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14 October 2022
Manchester Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Sale of Fentanyl and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Jonathan Sepulveda-Lara, 44, of Manchester, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for the sale of fentanyl and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2020, an individual cooperating with the Manchester Police Department purchased 19.85 grams of fentanyl from Mr. Sepulveda-Lara. Moreover, the investigation revealed that for approximately ten years, Sepulveda-Lara used a false identity, using a Social Security number and birthdate associated with an actual Puerto Rican citizen.
“Using another person’s identity is a severe invasion of privacy. Coupling that with the sale of dangerous narcotics is conduct that jeopardizes the safety and security of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “This federal sentence reflects the seriousness of this conduct and the potentially devastating impact on our citizens.”
This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the New Hampshire State Police.
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Long Island Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, United States District Judge Gary R. Brown sentenced Manuel Geovanny Torres Rivas to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child. As part of his sentence, Torres Rivas must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and not have unsupervised contact with minors. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentence removes a dangerous predator and is only possible due to the bravery of two young girls, who came forward to the authorities about the defendant’s disturbing behavior online, which then helped protect the community and end the abuse of another girl,” said U.S. Attorney Peace. “I urge parents and caregivers to encourage their children to tell a trusted adult if anyone asks them to engage in inappropriate behavior. Protecting children and holding those who harm vulnerable victims accountable for their actions will always be priorities of our Office.”
“Torres Rivas, a hands-on offender who sexually abused a child entrusted to his care, utilized multiple social media accounts to contact children online, sending them explicit content and distributing child sexual abuse material,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Today’s sentence takes a predator off the street and ensures Torres Rivas will no longer be able to victimize the most innocent members of our community. HSI, along with our partners at the Nassau County Police Department Special Victims Unit, is committed to hunting down child sexual predators and will continue to use our authorities to protect children, physically and virtually.”
Torres Rivas targeted multiple minor females on Snapchat, where he engaged them in sexually explicit conversations and sent them unsolicited videos and images of child pornography. For example, in September 2019, Torres Rivas used the Snapchat account “Geovanny_z6134” to contact a 13-year-old resident of Connecticut. Torres Rivas, a stranger to the girl, described his own sexual abuse of a 9-year-old and sent the girl an unsolicited video depicting a child estimated to be between 8 and 10 years old engaged in sexual conduct. Later, in June 2020, Torres Rivas uploaded to Snapchat more than two dozen videos and images of child pornography, some of which contained graphic depictions of child abuse and involved small children believed to be under the age of 5. Additionally, the defendant used the Snapchat account “Geovr19” to contact an 11-year-old resident of Nevada, to whom he made statements concerning his molestation of a 9-year-old girl and sent the child sexually explicit photos of himself.
This information came to light after the 13-year-old girl from Connecticut reported the contact to school officials, who then contacted local law enforcement, and the 11-year-old girl from Nevada reported the conduct to local law enforcement. Snapchat reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that approximately 28 videos and images containing child pornography had been uploaded to the platform using the defendant’s Snapchat account. After tracing these Snapchat accounts to the defendant’s Hempstead residence, law enforcement officers searched the premises and recovered evidence that he had videotaped several sexual encounters with a 9-year-old girl who had been entrusted to his care.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Bagnuola is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MANUEL GEOVANNY TORRES RIVAS
Age: 27
Hempstead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-494 (GRB)
Kern County Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Francisco Javier Melgoza, 41, of Delano, was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 25, 2021, during a traffic stop, a law enforcement officer searched Melgoza’s bag and found a handgun with five rounds and a high-capacity magazine. Melgoza is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he has five prior felony convictions, including for grand theft auto, vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance for sale, and two convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Melgoza was on probation at the time of the crime.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Shafter Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz 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.
Kalamazoo “Ghost Gun” Dealer Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced that today U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced Zachary Grosser, age 29, of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, to 12 years in federal prison for years spent illegally manufacturing and distributing firearms in West Michigan, including selling guns to people who were legally forbidden to possess them. In holding Grosser accountable for over 40 firearms, Judge Beckering emphasized the serious and brazen nature of his conduct, which she described as “extremely dangerous to the community.”
Grosser made and sold “ghost guns,” designed to be untraceable, and advertised that fact to potential buyers, as illustrated below.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message to would-be arms dealers and criminal firearm users,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Operating an unlicensed firearms dealership is against the law, period. Zachary Grosser made a business out of building and selling firearms to people forbidden to have them, with a promise that they would be untraceable. He was sorely mistaken. My office will continue to investigate and hold accountable all who would flood our communities with ghost guns or unlawfully possess them.”
In early 2021, law enforcement learned that Grosser was operating an illegal arms-dealing and manufacturing business from his Kalamazoo County residence. Through surveillance and searches of his trash, police found evidence that Grosser was making 3D-printed “ghost guns,” including handwritten instructions and partially-completed firearms. When state and federal investigators searched Grosser’s home in August 2021, they discovered a subterranean workshop filled with gunsmithing machines, tools, and parts, including multiple 3D-printers. They also found numerous completed firearms, including an illegal unregistered short-barreled rifle that was mounted to his wall, shown below. And they learned that, in connection with his illegal firearms business, Grosser had been using and dealing drugs.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Castle.
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Justice Department Awards More Than $370 Million to Reduce Violent Crime and Support Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today more than $370 million in grant awards to fund state, local and Tribal crime and violence reduction efforts and evidence-based strategies that support law enforcement operations, improve officer safety and build trust with communities. The department also announced the selection of six new sites to be part of its National Public Safety Partnership, a nationwide collaborative designed to address pressing local crime challenges.
The funding, from the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will support a wide range of criminal justice and public safety activities and will enable officials in jurisdictions across the country to adapt technology and data-driven measures to their public safety challenges. Grant awards will also support training to improve resilience and wellness, fund body-worn camera programs, improve public safety while expanding community engagement and underwrite research and evaluation projects that examine promising police practices.
“Our neighborhoods are safer and healthier when our law enforcement professionals have the tools and technology they need to do their jobs and when the bonds of trust with the community are strong,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The funding announced today will help provide comprehensive public safety solutions that are tailored to the needs of, and implemented in collaboration with, individual communities.”
The grants, made by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ), will support a range of activities designed to tackle serious violence and solve crimes, from gun offenses to sexual assault. Almost $280 million is being distributed through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Other awards will help state, local and Tribal criminal justice agencies improve information sharing, solve sexual assault cases, aid law enforcement officials in tracing and intercepting illegal guns and combating terrorism, and support research on promising policing practices.
The Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime articulates a commitment to an approach that is grounded in research and consistent with our values as a nation, and that depends on the effectiveness and wellness of America’s law enforcement community. The awards announced today will support the department’s work to build officer resilience and improve recruitment and diversity in the law enforcement profession. Grants will also help develop body-worn camera programs designed to improve efficiency and maximize transparency. Research grants will support randomized controlled trials and other analyses that examine issues such as field training, co-response models and officer retention.
In addition to these new awards, six cities will join the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP). PSP supports law enforcement and community partners in deploying data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to local needs. PSP has served more than 50 sites across the nation. The cities of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Greensboro, North Carolina; Rochester, New York; Sacramento, California; Tucson, Arizona; and Washington, D.C. joined the PSP network today.
“The National Public Safety Partnership’s federal engagement with its selected sites is one of the key pillars of the Justice Department’s work to reduce violence and help strengthen communities,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “The collaboration among local entities while utilizing the support from the FBI, ATF, DEA and the U.S. Marshals is long-lasting and assists agencies in building best practices to sustain crime reduction for years to come.”
Below is a list of programs designed to reduce violence and support law enforcement. Descriptions of individual awards can be found by clinking on the links.
- BJA is awarding more than $190 million under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program – State Solicitation, which provides states, Tribes and local governments with critical funding to support law enforcement, prosecutors, public defenders, courts, and corrections and community corrections agencies. Funds also support crime prevention and education initiatives, drug treatment and enforcement activities, criminal justice planning and evaluation, technology improvements, crime victim and witness initiatives, and mental health programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams. An additional $87.1 million is being awarded directly to local jurisdictions through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program – Local Solicitation.
- BJA is awarding $9 million under its Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative, which supports local and Tribal jurisdictions’ capacity to work with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to use intelligence, technology and community engagement to swiftly identify unlawfully used firearms and their sources, and effectively prosecute perpetrators engaged in violent crime. An additional $1.3 million supports the Crime Gun Intelligence University-based Training and Education program, which allows institutions of higher education to develop programs to provide students with hands-on training on the processing of firearms evidence used to generate crime gun intelligence and the investigative processes that lead to arrest and conviction.
- BJA is awarding around $30 million through its National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which expands state and local jurisdictions’ capacities to respond to violent crime and improves the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases by improving the use of sexual assault kit evidence.
- BJA is awarding $2 million under its State and Local Anti-Terrorism Training Program Training and Technical Assistance initiative, which provides training and technical assistance services to law enforcement officers who face the challenges presented by the international and domestic terrorism threat.
- BJA is awarding $400,000 under the Justice Information Sharing Training and Technical Assistance Program, which provides funding to manage the Criminal Intelligence Systems Operating Policies Training and Technical Assistance Program, which assists state, local and Tribal criminal justice agencies in reducing crime and improving the functioning of the criminal justice system through more effective information sharing, multiagency collaboration and implementation of data-driven, evidence-based strategies.
- BJA is awarding more than $19 million under its Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to Support Law Enforcement Agencies, which provides funding to law enforcement agencies seeking to purchase body-worn cameras and to establish or expand comprehensive programs focused on maximizing the benefits of this technology and minimizing its risks.
- BJA is awarding $11.5 million under the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Initiative, which is designed to improve the immediate and long-term safety, wellness and resilience of the nation’s law enforcement officers through no-cost training (professional education), research and other resources.
- BJA is awarding nearly $11.8 million under the Law Enforcement Initiatives to Improve Public Safety, Enhance Agency Operations and Build Community Trust, which create and implement training and technical assistance programs for criminal justice stakeholders that support local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies in the development of violence reduction strategies, training for law enforcement officers and implementation of ethical technological strategies that build digital trust and promote community engagement.
- BJA is awarding $20.9 million to 3,806 small jurisdictions and $4.5 million to 194 large jurisdictions under its Bulletproof Vest Partnership to provide a critical resource to law enforcement officers.
- NIJ is awarding nearly $6.3 million under its Research and Evaluation on Policing Program, which will examine the implementation and sustainment of long-term organizational change in policing agencies; and police recruitment, retention and training in today’s environment.
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $340 Million to Address Substance Use Disorders and Fight the Overdose EpidemicRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling more than $340 million to help combat America’s substance use crisis amid a continued escalation of overdose deaths.
Opioids — particularly synthetic drugs like fentanyl — were primarily responsible for the deaths of more than 107,000 people in 2021. In its 2022 National Drug Control Strategy, the Biden-Harris Administration outlined a comprehensive strategy for addressing the crisis, guided by one fundamental principle: saving lives. In addition to the devastating human toll, the epidemic drains the economy of more than a trillion dollars in a given year and accounts for billions of dollars in criminal justice spending annually. OJP’s investments in drug and treatment courts, residential treatment programs, prevention and harm reduction services, recovery supports, services for opioid-affected youth and community-based strategies that improve continuity of care and align treatment and public safety are designed to more appropriately meet the treatment and recovery needs of individuals without unnecessarily extending justice system involvement and perpetuating longstanding inequities.
“Opioids and other licit and illicit substances continue to take a massive toll on our society, claiming far too many lives, tearing families apart and laying a disproportionately heavy burden on historically marginalized communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “It is in all our interests to ensure that those affected by this crisis have access to the support and treatment that they need in order to live productive and fulfilling lives. In making these awards, the Department of Justice is demonstrating its unqualified commitment to making prevention, treatment and recovery part of a unified response to ensure public safety and advance the overall health of our communities.”
“For too long, our justice system has been expected to absorb many of the unaddressed societal and behavioral health challenges and inequities laid bare by the ongoing and escalating substance use crisis,” said Director Karhlton F. Moore of OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). “The resources we are making available today will enable us to address the fundamental issues underlying this epidemic and help contribute to communities that are safe, healthy and supportive.”
BJA and OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) are distributing millions of dollars in grant awards aimed at addressing prevention, treatment and recovery support service needs for individuals with substance use disorders. OJP’s National Institute of Justice is also supporting research and evaluation of veterans treatment courts. In addition to these grants, OJP is awarding $44 million to help communities respond to public safety and public health emergencies, including crises that result from substance use disorders. Funding will also help support youth and their families affected by the opioid and polysubstance use epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has had a profoundly negative — in many cases, devastating — impact on the young people of this country, separating them from family and community support networks and putting them at high risk of substance misuse or substance use disorder, justice system involvement and self-harm,” said OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan. “We are eager to get young people the help they so desperately need so that they can reclaim the hope of a bright future.”
Below is a list of awards made in Fiscal Year 2022 to address the opioid and stimulant crisis and meet the needs of individuals with substance use disorders. Descriptions of individual awards can be found by clinking on the links.
- BJA is awarding $140.1 million under its Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program, which will help communities address the prevention, diversion, treatment and recovery needs of those affected by substance use disorders. Another $8.75 million is funding for training and technical assistance to support grantees and organizations in the field. Training and technical assistance funds will also support peer-to-peer mentoring initiatives and demonstration projects, including a focus on rural communities.
- $52 million under BJA’s Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program will help states, state courts, local courts and federally recognized Tribal governments implement and enhance the operations of adult drug courts. Another $4.5 million is funding related to training and technical assistance.
- BJA is awarding $17.8 million under the Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program and an additional $1.3 million under its Veterans Treatment Court Risk and Need Enhancement Initiative which provide resources to state, local and federally recognized Tribal governments to support drug court programs and systems for eligible veterans in the criminal justice system who have substance use disorders.
- NIJ is awarding $3 million under its Multisite Impact and Cost-Efficiency Evaluation of Veterans Treatment Courts program, which will examine the impact of veterans treatment courts on relapse, recidivism and other outcomes, as well as their cost-efficiency, which program elements are effective and for whom they work best.
- BJA is awarding $34.9 million to support the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program, which helps states develop and implement residential substance use treatment programs, including medication-assisted treatment within correctional and detention facilities. An additional $800 thousand will fund training and technical assistance.
- BJA is awarding $15.4 million to fund the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which enhances the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database administered by an authorized agency. Another $6 million will support training and technical assistance.
- BJA is awarding $7.2 million under the Improving Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Outcomes for Adults in Reentry Program, which establishes, expands and improves treatment and recovery support services for people with substance use disorders during their incarceration and upon their reentry into the community.
- BJA is awarding $3.5 million to support the Drug Data Research Center to Combat the Opioid Crisis, which will create a regional drug data research center to help promote the collection, analysis and dissemination of information critical to responding to the overdose crisis and the effects of opioids, stimulants and other substances.
- OJJDP is awarding $16.3 million to support Mentoring for Youth Affected by the Opioid Crisis and Other Drug Misuse, which supports services for youth who are currently using or at risk for using drugs or youth with family members who have a substance use disorder.
- OJJDP is awarding $9.1 million to support the Opioid Affected Youth Initiative, which will support states, communities, tribes and nonprofit organizations implementing programs and strategies that treat children, youth and families impacted by the opioid epidemic. An additional $1.5 million will support training and technical assistance.
- OJJDP’s Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program is awarding $3 million to jurisdictions to establish or enhance juvenile drug treatment courts and to improve court system operations and treatment services.
- OJJDP is awarding $15.4 million under its Family Treatment Court Program to build the capacity of local courts, units of local government and federally recognized Tribal governments to establish new family treatment courts or enhance existing family treatment courts.
- OJJDP is awarding $9 million under its Drug Treatment Courts Training and Technical Assistance Program, which will fund training and technical assistance to states, state and local courts, units of local government and governments to build their capacity to develop, maintain and enhance drug courts for individuals who misuse substances or have substance use disorders and/or co-occurring mental health disorders.
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about these and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and strengthen and criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $306,279 to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) to administer Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant funds in the District of Massachusetts.
The grant funding awarded to EOPSS will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in Massachusetts and is one of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). PSN funds in Massachusetts are administered by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), a state agency within EOPSS. Since the program began in 2001, over $7 million in federal grant funds have been allocated to the District of Massachusetts’s violent crime reduction efforts.
Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, PSN is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. While the initiative was first launched in 2001, the Department strengthened the program in May 2021, as outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco. The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
“As U.S. Attorney, my number one priority is making our communities safer. Our mission is not simply to prosecute crime, we must prevent it – which is exactly why my office continues to prioritize violent crime reduction efforts through the PSN initiative,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Under my administration, the District of Massachusetts has added two additional target cities (Holyoke and Lowell) to our PSN initiative (Boston, Brockton, Lawrence, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester), giving them access to critical federal funding and invaluable resources to reduce violent crime in their neighborhoods. This includes providing funding for the purchase of gunshot detection technology in Holyoke, Lawrence and Lowell. As we have seen recently with the tragic double shooting resulting in the murder of a 14-year-old child in Boston, and the murder suicide in Kingston, this work of reducing gun violence is vitally important. My office remains committed to doing the hard work of mending and fostering community relationships and investing in community-based initiatives in our fight against violent crime in our Commonwealth.”
“Project Safe Neighborhoods has a long tradition and proven track record of fostering strong collaborations between federal, state and local partners to improve how we serve communities impacted by violence. These grants allow our Office of Grants and Research to direct resources in a way that drives impactful change for communities across the Commonwealth” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “I am grateful for the leadership of US Attorney Rachael Rollins and her office as we continue to collaborate on efforts to reduce and prevent violence.”
“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”
“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violent crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented. The District of Massachusetts established an extensive network of law enforcement and community partners who have been fundamental to this strategy’s success in eight target cities: Boston, Brockton, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester.
The distribution of grant funds to target cities across the state has enabled communities and organizations to implement programming focused on after-school activities, education, employment, re-entry for returning citizens, law enforcement/community collaboration, and public service outreach projects, among others.
In Massachusetts, PSN projects include:
- Developing and sustaining community/law enforcement partnerships and strengthening their capabilities in targeted communities across the state by maximizing federal resources;
- Collaborating with state and local law enforcement on violent crime and illegal firearm prosecutions;
- Providing training for nearly 4,500 law enforcement personnel and community members on topics such as advancements in technology, empowering neighborhoods on addressing gang prevention; updates on new innovative community programs and partnerships; and officer safety training;
- Supporting community partners and outreach programs to address reentry barriers for returning citizens and empower youth to resist gang recruitment; and
- Formulating tools to measure the performance of projects funded with PSN and other federal grants.
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Jury Convicts Vermont Man for Attempting to Entice a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thomas Cesiro, age 68, of Rutland, Vermont, was convicted yesterday of attempting to entice or coerce a minor, following a three-day jury trial. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The evidence at trial established that, from October 10 to October 20, 2020, Cesiro exchanged over 1,000 text messages and 9 phone calls with Albany-based undercover investigators who were posing as both a 12-year-old girl and the adult mother of the girl. During one phone call, Cesiro instructed the girl how to conduct a sexual act. On October 20, 2020, Cesiro traveled from his residence in Rutland to Bennington, Vermont, to meet the purported mother and 12-year-old child, and brought with him various sexual toys and gifts for the child, including a vibrating Frozen-themed toothbrush. Cesiro was encountered by law enforcement officials upon his arrival to the arranged meeting location and arrested.
When United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentences Cesiro on February 15, 2023, Cesiro faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, including investigators from the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, and New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Williams and Richard Belliss.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better located, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Oct. 13 was:
Buddy Gene Walkingeagle, 38, of Poplar, on charges of felon in possession of firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Walkingeagle faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Walkingeagle was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Peck Law Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-82.
Feather Lynn Stillsmoking, 32, of Cut Bank, on charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stillsmoking faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Stillsmoking was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-70.
Shane Daniel Freemont, 32, of Poplar, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime, Freemont faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Freemont was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-75.
Connor Louis Gourneau, 34, of Poplar, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gourneau faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Gourneau was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Fort Peck Law Enforcement investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-76.
Patti Jo Annunciata Mail, aka Patti Jo Ironcloud, 23 of Wolf Point, on charges of kidnapping of individual under 18, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault resulting in substantial injury of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mail faces a mandatory minimum 20 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Mail was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-77.
Kaylee Jade Jackson, 21, of Wolf Point, on charges of kidnapping of individual under 18. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jackson faces a mandatory minimum 20 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Jackson was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-77.
Elmarie Amelia Weeks, aka Elmarie Adams, 21, of Wolf Point, on charges of kidnapping of individual under 18, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Weeks faces a mandatory minimum 20 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Weeks was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-77.
Cheri Cruz Granbois (male), 20, of Wolf Point, on charges of kidnapping of individual under 18, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Granbois faces a mandatory minimum 20 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Granbois was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-77.
Thomas Ivan Reese Larson, 23, of Poplar, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury and strangulation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Larson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Larson was released pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-79.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Oct. 13 was:
Mark Samuel Baker, 56, of Gore, Virginia, on charges of attempted sex trafficking of minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Baker faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Baker was released pending further proceedings. The FBI and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-102.
Appearing on Oct. 12 was:
Shane Edward Johnson, 53, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and prohibited person in possession of firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Johnson was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Postal Service and FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-94.
Joel David Lund, 39, of Seattle, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lund faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug crimes and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, on the firearm crime. Lund was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-114.
Gunnar Rutledge Johnson, 20, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Johnson was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-114.
Appearing on Oct. 11 was:
Gregory Nicholas Letz Jr., 28, a transient, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Letz faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on bank fraud and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, on aggravated identity theft. Letz was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-90.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry and Violation of SupervisionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally re-entered the United States was sentenced on October 12, 2022, to 10 years’ imprisonment, in federal court in Sioux City.
Miguel Rodriguez-Chavez, 38, from Mexico, pled guilty on May 4, 2022, to illegal re-entry as an aggravated felon.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on April 21, 2021, Rodriguez-Chavez was arrested for domestic abuse assault in O’Brien County, Iowa, using an alias. Shortly thereafter, ICE was able to determine his true identity, that he was a citizen of Mexico, and was previously removed from the United States on at least five occasions. On May 8, 2021, defendant was arrested for operating while intoxicated. After serving a term of imprisonment for the domestic abuse assault and OWI convictions, he was turned over to federal custody.
Defendant has a history of serious and violent crimes including attempted robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic abuse assault, and committing offenses while in the prison system. Rodriguez-Chavez had been most recently removed in March 2020 and was under a three-year term of supervised release should he return to the United States. Due to the instant conviction and related criminal convictions, defendant was sentenced to two years imprisonment to be served consecutively with an eight-year sentence for the instant conviction.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rodriguez-Chavez was sentenced to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Rodriguez-Chavez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4043.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Honduran National Indicted for International Cocaine Trafficking Extradited from Honduras to the United StatesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging Norlan Jose Carrasco Lopez, aka Catracho, a Honduran national, with international cocaine trafficking. He is scheduled to appear in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Oct. 17.
According to court documents, between September 2018 and June 2021, Carrasco Lopez, 54, was allegedly a member of an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Venezuela to Belize aboard U.S. registered aircraft. Foreign law enforcement seized a shipment of more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine that had been transported on a U.S. registered aircraft allegedly coordinated by Carrasco Lopez and his co-conspirators.
A grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against Carrasco Lopez on June 28, 2021. In June 2022, Carrasco Lopez was arrested by Honduran authorities, pursuant to a provisional arrest requested by the United States, and he remained detained in Honduras pending his extradition. He was extradited from Honduras to the United States on Oct. 13.
Carrasco Lopez is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine on board an aircraft registered in the United States with intent to distribute and one count of distribution of a controlled substance on board an aircraft registered in the United States. If convicted of either count, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Orlando District Office is investigating with assistance from the DEA Honduras and Belize Country Offices, and Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Orlando District Office.
Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Robert Sainvil of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) are prosecuting the case. Former NDDS Trial Attorney Michael Christin, now with the Criminal Division’s Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section, assisted with the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Carrasco Lopez. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations and the Belize law enforcement also provided significant assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran National Charged with Illegally Using a Social Security Number Belonging to Another IndividualRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE CASTRON MURCIA, age 22, a citizen of Honduras, was indicted on October 13, 2022 for illegally using a social security number belonging to another individual, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
The maximum penalty for the offense is five years imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, and a mandatory special assessment fee of one hundred dollars.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.
Health care clinic and home health owners sentenced for fraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two individuals have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of conspiracy to commit and committing health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal jury convicted Francis Ekene, 71, Sugar Land, on all counts following a three-day trial.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake imposed a 120-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the prison term, Judge Lake noted that despite his health issues, it was important for him to serve his punishment.
Also convicted at trial was Alfred Olotin Alatan, 63, formerly of Houston and now residing in Fulshear. He was previously sentenced to 120 months in prison.
Alatan was the owner of Colony Home Health Services, while Ekene was the owner of Milten Medical Clinic, both businesses located in Houston.
At trial, the jury heard that Alatan paid recruiters to bring patient information to be billed for home health services regardless of whether they needed it or not. Beneficiaries testified in trial and admitted they did not need home health services at the time the health care service providers billed them.
Additional testimony revealed a doctor had signed off on plan of care forms at the Milton Clinic when patients were not actually under his care.
Previous employees Susana Bermudez and Rita Kpotie Smith also testified. Bermudez admitted she and Smith operated both clinics and that Alatan was the leader of the scheme. Both Alatan and Ekene would consult Bermudez and Smith who directed them and provided assistance in carrying out the scheme within both offices.
At trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury they were not involved in the daily operations and did not know the provided services were unnecessary and fraudulent.
Alatan and Ekene were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Bermudez and Smith, both 55, and of Houston, previously pleaded guilty to their roles as co-conspirators in the scheme. Bermudez is currently serving 30 months in federal prison, while Smith is serving is serving a 60-month sentence.
The Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tina Ansari and Grace Murphy prosecuted the case along with paralegal Judith Cardona.
Harrisburg Woman Sentenced for Straw Purchasing A FirearmRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Maricely Corona, age 34, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to two years’ probation for purchasing a firearm for her brother.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on January 5, 2022, Corona pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Corona purchased a 9mm Glock handgun at a gun show in Harrisburg on March 10, 2019. While purchasing the firearm, Corona lied on the Firearm Transaction Record form by stating that the gun was for herself, when in fact she was purchasing it for her brother, Joel Maldonado. Maldonado was prohibited from purchasing a firearm because he was previously convicted of a felony.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Guatemalan Citizen Charged with Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Luis Fernando Escalante, age 43, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on illegal reentry charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on May 5, 2021, Escalante was removed from the United States through Santa Teresa, New Mexico to Guatemala, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first receiving legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that Escalante was encountered on June 7, 2022, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Swatara Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Gresham Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Covid Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Gresham, Oregon man pleaded guilty today for stealing more than $77,000 in funds intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Justin Allen Cunningham, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to court documents, in the late summer or early winter of 2021, Cunningham learned from friends about the opportunity to procure Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting fraudulent loan applications on behalf of fake business entities. The PPP program, originally authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in March 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to American employers suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdowns.
To facilitate his scheme, Cunningham paid his friends for their help securing him a loan on behalf of a sole proprietorship he ran as a hobby: an online sneaker retailer called “JC shoe juice.” Cunningham obtained an employer identification number from the IRS and opened an online business bank account. He provided this information to a friend who created bogus tax returns for Cunningham’s company and submitted a PPP loan application on his behalf. The loan application falsely claimed that JC shoe juice had operated since 2015, had six employees, and generated more than $460,000 in gross income in 2019. As a result of these false representations, Cunningham was issued a loan worth more than $77,000.
On January 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Cunningham with one count of wire fraud.
Cunningham faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or twice his gross gains or his victims’ gross losses, and three years’ supervised release. He will be sentenced on January 23, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Karin J. Immergut.
As part of his plea agreement, Cunningham has agreed to pay more than $81,000 in restitution to SBA and ReadyCap Lending, LLC, the business lending company that issued Cunningham the PPP loan.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the SBA Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan W. Bounds is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Greenville Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Greenville man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for possessing child sexual abuse materials, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Eugene Murray, 28, to 12 months and one day in prison and five years of supervised release. Murray pleaded guilty on November 1, 2021.
According to court records, beginning in January 2019, Murray began communicating with an undercover FBI agent on Kik Messenger in a chat group that appeared to have an interest in children and child pornography. After Murray posted a link to child sexual abuse materials, a search warrant was executed at his residence during which he admitted to viewing child pornography. A forensic examination of his phone revealed links to images.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: "Child pornography" captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization each time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org/ or 1-800-843-5678. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action. If you have an emergency that requires an immediate law enforcement response, call 911 or contact your local police or sheriff’s department.
Project Safe Childhood: 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 the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Joshua Christopher Astorga, 29, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 8, 2022, Astorga was arrested in Madera County in possession of 2,500 counterfeit M-30 pills laced with fentanyl.
During a months’ long investigation, agents learned Astorga was involved in dealing M-30 pills laced with fentanyl. In Sept. 2021, Astorga conspired with another individual to distribute 100 M-30 pills. On Feb. 8, 2022, Astorga negotiated the sale of 500 M-30 pills. A subsequent traffic stop conducted by the California Highway Patrol recovered 2,500 M-30 pills from his car.
The case was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
Astorga is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023. He faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine up to $5 million. 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.
Four New Orleans Men Sentenced to Multiple Life Sentences for Murdering a Federal WitnessRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LOUIS AGE JR., and AGE JR.’s son, LOUIS AGE III, a/k/a “Big Lou”, RONALD WILSON a/k/a “Tank”, and STANTON GUILLORY a/k/a “Nan-Nan”, all from New Orleans, were all sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to multiple terms of life imprisonment for their roles in the murder of a federal witness in a health care fraud case out of the Middle District of Louisiana.
In April 2022, LOUIS AGE JR., and AGE JR’s son, LOUIS AGE III, a/k/a “Big Lou”, RONALD WILSON a/k/a “Tank”, and STANTON GUILLORY a/k/a “Nan-Nan” were tried before a federal jury in New Orleans. The trial lasted two weeks and included numerous witnesses. The jury found all the defendants guilty of numerous crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, obstruction by murder, retaliation, and other related offenses.
The evidence at trial established that AGE JR. pursued a plan, implemented by AGE III and WILSON, and carried out by GUILLORY, to murder a cooperating defendant in a massive health care fraud case being prosecuted out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baton Rouge. AGE JR. was ultimately convicted of the health care fraud and now stands convicted and sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder for hire plot.
Judge Ashe sentenced each of the defendants to life imprisonment without parole, which was the required sentenced under several of the statutes the defendants were convicted of violating. AGE JR. and AGE III received terms of 120 and 240 months on additional related counts.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera, David Haller, Brandon Long and Ted Carter.
Former President of AT&T Illinois Charged with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Influence Former Illinois Speaker of the HouseRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former president of Illinois Bell Telephone Company, which does business as AT&T Illinois, has been charged in federal court with participating in a conspiracy to unlawfully influence the former Illinois Speaker of the House of Representatives involving the company’s efforts to advance legislation in the Illinois General Assembly.
PAUL LA SCHIAZZA conspired in 2017 with former Speaker Michael J. Madigan, Madigan’s close friend, Michael McClain, and others, to corruptly arrange for $22,500 to be paid to a Madigan ally, according to a five-count indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. AT&T Illinois caused the payments to be made through an intermediary – a lobbying firm that performed services for AT&T Illinois – to conceal the true nature of the payments, which was to influence and reward Madigan’s efforts as Speaker to assist the company with respect to certain legislation, the indictment alleges. Although the members of the conspiracy formulated a pretextual assignment for Madigan’s ally to disguise why the ally was being paid, the ally performed no actual work for AT&T Illinois and had no role in advancing the legislation, the indictment states.
La Schiazza, 65, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of corruptly giving something of value to reward a public official, and three counts of using a facility in interstate commerce to promote unlawful activity. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ashley T. Johnson, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Timothy J. Chapman, Sarah E. Streicker, Michelle Kramer, and Julia Schwartz.
Madigan, 80, of Chicago, and McClain, 75, of Quincy, Ill., were charged in a separate, superseding indictment unsealed today with participating in the AT&T Illinois conspiracy and committing other bribery and misconduct offenses. Also today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a one-count criminal information charging AT&T Illinois with using an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity.
The public is reminded that charges are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Former Destin Area Man Sentenced to Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Investment Fraud Scheme and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – John E. Acker, 53, formerly of Santa Rosa Beach, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to 37 counts of wire fraud and 7 counts of money laundering. The sentence was announced today by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This sentence should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would defraud our citizens of their hard-earned savings to unlawfully enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Our local and federal law enforcement partners are to be commended for their teamwork and dedication during the course of this investigation and prosecution. Through their collective efforts, the culprit has been held accountable and justice has been obtained for his victims.”
Between 2013 and 2020, Acker induced numerous individuals and corporations to invest over $4 million with him by making various fraudulent misrepresentations, including that the investment was for a real estate or other business-related “deal” with high guaranteed returns. He told would-be investors the “deal” was for a purchase and sale, or “flip,” of a property or business. However, Acker instead used funds meant for investments to pay for his personal expenses or pay back prior investors whose funds he had previously misused. Acker made other false statements to gain investors’ trust and influence them to invest, such as mischaracterizing or falsifying his relationship with attorneys, business owners, or other prominent members of the community and claiming he had independent wealth from a trust fund. He used multiple shell corporations to commit the fraud, including Miracle Strip Holdings X LLC, Miracle Strip Holdings XV LLC, Fujimo Development LLC, and Shipwreck Road LLC. Acker further laundered the ill-gotten proceeds of his investment fraud scheme by making large payments and monetary transfers in excess of $10,000.
“John Acker repeatedly defrauded people who trusted him over a period of many years,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “I want to applaud the combined tireless, methodical investigative efforts of the FBI and our OCSO Investigator Michael Kruger, along with the dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Their painstaking work to unravel and expose a very complicated Ponzi scheme has now helped achieve some justice for the victims who lost their lifesavings.”
"John Acker took advantage of investors by knowingly and wittingly creating a deceptive investment scheme for his own personal gain," said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "The FBI is committed to aggressively pursuing scam artists like him, who mislead and defraud innocent citizens, and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek consequences that deter others from engaging in these types of schemes."
In addition to his prison sentence, Acker was ordered to pay approximately $3.2 million in restitution to the victims of his fraud scheme, many who are from the Okaloosa County area.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Forbes prosecuted this case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former City of Atlanta official convicted for accepting bribesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal jury has convicted former City of Atlanta Commissioner of Watershed Management Jo Ann Macrina for accepting bribes from an Atlanta contractor in exchange for steering city business worth millions of dollars to the contractor’s company.
“Jo Ann Macrina betrayed the citizens of Atlanta by accepting cash, luxury items, and the promise of a future job in return for steering lucrative City of Atlanta contracts to a local businessman,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Public officials who enrich themselves at the expense of the citizens they are pledged to serve exact a heavy toll on taxpayers, the economy, and the public trust. We remain committed to prosecuting officials who violate their oath to the public.”
“Circumventing the process to hire contractors for the city by accepting bribes to profit personally is the highest form of public corruption,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As this verdict shows, the people of the City of Atlanta and the FBI will not tolerate anyone who takes advantage of city funds and abuses their position of trust.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Jo Ann Macrina served as the Commissioner of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management from 2011 through May 2016. During Macrina’s tenure, the City of Atlanta awarded contracts worth millions of dollars to PRAD Group Inc. (PRAD Group), an architectural, design, and construction management and services firm based in Atlanta. To ensure that PRAD Group received city business worth millions of dollars, Macrina replaced two evaluators who previously represented the Department of Watershed Management with herself and another individual and engaged in other efforts to alter scores that had previously been assigned to potential contractors.
Macrina also discussed potential employment with and accepted things of value from Lohrasb “Jeff” Jafari, who was the executive vice president of PRAD Group. In exchange, Macrina provided Jafari with access to confidential information and preferential treatment with respect to City of Atlanta projects.
Macrina accepted $10,000 in cash, jewelry, a room at a luxury hotel in Dubai, and landscaping work at her home from Jafari either directly or through another employee of PRAD Group. Shortly after Macrina’s employment with the City of Atlanta ended she began working for Jafari and PRAD Group. Between June 2016 and September 2016, Jafari and/or PRAD Group paid Macrina $30,000 in four separate payments.
Jo Ann Macrina, 65, of Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, was convicted of conspiracy and federal program bribery. She is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan P. Kitchens and Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former City of Atlanta Official Convicted for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted the former City of Atlanta Commissioner of Watershed Management today for accepting bribes from an Atlanta contractor in exchange for steering city business worth millions of dollars to the contractor’s company.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jo Ann Macrina, 65, of Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, served as the Commissioner of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management from 2011 through May 2016. During Macrina’s tenure, the City of Atlanta awarded contracts worth millions of dollars to PRAD Group Inc., an architectural, design, and construction management and services firm based in Atlanta. In order to ensure that PRAD Group received city business worth millions of dollars, Macrina replaced two evaluators who previously represented the Department of Watershed Management with herself and another individual, and engaged in other efforts to alter scores that had previously been assigned to potential contractors.
The evidence presented at trial established that Macrina also discussed potential employment with and accepted things of value from Lohrasb “Jeff” Jafari, who was the executive vice president of PRAD Group, in exchange for providing Jafari with access to confidential information and preferential treatment with respect to City of Atlanta projects. Macrina accepted $10,000 in cash, jewelry, a room at a luxury hotel in Dubai, and landscaping work at her home from Jafari either directly or through another employee of PRAD Group. Shortly after Macrina’s employment with the City of Atlanta ended, she began working for Jafari and PRAD Group. Between June 2016 and September 2016, Jafari and/or PRAD Group paid Macrina $30,000 in four separate payments.
Macrina was convicted of conspiracy and federal program bribery. Her sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. She faces up to 15 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 Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia; Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the FBI Atlanta Field Office; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette of the IRS Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Jolee Porter of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan P. Kitchens for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to $86 Million Magazine Fraud Scheme Targeting EldersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Florida woman has pleaded guilty to her role in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to her guilty plea and documents filed with the court, from 2001 through 2020, Rhonda Jean Moulder, 62, of Cape Coral, Florida, knowingly conspired with others to devise a telemarketing scheme that victimized numerous individuals across the United States, many of whom are elderly and vulnerable. Rhonda Moulder worked as a manager for Florida-based companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales, including Gulf Coast Readers Inc., ARCO Media Inc., KMK Magazines Inc., and Leisure Time Resources Inc., collectively the “companies.” Her role as a manager was to manage telemarketing call centers and oversee the fraud on a day-to-day basis as well as respond to BBB complaints from victims.
According to her guilty plea and documents filed with the court, Rhonda Moulder operated under the direction of her co-defendant and brother, Anthony Eugene Moulder, 61, of Fort Myers, Florida, who had ultimate control over the companies. The companies operated multiple telemarketing call centers in Cape Coral, Florida. At the direction of Anthony Moulder, Rhonda Moulder, and other co-conspirators, call center employees made calls to elderly and vulnerable victim-consumers using deceptive sales scripts designed to induce them—through a series of lies and misrepresentations—into making large or repeat payments to the companies. In total, Rhonda Moulder and the companies she managed defrauded thousands of victims out of more than $86 million.
Moulder pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Matthew S. Ebert are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl-Related Overdose Death Leads to Guilty Plea in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Ruckersville, Virginia man, who dealt heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl even after being incarcerated for his crimes, pled guilty today to dealing a fatal dose of fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm.
Michael Watkins Hayer, 41, waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty today to a two-count Information charging him with distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Fentanyl is everywhere. Simply put, it is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered. In Virginia, the number of people dying from drug overdoses is at a record high. If we want to prevent fentanyl-related overdose deaths, we must take every opportunity to educate our communities about how dangerous it is. Now more than ever, it is critical to hold accountable those who deal fatal doses thereby contributing to fentanyl’s staggering body count,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful for the resolve of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, who sought to bring justice to those affected by this tragedy.”
“With this guilty plea, Mr. Hayer has finally accepted responsibility for his actions,” said FBI Richmond Acting Special Agent in Charge David C. Lewis. “Fentanyl has the potential to kill just by contact and it is far too dangerous to be sold on the street. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and help prosecute those who distribute this dangerous substance.”
“We are always glad when a case involving an overdose is brought to justice and those responsible are held accountable,” Greene County Sheriff Steven S. Smith said today. “The Sherriff’s Office will continue to partner with other law enforcement agencies and use every available tool to keep the citizens of Greene County safe.”
According to court documents, Hayer began selling fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout both Greene and Albemarle Counties in 2019, as well as routinely traveling to North Carolina to purchase drugs by the “brick” for resale in Virginia. Hayer used the term “brick” to refer to a package of 50 individual doses of fentanyl.
After a customer overdosed in front of him, Hayer began carrying Narcan, an opioid overdose treatment, with him when he sold drugs.
On February 18, 2022, Hayer sold a half-brick of fentanyl to an individual who ingested the drug and later died of an overdose. Although he left Greene County to avoid suspicion after this death occurred, Hayer was stopped by the Virginia State Police while speeding in Greene County in April 2022. During the traffic stop, Virginia State Police searched Hayer’s vehicle where they discovered 95 grams of methamphetamine, 50 grams of fentanyl, three firearms, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Hayer is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction.
While incarcerated at the Central Virginia Regional Jail from April 2022 through June 2022, Hayer continued to sell drugs by recruiting both a female relative as well as an ex-girlfriend and instructing them in how to engage in drug trafficking.
Specifically, Hayer told them where to go in North Carolina to meet his drug suppliers and where and who to sell drugs to in Greene County.
In addition, Hayer warned both women of the dangerous nature of fentanyl by telling them to not touch the drug without wearing gloves and to never use fentanyl themselves.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith and Sean Welsh are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl Dealer’s Product Kills a Man — Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A South Florida fentanyl dealer whose product killed a man was sentenced this week to 20 years in federal prison for the distribution of a controlled substance.
On April 15, 2021, Donte McCray met with another man at a 7-11 convenience store in Lake Worth, Fla., with the intent of selling the man $100 worth of fentanyl. After the transaction, which was caught on the store’s surveillance camera, the victim returned to his residence at a local recovery and sober living facility. He injected himself with fentanyl later that evening.
The next day, officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from the aforementioned recovery and sober living facility in Lake Worth. Responding officers found the victim unresponsive, slumped over the edge of his bed with needle marks in his feet. A hypodermic syringe was found on a bedside table. The syringe was tested by the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office which confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.
McCray was discovered when Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office agents accessed the victim’s phone and recovered text messages and CashApp transactions between the victim and McCray. The text messages specifically discussed McCray selling fentanyl to the victim. Additionally, a review of the security camera at the convenience store showed McCray conducting a drug transaction with the victim.
On July 28, 2021, agents from the West Palm Beach Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted an undercover operation at a gas station in Lantana, Fla., to buy 58 grams worth of fentanyl for $4,200. The transaction was both audio and video recorded.
On August 3, 2021, the purchased substance from McCray was tested by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory and was determined to be fentanyl. Soon after, McCray was taken in custody.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
The DEA, Miami Field Division, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ralston prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-80185.
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Federal Jury Convicts Sequoyah County Resident of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Troy Allen Stevenson, age 22, of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country for the July 17, 2021, shooting of his father.
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, October 13, 2022, with the guilty verdict.
The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Stevenson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross and Assistant United States Attorney Derick Blakely represented the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Carjacking, Drug, and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on October 13, 2022, TEVIS STANTON, age 21, a resident of Orleans Parish, was charged in a four-count indictment for carjacking, drug, and weapons violations. Count 1 of the indictment charges STANTON with a carjacking that occurred on March 22, 2022. Count 2 charges STANTON with using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Count 3 of the indictment charges STANTON with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. Finally, Count 4 of the indictment charges STANTON with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In Count 1 of the indictment, STANTON is charged with committing a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). If convicted, STANTON faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. In Count 2, STANTON is charged with using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). If convicted, STANTON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, to be run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. In Count 3 of the indictment, STANTON is charged with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, STANTON faces a sentence of a maximum 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, a period of at least 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Finally in Count 4, STANTON is charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). If convicted, STANTON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years to life imprisonment, to be run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 5 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Effort Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Matthew Luce, a/k/a “Luck,” age 36, of Effort, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to distributing fentanyl resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Luce admitted that on February 6, 2021, he distributed ten bags of fentanyl, a Schedule II Controlled Substance, in Effort, Pennsylvania, to a New Jersey man who later used the drugs and was found dead in his home the next morning. The victim’s cause of death was determined to be a fentanyl overdose caused by the drugs distributed by Luce.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), the Clinton Police Department (NJ), the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Sentencing is not currently scheduled. Luce faces a mandatory sentence of 20 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
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Eastern District of California Environmental Justice Initiative and Law Enforcement Reporting Contact InformationRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced an Environmental Justice Initiative in coordination with federal, state, and local partners. Community members should report potential violations of environmental law impacting human health and quality of life to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners. Notifying law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office about environmental justice concerns will assist us in protecting the community and environment.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will vigorously investigate and prosecute persons and businesses who violate environmental laws and endanger the health of Californians,” announced U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The first step to holding offenders accountable is learning the facts. The public can play a valuable role by speaking up about potential violations of law in the community. Please reach out if you have information to report about chemical or pollutant releases, the use of unlawful pesticides, dumping of waste, lead paint or asbestos issues, or other environmental violations that impact the quality of life and safety of the residents of our District.”
The United States Attorney’s Office investigates violations of environmental law in close partnership with our state and federal law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
Community members wishing to report potential violations should contact the U.S. EPA through the following portal: https://www.epa.gov/report-violation. Those with information to report or who are interested in learning more about our environmental justice practice may also reach out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office directly by emailing [email protected].
Drug trafficker sentenced to 23 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Richard Orlinski “Sugar” Sanchez, 44, of Dexter, New Mexico, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Oct. 12.
On Aug. 26, 2021, Sanchez pleaded guilty to: one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine; one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine; four counts of distribution of 50 grams and more of methamphetamine; 25 counts of use of a communication facility to further the commission of a drug trafficking crime; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; one count of distribution of 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; one count of distribution of 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; one count of distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; two counts of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; one count of causing a financial institution to fail to file a report; one count of money laundering conspiracy; one count of money laundering, aiding and abetting; one count of distribution of 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of such crime.
In his plea agreement, Sanchez admitted that between February and August of 2020, he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Roswell, New Mexico, and launder the proceeds from their drug trafficking activity. Sanchez admitted to receiving shipments of methamphetamine, arranging sales of methamphetamine, delivering methamphetamine, and selling methamphetamine. Sanchez sometimes used telephones to arrange sales or delivery of methamphetamine, in violation of federal law.
Sanchez acknowledged that he had committed money laundering by using drug trafficking proceeds as a down payment to purchase a Yukon Denali, but had the paperwork for the purchase in his mother’s name to avoid scrutiny as he had no legitimate source of income. Sanchez also asked an employee at the dealership to falsify the paperwork for the purchase so that the dealership would not have to file a legally required report showing that Sanchez had provided over $10,000 to the dealership.
On Aug. l0, 2020, Sanchez fled from law enforcement after hiding a dogfood bag filled with 11.818 net kilograms of pure methamphetamine. As he fled, Sanchez threw another 86.9 grams of pure methamphetamine, a gun and a loaded magazine out of his vehicle, while still in possession of another loaded gun and $9,188 in cash. At that time, Sanchez was a previously convicted felon and could not legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Sanchez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Codefendant Ignacio “Nacho” Chavez was sentenced on Aug. 30 to 14 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Juan “Moe” Florez was sentenced on May 26 to 13 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Antonio Acosta was sentenced on Aug. 31 to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Randy Reid was sentenced on July 19 to five years and 10 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Naomi Najar was sentenced on Aug. 19, 2021, to seven years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. John Michael “Mike” Esquibel was sentenced on Aug. 31 to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Richard Ortega was sentenced on Aug. 31 to three years in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Gordon Moss was sentenced on April 27 to three years and 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Ruben Morones was sentenced on May 26 to 10 years and one month in prison followed by five years of supervised release. John Lopez was sentenced on Nov. 21, 2021, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Melissa Medina was sentenced on June 16 to two years of probation. Krystyna Sanchez was sentenced on Aug. 31 to two years of probation.
Juan Silvas pleaded guilty on Aug. 10, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and remains in custody pending sentencing.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The investigation included agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Roswell Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Chaves County Sherriff’s Office. The HIDTA Pecos Valley Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department and Artesia Police Department. Both are part of the New Mexico HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
The Las Cruces branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting this case.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Killing of Man Near Mount Vernon Square Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – William Whitaker 21, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder for his role in the slaying of a man in January 2020 near a Metro station in downtown Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Whitaker pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2023, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr.
According to the government’s evidence, Whitaker used a woman’s Instagram account to message the victim, Malick Cisse, to organize a meeting near the Mount Vernon Square Metro station. Mr. Cisse, 19, arrived at the Metro station, in the 1300 block of Seventh Street NW, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2020, thinking he was going to meet the woman. Whitaker and other unknown individuals pulled up in a white vehicle and shot and killed Mr. Cisse. Whitaker was a part of the Simple City “Avenue Crew” and the shooting is believed to be related to crew rivalry. He was arrested on May 7, 2020. He has been detained ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth, Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Julia Cosans, Gregory Kimak, and Sarah Santiago, and Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Office’s Homicide Section.
Denver Man Found Guilty of Drug and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces a federal jury convicted Scott Lowe, 38, of Denver, of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to facts presented at trial, in February of 2020, Lowe was discovered in possession of 24.7 grams of methamphetamine, along with a loaded semiautomatic pistol, scales, and other items used to traffic narcotics, in a storage unit within his apartment complex. At the time, Lowe was under the supervision of the United States District Court of Colorado Probation Office for a separate violation of law, and was hiding the contraband in storage unit to avoid detection from probation officers.
Judge William J. Martinez presided over the three day trial. The jury returned its verdict on October 13, 2022. Lowe will be sentenced on May 3, 2023.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case, along with the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Minser and Conor Flanigan.
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.
Case Number: 20-cr-326
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For more information about the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr
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Defendants Convicted and Sentenced in Long-Term Methamphetamine Drug Trafficking Investigation in Franklin and Gulf CountiesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – With the sentencing of the last of 16 defendants, federal prosecutors concluded prosecution of a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organization operating primarily within Franklin and Gulf Counties. The convictions and sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Cooperative and concerted efforts enable our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those distributing addictive and deadly controlled substances in both our urban and rural communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “We remain vigilant to support their investigative efforts and will aggressively prosecute those engaged in drug trafficking throughout North Florida.”
In November 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office began a joint investigation into methamphetamine-trafficking in the Franklin County area. The investigation uncovered an organization that was obtaining up to 20–25 kilograms of methamphetamine per week from Atlanta, Georgia, and reselling it in North Florida, along with a web of methamphetamine dealers buying and selling methamphetamine in Franklin and Gulf Counties. A total of 16 defendants were charged in a series of separate drug-trafficking indictments.
“We are extremely grateful for the local/Federal partnership that enables repeat meth traffickers to receive sentences which keeps them out of our communities longer, thus making them safer,” said Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith.
“Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and destructive synthetic drug, which poses a grave danger to Florida communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners, using every resource at our disposal, to ensure the individuals bringing this poison into our communities are held accountable for their actions.”
The Defendants and their sentences were:
- Gerry Carter, 36, of Atlanta, Georgia, 30 years in prison
- Ruben Fuller, 45, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, 30 years in prison
- Brandon Williams, 39, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, 15 years in prison
- Fabian Frazier, 27, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, 15 years in prison
- Roderick Robinson, 55, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, 14 years in prison
- Arthur Desean North, 29, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, 10 years in prison
- Allen O’Neal, 38, of Apalachicola, Florida, 10 years in prison
- Omarsharek “Reek” Harris, 39, of Apalachicola, Florida, 8 years in prison
- John Lynn, 43, of Kinard, Florida, 8 years in prison
- Robert Hill, 31, of Apalachicola, 6.5 years in prison
- Carlos “Famee” Morris, 50, of Apalachicola, Florida, 6 years in prison
- Shelton Hutchins, 36, of Eastpoint, Florida, 5 years in prison
- Larry Warren, 49, of Eastpoint, Florida, 36 months in prison
- Rachael Caudle, 23, of Eastpoint, Florida, 24 months in prison
- Ronald “Bubba” Sanders, 35, of Eastpoint, Florida, 325 days in custody followed by 12 months of home detention
- William Martina, 43, of Apalachicola, Florida, 3 months in custody
“Once again, these cases show the value of cooperation by all the agencies involve,” said Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. “I appreciate U.S. Attorney Coody and his team for their hard work in putting these drug dealers behind bars for a long time.”
All will be on a term of supervised release when they are released from custody.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the cases.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Defendant Who Failed to Appear in Court Before 2009 Drug Trial Arrested in Panama and Returned to United StatesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who failed to appear in federal court in Chicago before his 2009 drug trial has been arrested in Panama and returned to the United States.
COSME CHACON, 53, was arrested Tuesday after arriving in Panama City on a flight from Colombia. Chacon was removed to Chicago and appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz in the Northern District of Illinois. Chacon is currently detained in federal custody.
The arrest and return were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; R. Sean Fitzgerald, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. IRS Criminal Investigation Panama City, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided support in securing the defendant’s return to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian F. Williamson represents the government.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, and other alleged criminal offenders that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against alleged criminal networks.
Chacon was among four defendants indicted in Chicago in 2007. The indictment accused the defendants of participating in a drug trafficking organization that transported heroin to Chicago from New York, Florida, and Texas. After the drugs were sold in the Chicago area, Chacon allegedly laundered the illicit proceeds through wire transfers to Colombia and other overseas locations. He was charged with drug conspiracy and money laundering.
Chacon was free on bond when he failed to appear for status hearings in the weeks leading up to a scheduled trial date of Sept. 21, 2009. A warrant was then issued for his arrest.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Chacon is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The drug conspiracy charge against Chacon is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life, while the money laundering charge is punishable by up to 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chacon’s three co-defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison terms of 16 years, 12 years, and one year.
Chinle Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dion James Anagal, 44, of Chinle, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Anagal previously pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On December 6, 2020, Anagal murdered the victim by setting her home on fire while she was inside. The victim died in the fire. The crime occurred on the Navajo Nation, where Anagal is an enrolled member.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Samuels and Jillian Besancon, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-8017-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-178_Anagal
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Catoosa Resident Indicted on 42 Counts of Preparation of False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Pamela Kathryn Conley, age 60, of Catoosa, Oklahoma, was indicted by the federal grand jury on 42 counts of Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False Income Tax Returns.
The Federal Indictment alleges that Conley prepared 42 federal income tax returns for 16 individuals that contained false and fraudulent deductions for medical expenses, charitable contributions, casualty theft losses, real property and property taxes, mortgage-interest payments, and job-related expenses.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
The named individual has been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an Indictment by the Grand Jury. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court in determining appropriate punishment. Federal prison sentences are non-paroleable.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pahl, who is on detail to the Eastern District of Oklahoma from the Department of Justice’s Tax Division, represents the United States.
Boston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been sentenced for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Dorian Rojas, 38, was sentenced on Oct. 5, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On March 1, 2022, Rojas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 500 grams of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of heroin.
Rojas was a former FedEx employee that delivered to addresses in Cambridge and Watertown. In June 2019, law enforcement recovered a FedEx package that had been delivered to a biology lab on the campus of Harvard University. The package was found to contain one kilogram of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine. A subsequent investigation revealed that Rojas asked co-conspirator and FedEx delivery driver Lennon Carrasco to retrieve the package and deliver it to Rojas. In August 2019, Rojas asked Carrasco to retrieve and divert another package, which Carrasco was observed delivering to Rojas. Shortly after, investigators arrested Rojas and seized the package, which was found to contain almost one kilogram of heroin.
On April 13, 2022, Carrasco pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 500 grams of cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 10, 2022.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Harvard University Police Chief Vic Clay; Christine Elow, Commissioner of the Cambridge Police Department; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore B. Heinrich of Rollins’ 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.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Unemployment Fraud Related to COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with using others’ identities to fraudulently obtain over $65,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits.
Wilson Radhames Peguero Brea, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2023. Peguero was arrested and charged in December 2021.
According to the charging documents, Peguero used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain PUA benefits. Peguero also applied for and received additional PUA benefits using another victim’s identity as well as his own.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $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 Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Boston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
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.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Calvin Henry Sampson III, age 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to 13 years in federal prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Sampson admitted that he also produced images and videos documenting his sexual abuse of two minor female victims.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
According to his plea agreement, on March 3, 2020, an individual saw images depicting the sexual abuse of the two minor victims on Sampson’s phone. During the subsequent investigation, the victims were interviewed and confirmed that Sampson had taken sexually explicit photos of them engaged in sexual conduct. They also stated that Sampson told them that they would be in trouble if they told anyone. A search warrant was obtained for email accounts associated with Sampson and for his cellular phone. A review of one of the accounts revealed at least four videos and 21 images produced by Sampson that documented his sexual abuse of the victims. Sampson’s cell phone was forensically examined on March 26, 2020. After the phone was charged and turned on, it appeared that the cell phone had been factory reset and did not contain any specific user data. Sampson was arrested on April 11, 2020 by a Baltimore City Police officer in connection with a separate child abuse case and has been held without bond since that time.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’ Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Bakersfield Pain Management Doctor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Janardhan Grandhe, 65, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Grandhe was a pain management doctor in Bakersfield, California doing business as Central Valley Pain Management (CVPM). In 2017, 2018 and 2019, Grandhe willfully filed false tax returns for CVPM with overstated expenses and false individual tax returns for himself that omitted gross receipts he received. In total, Grandhe evaded personal tax liability exceeding $300,000.
Between 2017-2019, Grandhe provided checks to employees claiming to be reimbursements for employee expenses that were then included as deductions on the CVPM tax returns. Grandhe claimed the reimbursements were for out-of-pocket costs incurred by employees for continuing medical education, meals, mileage, and travel expenses. In many cases, those expenses were never incurred by the employees. Grandhe instead instructed those employees to cash the checks and provide cash back to Grandhe, which he deposited into accounts controlled by him or his family members. Grandhe then provided false documentation to his tax preparer to support the false deductions.
Between 2017-2019, Grandhe diverted business receipts to his personal bank accounts and did not provide his tax preparer with these personal bank account records so these amounts were not included as business gross receipts on the CVPM tax returns. These unreported business receipts included checks from customers for stem cell injections. Additionally, Grandhe diverted credit card receipts received by his business for medical services rendered into his personal bank account. The unreported income on the CVPM tax returns resulted in decreased net income on the Grandhe’s personal tax returns.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
Grande is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 3, 2023. Grandhe faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $100,000 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.
Aurora Man Indicted for Making False Statements to Licensed Firearms DealersRead the Press Release
DENVER- The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Jordan James Martinez, 24, of Aurora, was indicted by a federal grand jury for making false statements to purchase firearms for other individuals from licensed dealers.
According to the indictment, from June 2019 through April 2022, the defendant knowingly made false and fictitious oral and written statements to several licensed firearms dealers, representing he was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms, when in fact, as the defendant then knew, he was not the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms.
Martinez made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews on October 14, 2022.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Aurora Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Churnet.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case Number: 22-cr-306
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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For more information about the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr
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Armed felon sentenced to maximum prison term for illegally carrying a firearmRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man with a hefty criminal record has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally carrying a gun.
Thomas Kevin Robinson, 52, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Lisa Godbey Wood, who levied the statutory maximum penalty against Robinson, also ordered him to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Thomas Kevin Robinson is a textbook example of a recidivist felon whose selfish actions fuel violent crime in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our neighborhoods are safer with Robinson and criminals like him disarmed and behind bars.”
Savannah Police arrested Robinson in April 2021 following a report of a shoplifting at the Family Dollar Store on Wheaton Street. An employee who confronted Robinson said Robinson pointed a pistol at him and drove away. When police later located and tried to stop his vehicle, Robinson led them on a chase that ended when drove at high speed through a construction zone and crashed into another vehicle. Robinson then ran away and later was found in the backyard of a residence with a pistol on the ground nearby.
Robinson has multiple prior arrests and more than 20 criminal convictions, primarily for drug and shoplifting offenses.
“Robinson, with a lengthy criminal history, once again put innocent civilians at risk during the commission of this robbery. He has repeatedly proven that he has no regard for the law,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
AT&T Illinois to Pay $23 Million to Resolve Federal Investigation into Efforts to Unlawfully Influence Former Illinois Speaker of the HouseRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Illinois Bell Telephone Company, LLC, which does business as AT&T Illinois, today agreed to pay $23 million to resolve a federal criminal investigation into alleged misconduct involving the company’s efforts to unlawfully influence former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan.
The investigation of AT&T Illinois is being resolved with a deferred prosecution agreement under which the company admitted it arranged for payments to be made to an ally of Madigan to influence and reward Madigan’s efforts to assist AT&T Illinois with respect to legislation sought by the company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office today filed a one-count criminal information in U.S. District Court in Chicago charging AT&T Illinois with using an interstate facility to promote legislative misconduct. Under the agreement, the government will defer prosecution on the charge for two years and then seek to dismiss it if AT&T Illinois abides by certain conditions, including continuing to cooperate with any investigation related to the misconduct alleged in the information.
The deferred prosecution agreement requires AT&T Illinois to pay $23 million to the federal Crime Victims Fund. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The charge and the deferred prosecution agreement were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ashley T. Johnson, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Timothy J. Chapman, Sarah E. Streicker, Michelle Kramer, and Julia Schwartz.
AT&T Illinois’s admissions regarding the charged conduct are contained in a Statement of Facts attached to the deferred prosecution agreement. AT&T Illinois admitted that in 2017 it arranged for an ally of Madigan to indirectly receive $22,500 in payments from the company. The company paid the money through an intermediary – a lobbying firm that performed services for AT&T Illinois. Although AT&T Illinois employees formulated a pretextual assignment for Madigan’s ally to disguise why the ally was being paid, the ally performed no actual work for AT&T Illinois and the company made no effort to ensure any work was performed. AT&T Illinois acknowledged in the agreement that AT&T Illinois’s then-president used an interstate facility to facilitate Madigan’s indirect receipt of a thing of value, namely the payments made to his ally, in exchange for Madigan’s vote and influence over a bill.
In addition to the monetary penalty and its continued cooperation with the government, AT&T Illinois’s obligations under the agreement include implementing a new compliance and ethics program and providing annual reports to the government regarding remediation and implementation of the program. If AT&T Illinois fails to completely fulfill each of its obligations under the agreement during the two-year term, the U.S. Attorney’s Office can initiate prosecution of the charged offense.
13 October 2022
Wausau Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lucas Ellwart, 28, Wausau, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 72 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Ellwart pleaded guilty to this charge on July 20, 2022.
While investigating Victor Pennington, law enforcement discovered Ellwart’s involvement in distributing methamphetamine. Through the course of the investigation, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase over 50 grams of methamphetamine from Ellwart on two occasions. He was arrested in September 2021 after a high-speed pursuit with law enforcement, during which the defendant threw over 800 grams of methamphetamine out of the window of a vehicle driven by Pennington. Pennington pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on September 27, 2022. Pennington will be sentenced by Judge Conley on January 4, 2023.
Ellwart is currently serving a term of imprisonment for Wisconsin convictions involving possession and delivery of methamphetamine. The sentence in the federal case will be served concurrently with the remainder of the defendant’s state sentence.
In sentencing Ellwart, Judge Conley credited the defendant for assisting law enforcement in locating the methamphetamine he discarded during the high-speed pursuit that led to his arrest. Judge Conley stated that a sentence above the mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years was warranted, however, because of the defendant’s relationship to Pennington and his own history of repeated drug crimes.
The charge against Ellwart was a result of an investigation conducted by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Marathon County Sheriff’s Office; Wausau Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin State Patrol; Everest Metro Police Department; and Wisconsin’s National Guard Counterdrug Program. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus.
Waterloo Gang Member Found with Loaded, Stolen Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was found with a loaded stolen firearm during a traffic stop was sentenced October 12, 2022, to more than three years in federal prison.
Sir Frank Nelson III, age 27, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2022 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In a plea agreement, Nelson admitted that on June 28, 2020, he was in possession of marijuana and a stolen Smith and Wesson M&P .40 caliber firearm with five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. At sentencing, the court found that Nelson was a member of the A1/Front Street criminal street gang in Waterloo. The court also stated that Nelson had no business touching a firearm as he was prohibited.
Nelson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Nelson was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Nelson 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 Liz Dupuich and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department’s Violent Crime Apprehension Team (VCAT), Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-cr-2024.
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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to His Role in Government Contract FraudRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – David Joseph Bolduc, Jr., 61, of Herndon, Virginia, pleaded guilty on October 12 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a government contract fraud scheme. Bolduc and QuantaDyn bribed a government official to obtain confidential government information and secure government contracts. Consequently, the government overpaid for flight simulators and training services at the expense of the American taxpayer.
Court documents reflect that QuantaDyn Corporation, a software engineering company based in Virginia, and Bolduc paid Keith Alan Seguin, 56, a former civilian employee at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, more than $2.3 million in bribes from 2007 to 2018 to obtain government contracts and government pricing information. As part of the fraudulent scheme, Bolduc, one of the owners of QuantaDyn, conspired with QuantaDyn; Karen Paulsen, 56, of Beavercreek, Ohio; John G. Hancock, 60, of Fairborn, Ohio; and Seguin, 56, of San Antonio, to defraud the United States by overcharging to offset the bribe payments and inflate profits for the benefit of Bolduc, QuantaDyn, and the prime contractor that employed Hancock and Paulsen. From 2007 to 2018, the conspirators fixed the contract award and pricing on Air Force and General Services Administration (GSA) contracts, which caused the United States to overpay for flight simulator technology and simulator services.
Bolduc is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2023 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On September 15, 2020, QuantaDyn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to probation for five years, ordered to pay a $6.3 million fine and pay more than $37 million in restitution. In addition to the fines and restitution, QuantaDyn was ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $22,834,526.31 and forfeit funds in corporate accounts totaling over $7 million.
On June 15, 2021, Seguin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of tax fraud and false statements. Seguin is set for sentencing on January 23, 2023 and faces up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to three years in prison for the tax fraud and false statement charge.
On March 1, 2022, Paulsen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Paulsen is set for sentencing on January 23, 2023 and faces up to five years in prison.
On August 16, 2022 Hancock pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hancock is set for sentencing on November 14, 2022 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff; Special Agent in Charge Jamie Willemin of the General Services Administration—Office of the Inspector General (GSA-OIG), Southwest and Rocky Mountain Investigations Division; Special Agent in Charge Ramsey Covington of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Houston Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southwest Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Scott Moreland of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office (USACID); and Special Agent in Charge Blair Holmstrand of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Procurement Fraud Detachment 3 in San Antonio made the announcement.
The GSA-OIG, IRS-CI, DCIS, USACID, and AFOSI continue to investigate this case. Individuals who may have information about this scheme or these defendants are asked to call the GSA-OIG fraud reporting hot line at (800) 424-5210, or go online to www.gsaig.gov and click on the “report FRAUD” link. U. S. Attorney Hoff extends her appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Virginia, Southern District of Ohio and Northern District of Georgia for their valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William F. Lewis, Jr and Kelly G. Stephenson, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Porier are prosecuting this case.
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Vacaville Gun Store Burglary Defendant Charged with Failure to Appear for Court ProceedingsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Desteny Estrella Leilani Salazar, 24, of South San Francisco, charging her with failure to appear, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Salazar was charged in 2020 with possession of stolen firearms and burglary of a federally-licensed firearms dealer. While that case was pending, Salazar failed to appear for a court-ordered hearing.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of failure to appear, Salazar faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If Salazar is convicted in the original burglary case, she faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for both counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Attorney Thompson Announces $75,596 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $75,596 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Southern District of West Virginia. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security (formerly the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety), is one of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
“The grant award for the Southern District of West Virginia will further support enforcement-related efforts to reduce gun violence in Charleston, Huntington and Beckley,” said U.S. Attorney Thompson. “These projects embrace community outreach and prevention and intervention strategies to target violent crime in these communities.”
“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violent crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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.
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United States Attorney Kavanaugh Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh joins the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice professionals, police and first responders, as well as communities and sovereign tribal nations across the U.S. in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).
Domestic violence is more prevalent than many people realize, and its devastating consequences can span generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women, and one in seven men, will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourages everyone to participate in a role to end gender-based violence.
“Domestic violence affects us all personally in some way,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “Federal prosecutors for the Western District of Virginia have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal, including leveraging our partnerships with local law enforcement, to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
While most prosecutions for domestic violence are handled by state prosecutors, United States Attorney Kavanaugh highlighted those instances where the Department of Justice may become involved, including cases where there is a cyber component, cases involving the crossing of state lines, and cases involving a firearm.
“Victims of domestic violence deserve the highest level of care, and my Office is dedicated to providing it. Sometimes this may be helping a victim navigate the criminal justice process. At other times, we work extensively to help survivors rebuild their lives. These survivors should have every opportunity to heal, and the public servants with the U.S. Attorney’s Office are here to help," United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today.
In addition, the Department of Justice makes available funding streams to non-profits for relocation, safety, and other programs aiding work with domestic violence victims and other services.
To learn more about the Office of Violence Against Women, please visit www.justice.gov.OVM.