיט די פעדעראלע ביורא פון אויספארשונג און דער ניו יארק סיטי דעפארטמענט פון אויספארשונג אידענטיפיצירט יענע וועלכע זוכן צו פארדינען פון דער CACFP דורך אומלעגאלע פלענער. די USDA אפיס פון אלגעמיינעם אינספעקטאר וועט ממשיך זיין זיך אפגעבן צו פארש-רעסורסן, וואס וועט ארבעטן מיט אונדזער געזעץ-היטער און פראקורירישע שותפים, כדי אפצוהיטן די ערלעכקייט פון די פראגראמען און ברענגען אין געריכט די וואס באגייען שווינדל.
לויט די שולד אנערקענונג פון דעם באריכט פון די פאקטן און אנדערע פובליק דאקומענטן, צווישן 2014 און 2016, האט CUTA באקומען מער ווי 3.2 מיליאן דאלאר אויסגעצאלט פאר אן עסנווארג פראגראם געצילט צו פיטערן סטודענטן פון דער ישיבה. די פראגראם איז געווען כמעט אינגאנצן פאלש. אנשטאט פיטערן די קינדער, האט די שולע געפירט דאס געלט אין אן אנדער ריכטונג, ווי אויך סובסידירט מסיבות פאר דערוואקסענע. צו באגיין דאס פארברעכעריי, האט די שולע פאבריצירט רעקארדס און געמאכט צענדליגע געשוואוירענע פארדרייטע פאקטן צו רעגירונגס אגענטורן.
בשעת דעם אויספארש וועגן די פאלשע עסנווארג פראגראם, האבן די אויספארש קאמאנדע אנטדעקט באווייזן פון נאך אנדערע שווינדלערישע התנהגות'ן ביי דער שולע און אירע ארבעטער. אין צוגאב צו דער אויבנדערמאנטער פאלשער פראגראם, איז געווען פארשידענע שכירות פירעכצער וואס האט ערלויבט די שולעס איינגעשטעלטע אפטאן בענעפיט און שטייער שווינדלערייען.
צום ביישפיל, די שולע האט באצאלט אירע איינגעשטעלטע אויף אן אויפן וואס האט שטארק אונטער-רעפרעזענטירט זייערע איינגעשטעלטע ''אויף די ביכער'' הכנסות. די שולע האט דאס אויסגעפירט אויף עטלעכע אופנים. אויסער באצאלן אירע איינגעשטעלטע מיט מזומן, האט די שולע צוגעשטעלט אירע ארבעטער מיט ''קופאנען'' וואס מ'קען אויסלייזן אין לאקאלע געשעפטן פאר א געוויסע מזומן-ווערדע. די איינגעשטעלטע קענען נוצן די קופאנען איינצוקויפן, און די געשעפטן האבן דאן אויסגעלייזט די קופאנען אין די שולע פאר געלט. די ''קופאנען'' האבן אזוי נאך געהאלפן באשאפן אן אונטערערדישע עקאנאמיע, אין וועלכע די איינגעשטעלטע האבן באקומען נוצלעכע הכנסה אומבאקאנט צו דער רעגירונג. די שולע האט צוגעשטעלט אנדערע ''נישט אויף די ביכער'' הכנסות אין אנדערע וועגן, אזוי ווי דורך באהאלטענע אינוועסטירונג קאנטעס.
דער אויספארש האט פעסטגעשטעלט אז די שולע האט זיך באטייליגט אין די מעשים, אין טייל, צו העלפן דערגאנצן שווינדלערייען אויסגעפירט דורך אירע ארבעטער. דורך אונטעררעפרעזענטירן אירע איינגעשטעלטעס הכנסה, האט CUTA דערמעגלעכט אירע ארבעטער צו באקומען פארשידענע פובליק בענעפיטן - ווי אויך העלטקעיר און קינדקעיר - וואס זיי וואלטן נישט געקענט באקומען אויב די איינגעשטעלטע וואלטן באריכט ערלעך זייער הכנסה. די שולע האט ווייטער געשטיצט די באמיאונגען דורך צושטעלן בריוו צו רעגירונג אגענטורן וואס האבן פאלש געשריבן אז זייערע ארבעטער האבן נאר פארדינט די ''אויף די ביכער'' סכומים וואס די שולע האט אריינגעגעבן צו די שטייער אויטאריטאטן, אזוי נאך ערלויבן זייערע איינגעשטעלטע צו באגיין וועלפעיר און אנדערע בענעפיטן שווינדלערייען. די שולע, ווידער, האט אויך פארדינט פון אירע ארבעטערס פארדרייאונגען, ווייל זי האט אנגענומען און איינקאסירט קינד-קעיר קופאנען וואס די סטעיט האט צוגעשטעלט צו אירע איינגעשטעלטע, וועלכע איר ארבעטער האבן נאר קוואליפיצירט צוליב די שולעס אייגענע פאלשע-אויסטייטשונגען. דער אנגעקלאגטער יואל לוי איז געווען איינער צווישן אסאך CUTA איינגעשטעלטע וואס האט זיך באניצט מיט דעם דריידל.
דערצו, צו דעם אויבנדערמאנטער שכירות שווינדל, האט די שולע צוגעשטעלט ''באווייז זיך נישט'' ארבעט פאר נישט קיין איינגעשטעלטע, וואס האט גורם געווען צו ''פאסטאראטן'' שטייער פרייהייטן פאר אזעלכע וואס שטעלן נישט צו פאסטאראט סערוויסעס, אויסגעזוכט און באקומען טעכנעלאגיע געלטער פאר נישט קיין שייכות'דיקע באניץ צו דער שולעס עדיוקעישענעל צוועקן און צוגעשטעלט קינד-קעיר סערוויסעס אָן קיין געהעריגע לייסענסעס.
אזוי ווי פארשריבן אין דעם הסכם, האט דער אפיס דערגרייכט א רעזעלוציע מיט דער שולע, אין טייל, צוליב די שולעס פארבעסערונג באמיאונגען, אסאך זענען שוין איינגעפירט געווארן פאר א פּּאָר יאר. אין דערצו, אין אנערקענען און צו צושטעלן א נול-טאלעראנץ פאליסי צו דעם אויבנדערמאנטע אויפפירעכץ, האט די שולע אנגענומען א רייע פון ממשות'דיגע פונדעמענטאלע ענדערונגען. צווישן אנדערע זאכן, האט זי אויסגעטוישט אירע עקזעקוטיווע אדמיניסטראציע פערסאנאל; אנטוויקעלט א זאץ פון פינאנציעלע און פראצעדורעלע קאנטראלען; איינגעפירט אן אויספאלג האנטביכל צו פירן און אננעמען עטישע באשליסונגען; באשאפן אן אויפזע קאמיסיע, אכטונג געבן, איינצופירן די נייע סטאנדארטן; און דורכגעפירט רעוויזיעס צו פארזיכערן כסדר'דיקע אויספאלגונג. דערצו, צום שטראף און רעסטיטוציע דערמאנט אויבן, וועט די שולע זיין אויסגעשטעלט צו דער השגחה פון אן אומאפהענגיקער קאנטראלירער אויף א תקופה פון דריי יאר. דער קאנטראלירער וועט שאצן די שולעס אויספאלגונג מיט דעם אפגעלייגטע פראקורירונג הסכם און פארזיכערן אז די שולע טוט ווייטער אויספאלגן אירע לעגאלע און עטישע אבליגאציעס.
דער הסכם וואס מ'האט היינט געמאלדן איז טייל פון אן אויספארשונג וואס איז געווארן אנגעפירט דורך דער US אדוואקאטס אפיס פאר דער מזרח'דיקע דיסטריקט פון ניו יארק, די FBI's ניו יארק פעלד אפיס, USDA אפיס פון אלגעמיינער אינספעקטארס אפיס פון פארשונגען צפון מזרח געגנט אפיס און דער ניו יארק סיטי דעפארמענט פון אויספארשונגען. דער קעיס ווערט באהאנדעלט ביי דער אפיסעס פובליק גאנצקייט אפטייל. דער געהילף US אדוואקאט עריק פאולסון(Erik Paulsen) איז דער אחראי פון די פראקורירונג.
דער אנגעקלאגטע: CENTRAL UNITED TALMUDIC ACADEMY
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-378 (NGG)Woodbury County Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 21, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
On April 29, 2022, Luis Sanchez, 41, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. In 2014, Sanchez was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa for distribution of methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2021 through September 2021, Sanchez and others distributed more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine. Evidence further showed that on three occasions in 2021, Sanchez distributed more than 150 grams methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sanchez was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of eight years of supervised release following imprisonment. Sanchez remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending transportation to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4082.
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Wiretap Investigation Leads to Another Waterloo Man Involved in Mexico Based Drug Trafficking Organization Being Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man involved in a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization was sentenced on October 21, 2022, to more than 33 years in federal prison.
Andrew David Surprenant, age 33, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 28, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Information at sentencing showed that Surprenant was a member of a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization that was distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Waterloo, Iowa, area. On August 29, 2021, two days after he was released from state prison, Surprenant began communicating with a Mexico‑based source of supply regarding the distribution of methamphetamine. A wiretap of Surprenant’s telephone revealed that the Mexico‑based source of supply provided Surprenant with at least ten pounds of methamphetamine that was imported from Mexico. The Mexico‑based source of supply also directed Surprenant to recruit individuals to send wire transfers to members of the organization in Mexico. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants at Surprenant’s residence and storage unit, seizing over seven pounds of methamphetamine, seven firearms, and ammunition.
Five other individuals, Sandra Ann Deyerle, Jeremy Aswegan, Levi Dull, Ruben Vasquez, and Narciso Chinchillas Vasquez, previously pled guilty to their involvement with the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization and have been sentenced. Sandra Ann Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment. Jeremy Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment. Levi Dull was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment. Ruben Vasquez was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment. Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez was sentenced to 158 months’ imprisonment.
In total, law enforcement has seized over 175 pounds of methamphetamine, 23 pounds of fentanyl, a pound of heroin, and eleven firearms during this investigation.
Surprenant was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Surprenant is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-02003.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Wholesale Supply Corporation Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – LLC Wholesale Supply LLC (Wholesale Supply) has pled guilty to a money laundering conspiracy.
The corporation, based out of Tempe, Ariz., utilized companies in several states to launder money derived from the illegal sale of diverted pharmaceuticals. These are drugs produced by the original pharmaceutical developer that make their way into the underground market. They often are high-priced drugs used to treat conditions such as mental illness, HIV, and cancer.
Per the plea agreement, Wholesale Supply agreed to a forfeiture money judgement of $98 million. The specifics of the sentence will be announced at the Jan. 4, 2023, sentencing.
“As this prosecution and conviction shows, being a corporation, having a complex money laundering scheme, or even a law license, does not make one immune from this Office’s quest for justice,” said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
In addition, two of the men involved with the corporation must pay nearly $1 million. And, one of the two men also must relinquish his law license and be barred from ever applying to practice law again. They also have agreed to never again be corporate officers or shareholders above five percent in any company regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“U.S. consumers are put at risk when prescription drugs are diverted from the FDA-regulated supply chain and then returned clandestinely to the supply chain for distribution to the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who put the public health at risk.”
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Dewitt, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Justin Fielder, FDA, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami and FDA-OCI Miami investigated this case involving LLC Wholesale Supply LLC with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Arizona and Western District of Washington. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Walter Norkin and Frank Tamen prosecuted the case. Nicole Grosnoff handled asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
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.
Watertown Woman Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Watertown, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for 13 counts of Wire Fraud.
Reva Plunkett, age 36, was indicted in October of 2022. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 20, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $1,300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about January 2015 and continuing through February 2022, Reva Plunkett, who was the bookkeeper for Doug’s Anchor Marine, Inc., and for Brotherhood Arms, businesses located in Watertown, South Dakota, devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property from others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
In Plunkett’s capacity as bookkeeper for each business, she was responsible for managing and reconciling various business accounts. Plunkett’s duties included writing checks to pay for business expenses, such as payroll and vendor payments.
On multiple occasions during the relevant time periods, Plunkett falsely and fraudulently wrote checks payable to herself that were drawn on business accounts belonging to Doug’s Anchor Marine, Inc. and Brotherhood Arms. These checks were not for her wages or salary, nor were they for any other legitimate purpose. Plunkett also deposited the checks into her account and used the funds for her own purposes. Plunkett disguised her theft by falsely and fraudulently recording in the businesses’ accounting system that the checks were payable to vendors, which made the checks appear to be legitimate business expenses. She also falsely and fraudulently adjusted the business inventory to make it appear that the money was actually spent on products for the businesses.
The charges are merely accusations and Plunkett is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Plunkett was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Virginia Beach Man Convicted for Dealing Illegal Machine GunsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man Friday on charges of possessing and selling unregistered machineguns.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between approximately October 2021 and April 2022, Patrick Tate Adamiak, 28, was obtaining illegal machine guns that were not registered and he was selling these machine guns online. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased eight machine guns from him through a confidential source. They then executed a search warrant at Adamiak’s residence and recovered 25 additional unregistered machineguns. A search warrant at his residence found that Adamiak was in possession of two grenade launchers and two antitank missile launchers. Adamiak is a Master at Arms in the U.S. Navy.
Adamiak was convicted of receiving, possessing, and transferring unregistered machineguns, and possession of four destructive devices, to include two grenade launchers and two antitank missile launchers. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 31, 2023. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the five counts of conviction. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Muhr and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-47.
Van Wert County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TOLEDO – John Charles Coy, 72, of Van Wert County, Ohio, was sentenced on Thursday, October 20, 2022, to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp II after Coy pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, in November 2020, local, state and federal law enforcement authorities began an investigation into Coy after receiving information that Coy, a long-time softball coach of minors in Marion County, may have been involved in sexual conduct involving several minors.
As a result of the investigation, authorities discovered that Coy possessed child pornography. On July 26, 2021, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Coy’s residence in Van Wert County. During the search, authorities seized a cell phone belonging to Coy. Further investigation revealed that Coy had saved images of child pornography to his cloud account for his cell phone, including of a minor under the age of twelve.
This case was investigated by the Toledo Division of the FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and Marion Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey B. Tangeman.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Possessing Crack Cocaine for DistributionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lewis Clarence McCutcheon, 51, of Vallejo, was sentenced on Thursday, Oct. 20, to nine years in prison for possessing crack cocaine for distribution, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 15, 2017, officers executed a search warrant at McCutcheon’s home in Vallejo and seized over 1.83 kilograms of powder cocaine and 1.56 kilograms of crack cocaine packaged for sale, as well as two digital scales and packaging materials.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Berkeley Police Department’s Special Investigations Bureau with assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Sayler Fleming Announces District Election Officers Responsible for Handling Election Day ComplaintsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) Hal Goldsmith and Jennifer Roy will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 8, 2022, general election. AUSAs Goldsmith and Roy have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Eastern District of Missouri, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Fleming said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney Fleming stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs/DEOs Goldsmith and Roy will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (314) 539-7733.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by calling Election Crimes Coordinator Special Agent Steve Singleton at (314) 589-3211.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
U.S. Attorney Fleming said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
United States Attorney Appoints District Election Officers in Nationwide Federal Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - United States Attorney Erek L. Barron announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSAs) Leo J. Wise and Geonard Butler will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSAs Wise and Butler have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the District of Maryland, and in that capacity they are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Barron said, “The Department of Justice works tirelessly to ensure that every citizen is able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Nor will we tolerate unlawful threats of violence to election officials and staff, who are integral to our country’s election process. The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We will bring to justice those who seek to corrupt that right.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Barron stated that: “In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Wise and Butler will be on duty in Maryland while the polls are open. AUSA Wise can be reached by the public at 410-209-4800 and AUSA Butler can be reached at 301-344-4433. Any allegation of election fraud or voting rights violations will be reviewed in consultation with state and federal authorities where appropriate, and we will pursue any case that warrants prosecution.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 410-265-8080.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Barron said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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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