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Monday 27 December 2021
Father Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring with Daughter to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who conspired with his daughter to distribute crack cocaine was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Kendell Lamont Thomas, age 47, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 22, 2021 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Thomas admitted that he conspired with his daughter to distribute crack cocaine, both utilizing the same cell phone. Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Thomas and his daughter distributed over 500 grams of crack cocaine by conducting approximately 1,000 drug-related transactions during an eight-month period in Dubuque in 2020.
Thomas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Thomas was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thomas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-01043.
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Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“I’m pleased to announce that four districts in western Pennsylvania will receive more than $780,000 in grant funding to enhance student safety while at school,” said U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung.
Grant funds have been awarded to the following western Pennsylvania school districts:
• Millcreek Township School District in Erie County will receive $500,000
• Northeast Bradford School District in Bradford County will receive $111,428
• West Greene School District in Greene County will receive $74,960
• Yough School District in Westmoreland County $99,380The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award. A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with
policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Christopher J. Wilson Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of OklahomaRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today Christopher J. Wilson has been appointed by United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and sworn in by Chief United States District Ronald A. White as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The appointment became effective on December 26, 2021 and will continue for a period of 120 days.
Mr. Wilson has been the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 since March 1, 2021. Prior to his designation as Acting U.S. Attorney, Mr. Wilson was the First Assistant United States Attorney and previously served as Chief of the Criminal Division.
“I am humbled and honored to continue serving as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said Wilson. “I believe there is no higher calling than to protect and serve the people of the Eastern District, and I am blessed to work with an amazing team at the United States Attorney’s Office. In coordination with our local, state, tribal and federal partners, the men and women in the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to discharging our mission of prosecuting violations of federal law, pursuing justice for crime victims, and protecting the security and financial interests of the United States.”
Mr. Wilson has been an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma since 2006. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Wilson handled a wide variety of criminal matters including terrorism, violent crime, firearms, white collar, public corruption, narcotics, and child exploitation. He served as the Eastern District’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator (ATAC), National Security Cyber Specialist (NSCS), Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator (CHIP), Project Safe Childhood Coordinator (PSC), Elder Justice Coordinator (EJC), District Security Manager (DOSM), and Crisis Management Coordinator (CMC). In 2018, Mr. Wilson received the Executive Office of United States Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Indian Country.
Mr. Wilson, a life-long resident of Oklahoma, received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma Christian College in 1986, graduating summa cum laude, and his Juris Doctor with Distinction degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1989. Mr. Wilson’s career as a criminal prosecutor began in 1991 as an Assistant District Attorney in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. He served as the First Assistant for Oklahoma’s 18th Prosecutorial District (Pittsburg and Haskell counties) for two District Attorneys and was the elected District Attorney for District 18 from January 2003 to April 2006.
Burlington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man, Terrell Nicholas Wilson, age 28, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on December 22, 2021 to 70 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Wilson was on federal supervised release at the time of the offense. The 70-month sentence was ordered to be served consecutively to an 18-month sentence imposed for a supervised release violation. Wilson will be placed on three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and was ordered to immediately pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Wilson was identified by law enforcement on February 2, 2021 as the passenger of a vehicle stopped for an expired registration. Wilson ran from the scene as the vehicle stopped for law enforcement. The following day, Burlington Police responded to a call regarding a .22 caliber pistol found in the area where Wilson had fled the day before. Wilson admitted he possessed and dropped the firearm when he fled the traffic stop. Additionally, at Wilson’s sentencing hearing, the District Court found Wilson used the firearm the day before the traffic stop during an aggravated assault. As a convicted felon out of the Illinois Circuit Court for Henderson County, Illinois; the Iowa District Court for Lee County, Iowa; and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Wilson was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Burlington Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Attorney General Merrick Garland Appoints Randy Grossman as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
Director of Media Relations Kelly Thornton 619-546-9726
SAN DIEGO -- On December 26, 2021, Randy S. Grossman began serving as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California for an interim period of 120 days or until a Presidential appointee is confirmed, whichever occurs first.
Attorney General Merrick Garland issued an order on December 13, 2021, authorizing Grossman’s appointment as U.S. Attorney, effective December 26, 2021. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dana Sabraw administered the oath of office to Grossman on December 17, 2021, in the presence of the leadership team and Grossman’s family.
Grossman, who previously served as second-in-command, was named Acting U.S. Attorney under the Vacancies Reform Act after the resignation on February 28, 2021, of then-U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. Grossman now becomes U.S. Attorney by Attorney General appointment, in the absence of a presidentially-nominated and U.S. Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney, for a term of 120 days or until a U.S. Attorney is confirmed. If a U.S. Attorney is not nominated and confirmed within that period, a U.S. Attorney would be appointed by the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.
“It is an honor to continue to serve the Southern District of California,” Grossman said. “I look forward to continuing to work with the outstanding team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the dedicated law enforcement partners who keep our communities safe.”
The Southern District of California encompasses San Diego and Imperial Counties. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement official for the district.
Mr. Grossman began his legal career as a Deputy District Attorney for Ventura County and then San Diego County. During his more than eight years as a state prosecutor, Mr. Grossman tried more than 70 cases, including homicides and other crimes of violence. Mr. Grossman also worked in private practice as a partner at two international law firms. His practice areas included complex civil litigation, white collar criminal defense, corporate internal investigations and pro bono representation of refugees seeking asylum.
In March 2020, Mr. Grossman returned to public service as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, where he served in the Border Enforcement Section and the Major Frauds &Public Corruption Section. He was selected to become First Assistant U.S. Attorney in September 2020, and he served as Acting U.S. Attorney from March 1, 2021 until December 26, 2021.
Thursday 23 December 2021
Wilmington Man to Face Federal Charges for Armed Carjacking in FDR Park Yesterday AfternoonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Josiah Brown, 19, of Wilmington, DE, was arrested and charged by Criminal Complaint on charges of carjacking and carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with an armed carjacking that occurred in Franklin D. Roosevelt Park in South Philadelphia yesterday afternoon. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal magistrate court in Philadelphia this afternoon and is currently detained.
According to the Complaint, while the victim and an associate were speaking near the victim’s parked vehicle, an SUV pulled up alongside them and blocked them in. One suspect got out of the SUV, pointed a gun at the victim and demanded the keys to the victim’s vehicle and at the same time, a second suspect also got out of the SUV. The victim complied, and then both suspects got into the victim’s car and drove away. A third suspect driving the SUV then fled following the victim’s car.
Investigators determined that the victim’s vehicle contained equipment to track and locate it, which they did later that day in Wilmington, and then in New Castle, Delaware. When multiple individuals approached the parked vehicle in the parking lot of the Christiana Fashion Center in New Castle, law enforcement detained five people, including the defendant who was in possession of the keys to the victim’s vehicle.
“The investigation into this incident is in its very initial stages, and we are continuing to investigate and evaluate charging decisions,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Armed carjacking is a serious federal crime. There have been a rash of violent crimes like this recently, and while there were national security implications to this particular incident, we are always working collaboratively with our local partners to evaluate if cases should be taken federally. Working together means more resources, more tools, more intelligence. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If you pick up a gun and use it to commit a crime, together, we will come after you. And we are very good at what we do.”
“Anyone willing to victimize a total stranger at gunpoint at any time, much less in broad daylight, in the middle of the day, is a clear threat to our community,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “No one who lives, works, or visits here should have to fear violent criminals targeting them for their vehicle or any other possessions. The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force will continue to work in lockstep with the Philadelphia Police Department and all of our partners to get guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them and dangerous individuals off the street. We will never cede this city to criminals who have total disregard for the lives and safety of others.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Delaware State Police, Wilmington Police Department and the New Castle County Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Oshana.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $6,637,580.30 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2021Read the Press Release
HAMMOND - U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Indiana collected $6,637,580.30 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2021. Of this amount, $5,174,664.80 was collected in criminal actions and $1,462,915.50 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Northern District of Indiana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,189,415.52 in civil cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“The Public needs to know that the United States Attorney’s office does far more than just prosecute violators of federal criminal law,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “We also strive to make crime victims whole by seeking to recover monies owed them as a result of restitution judgments entered by district judges. We also protect the federal treasury by collecting debts that are owed to the United States. These efforts are worthy of commendation.”
One example of these collection efforts includes the September 2021 consent decree requiring U. S. Steel Corporation to address alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and other federal and Indiana laws. U.S. Steel Corporation agreed to undertake substantial measures to improve wastewater treatment and monitoring systems at its steel manufacturing and finishing facility in Portage (known as its Midwest Plant) and to strengthen and broaden their public and stakeholder notification procedures in the event of a spill or release to ground, soil or water. The consent decree also required U.S. Steel Corporation to pay $931,854.56, which covered civil penalties and damages caused by the spill.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Northern District of Indiana working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,111,683 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2021. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Unlawful Transportation of Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty to unlawful transportation of an alien within the United States (aiding and abetting), announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Vernon Bison, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans
According to court documents, Ricardo Ortega-Garcia, 43, and Rigoberto Montoya-Landaverde, 27, both of Mexico, were arrested on July 15, 2021, on Interstate 10 in Harrison County. Following a U.S. Border Patrol investigation, a Border Patrol Agent conducted a vehicle stop and identified the driver as Rigoberto Montoya-Landaverde. Montoya-Landaverde did not have a valid driver’s license, but he is a Legal Permanent Resident of the U.S. who had been living in Texas. Ortega-Garci, the registered owner of the vehicle, was the front-seat passenger and was determined to be illegally present in the U.S. In addition to Ortega-Garcia and Montoya-Landaverde, there were four other adult passengers in the vehicle, all of whom were illegally present in the United States.
During the on-site investigation, two of the passengers fled on foot. While one of the fleeing passengers was apprehended by the Border Patrol, the other escaped and is still at large. Two of the passengers (both of whom had felony criminal histories) were each separately prosecuted for unlawful return of an alien removed after conviction of a felony, and both were convicted.
Ortega-Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2022, and Montoya-Landaverde is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2022. Each man faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. After completing any sentence of incarceration, they are both subject to Department of Homeland Security proceedings to remove them from the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca praised the investigative efforts and coordination of the Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Texas Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss.- A Dallas, Texas man was sentenced yesterday to 190 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Vernon “Jeb” Bison, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, from November 2014 through March of 2018, Jerome Miller, Jr., 42, conspired with others to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from Texas into central Mississippi. This case is the result of an extensive investigation dubbed “Operation Highlife,” which targeted illegal methamphetamine distribute in central Mississippi.
Miller pled guilty on June 4, 2021 to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This Operation 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.
The case is part of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Philadelphia Police Department, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, Neshoba County District Attorney’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Flowood Police Department, Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Carthage Police Department, Union Police Department, Louisville Police Department, and Mississippi Highway Patrol.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Erin Chalk.
Statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell on Death of Gary Lee SampsonRead the Press Release
“We are aware of the news that Gary Lee Sampson has died. Our thoughts are with the Rizzo, McCloskey and Whitney families today. Their resilience is extraordinary.”
St. Thomas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Conspiring to Bring over 6 Kilograms of Marijuana Through the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that Jahvar Looby, age 31, of St. Thomas, appeared before Judge Wilma A Lewis, in U.S. District Court, and was sentenced today on the charge of Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana with Intent to Distribute.
Judge Lewis sentenced Looby to 7 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a fine of $1,500, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2021, Looby and three other co-conspirators flew into the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix on American Airlines flight number 2003 from Charlotte, North Carolina. Upon their arrival, Customs and Border Protection officers selected several pieces of luggage for physical inspection. The CBP officers observed anomalies while the luggage was examined by an X-ray machine. A subsequent search revealed several clear, vacuum sealed bundles containing a green, leafy substance, which later field-tested positive for marijuana. In total, approximately 6.33 kilograms of suspected marijuana was seized from Looby and his co-conspirators.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Seattle barrel reconditioning company and owner convicted of 10-year water pollution schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A barrel cleaning and reconditioning operation, Seattle Barrel and Cooperage Company, and its owner, Louie Sanft, 55, were convicted late yesterday of conspiracy, making false statements, and 33 Clean Water Act violations following a three-week jury trial, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Investigators with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documented a conspiracy to illegally dump caustic waste into the King County sewer system, which ultimately empties into Puget Sound. The company used a hidden drain, and over ten years, lied to regulators to carry out their illegal dumping. Sentencing for Sanft and the company is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones on March 25, 2022.
“While publicly claiming to follow environmental best practices, in private the company was illegally sending thousands of gallons of caustic wastewater into the sewer system,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “The highly corrosive wastewater can damage equipment that cleans wastewater, and further pollutes our fragile Puget Sound. I commend the investigators with EPA and King County, who uncovered this conspiracy and our team who successfully held Mr. Sanft and the company accountable.”
Seattle Barrel’s business involves collecting used industrial and commercial drums and reconditioning and reselling them. Part of the reconditioning process involved washing the barrels in a highly-corrosive chemical solution. The caustic solution had a very high pH level. According to the indictment, since at least 2009, Seattle Barrel has operated under a discharge permit that prohibits it from dumping effluent with a pH exceeding 12 to the sewer system. Effluent above pH 12 will corrode the sewer system and treatment plant, and potentially cause pass-through pollution to Elliott Bay and Puget Sound.
In 2013, King County conducted covert monitoring of Seattle Barrel, and discovered the company was illegally dumping effluent with a pH above 12 in violation of its permit. King County fined the company $55,250, but later agreed to reduce the fine when Seattle Barrel installed a pretreatment system for its wastewater. Beginning in 2016, Louie Sanft represented to King County in written monthly certifications that the company had become a “zero discharge” facility and was not discharging any industrial wastewater to the sewer.
In fact, in 2018 and 2019, additional covert monitoring by the EPA inspectors revealed that Seattle Barrel was continuing to routinely dump wastewater with a pH above 12 into the sewer system despite telling local regulators that no industrial wastewater was being discharged. Agents then installed real-time monitoring equipment that allowed them to determine when the dumping was taking place and obtained a search warrant.
Early on the morning of March 8, 2019, the covert monitors indicated Seattle Barrel was dumping high-pH material into the sewer. Agents immediately executed the warrant and entered the building. Inside, they discovered a portable pump on the floor near the tank of caustic solution. They then discovered that the pump was being used to pump solution to a nearby hidden drain that had never been disclosed to King County. The drain led directly to the sewer system. The company claims that since mid-2019, following the criminal conduct in this case, it no longer uses the caustic solution.
Louie Sanft, the owner and operator of Seattle Barrel, was convicted of conspiracy, 29 violations of the Clean Water Act for discharging pollutants to the sewer, four counts of submission of False Clean Water Act Certifications, and making a false statement to special agents of the EPA. Louie Sanft faces up to 5 years in prison on the conspiracy and false statement counts, and up to three years in prison for each violation of the Clean Water Act. His cousin, John Sanft, 53, of Issaquah, WA, the plant manager, is scheduled for a separate trial on the charges in March 2022.
U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) with significant assistance from King County Industrial Waste.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Jim Oesterle, and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Karla Perrin and Gwendolyn Russell, Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Sheridan Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearms and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ADAM LEE GODWIN, age 35, of Sheridan, Wyoming pleaded guilty to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it at a change of plea hearing held before Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on December 15, 2021. Sentencing is set for March 7, 2022.
The charges carry a possible imprisonment term of five to 50 years, up to five years of supervised release, over $5 million in possible fines, and $200 in special assessments.
This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathon C. Coppom.
Case Number: 0:21-cr-00112-NDF
Rosebud Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Edward Zane Roubideaux, Jr., age 31, was indicted on December 14, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 22, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
It is alleged that between July 3, 2021, and August 6, 2021, Roubideaux, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under Federal Law, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Roubideaux is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Roubideaux was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Riverton Man Sentenced to 71 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexually Abusing Children on the Wind River Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that DALCO GABRIEL WHITEMAN, 54, of Riverton, Wyoming was sentenced on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and four counts of abusive sexual contact by Chief District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on December 20, 2021. Whiteman was sentenced to 71 years of imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and a special assessment of $600.
Whiteman was found guilty following a trial by a jury that began on September 21, 2021. The jury found that Whiteman was responsible for sexually abusing multiple children on the Wind River Reservation over the course of 25 years. Six victims, several of them unknown to each other, testified that Whiteman had sexually assaulted them, some of them on numerous occasions.
“Every little girl and young women deserve a home and community where she feels safe and secure. Not a place of fear and abuse. Stopping sexual predators like Dalco Whiteman is why our team of prosecutors work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners. We are grateful for the conviction of someone who has been targeting our most vulnerable population,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “Whiteman essentially received a life sentence, and he can no longer harm another child on the reservation.”
“The lengthy sentence of Dalco Whiteman hopefully brings a sense of justice to his victims, who suffered from decades of abuse,” said FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “The FBI in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which was the primary investigative agency in this case, will continue to prioritize protecting child victims of sexual assault by holding accountable all those who perpetrate such crimes.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced in Firearms and Narcotics CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on December 22, 2021, TERRENCE ROLLINS, age 41, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced in the United States District Court after pleading guilty to a two count Superseding Indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, members of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department executed a search warrant at ROLLINS’s Washington Avenue residence after receiving information from concerned citizens that ROLLINS sold illegal narcotics at the residence. During the search, law enforcement located prescribed medication, heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Additionally, seven firearms including hand-guns and high-powered rifles and various types of ammunitions were confiscated.
United States District Court Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced ROLLINS to 12 months imprisonment for Count One. The judge sentenced ROLLINS to 60 months imprisonment for Count Two. The 60 month term of imprisonment will run consecutive to the sentence imposed in Count One. Following his term of imprisonment, ROLLINS will be placed on supervised release for a period of 3 years. ROLLINS must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
Moses Lake Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Shooting at ATF Agents in Connection with Widespread Drug Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On December 13, 2021, Senior United States District Judge W. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Patrick Elliott Pearson, 49, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 35 years in prison for shooting at four ATF agents with a shotgun in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. Earlier this year, a jury convicted Pearson of assaulting the agents, engaging in a drug conspiracy, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The United States Probation Office calculated Pearson’s advisory range under the United States Sentencing Guidelines at 30 years to life, with a mandatory 10-year sentence for discharging the shotgun, consecutive to all other counts. Judge Nielsen determined that Pearson’s criminal history was in Category VI, the highest category under the federal guidelines.
The evidence at trial showed that Pearson, along with co-defendant Luis Manuel Farias-Cardenas, controlled and facilitated a methamphetamine and heroin distribution ring in the greater Grant County and Yakima areas from 2015 to 2019. The jury considered extensive evidence at trial that demonstrated that Pearson was responsible for the distribution of hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of heroin and methamphetamine into the Grant County community. As part of his role in this endeavor, Pearson lived in a trailer on a compound in Mae Valley, Washington, outside Moses Lake. At that compound, the conspirators received, stored, and dealt methamphetamine and heroin to customers. Judge Nielsen concluded that the compound was a drug “stash house” and imposed an enhancement for Pearson’s maintenance of a premise for the purpose of drug trafficking.
On the morning of July 16, 2019, numerous ATF agents, Grant County deputies, and local officers went to Pearson’s Mae Valley compound to serve search and arrest warrants authorized by a federal magistrate judge. Specially trained agents from ATF’s Special Response Team (“SRT”) approached Pearson’s trailer to arrest him. As they approached, Pearson aimed his shotgun at the ATF agents and repeatedly pulled the trigger, blasting lead slugs and buckshot rounds at them through the trailer’s fiberglass walls. He then reloaded the shotgun and continued to shoot at the agents. Grant County Sheriff’s Office took the lead on the shooting investigation. The evidence at trial showed that Pearson knew where he needed to aim to hit the ATF agents, because he had installed numerous high-definition security cameras on the property that live-streamed what was happening outside his trailer onto a large, high-definition television screen inside the trailer.
The ATF agents did not shoot back at Pearson, because they were not able to see if anyone else was inside the trailer. With the aid of a trained law-enforcement canine, the ATF agents were eventually able to arrest Pearson. When he finally came out of the trailer, law enforcement officers learned that after shooting at the officers, he had tried to take his own life with the shotgun. He was unsuccessful, and the ATF agents immediately arranged for Pearson to be life-flighted to Spokane for medical treatment.
During his sentencing hearing, Pearson claimed that he was not trying to hurt anyone, and that he was just trying to buy time by scaring the ATF agents. Judge Nielsen rejected this contention and told Pearson that the only conclusion that could be reached about his conduct that morning was that he was trying to hurt or kill the agents. Judge Nielsen specifically noted that Pearson was not “shooting blind,” based on the video surveillance system that was live-streaming the locations of the ATF agents. Judge Nielsen also found that the evidence of Pearson reloading the shotgun supported the conclusion that Pearson’s intent was not merely to scare the officers. Judge Nielsen also commented on the serious impact Pearson’s drug trafficking had on the community, noting that because of Pearson’s choice to distribute drugs, he was feeding the addiction of current addicts and making drugs available to others who might become addicts.
United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref commended the joint efforts of law enforcement and emphasized the need to keep Eastern Washington safe and strong from both drugs and drug-related violence. “No one can be allowed to shoot at law enforcement. Numerous brave ATF agents went to Mr. Pearson’s trailer that morning to do their jobs by executing a lawful court order and serving a valid arrest warrant. Thanks to Mr. Pearson’s poor aim, this community has not had to endure the potential tragedy of fallen ATF officers. Today’s sentence sends a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can shoot their way out of an arrest and get away with it – they cannot. If they try, the United States Attorney’s Office will work with its federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute them to the fullest extent provided by law. When Mr. Pearson saw on his video screens that ATF was present with a warrant, he simply had to surrender to avoid the most serious charges in this case. Instead, with reckless disregard for human life, he tried to hurt or kill a number of agents.”
United States Attorney Waldref continued: “I am both grateful for, and inspired by, the professionalism shown by the ATF agents who risked their lives that morning. They relied on their training to keep themselves and Mr. Pearson safe, and no ATF officer even returned fire into the trailer despite being shot at multiple times. I thank and commend the ATF SRT team, their ATF, DEA, and Grant County colleagues, and the hundreds of law enforcement officers and professionals who executed dozens of other warrants that very same morning. No other execution of a warrant that morning involved anyone pulling a trigger—only Mr. Pearson shot at law enforcement that day, and it is appropriate that he will spend 35 years in federal prison for doing so.”
Jonathan T. McPherson, the ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge, echoed the U.S. Attorney, stating: “The actions of the ATF Special Agents and officers from our partner agencies that day are truly commendable. They acted with high regard not only for the safety of the surrounding community, but also for Mr. Pearson, despite the fact that he was shooting at our Special Response Team. We are thankful none of our Special Agents were injured and that Mr. Pearson will serve a significant sentence.”
Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Seattle Field Division joined that sentiment, noting: “This brazen attack on law enforcement illustrates the direct correlation between drug trafficking and violence. We have long known that drug trafficking organizations use violence and fear to further their criminal enterprises. With the help of our partners, we strive to drive down drug-related violence that endangers our communities. We will continue to do so through enforcement actions, community engagement, education, and awareness.”
This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. The OCDETF program provides supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the investigation of drug-related crimes. This OCDETF investigation was conducted by DEA and ATF, with significant assistance from the Grant County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted and tried to a jury by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin A. Baunsgard and David M. Herzog.
Man Pleads Guilty to Murder on Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians pleaded guilty to the murder of a tribal member on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Vandel Jim, 53, of the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, stabbed the victim with a knife which resulted in his death.
A federal grand jury in January of 2017, indicted Jim, on the charge of murder in the second degree. Jim pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2022. Jim faces a maximum possible penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne.
Justice Department announces global resolution of criminal and civil investigations with housing contractor for defrauding U.S. militaryRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH: Balfour Beatty Communities LLC (BBC), one of the nation’s largest providers of privatized military housing to the U.S. Armed Forces, pled guilty to defrauding the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain performance bonuses by submitting false information to the U.S. military.
BBC entered the plea, pursuant to plea agreement with the United States, before U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in the District of Columbia on Wednesday. Under the terms of the plea agreement, BBC agreed to pay more than $33.6 million in criminal fines and over $31.8 million in restitution to the U.S. military, serve three years of probation, and engage an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years.
“Instead of promptly repairing housing for U.S. servicemembers as required, BBC lied about the repairs to pocket millions of dollars in performance bonuses,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “This pervasive fraud was a consequence of BBC’s broken corporate culture, which valued profit over the welfare of servicemembers. Today’s global resolution sends a clear message to companies that if they do not maintain adequate compliance programs, voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, and fully cooperate with the government, they will pay a price that outweighs the profits they once reaped.”
Separately, BBC entered into a False Claims Act (FCA) settlement under which it is obligated to pay approximately $35.2 million in civil restitution and penalties to the United States, which the Justice Department credited against BBC’s criminal restitution and fine. Law enforcement within the Southern District of Georgia assisted in reaching this settlement by investigating BBC’s misconduct at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, and Fort Gordon in Augusta.
“The men and women who live in our nation’s military housing, including those at Fort Stewart and Fort Gordon, deserve prompt and professional maintenance service from their housing providers,” said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “That BBC would not only fail to deliver this service, but also falsify information to line their own pockets is despicable. Our office will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners, and other components of the Department of Justice, to make sure those who provide subpar service to the military and lie about it are held accountable.”
According to court documents, BBC was a diversified real estate services company, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, that operated privatized military housing communities at 21 U.S. Air Force, 16 U.S. Army, and 18 U.S. Navy bases across the United States, in which tens of thousands of service members and their families lived. BBC earned fees for the various phases of development and management of each housing community, from design and construction to ongoing community management and maintenance, and service members paid their living allowance, known as Basic Allowance for Housing, in the form of rest to BBC to live in the communities.
BBC’s fees for the ongoing property management and maintenance of its military housing communities generally consisted of (1) a base fee, paid to BBC monthly and (2) performance incentive fees, paid to BBC quarterly or semi-annually. Performance Incentive Fees were payable only upon the approval of the relevant service branch. To obtain the incentive fees, BBC was required to submit to the service branches proof that it had satisfied written performance objectives related to, among other things, maintenance of the housing communities and resident satisfaction. The service branches relied on BBC’s submissions in deciding whether to approve the payment of relevant performance incentive fees.
According to court documents, from around 2013 to around 2019, BBC employees falsified information so that BBC’s incentive fee requests falsely reflected that BBC had met performance objectives. In reality, BBC did not legitimately meet those objectives in many of the quarters during that time, primarily the objectives related to maintenance and resident satisfaction, at various military housing projects. Specifically, BBC employees altered or manipulated data in property management software and destroyed and falsified resident comment cards to falsely inflate these metrics and, ultimately, to fraudulently induce the service branches to pay performance incentive fees which BBC had not earned.
As a result, according to court documents, there were lengthy and unnecessary delays in the resolution of maintenance issues to the detriment of residents. In addition, the military service branches had an inaccurate view of the state of BBC’s military housing communities and were unable to assess, and potentially correct, BBC’s performance.
A number of relevant considerations contributed to the department’s criminal resolution with BBC, including the nature and seriousness of the offense, the pervasiveness of the misconduct among BBC’s employees and at multiple military installations, and the state of BBC’s compliance program and the progress of its remediation, including the fact that BBC’s compliance program and internal controls have not been fully implemented or tested to demonstrate that they would prevent and detect similar misconduct in the future.
As part of BBC’s plea agreement, BBC agreed to cooperate fully with the United States in all matters relating to the conduct covered by the plea agreement and other conduct under investigation by the United States, to self-report violations of U.S. federal criminal law, and to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program designed to effectively detect and deter violations of U.S. anti-fraud laws throughout its operations.
“In defrauding our country's military services, BBC took advantage of their unique position as a military housing provider and put greed and personal profit above our servicemembers,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate. “Today's guilty plea reaffirms the FBI, along with our partners, are committed to preventing such disgraceful crimes and will work tirelessly to bring those who engage in this type of crime to justice.”
“The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is committed to protecting the integrity of the Department of the Air Force’s procurement process,” said Special Agent Paul Wachsmuth, Director AFOSI Office of Procurement Fraud Investigations. “The extensive and dedicated collaborative efforts between AFOSI, the Air Force Audit Agency, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Justice in this investigation was paramount in ensuring the safety and well-being of our warfighters and their families.”
“The health and safety of service members and their families remains of critical importance to the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of DCIS. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners are committed to working with the Department of Justice to hold companies accountable when they emphasize profits over the well-being of those who honorably serve our nation.”
“This judgment demonstrates the commitment CID Special Agents have to protect soldiers’ families against deceitfulness and fraud, while also ensuring the integrity of the military privatization housing initiative, which is to provide safe, quality, well-maintained housing for our military families,” said Special Agent in Charge Frank Robey of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “Throughout this investigation, Army CID special agents worked closely with federal authorities emphasizing the importance of successful partnerships with other law enforcement agencies.”
“Balfour Beatty’s scheme to delay service request entries into their electronic tracking system for housing aboard Naval Air Station Key West to increase their performance-based award violated their contract and wasted valuable taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Cannizzo of the NCIS Southeast Field Office. “NCIS and our partners remain committed to rooting out fraud and corruption that threatens the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process.”
“The Western District of Texas is home to some of the largest military installations in the country and our district works tirelessly to protect and serve our military families,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff for the Western District of Texas. “The resolution entered with BBC concerns conduct that impacted military families in our district at Lackland Air Force Base and Fort Bliss Army Base. This resolution is an important step in holding private military housing providers accountable to our servicemembers and their families.”
“The defendants’ greed undermined a program designed to protect servicemembers’ homes while they courageously fight to protect our homeland,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Servicemembers and their families deserve better. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect our military community from fraudulent conduct of all kinds, particularly the integrity of DoD housing programs.”
This resolution follows the prior entry of guilty pleas by two BBC managers. In April 2021, Stacy Cabrera, a former community manager of BBC, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In June 2021, Rick Cunefare, a former regional manager of BBC, pleaded guilty to major fraud against the United States.
Air Force OSI, DCIS, Army-CID, NCIS, and the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. The Air Force Audit Agency also provided assistance.
Trial Attorneys Michael P. McCarthy and Siji Moore of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Trials Attorneys Laura E. Hill and Elspeth England of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Schwedler and Jonathan Porter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Gallegos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Kruger and Jacquelyn Christilles of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas represented the government in the civil case.
Justice Department Awards Nearly $87 Million to Combat Human Trafficking and Help VictimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced almost $87 million in funding to combat human trafficking, provide supportive services to trafficking victims throughout the United States and conduct research into the nature and causes of labor and sex trafficking.
“Human trafficking is a global problem that reaches into many of our nation’s communities, causing victims unimaginable harm, violating basic human rights and undermining fundamental principles of dignity and justice,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These awards reflect the Justice Department’s commitment to helping our state and local partners shut down trafficking operations and deliver the relief and support that survivors need and deserve.”
OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) continues to manage the largest amount of federal funding dedicated to providing services to victims of human trafficking. OVC strengthens the victim service response to human trafficking through grant funding, training and technical assistance and leadership in the field. For example, OVC-funded human trafficking task forces initiated more than 2,800 new investigations nationwide between June 2019 and July 2020, and its victim service grant programs reached nearly 10,000 clients over a 12-month period. OJP’s investments figure prominently in the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking released by the White House on Dec. 3. The plan lays out a broad-based, multi-disciplinary, whole-of-government approach to addressing human trafficking and its harmful impacts on crime victims, communities and national security.
“Victims of human trafficking suffer unspeakable trauma while being systematically and cruelly denied their most fundamental emotional and material needs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “These awards will provide housing, counseling, legal aid and other services that can help survivors reclaim their lives.”
Grants awarded by OVC aim to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to survivors of human trafficking. OJP’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) provides funding to support research and evaluation projects designed to inform anti-trafficking efforts. Specific programs include the following:
- Under the Services for Victims of Human Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $22 million to develop, expand or strengthen victim service programs for victims of human trafficking.
- Under the Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $22 million to develop, expand or strengthen a multidisciplinary approach to fight human trafficking.
- Under the Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $15 million to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking.
- Under the Services for Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $8 million to develop, expand or strengthen victim service programs for those whose victimizations occurred when they were under the age of 18.
- Under the Training and Technical Assistance for Human Trafficking Service Providers program, OVC awarded approximately $3 million to provide funding for training and technical assistance to service providers developing, strengthening or expanding programs for victims of human trafficking.
- Under the Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $2 million to improve responses to child and youth victims of trafficking, with a focus on coordination at the statewide or Tribal jurisdiction level.
- Under the Enhancing Juvenile and Family Court Responses to Human Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $2 million to develop and enhance programs to provide direct services and diversion programs for youth in contact with the juvenile and family court systems who are victims of sex or labor trafficking or at risk for human trafficking due to past or current crime victimization, including child abuse and neglect.
- Under the Field-Generated Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance for Law Enforcement program, OVC awarded approximately $2 million to develop innovative strategies and models to support jurisdictions engaged in identifying victims of human trafficking and investigating and prosecuting human trafficking and related crimes.
- Under the Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking program, OVC awarded approximately $2 million to develop, expand or strengthen victim service programs for those whose victimizations occurred when they were under the age of 18.
- Under the Preventing Trafficking of Girls program, OVC awarded approximately $1 million to support prevention and early intervention programs for girls who are at-risk of, or are victims of, sex trafficking.
- Under the Law Enforcement Human Trafficking Fellowship Program, OVC awarded $400,000 to improve and expand the ability of law enforcement, prosecutors and OJP-funded human trafficking task forces nationwide to conduct and implement victim-centered and trauma-informed investigations and prosecutions.
- NIJ awarded more than $2.6 million under its Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons portfolio to better understand, prevent and respond to trafficking in persons in the United States.
Information about the grantees selected under each solicitation can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards Nearly $444 Million to Support Violence Intervention EffortsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced nearly $444 million in grant awards to support a wide range of violence reduction efforts, including community-based violence intervention and prevention strategies, youth and school violence prevention programs and evidence-based police and prosecution practices. Funding will also support research on civil disturbances, school safety and violence against women.
“No two communities are the same, and the Justice Department is committed to supporting efforts that build on local expertise to confront violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants will help experts embedded in communities across the nation do the vital work of reducing violence and ensuring access to justice.”
In April, the Biden-Harris Administration identified a number of federal investments that would be leveraged to address the rise in gun violence and other violent crime in communities across America. President Biden’s Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure Public Safety, announced in June, outlined steps the federal government would take to curb the rise in violent crime in cities across America, deploying a range of resources from prevention and intervention activities to reentry programs. The programs listed below will be a key part of the White House’s strategy.
“The safety of our communities depends not on enforcement alone, but on evidence-based interventions that address the root causes of crime and that bring together stakeholders from every sector to tackle our most pressing challenges,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “These investments reflect a commitment that extends across this administration to revitalize our neighborhoods, building bonds of civic trust and ending the cycle of trauma and violence that destroys too many lives and keep far too many Americans from realizing their potential.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
- More than $84.9 million is being awarded under BJA’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program-Local Solicitation. The JAG Program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to units of local government. This program supports efforts to prevent and reduce violent crime and strength the criminal justice system.
- More than $187 million is being awarded under BJA’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program-State Solicitation. Funds awarded to a state under this program may be used to hire additional personnel and/or purchase equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance and information systems for criminal justice purposes. These awards were announced previously.
- BJA is awarding $73.7 million under thePreventing School Violence: BJA’s STOP School Violence Program, which is designed to improve K-12 school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to and help prevent acts of violence and ensure a positive school climate. These awards were announced previously.
- Another $6.4 million is being awarded under BJA’s Smart Policing Initiative, which enables law enforcement agencies to effectively use evidence-based practices, data and technology.
- BJA is awarding over $2.8 million under its Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative for Law Enforcement Agencies. This program provides competitive grants and technical assistance to small law enforcement agencies in rural locations to address the unique challenges these departments face in combating violent crime.
- Another $3.6 is being awarded under BJA’s Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative Training and Technical Assistance Provider. This initiative is intended to improve communication and collaboration between state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to address the unique criminal justice challenges in rural areas.
- More than $4 million will be awarded under BJA’s Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiativ This program assists state, local and Tribal law enforcement with enhancing their investigative and prosecutorial resources to improve their ability to hold violent gun offenders accountable and reduce violent crime.
- BJA is awarding more than $17.5 million under its Project Safe Neighborhoods This program, led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices, is designed to create and foster safer communities through a sustained collaboration and identifying and addressing the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. These awards were announced previously.
- Another $2 million is being awarded under BJA’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Training and Technical Assistance Program. This opportunity will establish a cooperative agreement with one training and technical assistance provider to further develop the Project Safe Neighborhoods National Training and Technical Assistance Program, which will support and deliver training and technical assistance to criminal justice professionals and research partners.
- BJA is awarding $18.8 million under its Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program, which will fund a strategic approach to crime reduction in local jurisdictions that leverages community knowledge and expertise to build public trust with law enforcement and make neighborhoods safer.
- Another $750,000 is being awarded under BJA’s Smart Suite Training and Technical Assistance Program, which supports building partnerships between researchers and practitioners to improve local outcomes and programs.
- BJA is also awarding $7.1 million under its Smart Prosecution – Innovative Prosecution Solutions program, which provides state, local and Tribal prosecutors with funding to secure resources that will help reduce crime and increase public safety.
- OJJDP is awarding another $14.9 million under its Comprehensive Youth Violence Prevention and Reduction Program. Funding for this program is to prevent and reduce youth violence, including gang violence.
- OJJDP is awarding $7 million under its Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence program to develop or enhance support services for children exposed to violence and to implement community violence intervention strategies. Funding also supports training and technical assistance to program sites.
- Supplemental funding of nearly $925,000 supports the continued operation of the National Gang Center. The center provides leadership, information and training and technical assistance on comprehensive, community-based anti-gang initiatives, including gang prevention, intervention, enforcement and reentry.
- NIJ is awarding nearly $2 million on Research and Evaluation on Policing Strategies for Civil Disturbances, which will fund research projects addressing police strategies and tactics to respond to violence and maintain order. Funded research will also address the role of extremists in fomenting violence at protests and demonstrations.
- NIJ is awarding another $2.4 million on Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women, which will fund rigorous research and evaluation projects to support the development of objective and independent knowledge and validated tools to reduce violence against women, promote justice for victims of crime and enhance criminal justice responses. This amount includes funding for research on issues around violence against Indian women.
- NIJ is awarding over $1.4 million on Research and Evaluation on School Safety, which will fund rigorous research and evaluation projects to study the root causes of school violence to include the impact and effectiveness of grants made under the STOP School Violence Act.
Once the awards are made, information about the grantees selected under each solicitation can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $57 Million in Alaska During 2021Read the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – The Department of Justice has awarded more than $57 million in grants to organizations throughout Alaska in support of Victim Services, Public Safety and the coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) initiative in fiscal year 2021.
“Ensuring the safety of our communities is a top priority for the Department of Justice. These investments in Alaska will enable criminal justice officials as well as communities and non-profit organizations to support victims of crime while simultaneously working to prevent crimes,” said Bryan Wilson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. “We will continue to work together with our partners to identify and prosecute the drivers of violence while supporting the community’s efforts to prevent violence and support victims.”
The Office of Victim Services (OVC) awarded $34+ million to more than 45 organizations, including 36 tribal communities, to support and enhance local services for victims of crime. Services include advocacy centers, domestic violence and sexual assault shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, and transitional housing for victims. It also supports organizations providing training such as the Alaska Tribal Justice Resource Center and multi-disciplinary efforts to fight human trafficking.
In the area of Public Safety, more than $11.7 million was awarded to organizations within Alaska by several grant awarding groups within the Department of Justice. This includes more than $4 million to the Alaska Department of Public Safety in support of forensic science, and several Alaska re-entry focused programs received a combined $2 million. Additionally, Dillingham, Fairbanks and Juneau received a combined $1.4 million for school violence prevention programs.
More than $10.7 million was awarded to 16 tribal organizations through CTAS. In 2010FY the Department of Justice launched the CTAS initiative which combined most of the Department’s available tribal government specific grant programs under one solicitation. Tribal grants funded through the CTAS process help tribes to develop and strengthen tribal justice systems’ response to crime, while significantly increasing programs and services available to them.
For additional information on any of these programs, please visit www.justice.gov/grants
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Justice Department Awards More Than $40 Million to Improve Services for Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling over $40 million to enhance services for victims of crime across the United States. The grants build on more than $1.2 billion in funding announced in September to support victim assistance and victim compensation programs administered by states and territories.
“The Department of Justice is committed to doing all it can to reduce violent crime, and supporting victims of crime is not only critical to those efforts but also central to our most fundamental responsibility: protecting our fellow citizens,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The resources announced today will provide direct support to victims of crime as they recover and also bolster the important work of our state, local and Tribal partners who provide victims with comprehensive, high-quality victim services and care.”
Approximately $38 million are being awarded under 12 grant programs administered by OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Almost $2.9 million will be awarded by OJP’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to support research, and $2.1 million will be awarded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to support the National Census of Victim Service Providers. Most of the funding comes from the Crime Victims Fund, which was established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984. The fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders, not from tax dollars.
“The needs of crime victims are varied and unique, so when it comes to services, one size does not fit all,” said Director Kristina Rose of OJP's OVC. “Service providers can use VOCA funding to create and enhance programs that are culturally specific and reflect the communities they are serving.”
The funded programs and their amounts are listed below.
- Under the Advancing the Use of Technology to Assist Victims of Crime program, OVC awarded almost $10 million to implement innovative strategies to create, expand or enhance the use of technology to interact directly with crime victims and/or to provide information, referrals, crisis assistance and longer-term help.
- Under the Expanding Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Services to Victims of Sexual Assault program, OVC awarded more than $7 million to establish or expand sexual assault examination programs that focus on improving the provision of sexual assault care using a community-based approach, such as through a campus community, nonprofit, community-based and/or Tribe-affiliated victim services provider. Funding will also be awarded to an organization to provide technical assistance to the grantees.
- Under the Transforming America's Response to Elder Abuse: Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams (E-MDTs) for Older Victims of Financial Exploitation and Abuse program, OVC awarded nearly $3.7 million to support the development and/or enhancement of multidisciplinary teams and to strengthen the capacity of E-MDTs to better identify and respond to cases of elder abuse and more comprehensively serve and support victims of financial exploitation.
- Under the National Center for Culturally Responsive Victim Services program, OVC awarded $3 million for the development, operation and management of OVC’s National Center. The center will facilitate the delivery of national-scale, high quality training and technical assistance to increase access to victim services and victim compensation for victims of crime in areas that have been historically underserved, marginalized and/or adversely affected by inequality.
- Under the Building State Technology Capacity program, OVC awarded more than $2.6 million to implement statewide technology programs to enhance victims’ access to services, foster innovation and efficiency in the provision of services, improve the quality of services and improve the accessibility and responsiveness of victim service organizations.
- Under the Fostering Resilience and Hope: Bridging the Gap Between Law Enforcement and the Community program, OVC awarded $2.5 million to support the development, implementation and dissemination of a train-the-trainer trauma-informed, hope-centered framework to help law enforcement officers address trauma and adversity and rebuild relationships within the community.
- Under the Advancing Hospital-Based Victim Services program, OVC awarded nearly $2.5 million to four organizations and one technical assistance provider to improve linkages between the victim services field and hospitals and other medical facilities that increase support for victims of crime, improve outcomes and reduce chances of future victimization.
- Under the Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program, OVC awarded over $2.4 million to provide funding for shelter and transitional housing and other assistance to victims of domestic violence and their pets.
- Under the Services to Support Victims of Hate Crime and Strengthen Communities programs, OVC awarded $2 million to support field-generated, innovative strategies, approaches and models to support individuals, groups and communities impacted by hate crime.
- Under the Addressing Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting program, OVC awarded nearly $1.5 million to deliver community-based programming to stop female genital mutilation and cutting by educating communities and forming community networks of agencies and organizations that are positioned to identify girls at risk and respond to victims.
- Under the National Joint Training Conference for VOCA Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators, OVC awarded $600,000 to plan and administer training activities to bring Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators and their staff together for training conferences in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
- Under the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Community Awareness Projects program, OVC awarded $300,000 to one organization to increase public awareness of crime victims’ rights and services nationwide and strengthen the capacity of victim assistance agencies to develop a broad, collaborative approach to community awareness that highlights services for all types of crime victims during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
- Under the Research and Evaluation of Services for Victims of Crime program, NIJ awarded over $2.9 million to five organizations to support research and evaluation of state crime victim compensation programs, research on the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of services to victims of crime, and evaluation of programs that provide services for victims of crime.
- Under the National Census of Victim Service Providers program, BJS awarded nearly $2.1 million to one recipient to develop a statistical infrastructure around victim services and address major gaps in our knowledge about the availability and use of services to support victims of crime or abuse.
In addition to the grants listed above, over $1.041 billion in victim assistance funding supports local direct service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim advocate positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments. State victim compensation programs will receive over $186.8 million to supplement the state funds that assist victims with financial burdens such as medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs resulting from crime.
Furthermore, OVC awarded nearly $87 million in funding to combat human trafficking, provide supportive services to trafficking victims throughout the United States and conduct research into the nature and causes of labor and sex trafficking. OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention also has awarded grants to support services for child victims, and OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking awarded more than $20 million to register and track sex offender registration and protect young athletes.
Additional information about these and other FY 2021 grant awards made by OJP can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $37 Million to Support Innovations in PolicingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling over $37 million to support evidence-based law enforcement strategies designed to build trust with communities and improve public safety. The grants, made by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ), will support partnerships between researchers and law enforcement professionals, fund body-worn camera programs and underwrite research and evaluation projects that examine promising police practices.
“Public safety requires public trust and the Justice Department is committed to supporting law enforcement programs that increase trust with communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s investment of $37 million builds on the department’s wide-ranging efforts to advance evidence-based innovations in policing throughout the country.”
The Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime articulates a commitment to an approach that is grounded in research and consistent with our values as a nation. The strategy emphasizes that confidence in police and policing is essential to the safety of our communities. The awards announced today will enable state and local law enforcement agencies to work closely with researchers to address chronic public safety problems in their jurisdictions. Grants will also help develop body-worn camera programs that maximize transparency and accountability in order to build trust with communities. Research grants will support randomized controlled trials and other analyses that explore de-escalation tactics, procedural justice strategies and other issues.
“A safe and just society is possible only when our law enforcement partners and our communities share a common trust and mutual respect,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “These investments will equip our police professionals with the latest knowledge, tools and information to do their jobs safely, fairly and effectively in the service of greater public safety and stronger bonds with the people they serve.”
Below is a summary of these programs:
- BJA is awarding more than $27.4 million under its Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to Support Law Enforcement Agencies, which provides funding to law enforcement agencies seeking to purchase body-worn cameras and to establish or expand comprehensive programs focused on maximizing the benefits of this technology and minimizing its risks.
- BJA is awarding $6.4 million under its Smart Policing Initiative, which helps to establish police-researcher partnerships; test promising crime prevention, response and reduction practices; improve police accountability and build law enforcement agencies’ capacity to analyze and use crime intelligence and data; implement and test justice information-sharing technology; and evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches.
- NIJ is awarding almost $3.3 million under its Research and Evaluation on Policing portfolio, which supports proposals for rigorous research and evaluation projects that address the re-allocation of resources and police operations and functions; police use of force and de-escalation tactics and strategies; and tactics and strategies that strengthen police-community relationships.
Once the awards are made, information about the grantees selected under each solicitation can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $210 Million to Support Forensic ScienceRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling more than $210 million to fund crime laboratories, support research, decrease DNA backlogs and help law enforcement identify missing persons. The funding is administered by the OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
“The department is committed to strengthening and expanding forensic capabilities from the crime scene to the courtroom,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Supporting forensic science nationwide helps bring justice, closure and peace to victims and their families.”
Since 2004, the department has funded more than $1 billion to support DNA analysis, laboratory capacity enhancement and forensic science research that provide knowledge and tools to improve the quality and practice of forensic science.
“A sound and robust forensic science infrastructure is critical to public safety and to the integrity of our systems of justice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “These awards provide critical resources that will allow investigators, crime lab professionals and forensic specialists to solve crimes, bring answers to victims and ensure that the principles of fairness and equity are fully reflected in our criminal justice practices.”
BJA and NIJ distributed hundreds of millions of dollars in awards to local, state and Tribal jurisdictions throughout the United States and territories. Here is a list of funded grants:
- More than $43 million will support BJA’s National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which improves state and local jurisdictions’ capacities to respond to violent crime and to bolster the criminal justice system through the investigation and prosecution of cases resulting from sexual assault kit evidence and the collection of DNA.
- Nearly $1 million supports BJA’s Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence – Inventory, Tracking, and Reporting Program, an evidence management program for untested and unsubmitted sexual assault kits.
- Another $7 million will support BJA’s Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA Program, which is designed to increase the capacity of state and local prosecution offices to address violent crime cold cases.
- BJA will award more than $89.6 million to support the DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program, which funds states and local governments with existing crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis to increase the capacity of their laboratories.
- Nearly $29.7 million will support the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program, which aims to improve forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services.
- More than $2 million will support the Strengthening the Medical Examiner and Coroner Program, which increases the supply of forensic pathologists and supports the enhancement of medicolegal death investigations nationwide.
- BJA will award more than $3.3 million under the Emmett Till Cold Case Investigations and Training and Technical Assistance Program, which supports state, local and Tribal law enforcement and prosecutors in their investigation and prosecution of cold case murders associated with civil rights violations.
- BJA will award nearly $5.5 million under the Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Site Based and Training and Technical Assistance Program, which provides efficient representation for defendants in post-conviction claims of innocence.
- Nearly $14.4 million will support NIJ’s Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes, which fosters research toward the development of highly-discriminating, accurate, reliable, cost-effective and rapid methods for the identification, analysis and interpretation of forensic evidence.
- Another $1.3 million will support NIJ’s Research and Evaluation for the Testing and Interpretation of Physical Evidence in Publicly Funded Forensic Laboratories, which evaluates existing laboratory protocols with the goal of making an immediate impact on laboratory efficiency.
- An additional $8.5 million will support NIJ’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence and National Center on Forensics, which help transfer new technology and knowledge to the forensic science community.
- NIJ will provide nearly $6 million under the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), a national centralized repository and resource center for missing persons and unidentified decedents.
Additional information about these and other FY 2021 grant awards made by the Office of Justice Programs can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the STOP School Violence ActRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“School should be a haven for growth and development, not a source of anxiety and fear — and by no means should it ever be the scene of a crime,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon of OJP. “These investments will help communities address school violence, create better school climates and set up early detection teams to prevent tragedies in our places of learning.”
“The safety of our nation’s children is an essential part of our public safety mission,” said Acting Director Robert Chapman of the COPS Office. “The awards announced today will fund a variety of school safety equipment and programs that will help ensure student success in supportive and safe environments.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the STOP School Violence Act) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian Tribes and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found here.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards More Than $100 Million to Support YouthRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced that it will award grants totaling nearly $103 million to support youth and help achieve greater equity in the juvenile justice system.
“We must focus on the needs of our nation’s youth, particularly those who are at risk of victimization and justice system involvement,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “These awards support a more humane and effective approach to young people who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. This funding supports evidence-based programs and services that recognize young people’s capacity to respond positively and productively to support and intervention in their communities.”
In 2019, some 36,500 youth were in residential placement on a given day. Although that number is about half what it was a decade ago, most of these youth were confined for nonviolent offenses and would be better served by evidenced-based programs operating within their communities. In addition, young people of color continue to be overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. In 2019, their placement rate was more than two times higher than white youth nationally.
Grants from OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) will distribute millions of dollars in awards to local, state and Tribal jurisdictions to improve outcomes for youth and to address racial and ethnic disparities within the juvenile justice system. Awards will support mentoring programs designed to steer young people away from delinquency and justice system involvement. A juvenile justice reform initiative will develop and test research-based approaches to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for youth. A juvenile indigent defense program will help ensure that youth in the juvenile justice system have access to high-quality legal representation and resources to address the collateral consequences of their contact with the system. Additionally, a Second Chance Act youth reentry program will make more resources available to help young people get the services they need to get back on their feet and become productive, thriving members of their communities.
These awards are in addition to more than $80 million in grants that will be targeted to specific populations, including youth affected by the opioid crisis and drug addiction, young people at risk of community or gang violence, parents of incarcerated children and Tribal youth. These additional awards will also support youth reentry initiatives, juvenile and family drug courts, family-based alternative sentencing programs and training for prosecutors in the juvenile justice system.
“Reforming our juvenile justice system, mentoring our youth and helping young people find a path forward to a safe and bright future are central to our mission at the Office of Justice Programs and remain top priorities of this administration,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “These grants are an expression of our deep commitment to helping communities ensure justice and enabling young people to live their best lives.”
Below is a list of funded grants:
- OJJDP’s National Mentoring Programs will provide grants in the amount of $43 million to four organizations to enhance and expand mentoring services for children and youth. An additional $2.85 million will support the National Mentoring Resource Center.
- OJJDP will award $27.6 million under the Multistate Mentoring Programs Initiative to 22 organizations to support the implementation and delivery of mentoring services to youth who are at risk for juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice system involvement.
- OJJDP will award over $9.7 million under the Delinquency Prevention Grants Program to eligible states or federally recognized tribes to implement evidence-based strategies to address the needs of juveniles who have had or who are likely to have contact with the juvenile justice system.
- OJJDP will award nearly $8 million under the Juvenile Justice System Reform Initiative to help states implement sustainable, research-based and data-informed recidivism reduction policies, practices and programming and the strategic reinvestment of cost savings into effective prevention and intervention programs.
- OJJDP will award over $4.6 million under Reducing Risk for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System to promote protective factors for girls who come in contact with the juvenile justice system, and place them on a path toward success, stability and long-term contribution to society.
- Under a collaborative program, NIJ and OJJDP will award $2 million to support the National Juvenile Court Data Archive. The archive collects, maintains and makes accessible the nation’s primary source of detailed information on juvenile court case processing of delinquency and status offense cases.
- NIJ and OJJDP, through a collaborative program, will award $2 million under the Longitudinal Research on Delinquency and Crime program, which conducts expansions or extensions of ongoing longitudinal studies that focus on delinquency and crime throughout the individuals’ life-course. The research findings are intended to inform efforts to prevent the onset of delinquency and to intervene in the lives of youth and young adults who offend.
- OJJDP will award over $2.2 million under the Enhancing Juvenile Indigent Defense program to improve juvenile indigent defense.
- Under the Research on Juvenile Reoffending program, NIJ will award $1.2 million for rigorous research projects that improve measurement of juvenile reoffending. NIJ, in collaboration with OJJDP, is funding studies that advance the understanding of juvenile reoffending and help jurisdictions use juvenile reoffending data effectively to identify priorities, develop responses, and monitor and assess policies and programs.
- OJJDP will award approximately $300,000 under the Juvenile Justice Emergency Planning Demonstration Program to support the development, improvement and implementation of emergency planning activities for state, tribal, county and local juvenile justice residential facilities.
Additional information about these and other FY 2021 grant awards from the OJP can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Awards $34 Million to Support Community Crisis ResponseRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling $34 million to help communities address crises involving homelessness, mental health and substance use disorders, and other public health and public safety emergencies. The grants, made by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ), will support partnerships between justice system officials, health and mental health professionals and community providers designed to reduce arrests, divert individuals from the justice system and deliver the appropriate treatment and other support services to those in need.
“We simply cannot arrest or incarcerate our way out of the challenges presented by untreated mental illness, co-occurring substance use, homelessness and poverty,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “These resources awarded today reaffirm our commitment to support diversion programs and expand community partnerships so that people are connected to the help they need and are kept out of the criminal justice system whenever possible.”
Law enforcement officers are typically first on the scene of a community emergency — whether the crisis is a drug overdose or an episode of psychiatric distress — but they often have neither the training nor the tools to respond adequately. Police departments report an increase in service calls involving people with mental health and substance use disorders, yet the presence of an armed officer often heightens stress and can exacerbate tensions, leading to poor outcomes. Many cities have begun to institute community responder models in which treatment providers and other health professionals are dispatched separately or alongside law enforcement. These approaches were featured during the Taking the Call conference organized by the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the University of Cincinnati in partnership with BJA and headlined by the Attorney General in October.
“A just society is one in which we are able to meet the basic needs of individuals without imposing unnecessary punishments and inflaming community tensions,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “These resources will support and strengthen partnerships between public safety agencies and local organizations, giving communities the tools to deliver badly needed services, reduce reliance on arrests and incarceration for social and behavioral health issues and take steps toward a more fair and equitable system of justice.”
The grants announced today demonstrate the department’s focus on addressing the needs of individuals with behavioral health conditions and build on more than $300 million in new investments this year to fight the opioid and stimulant crisis and address substance use disorders, including drug court and mentoring initiatives, correctional substance use treatment programs and efforts to address the prevention, diversion, treatment and recovery needs of those affected by substance use disorders. Below is a summary of funding tailored to support community crisis response efforts:
- Nearly $18.3 million funds the Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Program, which supports a law enforcement-behavioral health cross-system collaboration to improve public safety for individuals with mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders who come in contact with the justice system
- BJA is awarding $11.9 million under its Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, which supports public safety efforts through partnerships with social service and other organizations to enhance responses to individuals with mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
- BJA is awarding $2.3 million under the Collaborative Crisis Response Training Program, which supports training to prepare law enforcement and correctional officers to appropriately interact with people who have behavioral health conditions or disabilities.
- NIJ is providing almost $1.5 million under its Research and Evaluation on the Police Response to Homelessness, which supports research and evaluation projects to conduct exploratory research and secondary/open data analysis to assess the range of practices, strategies and tactics used by police to respond to homelessness.
Once the awards are made, information about the grantees selected under each solicitation can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Justice Department Announces Global Resolution of Criminal and Civil Investigations with Privatized Military Housing Contractor for Defrauding U.S. MilitaryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, the Department of Justice announced a global resolution of its criminal and civil investigations into Balfour Beatty Communities LLC (BBC), one of the largest providers of privatized military housing to the U.S. Armed Forces, for defrauding the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy, in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. military.
BBC pleaded guilty to one count of major fraud against the United States in connection with a criminal information filed yesterday in the District of Columbia. U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan accepted the plea and sentenced BBC to pay over $33.6 million in criminal fines and over $31.8 million in restitution to the U.S. military, serve three years of probation, and engage an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years.
Separately, BBC also entered into a False Claims Act settlement with the United States to resolve its civil liability for $35.2 million. The amounts paid under the civil settlement will be credited against the amounts owed under BBC’s criminal plea.
"Instead of promptly repairing housing for U.S. servicemembers as required, BBC lied about the repairs to pocket millions of dollars in performance bonuses," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. "This pervasive fraud was a consequence of BBC’s broken corporate culture, which valued profit over the welfare of servicemembers. Today’s global resolution sends a clear message to companies that if they do not maintain adequate compliance programs, voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, and fully cooperate with the government, they will pay a price that outweighs the profits they once reaped."
According to court documents, BBC was a diversified real estate services company, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, that operated privatized military housing communities at 21 U.S. Air Force, 18 U.S. Navy, and 16 U.S. Army bases across the United States, in which tens of thousands of service members and their families lived. BBC earned fees for the various phases of development and management of each housing community, from design and construction to ongoing community management and maintenance, and service members paid their living allowance, known as Basic Allowance for Housing, to BBC to live in these communities.
BBC’s fees for the ongoing property management and maintenance of its military housing communities generally consisted of a base fee, paid to BBC monthly, and performance incentive fees, paid to BBC quarterly or semi-annually. Performance incentive fees were only payable upon the approval of the relevant service branch. To obtain the incentive fees, BBC was required to submit to the service branches proof that it had satisfied performance objectives related to, among other things, maintenance of the housing communities and resident satisfaction. The service branches relied on BBC’s submissions in deciding whether to approve the payment of relevant performance incentive fees.
According to court documents, from around 2013 to around 2019, BBC employees, including former community manager Stacy Cabrera (who pleaded guilty to related charges on April 21) and former regional manager Rick Cunefare (who pleaded guilty to related charges on June 9), and others, falsified information so that BBC’s incentive fee requests falsely reflected that BBC had met performance objectives. In reality, BBC did not meet those objectives in many of the quarters during that time. These objectives primarily related to maintenance and resident satisfaction at various military housing projects. Specifically, BBC employees altered or manipulated data in property management software and destroyed and falsified resident comment cards to falsely inflate these metrics and, ultimately, to fraudulently induce the service branches to pay performance incentive fees which BBC had not earned.
As a result, according to court documents, there were lengthy and unnecessary delays in the resolution of maintenance issues to the detriment of servicemembers and their families. In addition, the military service branches were provided an inaccurate assessment of the state of BBC’s military housing communities and were unable to assess, and potentially correct, BBC’s performance.
A number of relevant considerations contributed to the department’s criminal resolution with BBC, including the nature and seriousness of the offense, the pervasiveness of the misconduct among BBC’s employees and at multiple military installations, and the state of BBC’s compliance program and the progress of its remediation, including the fact that BBC’s compliance program and internal controls have not been fully implemented or tested to demonstrate that they would prevent and detect similar misconduct in the future.
As part of BBC’s plea agreement, BBC agreed to cooperate fully with the United States in all matters relating to the conduct covered by the plea agreement and other conduct under investigation by the United States, to self-report violations of U.S. federal criminal law, and to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program designed to effectively detect and deter violations of U.S. anti-fraud laws throughout its operations.
"In defrauding our country's military services, BBC took advantage of their unique position as a military housing provider and put greed and personal profit above our servicemembers," said FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate. "Today's guilty plea reaffirms the FBI, along with our partners, are committed to preventing such disgraceful crimes and will work tirelessly to bring those who engage in this type of crime to justice."
"The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is committed to protecting the integrity of the Department of the Air Force’s procurement process," said Special Agent Paul Wachsmuth, Director AFOSI Office of Procurement Fraud Investigations. "The extensive and dedicated collaborative efforts between AFOSI, the Air Force Audit Agency, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Justice in this investigation was paramount in ensuring the safety and well-being of our warfighters and their families."
"The health and safety of service members and their families remains of critical importance to the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS)," said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of DCIS. "DCIS and our law enforcement partners are committed to working with the Department of Justice to hold companies accountable when they emphasize profits over the well-being of those who honorably serve our nation."
"This judgment demonstrates the commitment CID Special Agents have to protect soldiers’ families against deceitfulness and fraud, while also ensuring the integrity of the military privatization housing initiative, which is to provide safe, quality, well-maintained housing for our military families," said Special Agent in Charge Frank Robey of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit. "Throughout this investigation, Army CID special agents worked closely with federal authorities emphasizing the importance of successful partnerships with other law enforcement agencies."
"Balfour Beatty’s scheme to delay service request entries into their electronic tracking system to increase their performance-based award violated their contract and wasted valuable taxpayer money," said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Cannizzo of the NCIS Southeast Field Office. "NCIS and our partners remain committed to rooting out fraud and corruption that threatens the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process."
"The men and women who live in our nation’s military housing, including those at Fort Stewart and Fort Gordon, deserve prompt and professional maintenance service from their housing providers," said U.S. Attorney David H. Estes for the Southern District of Georgia. "That BBC would not only fail to deliver this service, but also falsify information to line their own pockets is despicable. Our office will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners, and other components of the Department of Justice, to make sure those who provide subpar service to the military and lie about it are held accountable."
"The Western District of Texas is home to some of the largest military installations in the country and our district works tirelessly to protect and serve our military families," said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff for the Western District of Texas. "The resolution entered with BBC concerns conduct that impacted military families in our district at Lackland Air Force Base and Fort Bliss Army Base. This resolution is an important step in holding private military housing providers accountable to our servicemembers and their families."
"The defendants’ greed undermined a program designed to protect servicemembers’ homes while they courageously fight to protect our homeland," said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. "Servicemembers and their families deserve better. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect our military community from fraudulent conduct of all kinds, particularly the integrity of DoD housing programs."
This resolution follows the prior entry of guilty pleas by two BBC managers. In April 2021, Stacy Cabrera, a former community manager of BBC, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In June 2021, Rick Cunefare, a former regional manager of BBC, pleaded guilty to major fraud against the United States.
Air Force OSI, DCIS, Army-CID, NCIS, and the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. The Air Force Audit Agency also provided assistance.
Trial Attorneys Michael P. McCarthy and Siji Moore of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Laura E. Hill and Elspeth England of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Gallegos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Porter and Patrick Schwedler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Kruger and Jacquelyn Christilles of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas handled the civil matter.
Iowa Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –Michael E. Shell, 52, of Melrose, Iowa, was sentenced on December 21, 2021, to to 27 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Shell must also register as a sex offender once he is released.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Shell sexually abused a minor victim for approximately five years – when the victim was between 9 and 14 years old. Shell took photographs and videos of the abuse, which occurred while the victim lived within the Central District of Illinois. Photographs from the search warrant at Shell’s residence in Iowa revealed a child-sized sex doll and school pictures of the minor victim on Shell’s refrigerator. Law enforcement also seized multiple devices that contained dozens of images and videos of the abuse. Evidence presented in court included testimony that the abuse occurred hundreds of times and only ended when the minor victim demanded the abuse stop at the age of 14.
A statement prepared by the minor victim was read to the court, describing how damaging Shell’s manipulation and abuse was.
Also at the sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm found that Shell intentionally groomed the minor victim and questioned whether he was really remorseful. The judge noted the disconnect between the letters of support for Shell written by family and friends and the conduct at issue: the lengthy and intentional molestation of the victim. The judge found that the victim had suffered irreparable harm from the abuse, both psychologically and physically.
Shell was indicted in May 2019 and pleaded guilty in April 2021.
The statutory penalties for production of child pornography are at least 15 years and up to 30 years’ imprisonment; a maximum lifetime term of supervised release; a fine of up to $250,000; and restitution, if requested.
“This case exemplifies our active and tireless pursuit of justice on behalf of minor victims,” said United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Predators who groom and sexually exploit our community’s most vulnerable will be investigated and prosecuted, just as Shell was.”
The United States Secret Service investigated the case, with direct assistance of the Canton Police Department and Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine G. Legge and Paul B. Morris represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Shell was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Investigation of Domestic Abuse, Leads to Humboldt Man Being Sentenced to Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
A Humboldt, Iowa man who possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced December 15, 2021 to 8 years in federal prison.
Levi Goodell, age 26, from Humboldt, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 28, 2021, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case showed Goodell possessed a sawed-off shotgun, with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transferring Record. Goodall possessed the firearm knowing he was prohibited from possessing any firearms as a convicted felon. Goodall has a criminal history consisting of 5 burglaries, an OWI, an assault, and absence from custody.
Law enforcement discovered Levi Goodell’ illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition during an investigation into his kidnapping, assault, harassment, and domestic abuse of another person.
Goodell was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Goodell was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Goodell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3011.
The case was investigated by the Humboldt Police Department and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Dec. 23 was:
Isaiah Benjamin Antelope, 26, of Butte, on charges of strangulation and assault resulting in serious bodily injury of dating partner. If convicted of the most serious crime, Antelope faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Antelope was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-112.
Appearing on a criminal complaint on Dec. 23 was:
Jeramiah Kayson Gohde, 24, of Belgrade, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gohde faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Gohde was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-78.
Appearing on Dec. 22 was:
Ray Allen Castro III, 34, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and receipt of firearm by person under felony indictment. If convicted of the most serious crime, Castro faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Castro was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-113.
Appearing on Dec. 20 was:
Kimberly Marie Kelch, 44, of Billings, on charges of bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kelch faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release consecutive to any other sentence on the aggravated identity theft crime. Kelch was detained pending further proceedings. The IRS investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-100.
Isabel Lopez-Martinez, 60, of Modesto, California, on charges of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lopez-Martinez faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Lopez-Martinez was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 13-92
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Gulfport Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced to a total of 157 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents and proceedings, on March 16, 2021, Joshua Taylor, 23, sold methamphetamine to an individual. Law enforcement officers located Taylor and initiated a traffic stop. During the stop, officers found heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA-Ecstasy, and, in the center console of the vehicle, a loaded Glock 19, 9mm handgun, with 16 rounds of ammunition.
Taylor was indicted on April 14, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pled guilty on August 12, 2021.
The DEA and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
This case was 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.
Fort Valley State Awarded Nearly $2 Million STOP School Violence GrantRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
Fort Valley State University, in Fort Valley, Georgia, was awarded $1,999,997—among the largest single grants awarded—and the United Way of Southwest Georgia in Albany, Georgia, received $991,110 in FY2021 STOP School Violence Act grants. The full list of STOP awards can be viewed here.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“Fort Valley State University will receive one of the largest single grants awarded under this year’s STOP School Violence Act, money that will be used to bolster the safety of students and staff at one of our key educational institutions in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The United Way of Southwest Georgia’s nearly $1 million grant is earmarked for school safety measures where it is most needed in the communities it serves. We are thankful that the Justice Department has invested heavily in strengthening the safety of our region as our office continues to work closely with our law enforcement and community partners to do everything in our power to decrease violence across the Middle District of Georgia.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Fort Myers Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Bobby Louis Lesane, Jr. (37, Fort Myers) to 13 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Lesane had pleaded guilty on September 10, 2021.
According to court documents, after Lesane was pulled over for a routine traffic stop in Fort Myers on October 29, 2020, a trained drug-detection police dog alerted to the scent of narcotics in Lesane’s car. When officers searched Lesane’s car, they located a small hidden area underneath the driver’s floorboard that contained several bags of drugs, including more than 20 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Lesane was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Former Casino Commission Contractor Stephanie Barnes Convicted by Jury on All CountsRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that Stephanie Barnes, a 62 year-old resident of St. Croix, was convicted of three federal and local criminal charges today following a three-week jury trial.
Barnes was convicted of conspiring with former Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission Chairwoman Violet Anne Golden to embezzle or steal property valued at $5,000 or more that was under the care, custody and control of the Government of the Virgin Islands. As alleged in the Indictment and proven at trial, it was part of the conspiracy that Golden agreed to hire Barnes to serve as the Casino Commission’s first-ever “Certified Problem Gambling Specialist” although at the time she was hired Barnes had not yet actually received such certification. Golden agreed to use Commission funds to help Barnes receive that certification as well as her Master’s and, eventually, her Ph.D. The two women also conspired to use Commission funds to pay for Barnes’ personal vehicle repairs and gasoline, hurricane-related personal expenses after the storms of 2017, and lavish vacations including by chartered plane with VIP passes to the St. Kitts Music Festival. Barnes and Golden also extended their travel to casino-related conferences so as to enjoy luxurious hotel stays with meals and room service at high-end places such as the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and took excursions to Disney World in Florida and to see “Hamilton” on Broadway in New York, all at the Commission’s considerable expense. All told, the evidence established that Barnes received salary and benefits from the Casino Commission totaling over $600,000 in approximately three years.
In addition to the federal criminal conspiracy, Barnes was also convicted of violating Virgin Islands law by receiving money or things valued at $1,000 or more belonging to the Government of the Virgin Islands, knowing it to have been embezzled or stolen. Finally, Barnes was convicted of knowingly and willfully filing a false tax return in 2016 by reporting income of only $35,894, despite knowing she had received much more than that in funds stolen and embezzled from the Casino Commission and wages paid pursuant her unlawful agreement with Golden.
This case is being investigated by the Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation section. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Koster, who is currently serving as the office’s Criminal Chief, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Rikhye. Valuable assistance was provided prior to trial by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks.
Chief District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy ordered Barnes to report to the U.S. Marshals by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, December 27, 2021, to begin serving her sentence. Her sentencing hearing will be held on April 20, 2022, at 9 a.m.
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Former Amtrak Employee Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KENYA BUTLER-SMALL was charged on December 21, 2021 with two counts of wire fraud for conduct alleged to have occurred while she was employed by Amtrak as an On-board Services Train Attendant.
According to the bill of information, BUTLER-SMALL recruited more than 40 victims to purchase spots on a purported June 2019 trip from New Orleans to New York City. BUTLER-SMALL told the victims that she had booked roundtrip Amtrak train travel for the trip, as well as activities, such as shows and museum visits. In truth, BUTLER-SMALL had not booked the Amtrak travel or the activities.
When the date of the trip approached, BUTLER-SMALL told the victims, from whom she had taken a total of approximately $23,000 to $26,000, that Amtrak had canceled the trip because an incident occurred in which one of the trip’s passengers assaulted an Amtrak employee and made a bomb threat. In truth, no such incident had occurred.
The bill of information also alleges that BUTLER-SMALL submitted fraudulent sick benefit claims to the Railroad Retirement Board, a federal agency that provides benefits to Amtrak employees. BUTLER-SMALL claimed that she was too sick to work when, in truth, she was working another job. This caused the government to pay BUTLER-SMALL approximately $4,679 in sick benefits for days she falsely claimed to have been unable to work.
The maximum penalties for each count of wire fraud are up to 20 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charging document and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General and the Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Prosecutors Charge South Florida Man in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A 43-year-old Pembroke Pines, Florida man made his first appearance in Fort Lauderdale federal magistrate court today to face a charge that he used the U.S. mail system to solicit, plan, and pay for the murder of his former girlfriend’s new love interest.
According to the criminal complaint affidavit, Ryan Hadeed’s first piece of murder correspondence was his request to the intended hitman that said: “I need someone eliminated. I've been told you can arrange that. $10,000 All in cash and upfront. Person located in Tampa.” It is alleged that in that first letter, mailed in September, and in two subsequent mailings, Hadeed instructed the intended hitman to signal acceptance of the offer by posting marked sheets of paper on his store-front window, among other things. According to the complaint affidavit, on November 10, the intended hitman received a final mailing from Hadeed that included a description and pictures of the man that Hadeed wanted killed, the victim’s home address and likely travel schedule, as well as a deadline for the murder. Also inside the envelope was $10,000 cash, says the affidavit. It is alleged that Hadeed left the country on a one-way ticket the same day the hitman received the cash and pictures of the intended victim.
Law enforcement officers learned of the plan. During a secondary customs inspection of Hadeed when he returned from his international trip, additional evidence of the crime was uncovered, according to the affidavit. Pursuant to a court-issued warrant, law enforcement officers arrested Hadeed on December 22.
The intended victim, who remains alive, is romantically involved with Hadeed’s former girlfriend, says the criminal complaint affidavit.
Hadeed is charged with one count of using interstate commerce facilities – the U.S. mail system – in the commission of murder for hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1958. If convicted, Hadeed faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
A pretrial detention hearing for Hadeed is scheduled for December 29, at 11:00 a.m., in federal magistrate court in Fort Lauderdale.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Miami Field Office; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Region; and Troy Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Miami Region, announced the charges.
HSI Miami, USPIS Miami, and FDLE investigated the case, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph A. Cooley and Deric Zacca are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 21-mj-6697.
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Farmington man sentenced to three years in prison for federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Gregory Diaz, 34, of Farmington, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court on Dec. 14 to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Diaz pleaded guilty on May 12.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 3, 2018, Diaz sold a .40 caliber pistol to an undercover law enforcement officer. At the time, Diaz has four previous felony convictions in the State of New Mexico, including possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), attempt to commit residential burglary, child abuse and possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon. As a convicted felon, Diaz could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Diaz will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaymie L. Roybal and Jack E. Burkhead prosecuted the case.
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Fort Washakie Man Sentenced in Assault and Involuntary Manslaughter CasesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ROYCE NEIL PERRY JR a/k/a “Chucky,” 24, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced for one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of involuntary manslaughter by Chief United States District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on December 20, 2021. Perry received a total sentence of 46 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution and a $200 special assessment.
Perry was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2021, in two indictments. The first indictment alleged that on the early morning of April 19, 2019, a female driver picked up Perry, who was walking along a highway on the Wind River Reservation. After being driven a short distance, Perry began striking the woman in the head. The woman fled from her vehicle and Perry chased her down and kicked her in the head and face with his boots until she lost consciousness.
The second indictment alleged that on November 2, 2020, after ingesting methamphetamine and marijuana, Perry drove a truck in a reckless manner on the Wind River Reservation. The ultimately truck rolled and ejected a female passenger who was killed by blunt force trauma.
“Prosecuting violent crimes on the Wind River Indiana Reservation is a priority for my office, and I hope this sentence brings some amount of closure and justice to the victims and their families,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “I would like to thank our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wind River Police Department and the Lander Police Department for their investigative efforts, which resulted in the successful prosecution and sentencing of Perry.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of India Affairs Wind River Police Department and the Lander Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
East Feliciana Parish Man Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – CLARENCE “BILLY” BURKETTE, age 53, and a resident of Slaughter, Louisiana, was indicted on December 16, 2021, by a federal grand jury for multiple counts of wire fraud (Title 18, United States Code 1343), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
As charged in the indictment, BURKETTE defrauded the Town of Pearl River in connection with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program (FEMA), which provides grant programs for state, territorial, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of non-profits and which is administered in Louisiana by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP). BURKETTE, who contracted to provide the Town of Pearl River disaster assistance services, misrepresented, among other things, the amount of public assistance grant funds for which the Town of Pearl River was eligible. BURKETTE further misrepresented to the Town of Pearl River that his own fees would be reimbursed by FEMA. BURKETTE invoiced the Town of Pearl River approximately $629,761.25 for services he claimed to have provided related to the Disaster Assistance Agreement for which BURKETTE received a total of approximately $598,196.25 from the Town of Pearl River.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, BURKETTE faces a maximum sentence of thirty (30) years in prison, up to five (5) years of supervised release, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment fee, for each count.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and District Attorney’s Office, 22nd Judicial District for their handling of the matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andre Lagarde.
Department of Justice awards more than $125 million in grants under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
In the Northern District of West Virginia, Calhoun County Schools were awarded $487,329 and Upshur County was awarded $80,639.
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence Act; Local Districts Receive More Than $1 millionRead the Press Release
Media Relations Director Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726 or [email protected]
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 23, 2021
SAN DIEGO – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding, including $672,168 to the Cajon Valley Union School District and $347,031 to the Chula Vista Elementary School District, to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act.
The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments. “The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“This money will improve security at our schools so that our children are safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “There is no higher priority.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence. Chula Vista received this grant.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75 percent of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. Cajon Valley received this grant.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the STOP School Violence ActRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“I am proud to announce the award of $266,314 from the 2021 COPS School Violence Prevention Program funding for Hamilton County, Tennessee,” said Acting United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Hamilton County Schools will utilize this award to proactively address school violence by providing educators and students the resources and support they need to learn, grow, and thrive.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
Note: View the full list of SVPP awards here, view the full list of STOP awards here.
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
COPS Office grants awarded to Montana total approximately $870,000.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“School should be a haven for growth and development, not a source of anxiety and fear — and by no means should it ever be the scene of a crime,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon of OJP. “These investments will help communities address school violence, create better school climates and set up early detection teams to prevent tragedies in our places of learning.”
“The safety of our nation’s children is an essential part of our public safety mission,” said Acting Director Robert Chapman of the COPS Office. “The awards announced today will fund a variety of school safety equipment and programs that will help ensure student success in supportive and safe environments.”
“I am pleased that two Montana school districts, including Ekalaka School District 15 and the Great Falls Public Schools District 1, and the Montana Office of Public Instruction sought and were awarded grants to support school safety programs,” said U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson, for the District of Montana. “It is important that we do everything we can to keep students and teachers safe in our public schools.”
COPS Office grants were awarded to the Ekalaka School District 15, $45,976; Great Falls Public Schools District 1, $500,000; and the Montana Office of Public Instruction, $324,122.
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the STOP School Violence Act) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian Tribes and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found here.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“These grants provide important support to a diverse range of school districts, rural and urban, throughout Arizona,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Direct awards enable local districts to make local choices to ensure that schools are safe and nurturing places.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines, and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The following Arizona school districts were awarded grant funding:
- Cartwright School District No. 83 $500,000
- Colorado City Unified School District No. 14 $150,000
- Gadsden Elementary School District #32 $420,852
- Mohave Valley Elementary School District 16 $490,218
- Pendergast Elementary School District 92 $45,000
- Prescott Valley, Town of $187,500
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“Every child deserves a safe childhood and that includes a safe environment at school,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The grants that the Department of Justice announced today will help ensure our students can learn and thrive in school.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“I applaud the Rochester and Hanover, Indiana School Districts in their endeavors to enhance school safety with these federal grants,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The Maine Department of Education, Maine School Administrative District 30, covering the Town of Lee in rural Penobscot County, and the City of Bangor are among the grant recipients.
The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The Maine Department of Education received a BJA award of $1,991,780. These funds will be utilized to enhance the development and implementation of Behavioral Threat Assessment teams in school districts across Maine. MSAD 30 received a BJA award of $266,963 and an additional SVPP award of $171,815. These funds will be used to deliver two evidence-based anti-violence training programs – the Sandy Hook Promise “Know the Signs” program and Youth Mental Health First Aid – to staff, administrators, and students. The City of Bangor received a BJA award of $30,749 to enhance the effectiveness of Behavioral Intervention Teams.
“Promoting the development and implementation of strategies to ensure safe and positive learning environments for Maine students is a priority for this office,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee. “I congratulate the Department of Education, MSAD 30, and the City of Bangor and look forward to supporting this critical work.”
“The Maine Department of Education is committed to protecting the safety of Maine students both inside and outside of school through restorative and proactive practices,” said Jonathan J. Shapiro, Director, Maine School Safety Center. “With this BJA grant, we will continue our highly sought-after Behavioral Threat Assessment Training Program, which trains staff to prevent school violence and identify supports needed to keep students positively engaged with their school community. We will also be able to expand additional programs that are dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention, and services for at-risk students. We thank all our partners at the local, county, state, and federal level for their ongoing support and partnership in our efforts to keep Maine students safe.”
- The full list of SVPP awards: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2021AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf
- A list of BJA awards: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/fy21-ojp-grant-awards
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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