Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 21 June 2022
Spokane Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Second Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Senior United States District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Brian D. Knight, 47, of Spokane, Washington, to 7 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography, the highest sentence available under the terms of Knight’s plea agreement. Judge Peterson also ordered Knight to serve 10 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison. Knight pleaded guilty late last year.
According to court documents and proceedings, undercover FBI agents downloaded numerous images of child pornography from Knight in 2019 before executing a search warrant at his residence in Spokane. Agents found numerous digital devices containing child pornography that Knight appeared to have downloaded between 2017 and 2019. Knight also sustained a prior conviction for possession of child pornography under Washington law in 2009 after a minor girl disclosed that Knight had sexually abused her. In that case, Knight was sentenced to 14 months in state custody. In addition to having a prior child pornography conviction, Knight had also bookmarked multiple child rape stories, including one called “baby Sex Is the Best.tx.” He also had an “incest/underage sex permission form” on one of his devices. Knight also created – under an alias – a foundation called “Fish4Kids,” which was allegedly designed to give aquariums to autistic children. This purported foundation never actually provided any aquariums, but presumably would have put Knight in contact with autistic children. He also lied to law enforcement about his child pornography conduct, wiped his devices to hide the true volume of his child pornography collection, and had prior convictions for domestic violence assaults, interference with domestic violence reporting, and cyberstalking.
In imposing the highest sentence available under the terms of Knight’s guilty plea, Judge Peterson described his conduct as predatory and rejected defense arguments that he should receive a lower sentence because of certain medical ailments. The Court also expressed concern about Knight’s prior convictions and potential lack of commitment to sex offender treatment opportunities.
Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, commended the FBI’s investigation. “All children should be safe from sexual predators, particularly those who have offended before,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Protecting children from harm, especially online exploitation, remains a priority of my office and is critical to building a safe and strong Eastern Washington community.”
“This is not the first time Mr. Knight has demonstrated disregard for the law and acted on his sexual interest in children,” said Donald M. Voiret, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle Field Office. “The materials our agents recovered from his devices were chilling, and show why it is so important that the FBI continues to relentlessly seek out child pornography defendants.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
ꞏ Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
ꞏ Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
ꞏ Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
ꞏ Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
ꞏ Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the FBI, and was prosecuted by David M. Herzog, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Six Years in Federal Prison for Man Who Illegally Possessed Stolen Handgun in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who illegally possessed a stolen semi-automatic handgun in Chicago has been sentenced to six years in federal prison.
DEANDRE MORRISON illegally possessed the loaded firearm on Nov. 23, 2019. Chicago Police pulled over the vehicle Morrison was driving after a suspected traffic violation in the 7800 block of South Essex Avenue in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Police discovered the gun wedged between the driver’s seat and the center console of the vehicle. The gun had previously been reported stolen in Indiana.
Morrison, 29, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of illegal firearm possession. Morrison had previously been convicted of multiple state felonies, including a robbery, and was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold imposed the federal prison sentence June 16, 2022, after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“The illegal possession of firearms by felons is a very serious offense that threatens the safety of the public,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Felons who carry loaded firearms will face real consequences — and real punishment — including meaningful time in prison.”
Retired School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Richard W. Scherer, 71, of Depew, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that on June 28, 2021, Scherer, a teacher for approximately 25 years in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools, arrived at a local grocery store to meet what he believed was a 13-year-old female. Scherer had been communicating online with the supposed 13-year-old girl for approximately two months, during which they discussed different sexual acts. When Scherer arrived, he was confronted by a concerned citizen who had been posing online as the 13-year-old female. Law enforcement officers were notified of the incident and Scherer was arrested. A search of Scherer’s cellular telephone resulted in the seizure of an image of child pornography.
The criminal plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Stephen Belongia, Special Agent-in-Charge, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2022, 1:30 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
# # # #
Refuse Company Co-Owner Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Income Tax Returns that Underreported Business IncomeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of West Alexander, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 6 months’ imprisonment and one-year supervised release on her conviction of filing a false income tax return, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Tina L. Beck, age 53, of West Alexander, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Beck filed federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the calendar years 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018, on which she willfully underreported gross receipts by more than $980,000 from the operation of the garbage collection business she jointly operated with her husband known as “Beck’s Refuse Service”. In February 2022, Beck pleaded guilty to filing a false income tax return for 2018 on which she underreported business income resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of more than $50,000. She further accepted responsibility for tax losses incurred by the IRS in 2014, 2015, and 2017, totaling more than $232,000.
Judge Horan ordered Beck, following imprisonment, to serve the first six months of supervised release in home detention with electronic monitoring and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $252,034.08.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Beck.
Postal Worker Charged with Theft of Mail MatterRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal mail theft laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment named James Ancell, age 29, of the City’s Brighton Heights neighborhood, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on November 25, 2021, Ancell a United States Postal Service employee, did embezzle a letter, postal card, package, mail, or any article or thing contained therein, which had come into the defendant’s possession intended to be conveyed by mail
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 5 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, a term of supervised release of not more than three years, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Castello is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
]The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pasco Man Indicted for Fentanyl Trafficking, International Money Laundering, and Possession of an AR-15 Assault PistolRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Luis Mojica Rojas (45, Zephyrhills) with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, possession of 400 grams or more of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, money laundering, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. If convicted on all counts, Mojica Rojas faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 40 years, and up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Mojica Rojas that the United States intends to forfeit $92,195, an AR-15 type pistol, and ammunition, which are alleged to be traceable to the offenses.
According to court records, on May 9, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Mojica Rojas’s residence. Inside the master bedroom, agents seized an AR-15 assault pistol and a loaded drum magazine for an AR-15. Cocaine was also found in the master bathroom. Agents seized over 800 grams of suspected fentanyl in powdered form, and another 100 grams of counterfeit prescription drugs containing suspected fentanyl from a shed and camper in the backyard. The indictment further alleges that in August 2021, Mojica Rojas was part of a conspiracy to internationally launder drug proceeds to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the drug proceeds.
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 operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Plant City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
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.
Paducah Doctor Admits to Violating the False Claims Act and Being Liable for Millions for His Role in a Telehealth Scheme by Ordering Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Genetic TestsRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Patrick C. Finney, M.D., located in Paducah, has agreed to pay $561,800 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims to Medicare, knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used, false records and statements to obtain payment from Medicare, and conspiring to defraud Medicare by causing the submission and payment of false or fraudulent claims.
“I commend HHS-OIG and AUSAs Malloy and Weyand for their outstanding work in this case,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “We will continue to aggressively pursue medical providers engaged in illegal kickback schemes as such fraudulent conduct puts vulnerable patients at risk of harm and drains the taxpayer funded Medicare program of money intended for legitimate claims.”
“This provider leveraged his professional status to pursue illegitimate personal profit, undermining both patient trust and the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold accountable any perpetrator of health care fraud.”
The government’s complaint alleged that, between November 16, 2017, through August 28, 2020, Dr. Finney knowingly caused to be submitted, and conspired to submit and cause the submission of, more than three million dollars in false claims to Medicare. He did so by:
(a) entering into financial arrangements with Barton Associates, a locum tenens physician staffing firm, to provide telehealth services for clients of Barton Associates, related to the referral of Medicare patients for the furnishing of DME and genetic testing items and services and ordering or arranging for the ordering of DME and genetic testing items and services;
(b) receiving illegal remuneration from Barton Associates and its telehealth clients in exchange for referring Medicare patients and ordering or arranging for the ordering of DME and genetic testing items and services, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b; and
(c) causing to be billed to Medicare false claims for DME and genetic testing, because the claims were tainted by kickbacks and were not medically necessary, as he did not engage in the treatment of the Medicare beneficiaries, had no physician-patient relationship with the beneficiaries, often did not speak with the beneficiaries, and knew his prescribed goods and services were not medically necessary.
Through the Stipulation and Order signed by the parties and to be entered by the Court, Dr. Finney has admitted that he violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, by knowingly causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims to Medicare. He also admitted to knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used, false records and statements to obtain payment from Medicare, and conspiring to defraud Medicare by causing the submission and payment of false or fraudulent claims. Finally, he admitted that these actions caused damages for which he is liable to the United States in the amount of $11,025,088 under the False Claims Act (which allows for damages in the amount of three times the government’s loss, plus penalties). The terms of the Stipulation and Order allows Dr. Finney to fulfill his obligation to pay the Consent Judgment by paying $561,800.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. C. Malloy and A. Matthew Weyand investigated the matter.
###
Ohio man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Darrion Dabon Isimemen Ojezua, of Dayton, Ohio, was sentenced today to 63 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Ojezua, 25, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Ojezua admitted to selling methamphetamine in Wetzel County in October 2021.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Ocala Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ronrico Lionel Farmer (33, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Farmer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Farmer had been indicted on September 28, 2021.
According to court documents, on or about April 17, 2021, an Ocala police officer conducted a traffic stop of an automobile being driven by Farmer for a traffic infraction. Farmer gave the officer a false name to conceal his suspended license. A subsequent search of the automobile revealed a substance (fentanyl) on the driver’s floorboard, which Farmer referred to as “children’s candy.” Also on the floorboard, the officer discovered a loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. The FBI conducted a DNA analysis of the recovered firearm and determined that Farmer’s DNA was on the weapon. As a multi-convicted felon, Farmer is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Newport News Pharmacy Agrees to Pay Civil Penalty under the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Hidenwood Pharmacy, Inc., located in Newport News, and its owner, Anne Hutchens, of Seaport, have agreed to pay $125,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from alleged record-keeping violations associated with controlled substances.
The government alleged that the Hidenwood Pharmacy failed to comply with various recordkeeping requirements under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) mandated for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrants who handle controlled substances. The alleged violations included the failure to validate DEA registrations, resulting in prescriptions being dispensed under invalid or incorrect DEA numbers; failure to maintain records of distributions with the required information; failure to maintain a current self-certification in violation of the Combat Methamphetamine Act of 2005 and to provide documentation of employee self-certifications; failure to display the warning notice regarding pseudoephedrine purchases on the electronic signature device; and failure to maintain a system to detect orders of unusual size or frequency.
The recordkeeping requirements under the CSA are designed to protect the health and safety of the public from dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances, such as opioids, being diverted into the illicit market, while also ensuring that patients have access to pharmaceutical controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes. In a separate agreement with the DEA Diversion Group, Hidenwood Pharmacy agreed to take a number of measures to prevent the violations from reoccurring.
The resolution obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the DEA, Washington Division, Norfolk District Office.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Wuerker.
The civil claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
New Orleans Man Charged for Forged Check Scam and Theft of MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that GREGORY JOSEPH HERNANDEZ, age 67, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on June 10, 2022 for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, six counts of Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2), and two counts of Theft of Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708. The indictment was previously sealed and unsealed on June 17, 2022.
According to the indictment, HERNANDEZ stole checks from the mail and forged information on the stolen checks. HERNANDEZ and his co-conspirators then deposited and cashed the altered checks at financial institutions in the New Orleans area.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, HERNANDEZ faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years of imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud; a maximum of thirty (30) years of imprisonment, followed by up to five (5) years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count of Bank Fraud; and a maximum of five (5) years of imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00 for each count of Theft of Mail. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count also applies.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the New Orleans Police Department in this investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
Montgomery Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Offenses Tied to a Scheme to Compel Victims, Including a Minor, to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, a federal jury found defendant Lonnie Dontae Mitchell, 36, from Montgomery, Alabama, guilty of numerous offenses relating to the defendant’s involvement in coercing several victims, including a minor, to engage in prostitution over the course of several years. Following a five-day trial, the jury convicted Mitchell of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion of five victims. The jury also found the defendant guilty of sex trafficking a minor, and three counts of coercing and enticing an individual to travel in interstate commerce for prostitution purposes. Two other defendants previously pleaded guilty.
According to the evidence presented in court, defendant Lonnie Mitchell targeted vulnerable victims who struggled with drug addictions, and then manipulated their drug addictions for his benefit. He increased the victims’ use of heroin and encouraged them to use it intravenously. He then did not provide heroin to the victims if they violated one of his many controlling rules or otherwise did not see enough commercial sex clients. Other consequences of violating defendant Mitchell’s rules or failing to provide him with sufficient money from prostitution included violence, threats of violence, and threats to send embarrassing information, photos, or videos to the victims’ loved ones. In addition, defendant Mitchell regulated the amount of food the victims could eat, when they could eat, and also confiscated their identity documents and credit cards all as part of his coercive scheme to control the victims.
Defendant Mitchell’s co-defendant and sister, Nettisia Mitchell, was aware of her brother’s scheme and facilitated it. Nettisia Mitchell had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. According to court documents, Nettisia witnessed Lonnie’s violence against a victim, yet harbored the victim and received the proceeds from the victim’s involvement in commercial sex. A third co-defendant, Donna Emmons, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Both Nettisia Mitchell and Emmons await sentencing. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison and mandatory restitution.
“Motivated by control, power, and greed, this defendant targeted and recruited vulnerable victims who were struggling in life, and used their vulnerabilities and unspeakable violence to sell them over and over again for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are heinous crimes that have no place in our society today. The Department of Justice remains committed to using our human trafficking laws to protect those who are the most vulnerable members of society and vindicate their rights.”
“Mitchell beat, threatened, manipulated, and exploited his victims,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart for the Middle District of Alabama. “He took advantage of their suffering and addictions to force them into prostitution and drug dealing, all for his own personal gain. The damage caused was not only physical, but also emotional. Undoubtedly, the victims will long be haunted by Mitchell’s actions. My office is committed to helping our law enforcement partners identify and prosecute those who prey on the young and vulnerable. I am grateful for today’s verdict and for the victims who told their stories during the trial. Because of their bravery, Mitchell will be held accountable for his crimes.”
“This verdict means Mitchell is facing justice for the many horrors that he inflicted upon his victim, in the name of profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thankfully, he will no longer be able to prey upon innocent children. This is another example of not only the great partnership HSI has with its law enforcement partners, but also the great work we do to protect our communities.”
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled in this matter. Defendant Mitchell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and a maximum sentence of life. Restitution is also required under federal law.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart for the Middle District of Alabama made the announcement.
Lonnie Mitchell was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm when law enforcement found him with a handgun while executing a search warrant connected with this case in September 2020. He was sentenced to 108 months in prison for that crime last week.
This case was investigated by HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Patrick Lamb, and Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryLou Bowdre for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org.
Molina Healthcare Agrees to Pay over $4.5 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Molina Healthcare, Inc. (Molina) and its previously owned subsidiary, Pathways of Massachusetts (Pathways), have agreed to pay $4.625 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting reimbursement claims while violating several regulations related to the licensure and supervision of staff.
Molina is a managed care health services company that provides health care plans to various state and federal health care programs including MassHealth, the joint federal and state Medicaid program. Between November 2015 and March 2018, Molina owned and operated Pathways, a group of mental health centers located in Springfield and Worcester. During that period, the government contends that Molina and Pathways improperly submitted claims for reimbursement to MassHealth and care entities managed by MassHealth while failing to properly license and supervise mental health center staff, including social workers and psychological associates, and failing to provide and timely document the provision of adequate clinical supervision to clinicians requiring supervision.
The settlement also resolves allegations brought in a lawsuit filed by whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey; and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of HHS-OIG, made the announcement today. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem, of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, and Assistant Attorneys General Ian Marinoff and Matthew Jones, of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Division.
Modesto Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Burglarizing Calaveras Post OfficeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Thomas Day, 41, of Modesto, was sentenced today to two years in prison for burglarizing a United States Post Office, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on the night of July 2, 2020, Day broke into the post office at 8271 Camanche Parkway South in Wallace, a town in Calaveras County. He used a glass breaking punch tool to shatter the glass on the door to the lobby area of the post office and then stole packages and keys to post office boxes belonging to other people and businesses.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Michigan Department of Corrections Prisoner Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Mailing Threatening CommunicationsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that Nathon James Zink, 34, was sentenced to 112 months in federal prison for mailing threatening communications to state and federal judges. U.S. District Court Judge Hala Y. Jarbou imposed the sentence and ordered that it be served consecutively to the state court sentences Zink is currently serving with the Michigan Department of Corrections. After release from prison, Zink will be on supervised release for three years.
In August and September 2020, Zink was an inmate at a Michigan Department of Corrections facility when he sent threatening letters through the U.S. Postal Service to state and federal court judges. The letters included threats to extort, kidnap, sexually assault, and kill judges and their family members. One letter, which was sent to the U.S. District Court in Kalamazoo, Michigan, stated it contained the biological agent anthrax. Authorities investigated and determined the letter was safe and did not contain any anthrax. On March 8, 2022, Zink pled guilty to one count of mailing a threatening communication and one count of mailing a threatening communication to a federal employee.
While sentencing Zink, Judge Jarbou emphasized the extremely serious nature of the threats Zink made, noting they were “vulgar and violent” and that his extensive criminal history indicated he was “capable of hurting others.”
“Mailing threatening communications is a serious federal crime and Mr. Zink’s threats were especially depraved. No one should have to live in fear based on threats like these,” said Mark Totten, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. “My office will not hesitate to prosecute these crimes, especially when the targets are public officials who play a critical role upholding our democracy.”
“Nathon Zink’s actions were intended to incite fear and intimidate members of our state and local judicial system,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Threats of violence against public servants have no place in our society and the FBI will use every available resource to disrupt and investigate those threats.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations with important additional assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, and the Michigan Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Lauren Biksacky.
###
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Demario Barker, 33, of Kokomo, Indiana, was sentenced late last week to twenty-five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers began investigating Barker’s drug trafficking activities in 2019. On June 22, 2020, and July 31, 2020, Barker distributed methamphetamine from his residence in Kokomo. On November 30, 2020, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and Kokomo Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Barker’s Kokomo residence, and a second Kokomo residence that Barker used in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. During the execution of those search warrants, law enforcement officers seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine, as well as seven firearms.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, and Kokomo Police Chief Douglas Stout made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Kokomo Police Department investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. As part of the sentence, Judge Barker ordered that Barker be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Brady who prosecuted this case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
Massachusetts Men Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Ethan Ayala, 20, of Methuen, William Mejia, 19, of Lawrence and Johariel Quezada, 18, of Methuen, were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 13, 2022, and charged with one count of conspiracy to steal firearms from New Hampshire Federal Firearm Licensees, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
Ayala was arrested in Methuen on June 16, 2022, and today was released to a third-party custodian on conditions of electronic monitoring and a 6:00pm to 8:00am curfew.
Mejia was arrested in Lawrence today and released on conditions of home detention with electronic monitoring.
Quezada has not yet been arrested but is currently in custody in the Essex County House of Corrections on Massachusetts charges.
The indictment filed in court alleges that between on or about August 29, 2021 and on or about October 4, 2021, in the District of New Hampshire and elsewhere, the three men conspired to steal firearms from three New Hampshire Federal Firearms Licensees, those being: Milford Firearms, Second Amendment Arms and MacPherson Firearms. During the course of the conspiracy, the group stole over 40 firearms. Some of the stolen firearms have been recovered in Massachusetts.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Andover Police Department, the Brentwood Police Department, the Haverhill Police Department, the Lawrence Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Methuen Police Department, the Milford Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Salem (NH) Police Department, the Somersworth Police Department, the Saugus Police Department, the Wellesley Police Department, and the Windham Police Department.
###
Maryland Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison for Kidnapping and Sexually Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jeremiah McCrimmon, 24, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a child who was 13 years old at the time of the incident, and for violating a court-issued protection order.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
McCrimmon pleaded guilty in September 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to charges of kidnapping, first-degree sexual abuse, and interstate violation of a protection order. He was sentenced by the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly. Following his prison term, he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
In November 2017, McCrimmon inappropriately touched the victim’s breasts and attempted to further sexually assault her at a home in Maryland. As a result, the victim’s mother sought and obtained a protection order, which was signed by a Maryland judge. The order required McCrimmon to stay away from the child and her mother and to have no further contact with them. At the time, McCrimmon was employed as a special police officer.
On Dec. 18, 2018, McCrimmon waited for the then 13-year-old victim to return from school, and in broad daylight, abducted her from a parking lot in Capitol Heights, Maryland. McCrimmon forced the victim into his car, handcuffed her, took and disassembled her cell phone, and drove into Washington, D.C. to a dark and filthy abandoned home. He forcibly raped the victim multiple times. He finally released the victim three hours later, and the victim immediately reported the attack to family members. Forensic testing revealed the presence of McCrimmon’s DNA on swabs collected from the victim’s body during a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination. A search warrant executed on the defendant’s vehicle recovered the handcuffs and other items of evidential value.
McCrimmon was arrested on Jan. 9, 2019, and remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended those who investigated the case from the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia, including from MPD’s Youth and Family Services Division. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
They also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Sharon Marcus-Kurn, Chief of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section; Jodi Lazarus, Acting Chief of the Superior Court Division; Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for Policy and Legislative Affairs; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Yvonne Bryant; Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Jones, Tiffany Fogel, and Candace Battle, and Forensic Child Interviewer Tracy Owusu.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of Kathleen Kern, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section, Anthony Scarpelli, of the Office’s Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa West, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Martinsburg man admits to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Douglas F. Harris, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Harris, 44, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base.” Harris admitted to working with others to sell 28 grams or more of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” from February 2020 to June 2021 in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
Harris faces at least five years and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Marshall County man sentenced for meth chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – John David Crow, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months of incarceration for selling methamphetamine, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Crow, 53, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Crow admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in November 2021 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Marfa Man Found Guilty of Meth PossessionRead the Press Release
PECOS – A federal jury sitting in Pecos convicted a Marfa man last week for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Stephen Dudley Brunson, 63, was stopped for a traffic violation. Brunson was subsequently arrested for Class C offenses involving the license plate and temporary permit displayed on the vehicle he was driving. When Brunson was searched incident to arrest, several knives and brass knuckles were found on his person as well as over 27 grams of methamphetamine.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled yet. Brunson faces up to 20 years in prison. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest on February 18, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard, El Paso Office, made the announcement.
The DEA and the Texas Department of Public Safety are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy L. Greenbaum and Sarah Spears are prosecuting the case.
###
Man admits to enticing South Texas minor into commercial sexRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 23-year-old man has entered a guilty plea for enticement of a minor online, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Today, Malcom Lenard Thomas, Houston, admitted he communicated via Instagram with whom he thought was a 15-year-old female.
He connected with the individual in October 2021. In those conversations, he conveyed his expectations to recruit her to engage in commercial sex in Houston for his own financial benefit, calling it the rules of “the game.”
Through numerous exchanges over social media and other means, he instructed her how to send him money. He then purchased a bus ticket for her to travel to Houston. He made arrangements to pick her up on Oct. 29, 2021. Upon his arrival, law enforcement took him into custody.
As part of his plea, he admitted to sending the bus ticket knowing the minor was coming to Houston to engage in commercial sex. He claimed his role would be to provide her with protection.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing Sept. 15. At that time, Thomas faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Thomas will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) conducted the investigation.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting this case.
Kissimmee Man Surrenders on Federal COVID Relief Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Levelle Joseph Harris (36, Kissimmee) has surrendered pursuant to an indictment charging him with 14 counts of wire fraud. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Harris had been indicted on June 7, 2022.
According to the facts presented in court, between May 27, 2020, and June 2, 2021, Harris applied for 14 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act using false information. As part of his scheme, Harris made false representations on his PPP applications and electronically submitted the applications over the internet. The fraudulent loans were approved, and Harris received more than $1 million in internet wire transfers.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
This case is being prosecuted as part the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act relief programs. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the two programs that were developed through CARES Act is the PPP. It provides funding to businesses through PPP loans for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on loans to be forgiven if the business spends proceeds on certain expense items within a designated time and uses a certain percentage of the loan on payroll expenses. The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.
KC Man Sentenced After Selling Four AR-15s, Marijuana to Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who sold four AR-15 style rifles and marijuana to an undercover law enforcement officer was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Paul N. Ortiz, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 20, 2021, Ortiz pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ortiz admitted that he sold a Palmetto PA-15 Multi Rifle and marijuana to an undercover police detective for $1,300 on April 9, 2018. The rifle had previously been reported stolen.
Ortiz also admitted that he sold three other AR-15 style rifles to the undercover detective on separate occasions, as well as marijuana on several occasions. Ortiz sold a Romak-Romarm/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62x39mm for $1,000 on Feb. 15, 2018. Ortiz sold a Romarm/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62x39mm rifle and 47.4 grams of marijuana for $1,400 on April 3,2018. Ortiz sold an Armalite AR-style rifle and 60.4 grams of marijuana for $1,500 on May 17, 2018.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Ortiz has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Justice Department Secures Groundbreaking Settlement Agreement with Meta Platforms, Formerly Known as Facebook, to Resolve Allegations of Discriminatory AdvertisingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has obtained a settlement agreement resolving allegations that Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook Inc., has engaged in discriminatory advertising in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The proposed agreement resolves a lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging that Meta’s housing advertising system discriminates against Facebook users based on their race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin. The settlement will not take effect until approved by the court.
Among other things, the complaint alleges that Meta uses algorithms in determining which Facebook users receive housing ads, and that those algorithms rely, in part, on characteristics protected under the FHA. This is the department’s first case challenging algorithmic bias under the Fair Housing Act.
Under the settlement, Meta will stop using an advertising tool for housing ads (known as the “Special Ad Audience” tool) that, according to the department’s complaint, relies on a discriminatory algorithm. Meta also will develop a new system to address racial and other disparities caused by its use of personalization algorithms in its ad delivery system for housing ads. That system will be subject to Department of Justice approval and court oversight.
This settlement marks the first time that Meta will be subject to court oversight for its ad targeting and delivery system.
“As technology rapidly evolves, companies like Meta have a responsibility to ensure their algorithmic tools are not used in a discriminatory manner,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement is historic, marking the first time that Meta has agreed to terminate one of its algorithmic targeting tools and modify its delivery algorithms for housing ads in response to a civil rights lawsuit. The Justice Department is committed to holding Meta and other technology companies accountable when they abuse algorithms in ways that unlawfully harm marginalized communities.”
“When a company develops and deploys technology that deprives users of housing opportunities based in whole or in part on protected characteristics, it has violated the Fair Housing Act, just as when companies engage in discriminatory advertising using more traditional advertising methods,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Because of this ground-breaking lawsuit, Meta will — for the first time — change its ad delivery system to address algorithmic discrimination. But if Meta fails to demonstrate that it has sufficiently changed its delivery system to guard against algorithmic bias, this office will proceed with the litigation.”
“It is not just housing providers who have a duty to abide by fair housing laws,” said Demetria McCain, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “Parties who discriminate in the housing market, including those engaging in algorithmic bias, must be held accountable. This type of behavior hurts us all. HUD appreciates its continued partnership with the Department of Justice as they seek to uphold our country’s civil rights laws.”
United States’ Lawsuit
The United States’ complaint challenges three key aspects of Meta’s ad targeting and delivery system. Specifically, the department alleges that:
- Meta enabled and encouraged advertisers to target their housing ads by relying on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin to decide which Facebook users will be eligible and ineligible to receive housing ads.
- Meta created an ad targeting tool known as “Lookalike Audience” or “Special Ad Audience.” The tool uses a machine-learning algorithm to find Facebook users who share similarities with groups of individuals selected by an advertiser using several options provided by Facebook. Facebook has allowed its algorithm to consider FHA-protected characteristics — including race, religion and sex — in finding Facebook users who “look like” the advertiser’s source audience and thus are eligible to receive housing ads.
- Meta’s ad delivery system uses machine-learning algorithms that rely in part on FHA-protected characteristics — such as race, national origin and sex — to help determine which subset of an advertiser’s targeted audience will actually receive a housing ad.
The complaint alleges that Meta has used these three aspects of its advertising system to target and deliver housing-related ads to some Facebook users while excluding other users based on FHA-protected characteristics.
The department’s lawsuit alleges both disparate treatment and disparate impact discrimination. The complaint alleges that Meta is liable for disparate treatment because it intentionally classifies users on the basis of FHA-protected characteristics and designs algorithms that rely on users’ FHA-protected characteristics. The department further alleges that Meta is liable for disparate impact discrimination because the operation of its algorithms affects Facebook users differently on the basis of their membership in protected classes.
Settlement Agreement
These are the key features of the parties’ settlement agreement:
- By Dec. 31, 2022, Meta must stop using an advertising tool for housing ads known as “Special Ad Audience” (previously called “Lookalike Audience”), which relies on an algorithm that, according to the United States, discriminates on the basis of race, sex and other FHA-protected characteristics in identifying which Facebook users will be eligible to receive an ad.
- Meta has until December 2022 to develop a new system for housing ads to address disparities for race, ethnicity and sex between advertisers’ targeted audiences and the group of Facebook users to whom Facebook’s personalization algorithms actually deliver the ads. If the United States concludes that this new system sufficiently addresses the discriminatory disparities that Meta’s algorithms introduce, then Meta will fully implement the new system by Dec. 31, 2022.
- If the United States concludes that Meta’s changes to its ad delivery system do not adequately address the discriminatory disparities, the settlement agreement will terminate and the United States will litigate its case against Meta in federal court.
- The parties will select an independent, third-party reviewer to investigate and verify on an ongoing basis whether the new system is meeting the compliance standards agreed to by the parties. Under the agreement, Meta must provide the reviewer with any information necessary to verify compliance with those standards. The court will have ultimate authority to resolve disputes over the information that Meta must disclose.
- Meta will not provide any targeting options for housing advertisers that directly describe or relate to FHA-protected characteristics. Under the agreement, Meta must notify the United States if Meta intends to add any targeting options. The court will have authority to resolve any disputes between the parties about proposed new targeting options.
- Meta must pay to the United States a civil penalty of $115,054, the maximum penalty available under the Fair Housing Act.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit is based in part on an investigation and charge of discrimination by HUD, which found that all three aspects of Meta’s ad delivery system violated the Fair Housing Act. When Facebook elected to have the HUD charge heard in federal court, HUD referred the matter to the Justice Department for litigation.
This case is being handled jointly by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and U.S. Attorney Damian Williams thanked the Department of Housing and Urban Development for its efforts in the investigation.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is available at www.justice.gov/usao-sdny. Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination may submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, or may contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at www.hud.gov.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault While Armed for Shooting Woman in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nikko Drake, 33, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault while armed for shooting a woman outside a Northwest Washington nightclub, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Drake was also found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and related firearms offenses. The verdict was returned on June 17, 2022, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan set sentencing for Sept. 23, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, at 11:25 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2020, Drake got into an argument with the female victim, who was then 21, outside a nightclub in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW, in the Shaw area. Drake punched the victim, knocking her to the ground. After a physical struggle, Drake shot her twice in the abdomen. The victim was taken to Howard University Hospital, where she required emergency trauma surgery. MPD officers spotted Drake in the area in response to a look-out and apprehended him within fifteen minutes of the offense.
Drake was arrested on Jan. 24, 2020. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long, Mark Hobel, and Daniel Lenerz; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Fretto Lingwood; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist R. Renee Prather; Lead Paralegal Specialist Tameka S. Garcia; Paralegal Specialists Crystal L. Waddy and Debra McPherson; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez; Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist Maisha Treadwell.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Nicole G. H. Conte, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been convicted by a trial jury of the armed robbery of a Church’s Chicken restaurant after his DNA was recovered from gun parts recovered at the scene of the robbery.
Justin Domonique Davis, 30, was found guilty on Thursday, June 16, of aiding and abetting one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to evidence introduced during the trial, Church’s Chicken, 11500 Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., was robbed at gun point by two robbers on Dec. 12, 2013. Two men walked into the restaurant that evening, produced handguns, and demanded money from the employees. One man fired his revolver at least once at which point there was a malfunction that caused the firearm to fall apart, and parts of the handgun fell to the floor behind the counter. The second thief kept his firearm pointed at the manager, still demanding money from the cash drawer. After they were given the money, both men fled on foot in the same direction from whence they came. That happened to be the direction of Davis’ residence.
When officers arrived, crime scene personnel collected the parts of the revolver for DNA processing and fingerprinting. DNA found on the revolver parts matched to Davis.
Davis was arrested on June 11, 2014, on unrelated municipal charges. At the time of the robbery, according to court documents, Davis was on probation for an unrelated robbery through Jackson County, Mo.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately three hours before returning guilty verdicts on both counts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Wednesday, June 15.
Under federal statutes, Davis is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce A. Rhoades and Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Johnstown Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison and 5 Years of Supervised Release for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Johnstown, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 15 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on his conviction of failure to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Andrew Gere, 52.
According to information presented to the court, from on or about Feb. 2, 2021, to on or about July 20, 2021, Gere traveled in interstate commerce, and did knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully, fail to register and update a registration, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the United States Marshals Service for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Gere.
Jennifer Faith Sentence to Life for Murder for Hire in Husband’s DeathRead the Press Release
Jennifer Lynne Faith, the Oak Cliff woman who convinced her boyfriend to shoot her husband to death, was sentenced today to life in federal prison for orchestrating the murder, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
In February 2021, prosecutors charged Ms. Faith, 49, with obstruction of justice. In September 2021, they added a charge of use of interstate commerce in the commission of murder-for-hire, an offense that carries a potential death sentence. In return for her plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the obstruction charge and to recommend a sentence of life imprisonment. Ms. Faith pleaded guilty in February and was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle, who also ordered her to pay $6,500 in restitution to her late husband’s family to cover funeral expenses and a $250,000 fine.
At her sentencing hearing, prosecutors introduced into evidence a video of Ms. Faith describing the killing to Dallas Homicide Detective Chris Walton the morning of her husband’s murder.
“I turned around and I just saw this person shoot and shoot. I couldn’t believe – I didn’t know him. Like, why?” she said, sobbing. “A lot of shots, five, six, maybe, I feel like. And he just kept going, and I’m like, stop it!”
“And then I saw the person turn and like, just, dark eyes, coming toward me. And so I started – I yelled no, and I started to run. And he tackled me to the ground,” she continued. “He was trying to attack me the whole time I was screaming.”
Prosecutors also introduced into evidence surveillance audio of Ms. Faith screaming during the attack and video of her crying hysterically afterwards.
According to plea papers, Ms. Faith subsequently admitted that her boyfriend, Darrin Ruben Lopez, 49, gunned down her husband, American Airlines technology director Jamie Faith, on Oct. 9, 2020 in front of his home in Oak Cliff. (Mr. Lopez has been charged by the state with murder and by the feds with a gun crime. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges. Like all defendants, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)
Ms. Faith admitted that she knew Mr. Lopez – whom she called her “one and only love” – had suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, leaving him disabled. Both before and after the murder, she sent Mr. Lopez money and gifts, and even provided him with two credit cards which she paid off using the proceeds of a “Support Jennifer Faith” GoFundMe fundraiser launched in the wake of her husband’s death.
She also admitted that before the murder, she used two phony email accounts to correspond with Mr. Lopez, assuming the identities of her own husband and one of her friends in order to falsely convince Mr. Lopez that her husband was physically and sexually abusing her. (In plea papers, Ms. Faith stipulated that no such abuse ever occurred.) Ms. Faith admitted that she downloaded stock images depicting injuries from the internet and attached them to some of the emails to convince Mr. Lopez that the abuse was actually occurring.
After her arrest, she continued to maintain the fiction. At Tuesday’s sentencing, prosecutors introduced a handwritten note she sent to Mr. Lopez dated October 19, 2021 – less than a month after court documents outlined the email scheme:
“Just a quick note to say I never lied to you and I never sent you emails from any account but mine, as me,” she said. “There is a ton more I wish I could say, but I can’t right now.”
Seven months into her relationship with Mr. Lopez, Ms. Faith exited her home with her husband to walk their dog, she acknowledged in plea papers. One minute into their walk, Mr. Lopez – who allegedly drove from his home in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee, to the Faiths’ home in Dallas, where he laid in wait at a neighbor’s home – allegedly shot Mr. Faith seven times before fleeing the scene in his black Nissan Titan pickup truck, which had a distinctive “T” decal on the back window.
After she learned that law enforcement was aware of the “T” decal, Ms. Faith appeared on DFW’s ABC affiliate, WFAA, and plead with the public to help investigators locate the decaled truck. Following the interview, Ms. Faith texted Mr. Lopez and encouraged him to remove the sticker from his truck, she admitted.
“I woke up in a bit of a panic… Something is eating away at me telling me you need to take the sticker out of the back window of the truck,” she texted him. “I don’t normally overreact like this… really think you need to get that sticker off ASAP, like today.” Mr. Lopez allegedly removed the sticker the following day.
Meanwhile, approximately one month after her husband’s death, Ms. Faith admitted, she initiated a claim with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company seeking approximately $629,000 in death benefits Mr. Faith had through his employer. She periodically updated Mr. Lopez on the status of the claim. In text messages, the pair discussed using the money to apply for a residence in her name in Tennessee.
In January 2021, shortly after she was asked to come in for questioning by investigators, Ms. Faith reached out to Mr. Lopez to coordinate their cover stories, she admitted in plea papers.
At her sentencing, prosecutors introduced into evidence a text message from Ms. Faith to Mr. Lopez dated January 10, 2021:
“Don’t text me Monday. I am going to factory reset my phone on Sunday night after deleting texts,” she wrote.
“Ok sounds good,” Mr. Lopez responded. “Big hug.”
ATF agents arrested Mr. Lopez on murder charges in Cumberland Furnace on Jan. 11, 2021. The firearm used to kill Mr. Faith was recovered inside Mr. Lopez’s home.
On Feb. 2, 2021, shortly before she was charged, Ms. Faith contacted a third party and asked that a message be forwarded to Mr. Lopez, who at the time was in custody in Dallas.
“I am with him, will always be with him regardless of whatever has happened. I’ve needed to be cautious because every communication is being monitored,” the message read in part. “Please tell him ASAP I will always be his.”
“Ms. Faith put on quite a performance in the wake of her husband’s murder. She poured out her sob story to reporters and law enforcement, then headed home to orchestrate her coverup,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “But crocodile tears didn’t stop the feds. We were committed to getting justice for Jamie, and with the Judge’s imposition of a life sentence this afternoon, we’re one step closer.”
“No amount of time in federal prison will ever be able to bring Mr. Faith back, however this sentencing shows the gravity of Ms. Faith’s criminal acts. Her spineless attempt to sway law enforcement and public opinion will forever be etched into the hearts of those affected by her monstruous crime. I would like to personally thank the Dallas Police Department Detectives, the Assistant United States Attorneys, and the ATF Special Agents that were ultimately responsible for bringing this villain to justice” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.
After hearing evidence presented by the prosecutor, United States District Judge Jane J. Boyle admonished Ms. Faith calling her “pure evil” before imposing her life sentence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department’s Homicide Unit conducted the investigation with the assistance of the ATF’s Nashville Field Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Aviation Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. NDTX Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and Andrew Briggs are prosecuting the case.
Copies of public sentencing exhibits are available to credentialed media upon request.
Jacqueline C. Romero Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Jacqueline C. Romero, who has served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for over 16 years, was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the District.
The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Juan R. Sánchez, administered the oath of office to Ms. Romero, who was nominated by President Biden to serve as U.S. Attorney on April 21, 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on June 13, 2022. A public investiture ceremony will be held on a date to be announced in the coming weeks.
“I am deeply honored to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and I am humbled by the opportunity to lead an office in which I have worked for so many years,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “I look forward to continuing to work with the dedicated men and women in the Justice Department, and those in law enforcement agencies at state and local levels, in pursuit of our shared values of protecting Americans’ civil rights, public safety, and the rule of law.”
Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Romero was an Assistant United States Attorney representing the government in both affirmative and defensive civil litigation, as well as criminal prosecutions and appeals. She prosecuted cases involving firearms, drugs, fraud, environmental, civil rights, and tax matters, and defended cases including tort, employment, civil rights, and administrative law matters. For the past seven years, Ms. Romero served as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, supervising all civil rights investigations in the District. She was also assigned to the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Strike Force, focusing on fraud, opioid abuse, and civil rights prosecutions. Finally, Ms. Romero also had collateral duties with Federal Reentry Court (STAR program), Philadelphia Youth Court, and the Office’s Hiring Committee. In addition to her work at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Romero has taught as an Adjunct Professor at Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law Trial Advocacy Program for over five years, and has been a volunteer faculty member with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy for the last four years.
Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Romero previously served as Senior Counsel for the United States Mint where she served as in-house counsel giving advice to the Mint on manufacturing processes, the unionized workforce, and international e-commerce; as a Trial Attorney with the Justice Department’s Commercial Litigation Section; and as a Litigation Associate with the firm Lowenstein Sandler PC in New Jersey. She is a former fellow of both the German Marshall Fund and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, has served as President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania in 2018 and has served on its Board, as well as the Board of the LGBTQ Bar Association of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Judicial Commission. Further, she is a lifetime member of the Hispanic National Bar Association and served on its Special Commission on Law Enforcement Reform and Racial Justice and on its Latina Commission.
As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Romero is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which is one of the nation’s most populous districts with over 5 million people residing within its nine counties (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia counties), covering about 4,700 square miles. Ms. Romero supervises a staff of approximately 140 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and a similar number of non-attorney support personnel at offices in Philadelphia and Allentown.
Jennifer Arbittier Williams, who for the past 18 months served as Acting U.S. Attorney and then as Court-appointed U.S. Attorney, announced that she will remain with the Office for a period of time to assist with the transition before moving on. Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., was appointed to serve as the Office’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Ms. Romero is the 40th U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, an office that was established in 1789. She resides in Philadelphia, PA, and is the first woman to be appointed by a President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold the position. She is also the first woman of color and the first person to identify as LGBTQIA+ to lead the Office. Ms. Romero earned her B.A., magna cum laude, with a major in English and a minor in Political Science from the College of New Jersey, and earned her J.D. from Rutgers Law School, Newark.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Unregistered Destructive Devices During Portland ProtestsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Indiana man was sentenced to federal prison today for repeatedly and intentionally jeopardizing the lives of police officers, destroying public property, and encouraging others to commit violence during protests that occurred in Portland in 2020.
Malik Fard Muhammad, 25, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
“In the summer of 2020, a historic protest movement in Portland was marred by violent rioters taking advantage of the momentum built by thousands of peaceful demonstrators. Sadly, this violence drastically changed the narrative around these protests and what they accomplished. In the lead up to and during protests, federal law enforcement is focused on doing everything we can to support the First Amendment rights of individuals while keeping all demonstrators, other community members, and law enforcement officers safe. Holding accountable those individuals whose sole focus is violence and destruction, like Mr. Muhammad, is central to our ongoing effort to support the rights of all Oregonians,” said Scott Erik Asphaug, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“Malik Fard Muhammad intentionally planned and committed acts of violence that threatened other protestors, members of the public, and law enforcement officers. This type of violence has no place in our community,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Kieran Ramsey. “The FBI is committed to apprehending and charging violent instigators who plan, promote, and commit acts of violence and destruction. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the peaceful expression of free speech throughout Oregon.”
“The right to protest peacefully is absolute,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “But it is clear Mr. Muhammad didn’t come to exercise his rights. He came from out-of-state to bring violence to our community. This sentence should send a clear message to those who want to engage in violence that it will not be tolerated, and ATF will investigate these acts whenever they occur.”
“The risk of a law enforcement officer or community member being seriously hurt or killed by the actions of this individual was very real,” said Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell. “I’m gratified to know that he is being held accountable for the danger his criminal actions caused. I want to extend my sincere thanks to the investigators and prosecutors whose diligent, meticulous work made this sentence possible, as well as the members of PPB and other agencies who put themselves at risk to protect our city against violence and destruction during this period of time.”
According to court documents, in late summer 2020, Muhammad traveled to Portland with his girlfriend from their home in Indianapolis to violently engage in area riots. On September 5, 2020, during a large civil disturbance in east Portland, demonstrators threw dangerous objects at police, including commercial grade fireworks, Molotov cocktails, and bottles. Muhammad later pleaded guilty in Multnomah County Circuit Court to seriously burning a demonstrator by throwing a Molotov cocktail and providing baseball bats to members of the crowd.
Following Muhammad’s arrest in October 2020, law enforcement seized his cell phone and found messages where he bragged about providing the baseball bats to other rioters. The cell phone also contained a shopping list including common supplies used to make a Molotov cocktail. The day after the demonstration, police located a discarded baseball bat with a Goodwill price tag in the area where the event occurred. Police found the Goodwill store where the bat was purchased and obtained surveillance footage showing Muhammad and his girlfriend buying the bats and several “growler” bottles.
On September 21, 2020, during a large demonstration near the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Penumbra Kelly Building, law enforcement observed an individual light on fire and throw an object toward the building. One officer observed the burning object flying through the air toward his vehicle, landing approximately 15 feet from a police sound truck. Officers recovered the unexploded device. It consisted of a yellow glass growler with a Goodwill sticker on the bottom, a cloth wick, and an ignitable liquid. It was later determined that the growler was one of the items purchased at Goodwill by Muhammad and his girlfriend. A DNA analysis also linked the growler to Muhammad.
On September 23, 2020, protesters set fire to and broke windows at the Multnomah County Justice Center. When officers advanced toward the crowd, an individual threw a Molotov cocktail in a large yellow growler that landed in front of the officers, shattered, and exploded into a large fireball. While some officers were able to move out of the way, one officer’s leg caught fire. Several videos obtained by law enforcement show Muhammad throwing the explosive device.
On October 11, 2020, police were monitoring a protest involving approximately 250 people in downtown Portland. Members of the group began heavily vandalizing various buildings and parks including the Oregon Historical Society, Portland State University, a Starbucks coffee shop, and a Bank of America branch, among others. Law enforcement observed Muhammad in the crowd dressed in black. Portland Police officers reported observing Muhammad using a metal baton to smash the windows of several buildings and arrested him after a short chase. Muhammad possessed a loaded handgun magazine in his pocket. A loaded handgun matching the magazine found on Muhammad’s person was found discarded near the location of his arrest.
Muhammad’s trip to Portland does not appear to be an isolated event. Investigators obtained evidence that he traveled to Louisville, Kentucky in August 2020 to meet with anti-government and anti-authority violent extremist groups to conduct firearms and tactical training. Investigators also obtained several public social media posts by Muhammad promoting violence toward law enforcement in other cities including Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Chicago.
On May 28, 2021, Muhammad was charged by criminal complaint with possession of unregistered destructive devices, engaging in civil disorder and obstructing law enforcement, and using explosives to commit a felony. Later, on June 15, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Muhammad on the same charges. On May 28, 2022, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing unregistered destructive devices.
As part of his sentencing, Muhammad forfeited or abandoned his interest in a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a second rifle, a pistol, assorted ammunition, and all seized Molotov cocktail components and ingredients.
Muhammad’s federal sentence will run concurrently with a 10-year sentence recently imposed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Muhmmad will serve his sentence in Oregon state prison.
U.S. Attorney Asphaug, Special Agent in Charge Ramsey, and Chief Lovell made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Delph.
Hancock County man sentenced to 10 years for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Samuel Anthony Spilios, of Newell, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Spilios, 39, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of “Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Spilios admitted to selling more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in December 2020 in Hancock County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration in Youngtown, Ohio; the Liverpool Township Police Department-Ohio; and the East Liverpool Police Department -Ohio investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio assisted.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Gerard M. Karam Sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gerard M. Karam was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The oath of office was administered by Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Karam was nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney by President Biden on April 22, 2022, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 13, 2022. Mr. Karam replaces John C. Gurganus, who was appointed United States Attorney by U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on an interim basis on November 17, 2021.
Mr. Karam, of Dickson City, Pennsylvania, will lead the office which covers 33 Pennsylvania counties located in Central and Northeast Pennsylvania. Mr. Karam was a partner in the Scranton law firm of Mazzoni, Karam, Petorak and Valvano for 27 years, and served as the managing partner for 20 years. Mr. Karam’s practice focused on complex civil and criminal litigation. His experience includes corporate and individual representation on cases involving civil rights violations, corporate compliance laws, homicide, public corruption, tax evasion, drug offenses, fraud offenses, firearms offenses and personal injury claims.
Mr. Karam has a background in public service including serving as Assistant Public Defender in the County of Lackawanna from 1990-1993. In 1994, he was promoted to Chief Public Defender, a position he held for 10 years. From 2010-2022, Mr. Karam served as General Counsel to the Housing Authority of Lackawanna County, a Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Agency.
Mr. Karam is a former President of the Lackawanna Bar Association. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Karam earned a Bachelor of Science from Saint Joseph’s University in 1984 and received his law degree in 1987 from Loyola University School of Law.
“It is a great honor and privilege to be sworn in as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam. “I look forward to working with the talented and dedicated staff of the United States Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement and community partners in pursuit of justice.”
# # #
Georgia couple sentenced for carjacking, bank robbery, drug trafficking, and weapons crime spreeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Quantavious Cedron Arnold and Ericka Brewster have been sentenced to federal prison for carrying out a two-week crime spree during which they robbed a bank and fled in a car Arnold had stolen at gunpoint just two days earlier.
“Outstanding coordination between the FBI and local law enforcement ended Arnold’s crime spree,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This office will continue to target individuals like Arnold and Brewster who perpetrate, abet, and seek to profit from violent crime in our community.”
“Both Arnold and Brewster have extensive violent criminal histories, and once again put innocent civilians at risk during the span of their two-week crime spree,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work with our local law enforcement partners to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole.”
“Keeping the citizens and visitors of the City of Atlanta is a priority for the Atlanta Police Department. The convictions of Quantavious Cedron Arnold and Ericka Brewster sends a resounding message to criminals that violent crimes will not be tolerated in our city,” said Atlanta Interim Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “The Atlanta Police Department is proud of the effort put forth by investigators to bring these criminals to justice. The sentencing of repeat offenders proves the effectiveness of our law enforcement partnerships, the dedication of the members of the various agencies, and our commitment to solving and closing cases.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On November 12, 2019, Arnold and two other people perpetrated a carjacking outside a convenience store in southwest Atlanta. Arnold threatened his victim with a semiautomatic pistol equipped with an extended magazine before he and his accomplices stole the man’s car.
Two days later, on November 14, 2019, Arnold used the stolen car to drive himself and his girlfriend, Brewster, to a bank branch in DeKalb County, Georgia. Arnold and Brewster entered the bank and waited in line until Arnold approached the teller counter, pulled out a gun, and threatened to kill people unless the teller surrendered thousands of dollars of cash. After pocketing the money, Arnold and Brewster fled from the bank and back into the stolen car, which they later abandoned.
A week later, an Atlanta police officer located and arrested Arnold in a wooded area down the block from the store where Arnold had committed the carjacking just ten days earlier. At the time of his arrest, Arnold had the gun used during the bank robbery, a distribution quantity of crack cocaine, and a digital scale. FBI agents arrested Brewster later.
Both Arnold and Brewster are convicted felons with extensive criminal histories. Brewster’s history includes convictions for fraud, theft, and forgery offenses. Arnold’s history includes repeated convictions for unlawful gun possession, drug trafficking, and violent crimes, such as aggravated assault, battery, and burglary. Both defendants were serving multiple terms of state probation when they committed their federal crimes. Arnold had been sentenced to two of those probation terms less than four months before he committed the carjacking and bank robbery.
U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sentenced the defendants as follows:
- Quantavious Cedron Arnold, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced on June 14, 2022, to 25 years of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $8,200.00 in restitution. Arnold was convicted at trial on January 14, 2022, of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Before the trial, he pled guilty to carjacking, armed bank robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
- Ericka Brewster, 31, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was sentenced on November 12, 2020, to four years, six months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $8,200 in restitution. Brewster pled guilty on November 6, 2020, to one count of armed bank robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Atlanta Police Department, DeKalb County Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Annalise K. Peters prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Georgia Man Charged with Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Demonn Chadwick Jenkins II, 27, of Georgia, appeared before United States Magistrate Ruth Miller following his arrest on June 17, 2022, in St. Thomas on the charge of fraudulent use of credit card information. He was ordered release upon the posting of a $7,500.00 cash bond.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2022, Jenkins used a Capital One Platinum Mastercard bearing another individual's name to purchase a diamond necklace for $9990.00 and a Rolex watch for $10,800.00 at a jewelry store located on Main Street, St. Thomas. On June 17, 2022, Jenkins was encountered by Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Cyril E. King Airport after he failed to declare the jewelry and pay the required duty tax. He was later identified as the purchaser of the jewelry using footage taken from the jewelry store’s security cameras. Jenkins later admitted that he purchased the Mastercard on the Dark Web for approximately $15.00. If convicted, Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service. United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Four Men Convicted of Federal Financial Crimes Involving Money Laundering, Structuring, Wire Fraud, and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Louisville, Kentucky – On May 24, 2022, a former Louisville, Kentucky resident was convicted and sentenced for conspiring to commit money laundering by assisting in the unlawful purchase of automobiles with criminal proceeds. On May 26, 2022, a Prospect, Kentucky resident was convicted and sentenced for a financial crime involving the use of a nominee to purchase automobiles in order to conceal the source of the funds used. These convictions follow financial crime convictions of two additional men, one earlier this year, and the other last year.
“I commend the IRS, ATF, and LMPD for their investigative work in these cases,” said United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “As the convictions demonstrate, this office and our law enforcement partners, will leave no stone unturned when it comes to conducting investigations involving financial crimes.”
“When criminals go to great lengths to conceal the source of their proceeds, IRS CI will follow the money to unveil the true source of the funds,” said Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS, Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the US Attorney’s Office to bring those committing financial crimes to justice.”
According to court documents, between 2016 and 2017, Stephen Mudd, Jr., 40, formerly of Louisville, while working as a car salesman, helped falsify employment and bank account information in order to facilitate the purchase of automobiles with criminal proceeds—with either the proceeds providing a cash down payment, or the means of monthly payments on an automobile loan from a financial institution. Mudd knew that lenders would not extend financing without proof of a legitimate source of income. Additionally, Mudd had reason to know that the transactions involved proceeds of criminal activity. By assisting others in spending criminal proceeds, Mudd helped conceal the criminal source of the money and avoided reporting requirements that would otherwise apply to large cash transactions. On May 24, 2022, a United States District Judge sentenced Mudd to three years of probation and imposed a $4,000 fine. Mudd was also ordered to forfeit $6,188.
In addition, on May 26, 2022, Dominic Harrison, 38, of Prospect, Kentucky, was convicted and sentenced by a United States District Judge to three months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release with a condition that he serve months of home detention. Harrison previously pled guilty to violating Title 31, United States Code, Section 5324, which governs required reporting of large cash transactions. Harrison used third parties to conduct cash transactions related to the purchase of an automobile in order to evade the reporting requirements concerning the cash. Harrison was also ordered to forfeit $25,000 cash.
Previously, two other men were also convicted for financial crimes. Verrel Brice, 39, of Louisville, Kentucky, was convicted on August 23, 2021, for structuring cash transactions in violation of Title 31, United States Code, 5324. Brice received 30 months of probation and a $1,000 felony fine. Brice was also ordered to forfeit $2650 cash. O’Farrell Washington, 38, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced on February 2, 2022, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Washington was sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to forfeit $3,000.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin McKenzie and Amy Sullivan prosecuted the cases.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
###
Former Mayor of Trujillo Alto Pleads Guilty to Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The former mayor of the Municipality of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, José Luis Cruz Cruz, age 62, pleaded guilty today in Puerto Rico to engaging in a bribery conspiracy in which he received cash kickback payments in exchange for the award of municipal asphalt and paving contracts as well as municipal trash removal contracts.
According to court documents, in 2020 and 2021, José Luis Cruz Cruz solicited and accepted multiple kickback payments from Individual A and Individual B via Individual C. Individual A was the owner of an asphalt and paving company awarded municipal contracts in Trujillo Alto. Individual B was the owner of a trash removal company awarded municipal contracts in Trujillo Alto. José Luis Cruz Cruz, as mayor, directed municipal employees to execute these contracts. In 2020 and 2021, José Luis Cruz Cruz agreed with Individual C that Individual C would solicit and obtain cash payments from municipal contractors. During that period, José Luis Cruz Cruz received approximately $10,000 from Individual A and Individual B via Individual C in cash kickback payments.
Cruz Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Pedro Marrero-Miranda, 22-251(RAM); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiqués, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); and United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
###
Former Illinois State Senator Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Receiving Salary and Benefits from Labor UnionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Former Illinois State Sen. THOMAS E. CULLERTON was sentenced today to a year in federal prison for fraudulently receiving salary and benefits from a labor union.
Cullerton, 52, of Villa Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal embezzlement charge. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman imposed the year-and-a-day sentence after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu and Erika L. Csicsila.
Cullerton was hired in 2013 by Teamsters Joint Council 25 as a purported union organizer and remained on the payroll until February 2016. In addition to receiving a salary, monthly car and telephone allowances, and bonuses, Teamsters Joint Council 25 funded Cullerton’s participation in Teamsters Local Union 734’s health and pension funds, which enabled Cullerton to receive health and welfare benefits.
Cullerton admitted in a plea agreement that he did little to no work as an organizer during the time he was on the union payroll. When his supervisors requested that he perform his job duties, Cullerton routinely ignored them.
Cullerton fraudulently obtained from Joint Council 25 and its members approximately $169,488 in salary, bonuses, and other benefits, approximately $57,662 in health and pension contributions, and approximately $21,678 in reimbursed medical claims. Cullerton admitted that he used the embezzled money to pay personal expenses, such as his mortgage, utilities, and groceries.
Former Federal Inmate Sentenced to 114 Months for Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Arizona man was sentenced on Tuesday to assaulting a federal law enforcement officer at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina (“FMC Butner”).
According to court documents, Michael Anthony Mata, 47, an inmate at FMC Butner at the time of the offense, struck the law enforcement officer in the face after the officer told him he was in an unauthorized area and asked him to return to his assigned housing unit. As a result of the contact, the officer suffered a severe fracture to his left orbital wall that required surgical repair.
“The brave men and women who put themselves on the line every day to keep the rest of us safe, have the well-deserved support of our Office,” stated Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney. “We will vigorously prosecute anyone who assaults a correctional officer, or any other law enforcement personnel, and seek a firm punishment to deter others who may be inclined to do the same.”
Citing Mata’s extensive criminal history and the severity of the assault, United States Federal District Court Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Mata to 114 months in prison. Mata previously pled guilty to the count of Assault on a Federal Officer on March 9, 2022.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Brooks Storus prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00507-BR.
Former Bellevue, Washington, teacher sentenced to 20 years in prison for production and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former Bellevue, Washington, teacher was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 years in prison and lifetime supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Stuart MacGregor Hoffman, 31, pleaded guilty in February 2022, to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin said that what happened in this case was every parent’s “worst nightmare.”
According to records filed in the case, Hoffman came to the attention of law enforcement because of an investigation in the United Kingdom. Hoffman was sending explicit child sex images to a contact in the U.K. Homeland Security Investigations initiated an investigation. Hoffman’s home was searched, and he was arrested on May 14, 2020. On his devices law enforcement found images of sexual molestation of a child between the ages of 5 and 11. Hoffman was in contact with the child outside of his duties as a teacher.
In total, Hoffman had seven videos on his devices showing sexual molestation. He had an additional 1,764 images of child sexual abuse. In 283 of the images forensic examination determined they were known child victims. Under the Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act, Hoffman must pay a minimum of $3,000 to each known victim. In this case, the initial restitution figure is $108,000, and could go higher. Judge Lin is going to determine the full amount of the restitution at a later hearing.
On April 15, 2022, Hoffman was sentenced in King County Superior Court to twenty years in prison for rape of a child. The state and federal sentences will run concurrently. Hoffman will be required to register as a sex offender when released from prison.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bellevue Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a King County Deputy Prosecutor who is specially designated to prosecute child exploitation cases in federal court.
Felon ordered to prison for illegally owning rifles and shotgunsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 32-year-old Alvin resident has been sent to prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Alonzo Gonzalez III pleaded guilty March 22.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Ramos ordered Gonzalez to serve 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the impact the theft of some of the guns that Gonzalez possessed had on the victim.
On March 10, 2021, authorities pulled over a vehicle for having an expired Texas temporary tag. Alonzo Gonzalez III was a passenger in the vehicle.
Law enforcement officers noticed the occupants of the vehicle were behaving suspiciously and brought a K-9 to the scene. The K-9 alerted to the rear of the vehicle. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of seven firearms concealed inside the trunk. Those included two 12-gauge shotguns, a .243 rifle, .223-5.56 rifle and three 7.62x54R rifles. Authorities later determined that two of the weapons were stolen.
At the time of his plea, Gonzalez admitted he had placed the firearms in the trunk and planned to sell them in South Texas.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Kleberg County Attorney Specialized Crimes & Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Rochester Man of Drug Conspiracy and Selling Cocaine and FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that following a four-week trial, a federal jury has convicted Earnest Baker, 36, of Rochester, NY, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distributing cocaine and fentanyl.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everardo Rodriguez and Matthew T. McGrath, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that the investigation into the conspiracy began in 2018, while Baker was in federal prison, serving his sentence on a prior drug conviction. Baker was released in August 2019 on federal supervised release and New York State parole, and quickly returned to drug dealing activities. During the course of the investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agents made two controlled purchases of narcotics from Baker and used various investigative techniques to surveil Baker’s drug dealing activities and his interactions with other drug dealers with whom he conspired.
Baker was arrested on April 30, 2020, along with 17 other defendants. That same day, search warrants were executed at 24 residences in Rochester, West Henrietta, Penfield, Greece, Irondequoit, and Syracuse, and on 12 cars associated with defendants. During the execution of those search warrants, investigators seized eight firearms; approximately 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl; approximately two kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine, and $928,400 in cash and over $500,000 worth of jewelry.
The trial of the remaining co-defendants is scheduled for January 2023.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rochester Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief David Smith; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase; the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito; the U.S. Marshal Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Philip Povero; and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci. Additional assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Buffalo and Syracuse Resident Offices.
Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2022, by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, who presided over the trial.
# # # #
Father and Son Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A father and son were sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Court Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Shane Seavey, 40, of Baileyville, to 92 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Craig Seavey, 67, of Baileyville, was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court records reveal that between August 2018 and August 26, 2019, the Seaveys conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. Agents seized approximately three kilograms of fentanyl when the Seaveys were arrested on August 26, 2019. The drugs were acquired by Shane Seavey and Craig Seavey in Lawrence, Mass. and were sold to others for distribution throughout New England.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration - Portsmouth Tactical Diversion Squad and the Maine State Police
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution 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.
# # #
Dover Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Bald EagleRead the Press Release
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that David B. Huff, 79, of Dover, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to an Information charging him with a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
According to court documents, on October 7, 2021, Huff shot and killed a bald eagle with a rifle. Court documents state that Huff owns farmland and several fields in Tuscarawas County and routinely conducts inspections of the land for the presence of pests and rodents. During one of these inspections, Huff shot and killed a bald eagle with a rifle.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 prohibits anyone, without a permit, from, among other actions, shooting bald or golden eagles.
After shooting the eagle, Huff picked up the animal and discarded it in the tree line of a bordering field.
As part of the terms of the plea, Huff has agreed to make restitution to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in care of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in the amount of $10,000 and pay an additional fine of $10,000. Huff has also agreed to a five-year prohibition from hunting and the destruction of the rifle and ammunition seized during the investigation by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Huff is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2022.
This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service with assistance provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad J. Beeson.
Dixie County Attorney Found Guilty of Extorting Former Client and Failing to Report Cash as RequiredRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Marion Michael O’Steen (43, Cross City) guilty of interfering with commerce by extortion and failing to timely file a Form 8300 reporting the receipt of more than $10,000 in currency. O’Steen faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison and may be required to forfeit at least $60,000 in proceeds received. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 12, 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, O’Steen was a criminal defense attorney who represented clients being prosecuted by former State Attorney Jeffrey Alan Siegmeister’s office in the Third Judicial Circuit. Siegmeister was previously charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use a facility of commerce for unlawful activity, conspiracy to commit extortion, wire fraud, and tax fraud. Testimony at trial established that O’Steen requested official acts from Siegmeister—including the favorable disposition of charges filed against his client, and the delay of official actions–in order to enable O’Steen to obtain additional “fees” from at least one of his clients. On August 17, 2018, O’Steen told his client that if the client paid him an additional $60,000 fee, O’Steen would use up a “favor” with the state attorney to make “everything go away,” representing that O’Steen had favors with Siegmeister for which people would pay him. O’Steen told his client he could “go to trial and fight em’ out, which I don’t think you can win.” He further advised his client that he would not get the same results from another attorney.
O’Steen received two payments of $30,000 each from his client. Evidence at trial established that O’Steen knew the reporting requirements but failed to timely file a Form 8300 with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly S. Karase and David B. Mesrobian.
Convicted Felon with Ghost Gun Pleads Guilty to Federal Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marty Eugene Days, Jr. (33, Williston) has pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition affecting commerce by a convicted felon. Days faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Days had been indicted on May 10, 2022.
According to court documents, on or about February 23, 2022, an Ocala police officer stopped an automobile driven by Days for erratic driving. Days, the sole occupant, did not have a valid license, and also admitted that he had been drinking and displayed an alcoholic beverage to the officer. After detaining Days, the officer located a bag on the ground adjacent to the automobile that contained Days’s Florida ID card, two of his credit cards, and a 9mm handgun. Video surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store showed Days tossing the bag out of the passenger-side window. The firearm—a “ghost gun” with no manufacturer serial number—was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Days is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the City of Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Cambrel Jamal Smart (28, Fort Lauderdale) with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Smart faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The indictment also notifies Smart that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to the offense.
According to the indictment, on January 5, 2022, Smart was in possession of a firearm and ammunition. At the time of the incident, Smart had previous felony convictions for robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment, attempted murder in the second degree, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a previously convicted felon, Smart is prohibited from possessing a firearm 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 was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reiching.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Columbus man sentenced for meth chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Darrick Dorell Fleming, II, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to 57 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Fleming, 38, pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Fleming admitted to having methamphetamine in October 2021 in Ohio County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force and the Marshall County Drug Task Force, both HIDTA-funded initiatives, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Colorado Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Taking Teenage Girl on Interstate Road Trip and Had Unlawful Relationship with HerRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A previously convicted sex offender from Colorado was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison for taking a 15-year-old girl on a 3½-month interstate road trip that ended in Southern California, during which time he gave her methamphetamine and had an unlawful sexual relationship with her.
Kenneth Wayne Fisher, 46, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter, who also ordered Fisher to be placed on lifetime supervised release upon completing his prison sentence in this case.
Fisher pleaded guilty in May 2020 to one count of transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender.
In February 2000, Fisher was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse in the second degree, thus requiring him to register as a sex offender.
On July 27, 2015, Fisher – then 39 years old – met the victim in Colorado, and she soon told him she was 15. Fisher gave the victim methamphetamine and engaged in a sexual relationship with her. Fisher transported the girl on a trip around the United States for the next 3½ months.
Between July and November 2015, Fisher and the victim traveled together through numerous states around the country – including California – and Fisher continued the unlawful sexual relationship during the trip.
Additionally, while transporting the victim, Fisher committed bank robberies in Kansas and Arkansas in August 2015. Fisher later was convicted in federal court in those states of committing the robberies. Judge Carter ordered Fisher’s 20-year prison sentence to run consecutive to his bank robbery sentence, which he is expected to complete next year.
The trip ended on November 16, 2015, because of a traffic stop in Fountain Valley. Fisher led the police on a high-speed car chase that concluded when Fisher’s vehicle ran out of gas on the 405 freeway near Seal Beach.
Law enforcement searched Fisher’s cellphone, recovered from his vehicle at the time of the traffic stop, and discovered multiple sexually explicit images of the victim.
Fisher has been in custody since his arrest on November 16, 2015.
The FBI and the Fountain Valley Police Department investigated this matter. The Colorado Springs Police Department conducted the missing persons investigation, and the California Highway Patrol assisted the Fountain Valley Police Department during the chase that culminated with Fisher’s arrest.
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Scally of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Clearfield County Woman Charged with Possessing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Andrea Decato a/k/a Andrea Roton, age 38, as the sole defendant.
According to Indictment, on or about April 27, 2021, Decato possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
The law provides for a term of imprisonment not less than ten (10) years, a fine of $10,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and Sandy Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.