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13 October 2022
United States Attorney Breon Peace Announces $484,034 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – U.S. Attorney Breon Peace announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $484,034 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Eastern District of New York. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant 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.
The Eastern District will utilize a sustained reduction in violent crime strategy that unites federal and local law enforcement authorities in strategic and robust partnerships forged to address violent crime and reduce gun and gang violence in high crime areas of Suffolk and Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
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.
United States Attorney Peace stated: “My Office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, is committed to combating violent crime by identifying and prosecuting the most dangerous offenders, removing guns from our neighborhoods, and supporting programs which benefit at-risk youth. The PSN funding supports these efforts by providing strategies and tools that help make our communities safer and stronger.”
“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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Justice Department Grant to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $288,791 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in Colorado. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the Colorado Department of 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.
“With gun violence soaring, this funding could not come at a better time. Our goal is to combine federal resources with strategic enforcement from our state and local partners to reduce gun violence in our communities that are most troubled by violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan.
“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.
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U.S. Attorney for District of Arizona Announces $369,000 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $369,000 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of Arizona. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, awarded to the Criminal Justice Commission, 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods Program is an important partnership among law enforcement and the communities we serve,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Prosecution is an important deterrent to the proliferation of guns and gun crime in America, but prosecution alone won’t solve all our problems. We as lawyers need to get out of the courtroom and into the communities that surround it.”
“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.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-180_PSN Grant Awardees
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg Announces over $541,000 in Funding to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods in the Middle District of FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $541,026 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program in the Middle District of Florida. Funding will support law enforcement and community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. As part of the strategy, PSN partners focus on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based reentry programs to reduce recidivism. The grant 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.
“Public safety is our number one priority,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to find sustainable solutions for reducing crime and creating safer 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.
U.S. Attorney Myers Announces $353,868 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $353,868 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Southern District of Indiana. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the Judiciary Courts of the State of Indiana, 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.
“Prosecution and incarceration of the most serious violent offenders are necessary—but not sufficient—to prevent violent crime and increase public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Myers, “Project Safe Neighborhoods is a critical component of our efforts to address the root causes of the gun violence and other violent crime. Through supporting community-based efforts that provide support to those most at risk of committing or being victims of violence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice will increase public safety and public trust.”
“The Justice Department’s grants provide resources for our state and local law partners to help protect individuals and communities from violent crime,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department is taking a comprehensive approach, recognizing that we cannot simply arrest our way out of this problem—the resources in these grants will help our state and local partners reduce gun violence through increased community trust and investments in community-based initiatives like violence intervention programs.”
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.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten Announces $192,976 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $192,976 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Western District of Michigan. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant 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.
“Police and prosecutors cannot solve violent crime alone,” said U.S. Mark Totten. “Addressing violence requires a holistic approach that facilitates cooperation between law enforcement and community stakeholders, and a forward-thinking strategy for addressing the underlying causes of violence before it occurs. These funds will support projects specifically designed to keep West Michigan residents safe.”
“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.”
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.
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.
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U.S. Attorney LaMarca Announces Justice Department Grant to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods in Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $106,936 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Southern District of Mississippi. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the Mississippi Department of 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.
“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
U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson Announces $135,036 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $135,036 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in Northern District of Indiana. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, 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.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “Local law enforcement agencies need resources to address the pandemic of violent crime that is currently disturbing the safety and tranquility of our communities. This PSN grant is one example of resources being brought to the Northern District of Indiana.”
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.
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U.S. Attorney Chung Announces $157,614 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $157,614 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Funding will support ongoing community efforts to reduce gun crime and violence in the district. The grant, to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, 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.
“Here in Western Pennsylvania, we are using these critical funds to strengthen our partnerships with all levels of law enforcement and community organizations, to increase public awareness of the violent crime problem, and to develop effective solutions for achieving our goal of creating safer communities throughout our district,” said U.S. Attorney Chung.
“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.
U.s. Attorney Jesse Laslovich Announces $96,000 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $96,098 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of Montana. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to the Montana Department of Corrections, 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.
“This grant is vital to our shared goal of making communities safer in our two PSN program sites, Yellowstone County and Missoula County, where drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and armed robberies are the leading causes of violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “We will continue working with our local, state, federal, and tribal partners to take violent offenders off our streets.”
“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.
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Two Washington Men Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Crimes involving Multiple Homicides and a Carjacking on the Yakama Nation on Treaty Day in 2019Read the Press Release
James Dean Cloud sentenced for committing multiple murders and a carjacking. Donovan Quinn Carter Cloud sentenced for his role in the carjacking.
Yakima, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that James Dean Cloud, age 39, and Donovan Quinn Carter Cloud, age 35, were sentenced by Chief District Judge Stanley A. Bastian for crimes involving multiple murders and a carjacking in 2019. James Cloud was sentenced to four terms of life imprisonment to run consecutively. James Cloud was also ordered to pay approximately $25,000 in restitution on behalf of the homicide victims and their families. Donovan Cloud was sentenced to 327 months of incarceration for his role in the carjacking.
Following today’s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “The loss of life in this case is just horrific. It is the obligation of law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office to seek justice for victims and their families. Not everyone who suffered a loss in this case will be able to find solace, despite the lengthy prison terms that were handed down today. Our hearts go out to everyone who lost a family member due to the senseless violence that occurred on June 8, 2019. I praise the courage of the members of our community who came forward, cooperated with law enforcement, and testified at trial.”
According to court documents and evidence elicited at the trial of James Cloud, on June 8, 2019, in White Swan, Washington, four victims were shot and left for dead at 5151 Medicine Valley Road. A fifth victim was shot in his truck while parked in the driveway. A passenger in the truck, who was also shot, was able to escape while the suspects opened fire on the truck. The suspects fled the crime scene in a stolen truck, which broke down less than ten miles from the crime scene. In search of another vehicle, the suspects armed themselves and approached a nearby home. One suspect grabbed a child playing outside and held a gun to the child’s head, while the second armed suspect pointed a shotgun at the child’s parents and demanded the keys to the family vehicle. The suspects then kidnapped the child and fled. Because of the quick thinking of the child’s parents, who yelled for the child to jump from the moving vehicle, and the bravery of the child, the minor child escaped and survived. Notably, these offenses occurred when the Yakama Nation was celebrating Treaty Day, which marks the anniversary of the signing of the Yakama Nation Treaty of 1855, the treaty that formed the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.
During the investigation into these offenses, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Patrol, the Yakama Nation Police Department, and the FBI conducted a compressive and thorough analysis of both crime scenes and the vehicles used by the suspects. The investigation revealed that each of the murder victims had been shot with a .22 caliber rifle. Ballistic evidence established that .22 shell casings found at the crime scene matched up to a .22 rifle that was discovered in a canal near the second crime scene. A frightened witness identified James Cloud as the individual who possessed the .22 caliber rifle while at the 5151 Medicine Valley crime scene. Donovan Cloud’s latent fingerprint later was discovered on the rear-view mirror of the vehicle that was stolen during the kidnapping and carjacking.
On February 28, 2022, the jury trial of James Cloud began. Over the course of several days, multiple law enforcement, citizens, victims, and expert witnesses testified. Despite being afraid for his personal safety, a courageous witness came forward and testified about what happened at the 5151 Medicine Valley crime scene. Additional members of the community and victims likewise testified about the suspects’ actions on that horrific day.
On March 9, 2022, a jury found James Cloud guilty of four counts of First-Degree Murder, Carjacking, two counts of Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, Kidnapping a Minor, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, and three counts of Discharging a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. On the same day, Donovan Cloud pled guilty to Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
Earlier today, both James Cloud and Donovan Cloud were sentenced in Yakima, Washington. Several victims and their family members spoke at the sentencing hearing and relayed how these horrific crimes impacted their lives. Many victims also prepared written statements which were submitted to the Court. Chief Judge Stanley Bastian reviewed the trial transcripts, the victim impact statements, and listened to the victims and their representatives. When Chief Judge Bastian pronounced sentence, he stated that James Cloud had “been a danger to the community for a long time,” adding that Cloud “terrorized a community and terrorized a family.” Chief Judge Bastian also expressed his heartfelt sorrow to the victims of this case.
U.S. Attorney Waldref commended the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who worked for years to bring justice to the victims of Cloud’s crimes. U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “The sentences that were imposed in this case demonstrate that those who victimize members of our community will be held accountable and punished to the full extent of the law. However, such lengthy sentences simply cannot substitute for the tragic loss of so many lives. The public can feel better knowing that James Cloud and Donovan Cloud are no longer roaming the streets and will no longer be able to inflict harm on the Yakama Nation. The Eastern District of Washington is undoubtably safer and more secure. I am grateful for the dedication and perseverance of the FBI, the ATF, the Yakama Nation Tribal Police, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington State Patrol, who collaborated with Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Hanlon and Rick Burson to see these cases through to just results. We will continue to mourn with the victims and our hearts will forever grieve for their families.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Hanlon and Rick Burson, who prosecuted the case, expressed their gratitude to the law enforcement agents and officers, who handled the case. They also recognized the many victims whose lives will never be the same. “If it were not for the combined efforts of the FBI, ATF, Yakama Nation Police Department, and Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, there would have been no measure of justice for the victims in this case,” stated AUSA Tom Hanlon.
AUSA Rick Burson added, “We cannot understate the tragedy of this case. A number of innocent victims lost their lives, and their families will never be the same. I’m grateful for the bravery and courage of the surviving victims and witnesses who came forward. Because they agreed to speak with law enforcement and testified at trial, the victims and their families are hopefully able to feel some measure of justice in this case.”
“The spree of violence perpetrated by the Cloud brothers was horrifying and senseless,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “The investigation, conducted alongside our partner agencies, demonstrates the FBI’s diligence and commitment to prioritizing the investigation of violent crimes and the impact these crimes inflict on our communities. The efforts of investigators and prosecutors hopefully provides some sense of justice for the survivors. It is my hope that today’s sentence ensures that the Cloud brothers never terrorize their community again.”
“The sheer brutality of the Clouds’ actions clearly warranted such severe sentences,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “ATF will always work to ensure that violent criminals, such as the Clouds, are held accountable for their actions.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Yakama Nation Tribal Police, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington State Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Tom Hanlon and Rick Burson, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Two Portland Area Men Face Federal Charges for Making and Distributing Hundreds of Thousands of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
Two Portland area men are facing federal charges today for running a local drug trafficking organization responsible for making and distributing hundreds of thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
James Dunn, Jr., 61, of Milwaukie, Oregon and Joshua Clay Wilfong, 50, of Vancouver, Washington have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiring with one another and others to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, in May 2021, law enforcements officials from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), FBI, the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office began investigating a drug trafficking organization allegedly run by Dunn and Wilfong that was responsible for manufacturing and distributing hundreds of thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in the greater Portland Metropolitan Area.
The investigation revealed that Dunn purchased fentanyl in Mexico and smuggled it into the U.S. for use as an active ingredient in counterfeit prescription pills. Dunn would give the fentanyl to Wilfong who would produce the pills in a makeshift laboratory he maintained inside a storage unit in Vancouver. On October 12, 2022, Wilfong and Dunn were arrested while they were negotiating the sale of more than 300,000 fentanyl pills.
Investigators executed a search warrant on Wilfong’s storage unit and found a pill press and laboratory equipment covered in suspected fentanyl powder. Investigators later learned Wilfong and Dunn routinely sold hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills in single transactions and sold an average of 10,000 pills a week.
Dunn and Wilfong made their initial appearances in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo. They were ordered detained as a flight risk and danger to the community pending further court proceedings.
This case is being investigated by HSI, FBI, CCITF, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Scott Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, HSI, and FBI.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations 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 criminal networks.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8am and 11pm Pacific Time daily.
Fentanyl pill lab showing manufacturing equipment Fentanyl pill lab showing manufacturing equipment 10 clear bags of seized blue fentanyl pillsTwo New Jersey Women Admit Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two New Jersey women today admitted trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Sherri Craig, 42, of Clementon, New Jersey, and Shannon Foster, 27, of Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an indictment charging each with one count of conspiring to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2021 through September 2021, Craig and Foster regularly purchased methamphetamine from suppliers and conspired with each other, and others, to distribute it throughout southern New Jersey. On Sept. 20, 2021, Craig and Foster went to a residence in Camden to purchase methamphetamine from a supplier and brought $3,000 with them to make the purchase.
The drug-trafficking conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $5 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
Two Men Arrested in Rutland for Carrying Firearms in Relation to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Jose Luis Maldonado, Jr., 31, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and Edgar Correa, 34, of Springfield, Massachusetts, were arrested on Wednesday evening and charged today by criminal complaint. Both men were charged with possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl, and carrying and using firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Both men are scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle tomorrow afternoon.
According to court records, law enforcement conducting surveillance on Robbins Street in Rutland, Vermont noticed a man, later identified as Maldonado, carrying a black shotgun with a pistol grip, walking with another man, later identified as Correa, toward a white Honda Civic. The two men put bags in the trunk of the Honda Civic and drove away. Rutland Police located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, officers learned there were four firearms in the vehicle, including the black shotgun in the trunk, a .380 caliber pistol beneath Correa’s seat, a .38 Special revolver between Correa’s seat and the center console, and a .22 caliber pistol between Maldonado’s seat and the center console. A search of the vehicle revealed two bags, containing approximately 24 grams of cocaine base, approximately 7 grams of cocaine, and over 550 bags of fentanyl. When Correa was searched incident to arrest, he was found in possession of a digital scale and a firearm magazine loaded with .380 caliber ammunition.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that both Maldonado and Correa are presumed innocent until and unless convicted of a crime.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the coordinated investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, the Rutland Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Maldonado is represented by Karen Shingler, Esq. Correa is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Two Leaders of Real Estate Investment Firm Indicted for $650 Million Ponzi Scheme ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The president and a top officer of a real estate investment company were charged for their roles in a scheme to defraud more than 2,000 investors in a $650 million Ponzi scheme, and with conspiring to evade $26 million in tax liabilities, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Thomas Nicholas Salzano, aka “Nicholas Salzano,” 64, of Secaucus, New Jersey, and Rey E. Grabato II, 43, of Hoboken, New Jersey, and the Republic of the Philippines, are charged in an 18-count indictment unsealed Oct. 12, 2022, with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Salzano is also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of tax evasion, and five counts of subscribing to false tax returns.
Salzano was arrested Oct. 12, 2022, and is scheduled to appear by videoconference this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre. Grabato remains at large.
Also today, Arthur S. Scuttaro, 62, of Nutley, New Jersey, the former head of sales at National Realty Investment Advisors LLC (NRIA), pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in the same scheme. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2023.
“As charged in the indictment, these defendants schemed to create a high-pressure, fraudulent marketing campaign to hoodwink investors into believing that their bogus real estate venture generated substantial profits,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “In reality, their criminal tactics were straight out of the Ponzi scheme playbook so that they could cheat their investors and line their own pockets. Our message from today’s charges is that we remain deeply committed to rooting out all types of financial fraud schemes. These schemes undermine our markets and erode the public’s trust in investing. Together with our enforcement partners, we will continue to prioritize investigating and prosecuting financial crime in all of its forms.”
“This case should serve as a cautionary tale to the consumer,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Before you entrust your hard-earned savings to someone, do your research on the trustee and the product they are selling; become familiar with the red flags that can alert you to a fraud; don’t let dollar signs cloud your judgement; and remember the old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Slick pamphlets, flashy commercials, and ads that feature celebrities do not add up to the most important element – credibility. The FBI works diligently to protect the American public, arrest lawbreakers, and recoup whatever stolen funds haven’t evaporated. The sad fact is the consumer is rarely made whole. Skepticism and analysis are still the best protection.”
“This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions,” Tammy Tomlins, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office, said. “These defendants prioritized their own greed, stealing $650 million from investors, while conspiring to evade $26 million in tax liabilities. The indictment sends a clear message that the IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners, remain vigilant and will vigorously pursue those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Grabato was president of NRIA and Salzano was the firm’s shadow chief executive officer. From February 2018 through January 2022, Salzano and Grabato defrauded investors and potential investors of NRIA Partners Portfolio Fund I LLC, a real estate fund operated by NRIA, of $650 million through lies, deception, misleading statements, and material omissions. These included false representations about NRIA’s financial position, how the defendants and their conspirators used fund investor money, and Salzano’s managerial role at NRIA and his history of fraud.
The defendants executed their scheme through an aggressive multi-year, nationwide marketing campaign that involved thousands of emails to investors; advertisements on billboards, television, and radio; and meetings and presentations to investors. Salzano led and directed the marketing campaign, which employed deception, material misrepresentations and omissions, and falsified documents to manipulate investors. The marketing campaign was intended to mislead investors into believing that NRIA was a solvent business that generated significant profits. In reality, NRIA generated little to no profits and operated as a Ponzi scheme, which was kept afloat by new investors. Despite investing almost none of their own capital into the business, the defendants misappropriated millions of dollars of investor money.
Salzano concealed his true managerial role at NRIA while using Grabato as a stand-in CEO in an effort to avoid scrutiny by investors of Salzano’s prior guilty plea to defrauding small businesses in Louisiana through a large telecommunications company.
Salzano and Grabato also orchestrated a separate conspiracy to defraud the IRS in its effort to collect $26 million in outstanding taxes Salzano owed to the U.S. Treasury. Salzano and Grabato are alleged to have lied to the IRS, used a web of nominees, opened bank accounts in the names of phony entities, and used false and fraudulent company documents.
The conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States counts charged in the indictment both carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The securities fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud counts are both punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The tax evasion counts both carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The subscribing to false tax return counts each carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft counts carry a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
In a separate civil action, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint today in the District of New Jersey against Salzano, Grabato, Scuttaro, and others based on the allegations underlying the Ponzi scheme alleged in the indictment and information.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, New York Regional Office, for its cooperation and assistance during the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Fayer, of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Lauren E. Repole, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Bronx Gang Members Charged with MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JUSTIS COLON and ARIEL MARTINEZ with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, murder with a firearm, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, and other firearms offenses relating to COLON and MARTINEZ’s participation in the murder of Joshua Garcia and the non-fatal shooting of two other victims on April 23, 2022, in the Bronx, New York.
COLON and MARTINEZ were taken into federal custody from state custody and will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants participated in a gang shooting that killed Joshua Garcia and left two other victims injured. We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who bring violence to our streets.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “The fusillade of bullets that killed Joshua Garcia in April and wounded two other victims is a level of violence that shocks the conscience and can never be accepted. Now, thanks to our determined investigation, the two alleged gang members charged in this case will face swift and meaningful punishment – a message to anyone else considering such violence on our city streets. I commend our NYPD investigators, together with the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, for their work in this important case.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal Court:[1]
From at least 2014 to 2022, JUSTIS COLON, a/k/a “Jus Blaze,” a/k/a “JB,” a/k/a “Bin Laden,” and ARIEL MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Rel,” were members or associates of a gang based in the Castle Hill neighborhood of the Bronx known as “670.”
In order to fund the 670 gang, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of 670 committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gang members, including murder and assault; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, including heroin, “crack” cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana; committed check fraud and unemployment fraud; committed commercial burglaries; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them.
On April 23, 2022, during a shooting at rival gang members, COLON and MARTINEZ shot and killed Joshua Garcia and wounded two other victims in the vicinity of 1713 Clay Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
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COLON, 25, and MARTINEZ, 23, both of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison; and two counts of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, during which the firearm was brandished and discharged, which each carry a statutory maximum of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked the Office of the Bronx District Attorney for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Herman, Emily A. Johnson, and Jun Xiang are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Two Arrested for Attorney Impersonation SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Two men were arrested yesterday in San Antonio on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in an attorney impersonation scheme.
According to court documents, beginning in December 2019, Jose Maria Guerrero, 68, of Olmos Park, and Rodolfo Solis Zepeda, 75, of San Antonio, devised a scheme to have Guerrero, who is not a licensed attorney, impersonate Zepeda, who is a licensed attorney, in telephonic immigration court hearings. Guerrero was formerly a Texas licensed attorney who resigned from the Texas bar in lieu of disciplinary actions in 2016.
Zepeda, or one of his employees, gave Zepeda’s law firm’s business phone number to the immigration court for use during the telephonic hearings. The call from immigration court was then forwarded to Guerrero’s personal cell phone. Guerrero would claim to be Zepeda and proceed with the hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents identified at least 100 different occasions where Guerrero appeared as Zepeda before immigration courts.
Guerrero and Zepeda are charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and five counts of false statements. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison on each of the six counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three traffickers sentenced for smuggling meth, heroin and cocaine for cartelRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Mexican nationals and one Texas man who are associated with the Jalisco Cartel have been sent to federal prison following their convictions of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute eight kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Gustavo Arocha, 47, Uriel Lopez, 45, both of Michoacan, Mexico, pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2021, and Dec. 7, 2020, respectively. Juan Hinojosa, 49, Laredo, pleaded guilty Feb. 5, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana imposed a 240-month term of imprisonment for Arocha, while Sanchez and Hinojosa received 108 and 120 months, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, Arocha and Lopez are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing how the traffickers also conspired to import an additional 27 kilograms of heroin and planned to bring 100 kilograms of cocaine into the country from Mexico. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Saldana noted the importation of illegal drugs brought pain and suffering to the community.
The investigation revealed that from May 4, 2018, to Oct. 28, 2019, Arocha, Lopez and Hinojosa conspired to import illegal drugs into the United States through Laredo. During the hearing, the court heard Arocha was the ringleader of the organization and was connected to a source of supply in Mexico with potential buyers in the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation dubbed Dart Monkey with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, mutlti-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graciela Lindberg, Jennifer Day and Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.
Three Defendants Plead Guilty to Their Roles in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Three individuals have pleaded guilty to their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Bekam Addissu Merdassa, 40, of Inver Grove Heights, Hanna Marekegn, 40, of Medina, and Hadith Yusuf Ahmed, 34, of Eden Prairie, admitted that between 2020 and 2022, they knowingly and willfully conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to underprivileged children.
According to his guilty plea, Merdassa used a non-profit entity called Youth Inventors Lab as a shell company to carry out his scheme. Merdassa and his co-conspirators enrolled Youth Inventors Lab in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. After enrolling in the program, Merdassa and his co-conspirators immediately began submitting claims for reimbursement for purportedly serving meals to hundreds or thousands of children a day. In support of these fraudulent claims, Merdassa and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food from a vendor, S & S Catering. But Youth Inventors Lab never received any meals from S & S Catering to serve at its site. In total, Youth Inventors Lab claimed to have served over 1.3 million meals between December 2020 through June 2021 and fraudulently received $3,029,786 in reimbursements from Feeding Our Future.
According to her guilty plea, Marekegn enrolled her company, Brava Cafe, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. In her application, Marekegn claimed that she would be serving meals to up to 4,000 children per day at her restaurant in Minneapolis. In reality, Marekegn had neither the ability to prepare and serve that many meals each day nor that number of children to feed. Marekegn submitted fraudulently inflated invoices for reimbursement in which she claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day. In support of these fraudulent claims, the defendant prepared and submitted fake paperwork, including falsely inflated meal counts. Marekegn also participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program as a vendor and paid kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee in exchange for the nonprofit’s sponsorship of her company. In total, the company claimed to have served over 2 million meals to children between September 2020 and fall 2021 and obtained approximately $7.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
According to his guilty plea, Ahmed was an employee of Feeding Our Future and was responsible for monitoring and supporting sponsor sites. Ahmed solicited and accepted kickback payments from several sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Ahmed created and used a shell company, Mizal Consulting LLC, to receive and conceal the kickback payments, which were often disguised as “consulting fees.” In all, Ahmed solicited and received more than $1 million in bribe and kickback payments from individuals and companies involved in the scheme under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Ahmed also created a site under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future called Southwest Metro Youth. Ahmed and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent invoices for reimbursement in which they claimed to be serving meals to 2,000 children a day at Southwest Metro Youth. In support of these fraudulent claims, Ahmed and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted fake paperwork, including fake meal counts and fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food from a vendor. In total, Ahmed’s company Southwest Metro Youth obtained more than $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds
The three defendants pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later time.
These cases are the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Chelsea A. Walcker, Matthew S. Ebert, and Joseph S. Teirab. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Student Who Hacked over a Dozen Email and Snapchat Accounts of Female Students from the University of Puerto Rico Sentenced to 13 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 12, 2022, United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño Coll sentenced Iván Santell-Velázquez to 13 months in prison and two years of supervised release for cyberstalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The defendant plead guilty on July 13, 2022.
According to the parties’ stipulation of facts, Santell-Velázquez, while a student at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, sent unauthorized emails to faculty, administration, and students under the moniker “Slay3r_r00t”. Santell-Velázquez targeted over 100 student email accounts and used phishing and spoofing schemes to successfully break into multiple university e-mail accounts. He also hacked into several female students’ Snapchat accounts between 2019 and 2021, some of which contained nude images that he shared with third parties who published the images online.
After Santell-Velázquez broke into a victim’s Snapchat account, she began receiving harassing text messages with her intimate pictures. Nude photos stolen from the victim’s Snapchat account were also posted on Twitter and on a Facebook page. The plea agreement identified 15 women and the University of Puerto Rico as victims of Santell-Velázquez.
“The prosecution of cyber criminals is a top priority in the Justice Department. Cybercrimes not only cause financial losses to corporate victims, but also result in financial and psychological harm to vulnerable victims, oftentimes children or the elderly. This conduct will not be tolerated.” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “This case also demonstrates the importance of safeguarding personal information and passwords, and the care we must take when responding to suspicious e-mails and text messages.”
“Cyberstalking can have a major impact on its victims, which can range from suicidal ideation, fear, anger, depression, to PTSD,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, Joseph González. “This is why, at the FBI we are committed to investigating these terrible crimes and we urge the public to report incidents to law enforcement immediately. Victims and witnesses can report cybercrimes via iC3.gov (https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice) or by calling 787-987-6500. We’d like also to thank the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico for their support in this important investigation.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo prosecuted the case, and the FBI San Juan Cyber Division conducted the investigation.
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Stevensville man admits drug trafficking, firearm, money laundering crimes after investigators seize thousands of fentanyl pills in traffic stop; find pill-making equipment, materials on propertyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Stevensville man admitted to drug trafficking, firearm and money laundering crimes after law enforcement seized thousands of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills from his vehicle in a Minnesota traffic stop and found pill-making equipment and materials on his Montana property, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Andrew Kyle Whittecar, 37, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and money laundering. Whittecar faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the most serious crime.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 2, 2023. Whittecar was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 27, Whittecar was the driver and sole occupant of a red Cadillac when the Minnesota Highway Patrol stopped him near Alexandria, Minnesota. The trooper developed reasonable suspicion that Whittecar was trafficking drugs and searched the vehicle. During the search, the trooper located $3,000 in cash, three grams of cocaine and 75 blue pills labeled “M30,” which lab testing determined to be fentanyl, in the center console. In the trunk was a loaded Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun and an additional loaded magazine. And in the covered spare wheel well was an ammunition box containing vacuum-sealed packages of pills. In total, there were 5,096 blue “M30” pills, which contained fentanyl, and 1,000 orange pills, which contained meth.
In addition, the government alleged Whittecar advised that he had been working with several coconspirators to distribute the pills, which appeared to be Adderall and Percocet, but he knew contained meth and fentanyl, respectively.
The government further alleged that the Drug Enforcement Administration, after receiving a tip, searched a 40-acre parcel of property Whittecar owned near Stevensville. Agents found a backhoe abutting the entrance to a storage container. Inside the container were two pill presses, along with dyes, chemicals and other substances indicating the production of counterfeit pills consistent with those found in the Minnesota traffic stop. There also was a jar containing 240 grams of fentanyl and a plastic baggie containing another 161 grams of fentanyl.
While in custody, Whittecar called family members and directed them to items buried on the property he referred to as “hay.” DEA agents conducted an additional search and, approximately 10 feet underground below a pile of hay, they discovered a large plastic container and two plastic five-gallon buckets. The storage items contained additional chemicals, powders and liquids. Agents searched another storage unit used by Whittecar and found multiple boxes containing various lab equipment consistent with use in the synthesis of chemical materials. DEA forensic chemists determined that the items and equipment seized included precursors required for fentanyl production.
Additionally, a search of Whittecar’s three cell phones found what appeared to be coded language for drug production and distribution. Whittecar’s bank records reflected several large cash deposits and withdrawals. Whittecar was last employed in 2018 and did not have any apparent business accounts reflecting self-employment.
The government also alleged that Whittecar was convicted of three federal felonies in 2009 and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the DEA, Minnesota State Patrol, West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.
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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Statement of U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery on the Line of Duty Deaths of Bristol Police Sergeant Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy, and the wounding of Officer Alec IuratoRead the Press Release
“This devastating news is another tragic reminder of the potential danger that law enforcement officers face every day in their service to our communities. I am praying for these officers and their families and loved ones, and every member of the Bristol Police Department and the Bristol community will remain in my thoughts. Our office and our federal agency partners will support the Bristol Police and Connecticut State Police in any way we can.”
St. Petersburg Felon Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Selling Fentanyl and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced William Shumaker, Jr. (39, St. Petersburg) to five years in federal prison for four counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Shumaker had pleaded guilty on July 20, 2022.
According to court documents, Shumaker, a multiple-convicted felon, sold quantities of fentanyl to undercover law enforcement officers on several occasions and in increasingly large amounts between March and April 2021. Shumaker told undercover officers that he could sell them a firearm in addition to the fentanyl. In one such fentanyl sale, Shumaker sold a loaded Ruger .357 Magnum revolver and offered to sell a .22 caliber SCCY pistol along with the fentanyl and Magnum revolver.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
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.
Senior Prosecutors Named to Lead U.S. Attorney’s Criminal DivisionRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha has named two senior prosecutors to lead the United States Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
Lee H. Vilker, a federal prosecutor since 1999, has been appointed Criminal Chief. Mr. Vilker, who most recently served as the Office’s Deputy Criminal Chief, joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island in June 2002, after serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey for nearly three years. In his more than two decades as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Vilker has specialized in investigating and prosecuting complex fraud cases, to include Ponzi schemes, investment fraud, and corporate embezzlement. Mr. Vilker has also successfully prosecuted a wide range of complex narcotics offenses and crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.
Mr. Vilker is a 1990 graduate of Brandeis University and received his law degree from New York University School of Law in 1993, where he received the annual American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law.
Assistant United States Attorney Stacey P. Veroni, a prosecutor for nearly thirty years, has been appointed by U.S. Attorney Cunha to serve as Deputy Criminal Chief for Violent Crime and Narcotics. In addition to her criminal trial responsibilities prosecuting violent crime, human trafficking, and complex fraud and narcotics trafficking cases, Ms. Veroni has served as the United States Attorney’s Offices’ Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator.
Prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office in 2019, Ms. Veroni served as a state prosecutor for twenty-five years in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office. In her distinguished career as a state prosecutor, Ms. Veroni was the lead prosecutor in more than 100 criminal jury trials, including prosecutions for murder, gang violence, sexual assault, drug offenses, robberies, domestic violence, organized crime, and child molestation. In her tenure as a Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General, Ms. Veroni served, at various times, as Criminal Chief, Deputy Criminal Chief, Chief of the Narcotics & Organized Crime Division, and Chief of the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit.
Ms. Veroni, a 1990 graduate of Boston College, received her law degree from Suffolk University in 1993.
“Lee Vilker and Stacey Veroni are profoundly experienced, thoughtful, and effective prosecutors, with a history of accomplishment across virtually every area of criminal enforcement,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “Prosecutors of their caliber are essential to this Office’s efforts to expand the scope, impact, and reach of our work to secure justice and public safety, and I am grateful for their service in these important roles.”
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Ronkonkoma Man Indicted for Fentanyl Pill ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging Fernando Cooper, also known as “Pablo,” with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in Suffolk County more than 40 grams of fentanyl, which was contained in counterfeit opioid pills. Cooper, who was already in custody on state fentanyl charges, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced the indictment and charges.
“As alleged, Cooper manipulatively sold and marketed counterfeit opioid pills laced with fentanyl, a dangerous narcotic that is responsible for many deaths in Suffolk County,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Opioid addiction and fatal drug overdoses remain a significant threat to our communities and this Office is working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect the public by prosecuting fentanyl traffickers who callously conceal that deadly drug in counterfeit pills that could easily kill unsuspecting users.”
“Drug dealers are pushing products with no care for the dangerous substances in them, placing financial gain over human life,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “We allege Cooper sold pills he knew were laced with fentanyl, which is responsible for the spike in overdose deaths here and across the nation. These dealers will be held accountable for the carnage they are leaving behind.”“The illicit sale and distribution of fentanyl has taken countless lives across our region and the unsealing of this indictment should strike fear into the heart of anyone who considers buying opioids in any form on the black market,” stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison. “I am proud of the men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department and our partner agencies for their tireless work in this case. We will continue to take aggressive action to hold dangerous drug dealers, like this individual who was peddling counterfeit opioid pills, accountable as we work to curb this ongoing scourge in our communities.”
“This defendant allegedly sold deadly counterfeit opioid pills to unsuspecting users,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney. “Thanks to our partnership with all of our law enforcement agencies, this individual is no longer peddling this poison to our residents. I want to especially thank U.S. Attorney Peace for spearheading the prosecution of these important cases.”
As alleged in the indictment and court filings, between December 2021 and July 2022, Cooper sold and possessed with intent to sell more than 500 counterfeit opioid pills that contained approximately 56 grams of fentanyl, but that were made to resemble Percocet and 30-milligram oxycodone pills, which are in great demand by opioid addicts. In July 2022, Cooper sold approximately 223 counterfeit opioid pills, containing about 28 grams of oxycodone to another person in Bohemia, New York and, days after that sale Cooper was found in possession of 119 counterfeit opioid pills that contained around 14 grams of fentanyl, which were recovered after he fled from the police following a traffic stop and hid in a Central Islip backyard. Execution of a search warrant on cellphones that were seized from Cooper revealed that he was a member of the Hit Squad street gang and that he worked with other individuals to sell and possess with intent to sell fentanyl contained in counterfeit or “pressed” opioid pills in Suffolk County.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2019, nearly 71,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl – a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2019, over 14,000 people died in the United States from a drug overdose involving heroin. From 2013 to 2019, the synthetic opioid death rate increased by more than 1,000 percent. Of those deaths, over 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Among New York State residents, the number of overdose deaths involving any opioid increased each year between 2010 and 2017, with an overall increase of 200.2 percent from 1,074 in 2010 to 3,224 in 2017, according to the New York State Health Department.
If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or go to Findtreatment.gov.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Cooper faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley T. King is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
FERNANDO COOPER (also known as “Pablo”)
Age: 21
Ronkonkoma, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-466 (JMA)
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Atoris Jaquez Slater, 28, of the 1700 block of 25th Street, was sentenced today to an aggregate 120 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”); possession of a firearm as a felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. The sentence consists of concurrent 60-month terms of imprisonment for the drug trafficking and possession of a firearm as a felon convictions, to be followed by a consecutive 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime conviction.
Slater entered a plea of guilty in July 2021. Slater faced the following statutory penalties: 1) for possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of crack and THC: up to 20 years in prison; 2) for possession of a firearm as a felon: not more than 10 years in prison, and; 3) for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime: five years to life in prison.
The Rock Island Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Drug Trafficking, Conspiracy, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – William Hallinan, 36, of Rochester, was sentenced today to 72 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 2, 2020, a traffic stop of the vehicle Mr. Hallinan was driving and a subsequent search of his vehicle conducted by Somersworth Police yielded a baggie of methamphetamine, a loaded 9 mm handgun, a digital scale, and multiple unused baggies. Mr. Hallinan was also carrying roughly $900 in cash in his pocket. In a post-arrest interview, Mr. Hallinan admitted to selling drugs, and explained he carried the firearm to protect his money. On September 14, 2020, Strafford County Sheriff’s deputies conducted another motor vehicle stop of Mr. Hallinan, and during a pat check found a sheathed knife on his person, a switch blade, $1,131 in cash, 5.4 grams of crack cocaine, and a handgun. A subsequent search of his vehicle resulted in seizure of roughly 100 grams of fentanyl, 27.5 grams of methamphetamine, 24.5 grams of cocaine, a .45 caliber handgun, and $12,371 in cash. A search of Mr. Hallinan’s telephone revealed exchanges showing he conspired with his source of supply to purchase narcotics for distribution. Texts in his phone confirmed he was dealing drugs from February to September of 2020.
“Armed drug traffickers are a threat to the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Bringing these criminals to justice is a priority for the United States Attorney’s Office, so that we curb the violence and societal harm that stems from distribution of narcotics by armed criminals like the defendant.”
“Guns and drugs take far too many lives in our communities, and William Hallinan was contributing to the devastating impact of both here in New Hampshire,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, this armed drug trafficker will spend a significant time behind bars, while the FBI continues to work with our law enforcement partners to remove dangerous criminals from the streets.”
This matter was investigated by the Rochester Police Department with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande.
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Repeat Illegal Reentry Offender Sentenced to 16 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Paulino Gonzalez-Zarate, 30, a citizen of Mexico found in Dane County, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 16 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States.
Gonzalez-Zarate came to the attention of federal authorities after he was arrested on March 27, 2022 and charged with domestic violence offenses, including strangulation and second-degree sexual assault. He was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry on May 11, 2022, and he pled guilty to the charge on July 18, 2022.
Chief Judge Peterson noted that this was the second time Gonzalez-Zarate was convicted of illegal reentry and that a 16-month prison term was warranted to deter Gonzalez-Zarate from continuing to reoffend. Judge Peterson ordered that this federal sentence run consecutive to any sentence imposed in the pending state case on the domestic violence offenses, concluding that there should be separate treatment for separate offenses.
The charge against Gonzalez-Zarate was the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith P. Duchemin and Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.
Rapid City Man Indicted on Drug and Firearm Ammunition ChargesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Travis Maho, age 34, was indicted in September of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on October 7, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $1,000,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
In June of 2022, in Rapid City, Maho, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, possessed several types of firearm ammunition as well as methamphetamine, which was found after Maho came into contact with law enforcement.
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.
The charges are merely an accusation and Maho is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Maho was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Purported Orthodox Christian Monk and General Counsel for Monastic Institute Arrested for $3.6 Million COVID Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Marblehead man and woman were arrested today in connection with their alleged submission of fraudulent applications for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds for several purported non-profit religious organizations and related businesses they controlled.
Brian Andrew Bushell, 47, and Tracey M.A. Stockton, 64, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions. Bushell and Stockton will appear in federal court in Boston today at 1:15 p.m.
According to the charging documents, Bushell – a purported Orthodox Christian monk who presented himself as “Father” and “Rev. Fr.” Bushell or Andrew – controlled several Marblehead-based organizations, including an Orthodox Christian charitable foundation (St. Paul’s Foundation); a “monastic house” (Shrine of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Patron of Sailors, Brewers & Repentant Thieves); a purported residence for clergy (Annunciation House); a monastic brewery (Marblehead Brewing Co.); and a craft saltern (Marblehead Salt Co.). Stockton, a Massachusetts attorney, served as general counsel and authorized representative of these organizations. Bushell and Stockton resided together at a Marblehead residence that they called Annunciation House.
Shortly after CARES Act funds became available in April 2020, Bushell, with Stockton’s assistance, allegedly began submitting numerous applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to receive Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) for the organizations that he controlled. It is alleged that in the applications, Bushell vastly overstated the organizations’ 2019 operational expenses for the purpose of obtaining larger loan amounts. In support of the applications to the SBA, Bushell and Stockton allegedly submitted false documents, such as income statements, that fabricated the organizations’ revenues and expenses. As a result of their alleged misrepresentations on these applications and in subsequent loan increase requests, Bushell and Stockton obtained $3.5 million in EIDL funds for St. Paul’s, St. Nicholas, Annunciation House and Marblehead Salt.
According to the charging documents, Bushell and Stockton also submitted numerous applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for Bushell’s organizations. In supporting documentation for the applications as well as in correspondence with PPP lenders, Bushell and Stockton allegedly inflated the number of employees and the amount of payroll expenses that each borrower organization had. For instance, with respect to several applications, it is alleged that Bushell and Stockton listed, as employees, at least eight individuals who were never employed by any of Bushell’s organizations. As a result of their misrepresentations on these applications and related submissions, Bushell and Stockton obtained an additional $146,608 in PPP funds.
“We allege that these two individuals engaged in brazen, criminal behavior that took advantage of our government’s efforts to rescue organizations—both for-profit and non-profit— by assisting with specific, legitimate expenses during the global pandemic,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Pandemic relief funds are not “free money” – they are a lifeline designed to help business owners and non-profit leaders experiencing real economic hardship. Our government should not and will not foot the bill for fancy designer handbags and lavish lifestyles. Hard-working people deserve these funds.”
“Today, we arrested a purported Orthodox Christian monk and his attorney for misdirecting millions of dollars in federal emergency assistance from businesses struggling to survive, to line their own pockets for their own personal enrichment. We believe they clearly knew that what they were doing was wrong, but they did it anyway, spending tens of thousands of dollars on exclusive memberships, expensive wine, property, renovations, and even a $40,000 wristwatch,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Their alleged greed is an affront to every hard-working taxpayer, and during these challenging times where scammers are doing everything they can to defraud people of their hard-earned money, the FBI is doing everything we can to make sure they don’t succeed.”
“The VA Office of Inspector General is a proud partner of the PRAC Fraud Task Force,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the VA Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud in government programs intended to provide relief to those impacted by the pandemic.”
The charging documents allege that, upon receiving EIDL and PPP funds, Bushell and Stockton used those funds on expenses that would not have been permitted under either program, even had the funds been obtained lawfully. Specifically, Bushell and Stockton allegedly spent over $1 million of the CARES Act proceeds for extensive renovations to two Marblehead properties they planned to develop into a monastic complex that featured a chapel, brewery, beer garden, approximately $90,000 in audio video system equipment and nearly $40,000 in antique furniture. They also purchased a new residential property and various fixtures, furnishings, and equipment for their various properties. Bushell, who claimed to have taken a vow of poverty, also allegedly used fraudulently obtained CARES Act funds to purchase over $40,000 in Swiss watches, a nearly $7,000 Goyard designer handbag for Stockton, $2,400 on items from Hermès and other luxury goods.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and VA-OIG SAC Algieri made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Marblehead Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit, are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated in connection with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force, which was established to promote transparency and coordinate oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC brings together federal agents from 14 agency Inspector Generals to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in authorized COVID-19 funds.
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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pinellas Man Arrested on Nine-Count Indictment for Firearm and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment and arrest of Derrick Evans (44, St. Petersburg) for seven counts of possessing with the intent to distribute narcotics, one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted of the narcotics offenses, Evans faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each count. If convicted of the carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime count, Evans faces a consecutive 5 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of the felon in possession of a firearm offense, Evans faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to, life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Evans that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms recovered in this investigation.
According to the indictment, on multiple occasions between February 25 and May 6, 2022, Evans possessed with the intent to sell or deliver cocaine. On May 6, 2022, Evans possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity. As a result of his multiple prior convictions, including attempted first-degree murder, Evans is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas Park Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman.
Philadelphia Man Indicted for Firearms and Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Nicholas Kirby, 45, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with multiple firearms and narcotics offenses related to his trafficking in those items. Specifically, the defendant is charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license, four counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The Indictment alleges that Kirby illegally sold five semiautomatic rifles in separate instances between January 25 through March 14, 2022. The Indictment further alleges that the defendant had been previously convicted of a felony before he possessed each of the firearms that he sold to others. Finally, the Indictment alleges that Kirby distributed fentanyl on five separate occasions between February 2, 2022, and March 10, 2022, and was found in possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it on March 14, 2022.
“Our Office is committed to prosecuting those who commit violent crimes including illegally trafficking firearms and narcotics like fentanyl, both potentially lethal commodities,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In this case, a Nicholas Kirby allegedly illegally possessed and sold firearms, and possessed and distributed fentanyl, which presents a clear danger to our community which is struggling under a surge of violent gun crime and overdose deaths.”
“This investigation is the result of law enforcement partners coming together for a common goal – to investigate individuals who illegally possess firearms,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “As the indictment alleges, this defendant could have endangered the lives of countless citizens by illegally putting guns onto our already gun-flooded streets. This indictment is the result of the hard work of our investigators, our partners with the DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 165 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Dontevis Morrow, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 12, 2022, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Morrow to 130 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Morrow will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On September 14, 2020, Morrow sold a .45 caliber Derringer handgun to a cooperating witness working with law enforcement. Morrow is a convicted felon prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms. A grand jury indicted Morrow in March 2021, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On February 2, 2022, Omaha police stopped a vehicle travelling on Fort Street with a non-functional brake light. Officers determined Morrow was driving with a suspended license and also had a federal warrant for his arrest related to the indictment. Morrow consented to a search of his person and it was found he had a bag of methamphetamine in his pant leg. Laboratory testing confirmed the bag contained 56.482 grams of methamphetamine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Okeechobee County Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Mitchell A. Ellis, 34, of Okeechobee County, Fla., was sentenced on October 12 by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon to 16 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court records, on September 21, 2021, at approximately 12:15 a.m., Ellis led law enforcement on a high-speed chase on his motorcycle through the downtown area of Okeechobee. He exceeded 100 mph, failed to stop at several stop signs, and rode against oncoming traffic–all while armed with a loaded firearm. He ultimately crashed his motorcycle and was thrown from his seat while attempting to flee across an empty field. A loaded Rossi .38 caliber revolver was located on the sidewalk a few feet from where the motorcycle crashed. Ellis, a convicted felon, is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Okeechobee City Chief of Police Donald Hagan made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and the Okeechobee City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals. All U.S. Attorney’s Offices were directed to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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-14038.
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North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Preparation of a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – A Durham woman pleaded guilty on October 12, 2022, to the charge of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office.
According to court documents, Amanda Caldwell willfully aided and assisted in the preparation of false tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Caldwell worked at Tax Time Solutions, LLC, located in Durham, North Carolina as a tax return preparer along with Whitney Danielle Sales and Janelle Marie Corley. Tax Time Solutions, LLC was owned by Sales.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on February 22, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Court Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Caldwell faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to one year, and monetary penalties.
Sales and Corley previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States in connection with a scheme to file false tax returns that resulted in an intended tax loss of over $1.5 million. On July 29, 2022, Senior United States District Court Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr. sentenced Sales to 30 months of imprisonment. On August 5, 2022, Judge Tilley sentenced Corley to 24 months of imprisonment. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Sales and Corley were also sentenced to a period of supervised release and restitution.
Agents with the Criminal Investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid.
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New Orleans Woman Pleads Guilty to Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that RAYCHAEL DEPLAND, age 33, of New Orleans, plead guilty today to Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028(a)(7).
According to documents filed in federal court, DEPLAND, while working at University Medical Center in New Orleans as a patient access representative, sent personal information of UMC patients to Acia Gray who, along with others, used this information in a check cashing scheme at Wal-Mart stores, primarily in Texas. Gray and other members of this check cashing scheme were charged and convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1349 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and Gray received a sentence of fifty-seven (57) months imprisonment.
DEPLAND faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for March 2, 2023 before Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the United States Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration, in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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New Mexico Man Sentenced to 30 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Joshua L. Metts, age 41, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty on his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Metts was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in October 2021, the staff at the Four Winds Casino in South Bend found a baggie of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl that Metts had dropped in the casino. The next day, Metts returned to the casino and was arrested by Pokagon Tribal Police. Tribal police searched Metts’ vehicle in the parking lot and found a loaded handgun and ammunition along with a small baggie of methamphetamine, syringes, and a tablespoon with fentanyl residue. Metts has a prior federal felony conviction out of the District of New Mexico, and as such is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
“Metts’ sentence demonstrates that crimes committed on federally recognized Indian tribal land, held in trust for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, will be prosecuted,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “The United States recognizes an obligation of service to tribal communities across the country, and it holds a strong commitment to supporting and furthering public safety on all tribal land. My Office has an important relationship with the Pokagon Band and is committed to working with them to foster public safety and the safety of its tribal citizens, while respecting the Pokagon Band’s sovereignty and culture.”
“The conviction of Joshua Metts is a great example of teamwork between the Pokagon Band Tribal Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said William Lux, Chief of Police, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Tribal Police. “The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is a federally-recognized sovereign nation that is committed to working with our law enforcement partners within the Department of Justice to protect all who visit the Tribe’s trust land and to prosecute those who violate the law on Pokagon land.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pokagon Tribal Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Jerome W. McKeever.
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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Monongalia County man sentenced for failure to register chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason Steven Kokinda, of Westover, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 63 months of incarceration for a failure to register charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
After a three-day trial in October 2021, Kokinda, 43, was found guilty of one count of “Failure to Update Sex Offender Registry.” Kokinda, who was previously convicted of sex offenses against children and child pornography charges, failed to update his sex offender registration after traveling from Vermont and New Jersey to West Virginia in August 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon S. Flower and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Marshals Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the Elkins Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Milwaukee Public Relations Firm to Pay $2.25 Million to Resolve Allegations It Wrongfully Received a Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 13, 2022, BVK, Inc., agreed to pay $2.25 million to settle a claim arising from its participation in the Small Business Administration’s second-draw Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan program.
Congress created the PPP loan program in March 2020 in an effort to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive loans guaranteed by the SBA and, if the business spent the loan proceeds on qualified expenses, SBA would repay the loan on the borrower’s behalf.
In December 2020, Congress authorized certain borrowers who received an earlier PPP loan to obtain an additional “second-draw” loan. The second-draw loans included additional eligibility requirements, including a rule that any organization required to register with the Attorney General under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) was not permitted to receive a second-draw loan. A FARA registration obligation is triggered by certain work performed on behalf of foreign governments.
BVK is a public relations firm with its primary office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. BVK received both a first and second draw PPP loan. The government alleges that at the time BVK applied for the second-draw loan, it was performing public relations work on behalf of the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. According to the government, this work triggered a FARA-registration obligation, which in turn rendered BVK ineligible for a second-draw PPP loan. However, BVK applied for and received a $2 million second-draw loan, which SBA later repaid. BVK’s loan application did not disclose its FARA-registration obligation.
The government’s investigation resulted from a whistleblower complaint filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The whistleblower will receive a share of the settlement. This case is pending as United States ex rel. GNGH 2, Inc. v. Birdsall Voss & Associates, Inc., No. 21-c-1437.
Assistant United States Attorney Carter Stewart represented the government in this matter. The settlement agreement states allegations only; BVK does not admit liability for the allegations.
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Member of Bristol, Virginia Methamphetamine Drug Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia woman, who conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine from multiple states into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced this week to 156 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.
Natasha Wallace, 42, pleaded guilty in June 2022 to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. Court records show that Wallace admitted to personally trafficking more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine from Houston, Texas, and that her illicit distribution activities continued even after her co-conspirators were arrested. When arrested in May 2021, Wallace was discovered in possession of over 120 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
In a related hearing last week, Jason Eric Leab, 44, of Bristol, Virginia, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing 50 grams or more of substance containing methamphetamine throughout Southwest Virginia.
Wallace and Leab each admitted to conspiring with others, including Joshua Desorcy, Paul Crone, and Marissa Wise, to traffic methamphetamine sourced in Mexico from known Mexican cartel members and shipped through Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas into Southwest Virginia. As the ringleader of this drug trafficking conspiracy, Desorcy directed the wiring of funds to various recipients in Mexico and has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Marathon County Woman Sentenced to 66 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sarah Waggoner, 41, Birnamwood, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 66 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Waggoner pleaded guilty to this charge on July 21, 2022.
In April 2021, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Waggoner. Law enforcement officers subsequently arranged for two additional controlled buys of methamphetamine from her, including one purchase of over 50 grams of methamphetamine. In September 2021, officers executed a search warrant at her residence, where they located over 1,000 grams of methamphetamine hidden throughout the property. Waggoner admitted in a statement to police to buying and selling multiple pounds of methamphetamine.
Waggoner is currently serving a term of imprisonment for Wisconsin convictions involving distribution of methamphetamine. The sentence in the federal case will be served concurrently with the remainder of the defendant’s state sentence.
In sentencing Waggoner, Judge Conley credited the defendant for assisting law enforcement in the search of her property. Judge Conley stated that a sentence slightly above the mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years was warranted, however, due to the “stunning” amount of methamphetamine the defendant admitted to distributing.
The charge against Waggoner was a result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force; Wausau Police Department; and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus.
Man Who Filled Car with Fake Explosives Sentenced to 7 Years for CarjackingRead the Press Release
A man who packed a stolen car with fake explosives and fake law enforcement credentials was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison for carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Aaron Lee Oehlschlager, 55, pleaded guilty in June to carjacking and possession of a forged seal of an agency of the United States. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle.
According to plea papers, Mr. Oehlschlager admits he carjacked a woman at gunpoint outside a Dallas hotel around 5:00 p.m. on September 27, 2019. The defendant produced a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun with a fake silencer attached to it and demanded the victim’s car keys. The victim complied.
According to court documents, law enforcement located the vehicle, a Kia Soul owned by Hertz, in a parking garage in Grapevine six months later. The car was later towed to a Hertz maintenance lot near DFW Airport where it sat until June 2020, when a rental car employee entered the vehicle to clean it. Inside, he observed what appeared to be an improvised explosive device (IED).
DFW Airport police responded and evacuated the area. FBI Dallas Bomb Squad later discovered the bomb was inert.
A further search of the vehicle revealed a second inert IED, fake FBI credentials, a fake search warrant, a black backpack bearing the defendant’s son’s name, and various other items.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors stated that the carjacking appeared to be the first step in a larger plot by Mr. Oehlschlager that involved the use of fake explosive devices, masks, bolt cutters, handcuffs, zip-ties, stun guns, and tasers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the DFW International Airport Police and the Dallas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua D. Detzky and George Leal prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Violent Threats to State and Federal Elected OfficialsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for making more than 60 threats to murder, rape, torture, and otherwise harm state and federal elected officials, including numerous members of Congress and a former President of the United States.
According to court documents, Steve Cochran, 43, repeatedly threatened to murder, kidnap, torture, and/or rape elected officials and their loved ones. The threats were often highly graphic, expressed in unconditional language, and intended to influence the recipient to change his or her political views. For example, Cochran threatened to shoot a U.S. Senator. Cochran added that this was “not a threat” – it was a “guarantee.” He also threatened a Governor repeatedly that he would not “live past August” and his “wife and kids are in imminent danger.”
Cochran is a two-time convicted felon. He has prior felony convictions for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and burglary with intent to commit larceny. Cochran also has an assault conviction stemming from repeated threats to kill his spouse.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Peninsula Safe Streets Task Force and U.S. Capitol Police. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also assisted. The Peninsula Safe Streets Task Force is a partnership that includes the FBI, Virginia State Police, Hampton Police Division, James City County Police Department, Newport News Police Department, and United States Postal Inspection Service. This task force investigates the most violent criminal enterprises operating on the Virginia Peninsula. Tips regarding gang activity and other violent crimes in the region can be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or www.fbi.gov/tips.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-7.
Man Pleads Guilty to 2021 Bartlesville MurderRead the Press Release
A man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court for killing his girlfriend at a Bartlesville motel.
“Koalton Ellis maliciously took the life of Buffie Raulston in a fit of anger in 2021. He will now spend time in federal prison to account for his crime,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Koalton Brynn Ellis, 30, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country. In his plea agreement, Ellis admitted that he repeatedly stabbed the victim, resulting in her death.
On July 24, 2021, the Bartlesville Police Department received a 911 call at 11:07 am regarding the stabbing of a female victim at a Bartlesville motel. Upon arrival, first responders located the victim, and she told them that Koalton Ellis had stabbed her. She was then transported to the hospital and eventually passed away due to her injuries on Aug. 12, 2021.
Dispatch also received a call from an unknown male who reported the suspect of the stabbing was hiding behind a wooden fence near a local tire shop. The suspect was located, taken into custody and identified as Ellis. Officers reported that Ellis was sweating profusely and appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
At the hotel, a witness reported seeing Ellis and the victim arguing then Ellis making some sort of punching or stabbing motions against the victim. The witness also recognized Ellis as the man who had been staying in the same room as the victim.
Finally, surveillance video recovered at the motel showed Ellis and the victim walking out of their motel room, having a conversation. Ellis walked to the parking lot then returned to the room. Shortly after, Ellis left his room and began knocking on and kicking on a nearby motel door. The victim then appeared to talk to Ellis as he was kicking the door and placed herself between the defendant and the door, trying to calm him down. Ellis then retrieved a knife from his pocket and stabbed the victim in the neck. She collapsed to the ground, and the defendant continued to stab her until she lay motionless. Video then showed Ellis fleeing the scene.
The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.
Luzerne County Man Indicted for Distributing Controlled Substances Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Roger Joseph Kapinsky, age 42, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 11, 2022, by a federal grand jury and charged with the distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Kapinsky with the distribution of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and tramadol, a Schedule IV controlled substance, and death resulted from the use of the substances.
The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) in Scranton and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. 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.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, 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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Leader of a Conspiracy to Manufacture, Import, and Sell Counterfeit Military Clothing and Gear SentencedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Brooklyn, NY, clothing and goods wholesaler who directed the development, manufacture, and importation of $20 million worth of Chinese-made counterfeit U.S. military uniforms and gear that were passed off as genuine American-made products has been sentenced to forty months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit the $20 million in proceeds that he obtained from the sale of the counterfeit goods, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Ultimately, substandard, counterfeit goods manufactured in China were sold to the U.S. government to be worn or carried by Airmen in the U.S. Airforce. Some of these products lacked crucial safety features or failed to meet safety specifications, endangering the health and safety of the military personnel who wore them. At least 13,332 counterfeit jackets not resistant to enemies’ night vision goggles and 18,597 non-flame resistant hoods were among the counterfeit products that entered the military supply chain destined for U.S. Air Force bases around the world.
Ramin Kohanbash, 52, sentenced on Wednesday to forty months in federal prison, pleaded guilty in June 2019 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and trafficking in counterfeit goods. Kohanbash will also be required to make restitution to the individual companies victimized by his conduct, including a Rhode Island company that reported a loss of more than $639,000 in profits and significant damage to its relationships with long-standing military clients due to the distribution of counterfeit products distributed by Kohanbash. The specifics of his restitution obligations will be determined at a later date.
“American servicemen and women risk their lives every day in defense of the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “But the risks they face should never come from the uniforms they wear, and the equipment they carry. In this case, Defendants’ actions did exactly that, substituting substandard, foreign-made knockoffs for American products. I am tremendously pleased that the defendants charged in this matter are being held accountable for their actions.”
"The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General, is fully committed to protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain,” said Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. "Supplying counterfeit products to the DoD endangers the lives of American service members and betrays the public's trust. This investigation and subsequent prosecution demonstrate DCIS' ongoing commitment to working with its law enforcement partners to hold individuals who defraud the DoD accountable."
A co-defendant in this matter, Bernard Klein, 41, of Brooklyn, was sentenced in April 2021 to eighteen months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release; ordered to pay a fine of $15,000; and to pay restitution in the amount of $400,000. In tandem with the criminal case, Klein also entered into a civil settlement agreement under which he has paid $348,000 to resolve liability to the United States under the federal False Claims Act for goods sold to certain government purchasers.
A third defendant, Terry Roe, 49, of Burlington, North Dakota, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2022. He pleaded guilty in February 2022 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and traffic in counterfeit goods.
According to information provided to the court, Kohanbash worked collaboratively with Roe and Klein to provide samples of actual military uniforms and gear to manufacturers in China, including sample tags and labels that depicted trademarks of fifteen companies who make products for the military in the United States. The Chinese manufacturers then counterfeited the products, tags, and trademarks. The counterfeit products were shipped to Kohanbash’s New Jersey warehouse and sold to the United States military and its suppliers, including a North Dakota supplier where Roe was employed.
According to court filings, Kohanbash and Klein strategized on how to subvert Chinese and American customs to ensure that the counterfeit military uniforms and gear were successfully imported from China into the United States and received at Kohanbash’s New Jersey warehouse. The bogus goods were then sold to the United States military and its suppliers. Additionally, Kohanbash and Roe deceived personnel at military Base Supply Centers by including false certification letters claiming that the goods were manufactured in the United States. U.S. laws require that products sold to the U.S. military and certain other government buyers be manufactured in the United States or certain other designated countries; China is not one of those countries.
The Kohanbash, Klein, and Roe prosecutions are part of a group of parallel criminal and civil enforcement actions undertaken by the United States Attorney’s Office to bring to justice individuals and companies involved in the production, marketing, and sale of counterfeit goods to military and government purchasers.
As part of this effort, the United States has also reached three separate settlements under the federal False Claims Act in connection with this conduct. These civil settlements, with Klein, Kohanbash, and the Dakota Outerwear Company of Minot, ND, have recovered a total of $2,042,398 for these defendants’ roles in a scheme to procure and sell counterfeit, and in some cases, defective and nonconforming goods, to federal purchasers.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert, Richard B. Myrus, and Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; General Services Administration Office of Inspector General, New England Regional Investigations Office; Army Criminal Investigation Division, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office; the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Office of Procurement Fraud Detachment 6, Joint Base Andrews, MD; Homeland Security Investigations, Newark, NJ; and Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office.
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Kewanee Man Sentenced to 143 months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute and Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Kewanee, Illinois, man, Wesley K. Jacobson, 41, of the 300 block of South Cottage Street, was sentenced today to 143 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and distribution of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the government noted the scourge of methamphetamine within Central District of Illinois communities, particularly in rural areas.
Jacobson entered a plea of guilty in November 2021. The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute at least fifty grams of actual methamphetamine are ten years to life imprisonment. Distribution of methamphetamine is punishable by up to life imprisonment.
The Illinois State Police Blackhawk Area Task Force (ISP BATF); Kewanee, Illinois, Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.
Kanawha County Woman Ordered to Pay Restitution for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Melissa Waller, 45, of St. Albans, was ordered today to pay $84,509 in restitution and sentenced to probation for five years, with the first year to be served on home detention, for theft of government benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from June 2012 to April 2020, Waller received $84,509 in Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits on behalf of a deceased relative. Waller admitted that she did not have a legal right to these benefits once her relative died in April 2012. Waller further admitted that she converted the funds to her own use, and that she knew her conduct in taking those benefits was wrong.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the SSA and the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-89.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Austin Joseph Griffith, 22, of Hernshaw, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more or methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2021, Griffith sold approximately 560 grams of methamphetamine for $4,000 to a confidential informant at his Hernshaw residence.
Griffith is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-147.
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Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission and European Commission Hold Second U.S.-EU Joint Technology Competition Policy DialogueRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Trade Commission Chair (FTC) Lina M. Khan and Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager of the European Commission met today in Brussels for the second meeting of the U.S.-EU Joint Technology Competition Policy Dialogue (TCPD). The three leaders met to take stock of the progress made on their cooperation efforts to ensure and promote fair competition in the digital economy, since the agencies launched the TCPD on Dec. 7, 2021.
“The European Commission has been an invaluable partner as the Antitrust Division advances its understanding of the market realities and competition challenges presented by digital markets," said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter. “We look forward to continued close collaboration as we work to effectively enforce the antitrust laws in our jurisdictions.”
“Dominance in digital markets poses global challenges, which makes global cooperation by antitrust enforcers essential,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “Deepening our partnership and exchanging insights with our European colleagues can help ensure that our enforcement practices and policies reflect modern market realities. Ultimately, these efforts to promote fair competition in digital markets will benefit consumers, businesses and workers on both sides of the Atlantic.”
“With today’s meeting, we have continued the long standing tradition of close cooperation in competition policy and enforcement between the European Commission and the US competition authorities,” said Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager. “In the fast evolving technology sector, this cooperation is crucial to achieve a fair and inclusive digital transformation on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The high-level discussion focused on several topics, including the importance of horizon scanning to identify key technologies and issues that may raise competition concerns in the future; the adoption of effective remedies in digital cases; and the forthcoming update to the U.S. Merger Guidelines.
The three agency heads recognized the robust case and policy cooperation between their services both overall and in the digital sector. Throughout the year, several technical meetings took place on various topics in the framework of the TCPD covering both merger and conduct matters. The representatives expressed their appreciation for the constructive exchanges of views on all these activities. The three authorities reiterated the importance of continuing to closely collaborate in the technology sector within the framework of the TCPD.
On Dec. 7, 2021, the Justice Department, the FTC, and the European Commission launched the TCPD to further boost transatlantic cooperation on competition policy and enforcement in the digital sector in light of the common challenges facing the three authorities. Upon its launch, the Commission and U.S. competition agencies issued a statement regarding the TCPD and reaffirming their longstanding tradition of close cooperation on competition matters.
On June 15, 2021, President Biden and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The TTC serves as a forum for the United States and European Union to coordinate approaches to key global trade, economic and technology issues and to deepen transatlantic trade and economic relations based on shared democratic values.
The Justice Department, the FTC, and the European Commission have a longstanding tradition of close cooperation in antitrust enforcement and policy. This cooperation began even before the formal 1991 agreement between the European Commission and the United States regarding the application of their competition laws, subsequently complemented by the 1998 agreement on the application of positive comity principles in the enforcement of their competition laws. In 2011, the three agencies reaffirmed their strong commitment to this mutually beneficial cooperative relationship by adopting Joint Best Practices on Merger Cooperation.