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Wednesday 6 October 2021
Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty October 5, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.
Joshua Currier, 31 from Spencer, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm. Currier was previously convicted of Forgery, in the Iowa District Court for Dickinson County, on or about June 13, 2011, and Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow of Air/Blood in the Iowa District Court for Clay County, on or about August 9, 2017. Both convictions prohibit Currier from possessing any firearm.
At the plea hearing, Currier admitted that between January 2020 and continuing to on or about February 2021, he and others conspired to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine. Further evidence showed that, in December 2020, Currier possessed a Canik 9mm pistol as a prohibited person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Currier remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. For the conspiracy offense, Currier faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. For the firearm offense, Currier faces a possibly maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Spencer Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4037. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Chenango County Man Arraigned on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brian T. Whipple, age 42, of New Berlin, New York was arraigned yesterday on an indictment filed by a federal grand jury charging him with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
An indictment unsealed in federal court charges that from approximately 2009 through June 2020 the defendant used a peer-to-peer file sharing service connected to the internet to receive and download child pornography and that he possessed child pornography on multiple devices in June 2020.
If convicted, Whipple faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. Whipple also would have to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Whipple was detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric on October 8, 2021.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with the New York State Police and the Chenango County District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Charlotte Man Is Convicted by A Federal Jury for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury has convicted Trevon Darnell Hopkins, 27, of Charlotte, of possession of a firearm by a felon, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. presided over the trial which ended yesterday.
Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer is joined in making today’s announcement by Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on June 23, 2018, CMPD officers observed Hopkins driving a vehicle that had been reported as stolen. When law enforcement attempted to execute a traffic stop of the vehicle, Hopkins refused to comply and sped away. The defendant then proceeded to drive recklessly, including onto oncoming traffic and on the sidewalk. Hopkins eventually lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. CMPD officers arrested Hopkins at the scene. As trial evidence established, law enforcement located two firearms in the stolen vehicle. Hopkins is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions. Also, at the time of his arrest, Hopkins was on post-release supervision with the State of North Carolina.
Hopkins is currently in federal custody. The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. A sentencing date for Hopkins has not been set.
In making today’s announcement Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Kelly and Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Selling CocaineRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Kasan Alkafi, 49, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, cocaine, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who handled the case, stated that between July 2016 and November 2017, the defendant sold cocaine to various customers in the Buffalo area. On July 17, 2016, Buffalo Police officers executed a search warrant at Alkafi’s Minton Street residence and recovered approximately 236 grams of cocaine, cutting agent, scales, drug packaging materials, and $3,105 in cash. The defendant was prosecuted by the Erie County District Attorney and sentenced to serve five years of probation.
On October 11, 2017, the DEA and Buffalo Police conducted an undercover purchase of cocaine from an individual identified as co-conspirator 1, a known cocaine distribution associate of Alkafi. On November 3, 2017, the DEA and the Erie County Sheriff's Office conducted a second controlled purchase of cocaine, this time from the defendant. Immediately following the second controlled purchase, search warrants were executed at residences on Genesee Street and N. Legion Road. During the search warrants, investigators recovered nearly five grams of cocaine, packaging bags, cutting agent, baggies with drug residue, a small amount of marijuana, marijuana grinder, two digital scales, and approximately $6,060 in cash.
The sentencing is result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
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Baldwinsville Man Pleads Guilty to Supplemental Security Income FraudRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – George Rawda, age 57, of Baldwinsville, New York, pled guilty today to concealing information from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in order to defraud SSA into paying Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to a family member, who was otherwise ineligible to receive such benefits.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
As part of his guilty plea, Rawda admitted that from November of 2014 through October of 2020, while acting as representative payee for a family member, Rawda concealed and failed to disclose that the family member was residing outside of the United States in order to deceive SSA into making benefit payments to the family member who was otherwise ineligible to receive SSI benefit payments. SSI is a needs-based program, available to elderly, blind, and disabled individuals, that provides money to pay for basic living expenses. A representative payee is a person or organization who has agreed to receive and use Social Security benefits on a beneficiary’s behalf. A representative payee is also responsible for reporting any change in the beneficiary’s circumstances including a change to income, resources, and whether the beneficiary leaves the country for more than 30 consecutive days.
As a result of his conviction, Rawda faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2022, before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.
Aryan Circle Gang Leader Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Violent Crime in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in directing subordinate Aryan Circle (AC) gang members to assault and inflict serious bodily injury on a victim.
Michael Martin, aka Aryan Prodigy and AP, 38, of Santa Fe, Texas, pleaded guilty to committing assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering on March 4, 2021. According to court documents, the AC is a violent, race-based, prison-based gang with hundreds of members operating inside and outside of state and federal prisons in states throughout the country. The AC enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through threats, intimidation and acts of violence including, but not limited to, acts involving assault and murder. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members without question.
Martin joined the AC in the early 2000s and held the rank of upper board member at the time of the offense, meaning that he was one of the five highest-ranking AC members in the country. In this role, Martin made decisions and directed the actions of other gang members regarding a range of issues including who to recruit and admit as members of the gang; who should be disciplined or removed for violating the AC rules; and which rival gangs the AC would fight with or against.
According to court documents, Martin learned that another AC member wanted to switch his gang affiliation, or “patch over,” from the AC to a different gang. Martin ordered AC members to attack the member to “X” him, or remove him from the gang, because it violated the AC’s rules to join a different organization. On Martin’s orders, several AC members then violently beat the victim, including by kicking the victim in the head while he was on the ground. The attack resulted in the victim obtaining medical care and suffering long-term injury.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County (MO) Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Trial Attorneys Beth Lipman and Rebecca Dunnan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
Aryan Circle Gang Leader Sentenced for Violent Crime in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Santa Fe, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a violent gang-related beating in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division today.
Michael Martin, a/k/a Aryan Prodigy and AP, 38, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2021 to committing assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield on Oct. 5, 2021.
“The defendant’s violent actions demonstrate his commitment to a hateful and dangerous ideology,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Today’s sentence shows that no gang is above the law.”
According to court documents, the Aryan Circle (AC) is a violent, race-based, prison-based gang with hundreds of members operating inside and outside of state and federal prisons in states throughout the country. The AC enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, and acts of violence including, but not limited to, acts involving murder and assault. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members without question.
Martin joined the AC in the early 2000s and held the rank of upper board member at the time of the offense, meaning that he was one of the five highest-ranking AC members in the country. In this role, Martin made decisions and directed the actions of other gang members regarding a range of issues including who to recruit and admit as members of the gang, who should be disciplined or removed for violating the AC rules, and which rival gangs the AC would fight.
According to court documents, Martin learned that another AC member wanted to switch his gang affiliation, or “patch over,” from the AC to a different gang. Martin ordered AC members to attack the former member to “X” him, or remove him from the gang, because it violated the AC’s rules to join a different organization. On Martin’s orders, two AC members violently beat the victim, including by kicking him in the head while he was on the ground. The attack resulted in the victim obtaining medical care and suffering long-term injury.
The case was investigated by the following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County (MO) Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Trial Attorneys Beth Lipman and Rebecca Dunnan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
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Arrest Made in Armed Robbery of South Burlington PharmacyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Johny Bixby, 35, of Addison, Vermont, was charged by criminal complaint in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, with one count of obstruction of commerce by robbery and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Bixby, who is currently detained, will make his initial appearance to answer the complaint in federal court on October 7, 2021. At that hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle will also hear the government’s motion for pretrial detention.
According to court records, on October 4, 2021, Bixby entered the Kinney Drugs on Williston Road in South Burlington, Vermont. He went to the pharmacy section of the store and, while pointing a handgun at the two employees, demanded that they give him hydromorphone tablets. After receiving the tablets, Bixby put them in his pocket and fled the store. The following day, after members of the public identified Bixby as the robber in response to the South Burlington Police Department’s request for assistance, Bixby was arrested in Hinesburg, Vermont. At the time of his arrest, Bixby was in possession of a handgun. When questioned by law enforcement, Bixby admitted to robbing the Kinney Drugs and using a gun to do so.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt emphasized that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. As charged, Bixby faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. If convicted, Bixby’s sentence will be determined by the Court based upon the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the application of any mandatory minimum prison terms associated with the count of conviction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ophardt commended the coordinated and swift investigatory efforts of the South Burlington Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as the crucial assistance of the Hinesburg Police Department, the Colchester Police Department, the Burlington Police Department, and the Vermont State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara A. Masterson is handling the prosecution of Bixby. Bixby will be represented by the Federal Public Defender’s Office.
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 For more information, visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Arlington Man Sentenced for Production and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for production and receipt of child pornography.
“The defendant engaged in devastating acts of sexual exploitation against a defenseless child and produced videos of her sexual abuse for his warped gratification,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He escalated his conduct over the course of years, from viewing and amassing child sexual abuse material to becoming an abuser himself. For his crimes against children, the defendant will now serve a significant prison sentence where he can no longer prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
According to court documents, Abraham Razook, 43, admitted to sexually exploiting a prepubescent minor on multiple occasions and producing videos of this abuse. From June to August of 2020, Razook created a series of sexually explicit videos of the prepubescent minor. In February 2021, Razook produced a more than 6-minute video that depicted the graphic sexual abuse of the child.
“The Department of Justice is committed to vigorously tracking down and holding accountable people like Razook who callously prey on vulnerable children for their selfish enjoyment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I commend the investigators and prosecutors in this case who are responsible for putting an end to Razook’s direct abuse of one minor and his perpetuation of the harm he did to so many others in the images he amassed.”
“Today, Mr. Razook will begin to pay for his reprehensible actions,” said Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “This sentencing is the result of many arduous hours of work by members of HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. It should serve as a warning to anyone who intends to victimize children; they will be held accountable.”
Court records show the defendant also amassed a large number of online images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of hundreds of other child victims. Razook’s devices, that were recovered pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant and analyzed by law enforcement, contained evidence of additional child sexual abuse material including images and videos depicting violence against children. The evidence uncovered on his devices demonstrated that Razook began this unlawful conduct as early as 2013. Between April and September of 2020, Razook used an internet-based peer-to-peer program to download thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Kramer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya D. Song prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-146.
Alaska Man Arrested on Federal Charges for Threatening U.S. SenatorsRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS – A Delta Junction, Alaska, man was arrested Monday in Fairbanks on criminal charges related to his alleged threats against U.S. Senators. The charging documents were filed on October 1, 2021, and have now been unsealed.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Jay Allen Johnson, 65, left a voicemail message on September 2, 2021, at the Washington D.C. office of a U.S. Senator containing several threats, including a threat to “burn” the Senator’s properties. The investigation revealed that the call originated in Delta Junction from a cellular telephone number linked to Johnson. On September 29, Johnson left another voicemail threatening to hire an assassin to kill the U.S. Senator. Johnson also left threatening voicemail messages for a second U.S. Senator between April 2021 and September 2021.
Johnson is charged with threatening United States officials with intent to intimidate the officials while engaged in the performance of official duties; making interstate threats; and interstate threat to damage property by means of fire or an explosive. The defendant is scheduled for an arraignment and detention hearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Oravec of the U.S. District Court for Alaska.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the most serious charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska and Antony Jung, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Alaska Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tuesday 5 October 2021
တၢၢ်တီတၢၢ်တတၢၢ်ဝဲဲၤက ဲၤ စ ၢ်ညီ ၢ်ဆၢတဲ ၢ်ဝဲ တၢၢ်က ၢၢ်ကဒါက ဲၤ ကမ ၢၢၢ်တၢၢ်ခ ဲွဲးတၢၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ် ဘ ၢ်ဃွဲး ကလ ဲၤထ ွဲးဒခ ထ ၢ် သဲစွဲးတၢၢ်သ ၢ်တၢၢ်သီက ဲၤက ဲသနူပ ၢ်ဖ ၢ်အတၢၢ်မဲၤနီ ၢ်လီဲၤ-Read the Press Release
တၢ ၢ်စဲက ံုးထ ုးထျီ ၢ်ရၤလျီၤအံၤဘ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်က ဲုးက ိ ၢ်ထံက ၤအျီၤလၢက ိ ၢ်အမိ မိ န ၢ်လျီၤ.
က ၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်ဘ ုးစဲလၢလ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်တက ၢ.ဝ ၢ်ရ ၢ်တ ၢ် – တၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဝဲၤက ိၤတနံၤအံၤဘိုးဘ ၢ်ပ ၢ်ဖ ါထျီ ၢ်ဝဲဒ ၢ်လၢ တၢ ၢ်စံ ၢ်ညျီ ၢ်ဆၢတဲ ၢ်တ ၢ ၢ်လံ
တၢ ၢ်က ၢ ၢ်ကဒါက ၤ ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ် ဘ ၢ်ထ ဲဒျီုး ကလံၤထံုးဒခိထ ၢ် သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်သိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သျီက ိၤက ဲသနူပ ၢ်ဖ (South Dakota Unified Judicial System - UJS) လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်အံၤကမၤဂ ၤထျီ ၢ်
ပ ၤလၢအအဲကလံုးက ိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သ တၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢ်တလၢပ ဲၤ ထျီ ၢ်ဘုးတဖ ၢ် (LEP) အတၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢ်
ကျီၢ ၢ်စဲ ၢ်က ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်လျီၤ.တၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဝဲၤက ိၤအံၤ အတၢ ၢ်က ၢ ၢ်ကဒါက ၤန ၢ် စုးထျီ ၢ်ဝဲဖဲ အဒိုးနၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်ဆ ိုးထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်တမံၤလၢ
မ ၢ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်ထံက ိသဲစုး တၢ ၢ်ကရၢကရိတဖ ၢ် (East River Legal Services) လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်ကရၢကရိတဖ ၢ်အံၤ
ပ ၢ်ဒ ၢ်ပ ၢ်ကမ ၢ်ဝဲဒ ၢ်လၢ UJS က ၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်တဖ ၢ် က ၢ ၢ်တလျီၤဝဲ LEP က ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်ပ ၤစူုးကါတၢ ၢ်ဖိတဖ ၢ်
သနၤ ထျီ ၢ်အသုးလၢ အဝဲသ ၢ်အထံဂံၢ ၢ်ကျီၢ ၢ်ထံုးန ၢ်လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်အံၤလ ၢ်သ ၢ်ခါပတ ၢ် 1964
ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်သဲစုး အတၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်ခိ ၢ်တျီဃ (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) န ၢ်လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်ခိ ၢ်တျီဃ အံၤ တတျီဃ ၢ်ဝဲလၢ ပ ၤဒိုးနၢ ၢ်ကျီၢ ၢ်စၢဖိ ၢ်က ိ ၢ်စ တၢ ၢ်တိစၢၤမၤစၢၤတဖ ၢ် ဒၢ်သိုး တၢ ၢ်တက ၢ ၢ်တလျီၤအျီၤ သနၤ ထျီ ၢ်အသုးလၢ ကလ ၢ်, ဖံုးဘ ၢ်လ ဲၢ ၢ်မ တမ ၢ ၢ်ထံဂံၢ ၢ်ကျီၢ ၢ်ထံုးအဖျီခိ ၢ်န ၢ်လျီၤ. ဝဲၤက ိၤအံၤ အတၢ ၢ်က ၢ ၢ်ကဒါက ၤန သ ုးက ံ ၢ်ဝဲ က ိ ၢ်တၢတၢ်တျီဃ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်ဒျီုးက ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်ဘူုးလဲဒိ ၢ်ဒိ ၢ်မ ၢ ၢ်မ ၢ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်လၢ UJS အပူၤန ၢ်လျီၤ. UJS န ၢ်
ဒ ုးအိ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ကျီတၢ ၢ်ခဲလၢ LEP တဂၤစ ၢ်စ ၢ်အဂျီၢ ၢ်လၢကပ ၢ်ဃ ၢ်လၢ ကျီၢ ၢ်စဲ ၢ်ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဝျီ
ဒျီုးတၢ ၢ်စူုးကါက ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်လၢသဲစုးတၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်က ိၤတဖ ၢ်အပူၤန ၢ်လျီၤ.ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဝဲၤက ိၤအကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်ဝဲၤဒ အပျီၢ ၢ်ရျီပဒိ ၢ် Kristen Clarke စံုးဝဲဒ ၢ်လၢ, "ကျီၢ ၢ်စ က ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်တဖ ၢ် အကါဒိ ၢ်ဝဲနျီၢ ၢ်နျီၢ ၢ်လၢ ပတၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ်က ိၤက ဲသနူ အတၢ ၢ်ဟံုးဃ ၢ်ဂၢၢ ၢ်က ၢၤတၢ ၢ်တျီတၢ ၢ်လိၤအဂျီၢ ၢ်ဒျီုး အရဒ ိ ၢ်ဝဲဒ ၢ်လၢ တၢ ၢ်ကသ ုးက ံ ၢ် ကယဲၢ ၢ်မ ၢ ၢ်တၢတၢ်တျီဃ ၢ်တမံၤလၢ ၢ်လၢ ၢ်လၢအတတျီ ၢ်ဃ ၢ်ပ ၤတဂၤစ ၢ်စ ၢ်လၢ
ကတ ၤအိ ၢ်စူုးကါ ဘ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်ကရၢကရိတဖ ၢ်အံၤန ၢ်လျီၤ." "ပကဆဲုးမၤသကိုးတၢ ၢ်ဒျီုး ကျီၢ ၢ်စဲ ၢ်က ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်
ဒၢ်သိုးကသ ုးက ံ ၢ် က ိ ၢ်တၢတၢ်တျီဃ ၢ် တဖ ၢ် လၢအသမၢတၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ်
ဒျီုးလၢအလ ၢ်သ ၢ်ခါပတ ၢ် ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်သဲစုး န ၢ်လျီၤ." ပစံုးဘ ုးဘ ၢ်
ကလံၤထံုးဒခိထ ၢ်သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်သိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သျီက ိၤက ဲသနူပ ၢ်ဖိ ၢ်လၢ အမၤသကိုးတၢ ၢ်ဒျီုး တၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ် ဝဲၤက ိၤအံၤ
ဒၢ်သိုးကစံ ၢ်ညျီ ၢ်ဆၢတဲ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဝျီအံၤ ဒျီုးဟံုးဂ ၢ ၢ်ဝျီမၤထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ခ လၢကမၤလျီၤတံၢ ၢ်ပ ၤစူုးကါက ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ် ခဲလၢ ၢ်, အဝဲသ ၢ်အက ိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သ တၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢ်မ ၢ ၢ်ကအိ ၢ်ဝဲဒၢ်လဲ ၢ်ဂ ၤဒၢ်လဲ ၢ်ဂ ၤ, ကနၢ ၢ်ပၢၢ ၢ်ဒျီုးပ ၢ်ဃ ၢ်မၤသကိုးတၢ ၢ်လၢ သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်မူုးတၢ ၢ်ရၢ တဖ ၢ်အပူၤအဃိန ၢ်လျီၤ.ဒၢ်သိုးကချီဆၢကဒါက ၤ ဝဲၤက ိၤအံၤအတၢ ၢ်က ၢ ၢ်ကဒါက ၤတၢ ၢ်အံၤအဂျီၢ ၢ်, UJS ဆ ၢထျီ ၢ်ဝဲ သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်သိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သျီ
လံ ၢ်ပတံထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်တမံၤဆူ ကျီၢ ၢ်စဲ ၢ်ကရၢဒ ုးအိ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢအအိ ၢ် ဒၢ်သိုးကမၤဒိ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်အါထျီ ၢ်
တၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢ် က ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်ပ ၤတဲက ိုးထံတၢ ၢ်ဒျီုးပ ၤက ဲုးက ိ ၢ်ထံတၢ ၢ်တဖ ၢ် လၢ LEP တဂၤစ ၢ်စ ၢ်အဂျီၢ ၢ်
လၢကမ ၢၢ ၢ်သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်မူုးတၢ ၢ်ရၢ ၢ်ကိုးမံၤ အပူၤန ၢ်လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်ဒ ုးအိ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဘ ၢအံၤ ကဲထျီ ၢ်ဝဲ သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်သိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သ ဖဲ လါယူၤလံ 1 သျီန ၢ်လျီၤ. ဒၢ်သိုး ကလိ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်ဖုးထျီ ၢ်သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်သိ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်သျီအံၤအဂျီၢ ၢ်, UJS
ဂၢၤဃ ၢ်ဝဲစ ဆျီ ၢ်ထ ဲအဂၤတမံၤလၢအစ တိ ၢ်ပ ၢ်အပူၤ ဒၢ်သိုး ကဟ ၢ်လျီၤ LEP ဖိတဖ ၢ်ဒျီုးပ ၤအ ၢ်သုးတဖ ၢ် တၢက ိုးထံတၢ ၢ်တိစၢၤမၤစၢၤအကလျီတဖ ၢ်လျီၤ. တကုးဒံုးဘ ၢ်, UJS မၤဂ ၤမၤသျီထျီ ၢ်ဝဲ တၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်က ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ရဲ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်က ဲၤတဖ ၢ် လၢကျီၢ ၢ်စဲ ၢ်သဲစုးတၢ ၢ်မူုးတၢ ၢ်ရၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်စံ ၢ်ညျီ ၢ်ခဲလၢ ၢ်အဂျီၢ,ၢ် ဃ ထၢပ ၢ်လျီၤဝဲ တၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်က ၢ်ဖိုးမံမူဒါခိ ၢ်တဂၤ ဒျီုးဒ ုးအိ ၢ်ထျီ ၢ်ဝဲ တၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်က ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ဆ ိုးထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်အက ိၤအက ၢ်တမံၤန ၢ်လျီၤ.ဖိုးမံမူဒါခိ ၢ်ဒျီုးတၢ ၢ်ဆ ိုးထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်အက ိၤအက ၢ်တဖ ၢ်အံၤ ကကဲထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်မၤစၢၤလၢကမၤလျီၤတံၢ ပ ၤတဂၤစ ၢ်စ ၢ်ဟ ၢ်ကူ ၢ်ဟ ၢ်ဖုး UJS ကသ ဝဲအဂျီၢ ၢ်န ၢ်လျီၤ. UJS အၢ ၢ်လျီၤစ ၢ ၢ်ကျီုးဝဲလၢ
ကဆဲုးမၤသကိုးတၢ ၢ်ဒျီုးဝဲၤက ိၤအံၤ ဒၢ်သိုးကမၤဂ ၤထျီ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်တျီတၢတၢ်တၢ ၢ်
ဒျီုးတၢ ၢ်တ ၤအိ ၢ်စူုးကါဘ ၢ်က ျီၢ ၢ်ဘ ျီ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်လၢအတအိ ၢ်ဒျီုးတၢ ၢ်က ၢ ၢ်မဲ ၢ် လၢ LEP တဂၤစ ၢ်စ ၢ်အဂျီၢ ၢ်လျီၤ.ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်ဝဲၤဒ အပျီၢ ၢ်ရျီတဖ ၢ် ဒျီုး U.S. ပျီၢ ၢ်ရျီဝဲၤက ိၤလၢကလံၤထံုးဒခိထ ၢ်အဂျီၢ ၢ် (U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota) အပျီၢ ၢ်ရျီတဖ ၢ် ဃိထံသ ၢ်ညါသကိုးဝဲ
တၢ ၢ်မူုးတၢ ၢ်ရၢ ၢ်အံၤန ၢ်လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်မၤလၢထျီ ၢ်ပဲ ၤထျီ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်ခိ ၢ်တျီဃ န ၢ်မ ၢ ၢ်ဝဲ တၢ ၢ်အကါဒိ ၢ်ကတၢၢ ၢ်တမံၤလၢ ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်ဝဲၤဒ အဂျီၢ ၢ်လျီၤ. တၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်က ိၤဆူညါဘ ၢ်ထ ဲဒျီုး ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ်တဖ ၢ်ဝဲၤဒ န တၢ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်အျီၤသ ဝဲလၢအပ ၢ်ယဲၤသန အပူၤဖဲ www.justice.gov/crt, ဒျီုးတၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်က ိၤဘ ၢ်ထ ဲဒျီုး
တၢ ၢ်သ အဲုးကလံုးက ိ ၢ်ဂ ၤဂ ၤဘ ၢ်ဘ ၢ် ဒျီုးတၢ ၢ်ဂ ၢ ၢ်ခိ ၢ်တျီဃ န ၢ် တၢ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်အျီၤသ ဖဲ www.lep.gov န ၢ်လျီၤ.ပ ၤကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တဖ ၢ် ပ ၢ်ဖ ါထျီ ၢ် တၢ ၢ်လ ၢ်သ ၢ်ခါပတ ၢ် ကမ ၢၢ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်ခ ဲုးတၢ ၢ်ယ ၢ် တဖ ၢ် သ ဝဲဖဲ
https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ မ တမ ၢ ၢ်ဃ ၢ်ဒျီုး U.S. ပျီၢ ၢ်ရျီဝဲၤက ိၤလၢကလံၤထံုးဒခိထ ၢ် အဂျီၢ ၢ် ချီဖ ိမၤပဲ ၤတၢ ၢ်ဆ ိုးထျီ ၢ်တၢ ၢ်အလံ ၢ်ဒိအံၤ လၢတၢ ၢ်ဒိုးနၢ ၢ်အျီၤသ ဖဲ https://www.justice.gov/usao- sd/civil-rights န ၢ်လျီၤ.न्याय विभागले दक्षिण डाकोटा एकीकृत न्याययक प्रणालीको नागरिक अधधकाि समीिा समाधान गर् यो नोट: यो प्रेस विज्ञप्तत विभभन्न भाषामा अनुिाद गरिएको छ। तल संलग्नताहरू हेनुुहोस्।Read the Press Release
नोट: यो प्रेस विज्ञप्तत विभभन्न भाषामा अनुिाद गरिएको छ। तल संलग्नताहरू हेनु ुहोस।
िाभसङ्गटन – आज न्याय विभागले दक्षिण डाकोटा एकीकृ त न्याययक प्रणाली (UJS) द्िािा सीभमत अङ्रेजी प्रिीणता (LEP) भएका मायनसहरूको िाज्य अदालतहरूमा पहु ुँच सुधाने उद्देश्यमा िहेको नागरिक अधधकाि समीिा समाधान गरिएको बािेमा घोषणा गर्यो।
न्याय विभागले UJS अदालतहरूद्िािा 1964 को नागरिक अधधकाि ऐनको शीषुक VI को उल्लङ्घनमा LEP अदालतका प्रयोगकताुहरू विरूद्ध िाप्रिय मूलको आधािमा भेदभाि भएको आिोपमा इस्ट रिभि भलगल सभभुसेसको उजुिी प्रातत गिेपयछ यो समीिा सुरु भएको हो। शीषुक VI ले संघीय वित्तीय सहायताका प्रापकहरू विरूद्ध जायत, िणु िा िाप्रिय मूलको आधािमा भेदभाि गनुबाट िोक लगाउुँ छ।विभागको समीिाले UJS मा LEP का व्यप्क्तहरूलाई िाज्य नागरिक मुद्दा ि कायुिाहीहरूमा सहभागी हुन कठिन बनाएका भाषा अििोध ि अदालतका उच्च लागतहरू समेटेन।
न्याय विभागको नागरिक अधधकाि डडभभजनको सहायक महान्यायिादी, Kristen Clarke ले “िाज्य अदालतहरू हाम्रो न्याय प्रणालीको अखण्डताका लाधग आधाि हु न ् ि व्यप्क्तहरूलाई यी संस्थाहरूमा पहु ुँच गनुबाट िोक्ने कु नै पयन बाधा हटाउन महत्त्िपूणु छ” भन्नुभयो। हामी न्यायमा पहु ुँच गनुबाट िप्चचत गने ि संघीय नागरिक अधधकाि कानुनको उल्लङ्घन गने भाषा अििोधहरू हटाउनका लाधग िाज्य अदालतहरूसुँग यनिन्ति काम गने छौं। हामी दक्षिण डकोटा एकीकृ त न्याययक प्रणालीलाई यो माभमला समाधान गनुको यनभमत्त न्याय विभागसुँग सहयोगी रूपमा काम गिेको ि अदालतका सबै प्रयोगकताुहरू आफ्नो अङ्रेजी भाषाको िमता जे-जस्तो भएपयन मुद्दाहरूका बािेमा बुझेि सहभागी हु न सक्नुहु न्छ भनी सुयनप्श्चत गनुका लाधग तत्काल कदम चालेकोमा धन्यिाद व्यक्त गदुछौं।
विभागको समीिाको प्रयतक्रियामा, UJS ले सबै नागरिक मुद्दाहरूमा LEP का व्यप्क्तहरूका लाधग अदालत दोभाषे ि अनुिादकहरूमा पहु ुँच विस्ताि गनुका लाधग िाज्य विधानसभामा एउटा विधेयक पेश गर्यो। जुलाई 1 मा विधान कानुन बनेको धथयो। नयाुँ कानुन लागू गनुका लाधग, UJS ले LEP का पि ि सािीहरूलाई यनिःशुल्क दोभाषे सेिाहरू प्रदान गनुका लाधग आफ्नो बजेटमा थप कोष सुिक्षित गर्यो।यसका साथै, UJS ले सम्पूणु िाज्य न्याययक सक्रकु टहरूका लाधग भाषा पहु ुँच योजनाहरू अद्यािधधक गिेको छ, एकजना भाषा पहु ुँच समन्ियक यनयुक्त गिेको छ ि भाषा पहु ुँच उजुिी प्रक्रिया भसजुना गिेको छ। समन्ियक तथा उजुिी प्रक्रियाहरूले व्यप्क्तहरूद्िािा UJS मा प्रयतक्रिया प्रदान गनु सक्रकने कु िा सुयनप्श्चत गनुमा मद्दत गने छन ्। UJS ले LEP का व्यप्क्तहरूका लाधग अदालतहरूमा यनरपि ि गैि-भेदभािपूणु पहु ुँच सुधानुको यनभमत्त विभागसुँग काम गनु जािी िाख्ने कु िामा पयन सहमयत जनाएको छ।
यो मुद्दा नागरिक अधधकाि डडभभजन ि दक्षिण डकोटा प्जल्लाको अमेरिकी अधधिक्ता कायाुलयका अधधिक्ताहरूद्िािा संयुक्त रूपमा अनुसन्धान गरिएको धथयो। शीषुक VI को प्रितुन नागरिक अधधकाि डडभभजनको उच्च प्राथभमकता हो। नागरिक अधधकाि डडभभजनका बािेमा थप जानकािी यसको िेबसाइट www.justice.gov/crt मा उपलब्ध छ ि सीभमत अङ्रेजी प्रिीणता ि शीषुक VI का बािेमा जानकािी www.lep.gov मा उपलब्ध छ। सिुसाधािण सदस्यहरूले https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/civil-rights मा उपलब्ध भएको उजुिी फािाम पूिा गिे ि https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ मा िा दक्षिण डाकोटा प्जल्लाको अमेरिकी अधधिक्ता कायाुलयमा गई नागरिक अधधकािका सम्भावित उल्लङ्घनहरूका बािेमा रिपोटु गनु सक्नुहु न्छ।
Министерство юстиции завершило проверку соблюдения гражданских прав в Единой судебной системе Южной ДакотыRead the Press Release
Примечание: Настоящий пресс-релиз переведен на разные языки. См. приложения ниже.
ВАШИНГТОН — Сегодня Министерство юстиции объявило о завершении проверки соблюдения гражданских прав в Единой судебной системе Южной Дакоты (UJS), которая улучшит доступ к судам штата для лиц с ограниченным знанием английского языка (LEP).
Проверка Министерства юстиции началась после получения жалобы от организации East River Legal Services, в которой утверждалось, что суды UJS дискриминировали пользователей судов по признаку их национального происхождения в нарушение Раздела VI «Закона о гражданских правах» 1964 года. Раздел VI запрещает получателям федеральной финансовой помощи дискриминацию по признаку расы, цвета кожи или национального происхождения. Проверка, проведенная министерством, выявила языковые барьеры и более высокие судебные издержки в UJS, которые затрудняли участие лиц с LEP в гражданских делах и судебных разбирательствах штата.
«Суды штатов имеют основополагающее значение для целостности нашей системы правосудия, и важно устранить любые препятствия, мешающие людям получить доступ к этим учреждениям, — заявила помощник генерального прокурора Кристен Кларк из Отдела гражданских прав Министерства юстиции. — Мы продолжим работать с судами штатов над устранением языковых барьеров, которые препятствуют доступу к правосудию и нарушают федеральный закон о гражданских правах. Мы благодарим Единую судебную систему Южной Дакоты за совместную работу с Министерством юстиции по разрешению этого вопроса и принятие оперативных мер для обеспечения того, чтобы все пользователи судов могли понимать дела и участвовать в их рассмотрении, независимо от их знания английского языка».
В ответ на проверку министерства UJS внесла в законодательный орган штата законопроект о расширении доступа к судебным устным и письменным переводчикам для лиц с LEP по всем гражданским делам. Закон вступил в силу 1 июля. Для реализации нового закона UJS предусмотрела в своем бюджете дополнительное финансирование для предоставления бесплатных услуг устного переводчика сторонам и свидетелям с LEP. Кроме того, UJS обновила планы по преодолению языкового барьера для всех судебных округов штата, назначила координатора по преодолению языкового барьера и создала процесс рассмотрения жалоб на наличие языкового барьера. Координатор и процедуры подачи жалоб помогут гарантировать, что отдельные лица смогут предоставлятьобратную связь UJS. UJS также согласилась продолжить работу с министерством для повышения уровня справедливости и недискриминационного доступа к судам для лиц с LEP.
Это дело расследовали совместно юристы Отдела гражданских прав и Прокуратуры США по округу Южная Дакота. Обеспечение соблюдения Раздела VI является высшим приоритетом Отдела гражданских прав. Дополнительная информация об Отделе гражданских прав доступна на его веб-сайте по адресу: www.justice.gov/crt, а информация об ограниченном знании английского языка и Разделе VI доступна по адресу: www.lep.gov. Представители общественности могут сообщать о возможных нарушениях гражданских прав по адресу: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ или в Прокуратуру США по округу Южная Дакота, заполнив форму жалобы, доступную по адресу: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/civil-rights.
Wheeling man indicted on drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Edgar Eugene Hatten, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was indicted today on a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Hatten, 40, was indicted on one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Hatten is accused of selling methamphetamine near Clator Playground in Wheeling on July 20, 2021.
Hatten faces at least one year and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigate
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wetzel County man indicted on drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Kevin Ray Morgan, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was indicted today on a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Morgan, also known as “Model,” 46, was indicted on one count of “Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl,” one count of “Possession with Intent o Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl,” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Morgan is accused of distributing of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in April 2021 in Wetzel County.
Morgan faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Waianae Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – In federal court today, District Judge Jill A. Otake sentenced Samuel K. Kapoi, 35, of Waianae, Hawaii, to 18 years’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release for leading a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. Kapoi pled guilty on May 25, 2021, to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Judge Otake ordered Kapoi, who remains on pretrial release, to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons on January 4, 2022 to begin serving his sentence.
Judith A. Philips, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii, stated that according to information presented in court, Kapoi was responsible for distributing over 26 pounds of methamphetamine over approximately nine months, and possessed an unregistered AR-15 rifle, with no serial number, in connection with the offense. Judge Otake described Kapoi’s conduct as “injecting poison” into communities that lack the resources to deal with methamphetamine addictions, and emphasized his conduct was “not a victimless crime.”
“Methamphetamine remains the dominant drug of abuse in Hawaii, and this conviction and sentence demonstrate the price methamphetamine traffickers can pay for continuing to pursue this path to profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Philips.
“This significant sentence is the result of many hours of difficult and dangerous work carried out by brave law enforcement officers for the benefit of our society,” said John F. Tobon, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Honolulu. “HSI will continue to identify and investigate those who endanger our communities.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawaii County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Nammar and Wayne Myers.
Vallejo Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm After a High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Johnathan Shane Blakeley, 27, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 20, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Blakeley for a traffic violation, but Blakeley refused to yield and led police on a high-speed chase through Vallejo. Blakeley crashed his car on Interstate 80 and got out of his car and ran through several lanes of traffic. He tried to get into the passenger seat of a car that stopped. After police apprehended Blakeley, they found a Glock 9 mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine in his car. Blakeley cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of three felony offenses. When the current offense took place, Blakeley was on federal probation. He had just been released from federal prison less than 30 days prior, after having served a 30-month sentence for possessing a firearm as a felon. During his guilty plea, Blakeley also admitted that he violated the terms of his federal supervision by committing this new offense while on supervised release for his previous federal offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, with assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Blakeley is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2022, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Blakeley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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.
United States Reaches Agreements with New York State and Local Government Agencies to Improve Accessibility to Covid-19 Vaccination Websites for People with Vision ImpairmentsRead the Press Release
Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, today announced agreements pursuant to Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (the “ADA”), with five New York State and local government agencies to fix accessibility barriers for people with visual impairments on their COVID-19 vaccination websites.
Pursuant to Title II of the ADA, the United States Attorney’s Office investigated the vaccination websites for New York State’s Department of Health, the City of New York’s Department of Health, New York City Health + Hospitals, Nassau County, and Suffolk County. As a result of this review, the United States Attorney’s Office identified multiple areas where text was difficult to read for visually impaired people. On some of the websites, individuals with visual impairments using screen readers were prevented from identifying what steps they needed to take to complete forms, or from readily navigating the websites. On some websites, lettering was set against a background causing a low contrast.
Following this investigation, the New York State’s Department of Health, the City of New York’s Department of Health, New York City Health + Hospitals, Nassau County, and Suffolk County have now entered into written agreements with the United States Attorney’s Office certifying that they have corrected the identified problems. These government entities further committed to maintaining that their COVID-19 vaccination websites will be accessible for people with visual impairments.
“In the midst of the ongoing global pandemic, people with vision impairments must be able to access information about how and where to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis. “Our Office thanks the New York State Department of Health, the City of New York, New York Health + Hospitals, and Nassau and Suffolk counties for their cooperation in complying with the requirements of the ADA and for ensuring that these vital websites are accessible to the visually impaired.”
The United States Attorney’s Office gratefully acknowledges the assistance of WebAIM, a nonprofit web accessibility organization based at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy, and Practice at Utah State University, which provided information on accessibility issues on the websites addressed in the agreements announced today.
The government’s review was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Edward K. Newman. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York recently announced a Civil Rights Team in the Office’s Civil Division. The Civil Rights Team focuses on protecting the rights of the most vulnerable residents of the Eastern District of New York. The Office has also a webpage, located at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/civil-rights, dedicated to Civil Rights Enforcement, which highlights the work of the Office and provides links to complaint forms and to other civil rights resources. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, or to report to report suspected violations of civil rights please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny.
Uniontown Felon Indicted on Firearms and Narcotics Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Donald Nicklo, 46, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about March 12,2021, Donald Nicklo, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On that same date, Nicklo also possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00 or both for the firearm charge, and not more than twenty years in prison and a fine of not more than $1,000,000.00 or both for the narcotics charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Doolittle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney's Office and HHS Office for Civil Rights Settle Disability Discrimination Case with Backus HospitalRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, in partnership with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), have entered into a Voluntary Resolution Agreement with Backus Hospital to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The agreement resolves a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of an individual who is deaf, alleging that Backus Hospital failed to provide timely auxiliary aids and services to effectively communicate with the patient during an inpatient stay at Backus Hospital in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the complaint, despite requesting services upon arrival and receiving them during his emergency room stay, the complainant was not provided an interpreter or video remote interpreting services at critical points of care during his inpatient stay and relied on hand-written notes to communicate with doctors and staff during the hospital visit.
In partnership with DOJ, OCR conducted an investigation of the complaint allegations and a review of Backus Hospital’s policies and procedures for effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to determine compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Section 1557). Collectively, these federal civil rights laws prohibit any entity that receives federal financial assistance from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities, and requires an entity to take steps to ensure communication with individuals with disabilities is as effective as communication with others through the use of appropriate auxiliary aids and services.
As a result of the joint investigation, Backus Hospital voluntarily entered this agreement and affirmed its assurance of compliance with Section 504, Section 1557, and Title III of the ADA. Under the agreement, Backus Hospital agreed to take steps to ensure the availability of auxiliary aids and services, and to monitor such steps. Additionally, Backus Hospital has agreed to $7,500 in compensatory relief for the complainant under the ADA.
“Health care providers have a responsibility to provide effective communication, which is a key component to ensuring patients receive quality care,” said OCR Director Lisa Pino. “This agreement sends an important message about the importance of eliminating unnecessary barriers to equal treatment for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.”
“Our Office is committed to protecting the rights of those who are deaf or hard of hearing and ensuring that all persons are able to effectively communicate with health care professionals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle.
To read the full Voluntary Resolution Agreement text, please visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/compliance-enforcement/agreements/vra-between-doj-hhs-ocr-william-backus-hospital/index.html.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that the office of a health care provider or any other place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Two New Jersey Men Arrested and Charged with Securities Fraud for Scheme to Defraud Investors in Hemp CompanyRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the arrests of VITALY FARGESEN and IGOR PALATNIK, and unsealing of an Indictment charging FARGESEN and PALATNIK with securities fraud, wire fraud and related offenses in connection with their fraudulent scheme to defraud investors in CanaFarma Corp. and later CanaFarma Hemp Products Corp. (together “CanaFarma”) by soliciting funds based upon false and misleading representations, failing to invest investor’s funds as promised, manipulating the public stock price of CanaFarma, and secretly misappropriating millions of dollars of CanaFarma funds. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Vitaly Fargesen and Igor Palatnik presented themselves as entrepreneurs developing a new business for an emerging industry. But, as alleged, Fargesen and Palatnik were just using the trappings of a start-up to run an old-time scam: lying to investors to take money for themselves.”
F.B.I. Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “The defendants, as alleged, lured investors to CanaFarma by falsely representing the company’s financials, manipulating their stock price, and misappropriating millions for their personal benefit. Just as a reminder to anyone who thinks they can manipulate people’s investments in this way—that’s simply not the case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1]:
From in or about March 2019 to in or about March 2020, CanaFarma was a privately-held Delaware corporation with offices in Manhattan, New York. Beginning on or about March 19, 2020, CanaFarma was listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange and beginning on or about March 23, 2020, CanaFarma was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. CanaFarma marketed itself to the investors as a “fully integrated cannabis company addressing the entire cannabis spectrum from seed to delivery of consumer products.” FARGESEN and PALATNIK, who held themselves out as Senior Vice Presidents at CanaFarma, in fact exercised full control of CanaFarma, The men hid their control from the investing public by, among things, convincing an experienced businessman to falsely present himself to the market as the CEO of the company.
Using their control of CanaFarma, FARGESEN and PALATNIK devised and carried out a scheme to defraud CanaFarma’s investors by soliciting more than $14 million in funds, including investments in private shares of CanaFarma, with false and misleading representations concerning the company’s management, products, and financials, failing to invest investor’s funds as promised, causing the manipulation of the public stock price of CanaFarma for the purposes of advancing the scheme to defraud investors and enriching themselves, and secretly misappropriating at least $4 million of CanaFarma funds for their own benefit.
FARGESEN and PALATNIK effectuated the scheme by: (a) purchasing a Canadian shell company through a straw purchaser; (b) directing the reverse merger of the shell company and CanaFarma to exercise secret control of the resulting publicly traded company; (c) controlling CanaFarma through a nominal Chief Executive Officer who reported to FARGESEN and PALATNIK; (d) supporting CanaFarma’s stock price through manipulative trading; (e) attempting to artificially inflate CanaFarma’s reported revenue; and (f) making false statements to CanaFarma’s auditors.
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FARGESEN, 52, and PALATNIK, 47, both of New Jersey, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the FBI and also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a civil enforcement action against the defendants, for its assistance in the investigation.
The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina Castellano and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms in Exchange for Distribution Amounts of High-Grade MarijuanaRead the Press Release
A Tulsa gang member was sentenced Tuesday for conspiring with others to collect firearms and exchange them for marijuana to sell on the black market, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Shelvon Tyrone Williams, 27, to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Williams pleaded guilty July 15, 2021, to firearms conspiracy.
In his plea agreement, Williams admitted that from November 2018 to March 2020, he collected and transported firearms from Oklahoma to northern California in exchange for distribution amounts of high-grade marijuana. Williams then sold the marijuana in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
“Shelvon Williams and his coconspirators fueled violent crime and placed the public at risk when they traded guns for marijuana,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF and Tulsa Police Department remain committed to stopping the flow of illegal guns and drugs into Tulsa and other communities across the country.”
On March 4, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Williams and five others for their involvement in the firearms conspiracy and drug conspiracy. Williams and other defendants are members of the Squeeze Team, a violent street gang made up of various members affiliated with the Bloods, Neighborhood Crips, and 5-tre Crips.
According to the indictment, the conspirators concealed the firearms in backpacks, duffel bags, and suitcases and transported them in cars and buses to individuals in California. The defendants purchased bus tickets with cash using false names to help conceal their crimes. In exchange for each handgun they delivered to California, the defendants received one to two pounds of high-grade marijuana shipped through the U.S. Postal Service. Conspirators in California shipped the packages of marijuana to a specific geographical region in Tulsa where U.S. Postal Service employee and codefendant, Whitney D’ron Clark, retrieved the packages. She then delivered the packages to other conspirators who re-packaged the marijuana for sale in northeastern Oklahoma.
Codefendants Brian Lee Thomas, Whitney D’ron Clark, and Kenyante Hampton previously pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Also pleading guilty to firearms conspiracy was codefendant Sheldon Tyrone Christopher Williams Jr.
This prosecution was a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation Squeezed Out. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case. McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Tacoma man sentenced to two years in prison for early morning fire in ‘CHOP’ zoneRead the Press Release
Seattle –A former Seattle resident, who prior to his arrest resided in Tacoma, was sentenced today U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for setting fire to the outside of the Seattle Police East Precinct during the occupied protest known as ‘CHOP’, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Isaiah Thomas Willoughby, 36, used a can of gasoline to set the fire just feet from where protestors were camped, putting them at risk. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed three years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
According to the plea agreement, in the early morning hours of June 12, 2020, Willoughby was wearing distinctive clothing when he was captured on surveillance video near debris piled next to the wall of the Seattle Police East Precinct. Willoughby admits he used a small gas can to pour gasoline on the debris. Willoughby steps away from the debris pile for a moment, then reappears with something that he lights on fire and tosses on the debris pile. The pile begins to burn, and Willoughby is seen walking away. The fire scorched the side of the building, but was extinguished by those nearby using fire extinguishers, and pulling the flaming debris away from the building.
After the Seattle Police Department released pictures of the arson suspect, various people recognized Willoughby and noted that the distinctive sweatshirt came from a clothing line he represents. Relatives of Willoughby reported to police that he was in Seattle in the Capitol Hill Organized Protest Zone (CHOP) at the time of the fire. Following the fire, Willoughby took steps to remove posts from his social media accounts that may have linked him to the arson. However, at least some of his Facebook posts remain, noting his anger at police and his knowledge of the East Precinct building.
Willoughby has been in custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac since his arrest on July 14, 2020.
In asking for a three-year sentence, prosecutors noted that Willoughby planned the crime, posting about his anger and intent on Facebook. The fire itself put peaceful protestors in danger and they were the ones who quickly acted to put the fire out. The fire “was counterproductive to what the protestors were trying to accomplish,” Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg told the court.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the FBI and the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Monday, Oct. 4, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd sentenced Doroteo Gonzales Jr., 26, of Turlock, to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 23, 2021, Gonzales was arrested in Modesto after a firearm was located under his clothes during a parole search. Gonzales was previously convicted of several felonies and was on parole for robbery at the time of his arrest.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Modesto Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
St. Louis man pleads guilty to robbing businesses of cigarettesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted pleas of guilty from Thomas T. Taylor, age 35, on today’s date, for the crimes of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, and two counts of interfering with commerce by robbery. Judge Autrey set sentencing for January 5, 2022. At sentencing, Taylor is subject to imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine.
According to the plea agreement, Taylor and others agreed to interfere with commerce by robbing businesses of cigarettes. Taylor admitted that between March and August 2020, he was involved in at least 38 separate incidents of theft of cigarettes from gas station convenience stores located in St. Louis and St. Charles County. Taylor admitted threatening store clerks in some instances.
On July 28, 2020, Taylor went to the Circle K located in Bridgeton and went behind the counter to take cigarettes. Taylor, when contacted by a store clerk, said, “Do you want to get shot?” Taylor took 29 cartons of cigarettes from the store. On August 16, 2020, Taylor and an accomplice went to the Zephyr Express gas station in south St. Louis County and Taylor went behind the counter. Taylor, when contacted by the clerk, told the clerk that he was “gonna get shot.” Taylor took cigarettes.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and ten local law enforcement agencies.
South Royalton Man Sentenced to 19 Months Imprisonment for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on October 4, 2021, Jeremy Digby, 41, of South Royalton was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss to 19 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment. Digby also agreed to forfeit the firearms recovered from his residence. Digby had previously pled guilty to being a user in possession of firearms, which carried a maximum sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment.
According to court records, before Digby’s arrest in October 2020, law enforcement had received regular complaints from citizens about Digby’s drug use and about gunshots coming from the area of Digby’s residence. On October 2, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Digby’s residence in South Royalton. During the search, law enforcement recovered evidence of drug use and 43 firearms, including a high-powered weapon. On October 12, 2020, law enforcement went back to Digby’s residence to arrest him on the federal indictment. At that time, investigators recovered two additional firearms. In a post-arrest statement, Digby told law enforcement that for the past couple of years, he had regularly used and sold methamphetamine.
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. https://www.justice.gov/psn
This matter was investigated by the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force and ATF. This case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. Digby was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.
South Florida Wildlife Dealer and Company Charged in Scheme to Harvest and Sell Protected TurtlesRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – South Florida federal prosecutors have charged a Davie, Florida company specializing in wholesale reptile sales and its owner for their roles in a scheme to unlawfully enrich themselves and others by smuggling illegally-harvested Florida turtles out of the United States and into China, Japan, and other places.
According to the information filed in Miami federal district court, from approximately April 2017 through April 2019, 54-year-old Davie resident Michael Van Nostrand, his company, Strictly Reptiles, Inc., and others established a network of “collectors” who searched in the Florida wilds for certain fresh-water turtle specimens. Contrary to federal law, the collectors captured the protected turtles and turned them over to Van Nostrand, says the information. Then, to make it appear to customers that he and his company had legitimately obtained the turtles, it is alleged that Van Nostrand falsely labeled the turtles as having been bred in captivity. It is also alleged that Van Nostrand’s co-conspirators – the “collectors” -- represented in federal export disclosure documents that the turtles were captive- bred, rather than wild-caught, which was a lie. According to the information, Van Nostrand, Strictly Reptiles, and their co-conspirators trafficked hundreds of illegally-harvested Florida turtles for profit, including the principal species – Florida three-stripe mud turtles (Kinsperson baurii), pictured above.
Harvesting and selling wild-caught Florida fresh-water turtles is illegal. The information charges Van Nostrand and Strictly Reptiles of conspiring with others to illegally traffic wildlife. Van Nostrand made his first court appearance in this case today, in federal magistrate court in Miami. If convicted, Van Nostrand faces up to five years in prison, plus supervised release and a fine of at least $250,000. V Strictly Reptiles, if convicted, faces a criminal fine of at least $500,000.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Stephen Clark, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Region IV, Office of Law Enforcement, Atlanta; and Colonel Roger Young, Director, Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission, Law Enforcement Division made the announcement.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission jointly investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Watts-FitzGerald is prosecuting it.
Criminal complaints, informations and indictments contain mere allegations and defendants are innocent unless and until found guilty 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 number 21-cr-20495-Williams.
Photograph courtesy of Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.Note: Photograph courtesy of Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-State ATM Skimming SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Romanian national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy charges relating to an ATM skimming operation that stretched throughout Massachusetts and other states including Connecticut, New York and South Carolina.
Dragos Nelu Hornea, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (more commonly known as RICO conspiracy) and one count of conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Feb. 3, 2022. Dragos Hornea was extradited from Germany to the District of Massachusetts in April 2021 after being indicted in May 2017.
Dragos Hornea was a member of the Hornea Crew, led by co-conspirators Constantin Denis Hornea and Ludemis Hornea. Over a period of 18 months, the Crew engaged in an ATM skimming scheme to steal debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting bank customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina, Georgia and other locations within the United States. Members of the Crew installed skimming devices in the following locations: Amherst, Bellingham, Billerica, Braintree, Chicopee, Quincy, Southwick, Waltham, Weymouth and Whately, Mass.; Enfield, Conn.; Columbia, Greenville, Greenwood, Mauldin, and Saluda, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and Yadkinville, N.C. The stolen information was then used by Hornea and other co-conspirators to clone the victim customers’ debit cards and make unauthorized withdrawals from victim bank accounts at ATMs throughout the United States. In total, the skimming activities resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
Dragos Hornea was indicted with 13 co-defendants in May 2017, along with another co-defendant charged in a superseding indictment. All 15 defendants have pleaded guilty and those sentenced have received sentences ranging from one year and one day to 65 months in prison.
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was also provided by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Service; Massachusetts Department of Correction; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Amherst, Billerica, Braintree, Boston, Quincy, Southwick, Waltham, Whately, and Westwood Police Departments in Massachusetts; Greenwich (Conn.), New York City, Houston, Florence and Saluda (S.C.) Police Departments; Connecticut State Police; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; Richland County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Department; and the Solicitor’s Offices of Greenville and Saluda Counties. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Dragos Hornea to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran, Chief of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Rhode Island Men Resolve Case Brought for Touching Off Needless Ocean Search and Rescue Operation with Distress FlaresRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The United States today announced that it has reached an agreement to resolve civil claims against two Block Island residents: Perry C. Phillips, 31, and Benjamin C. Foster, 33, whose actions touched off a needless and expensive maritime search and rescue operation off the coast of Block Island.
As detailed in a civil complaint filed today in Federal Court in Providence, the two men, intending to celebrate a friend’s wedding in the Breezy Point area of Block Island, borrowed a nautical flare gun and flares, and set out in a small skiff on the evening of on June 6, 2020. When they reached the vicinity of the wedding reception, Phillips and Foster discharged three of the flares, recording their actions on video for posting on social media. At least one of the two knew at the time that the flares were a maritime distress signal, and both understood that it was improper to use them as they did. The pair then returned to shore, unaware that their actions prompted observers to report the flares to the New Shoreham harbormaster, who in turn alerted the U.S. Coast Guard.
Interpreting the flares as a nautical distress signal, the Coast Guard, alongside local authorities, launched a multi-hour search operation off the waters and shoreline in the area where the flares were sighted. The search involved a surface vessel and two Coast Guard helicopters, including one based in Point Judith and another at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod.
Under federal law, falsely communicating a distress signal and causing the Coast Guard to attempt to save lives and property when no help is needed is illegal and carries civil and/or criminal penalties. Under this agreement, the Defendants have admitted to the conduct alleged by the Government and will pay a statutory civil penalty of $10,000 to resolve this matter.
Today’s filing and resolution is announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Richard B. Myrus and Captain Clinton J. Prindle of United State Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England.
The case was litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
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Pharmacist Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Compounded Medicine Scam that Defrauded Health Care PlansRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County pharmacist has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for submitting more than $13 million in claims for medically unnecessary compounded medication prescriptions, the Justice Department announced today.
Thu Van Le, 42, a.k.a. “Tony Le,” of Placentia, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Klausner ordered Le to pay $10,982,759 in restitution to Tricare, the U.S. military’s managed health care plan, and $768,488 in restitution to Amplan, Amtrak’s employee health care benefit plan.
Le, a pharmacist who owned TC Medical Pharmacy in Corona, pleaded guilty on July 12 to one count of health care fraud.
From March 2015 to December 2016, Le’s pharmacy submitted more than $13 million in total claims to Tricare and AmPlan, against which Tricare paid $10,982,759 and AmPlan paid $768,488. Le, in turn, paid so-called “marketers” handsome kickbacks of up to 50 percent of the Tricare reimbursements.
The marketers used personal and insurance information to generate fraudulent prescriptions for compounded medications, according to court documents. Marketers who participated in the scheme solicited beneficiaries of the health plans through misleading cold calls that promised free compounded medications. In some cases, beneficiaries were not contacted at all and simply received expensive medications that they did not order.
Compounded drugs are tailor-made products doctors may prescribe when the Food and Drug Administration-approved alternative does not meet the health needs of a patient.
Le agreed to be bound by Tricare and AmPlan rules for reimbursement of claims for their beneficiaries. Tricare and AmPlan required that medications be medically necessary, that beneficiaries be examined by physicians, and that Le’s pharmacy collect co-payments. The prescriptions were supposed to be for unique patient needs, but they instead were formulated to maximize reimbursements and were prepared on an assembly-line basis.
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the California Department of Insurance investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Pawtucket Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man who sold a kilogram of cocaine to another person while under law enforcement surveillance was sentenced on Monday to six-and-a-half years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Modesto Mercado, 38, pleaded guilty on May 4, 2021, to conspiracy and to distributing 500 grams or more of cocaine. At the time of his guilty plea, Mercado admitted that on February 12, 2020, he met with an individual by Facetime to arrange to sell that person a kilogram of cocaine for $30,000. During a later in-person meeting with the buyer, Mercado raised the price for the kilogram to $31,500, with the additional $1,500 to be split between himself and a person assisting him in arranging the purchase. Mercado told the buyer he could supply as many kilograms of cocaine as the buyer wanted to purchase.
According to information presented to the court, later that evening, while under surveillance by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, Mercado met with the buyer and another individual and sold a kilogram of cocaine. After the buyer claimed he could not pay more than the original agreed upon price of $30,000, Mercado indicated he wanted to remove and keep 150 grams of pure cocaine from the kilogram and replace it with cocaine that had been mixed with cutting agents, keeping the 150 grams for himself.
Mercado was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 78 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge. Codi Lee Douglas, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, Douglas admitted possessing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that law enforcement officers found in his vehicle during a traffic stop on January 27, 2021 in Parkersburg. Douglas is not legally permitted to possess firearms due to a 2016 conviction for malicious assault in Wood County Circuit Court. The malicious assault conviction was the result of Douglas shooting another man in the face in September 2015.
Douglas faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 5, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00113.
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Owner of New York Investment Fund Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Orchestrating $26 Million Scheme to Defraud InvestorsRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that BRENT BORLAND, the owner and principal of a New York-based investment fund known as Belize Infrastructure Fund I LLC (“Belize Fund”), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 84 months in prison for orchestrating a $26 million investment fraud scheme against dozens of investors. BORLAND pled guilty in February 2019 to conspiring to commit, and the commission of, securities fraud and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Strauss said: “Brent Borland led a years-long, multifaceted scheme to bilk victims out of more than $26 million. Using lies and deceit, Borland tricked more than 40 investors into entrusting him with their hard-earned money. In truth, Borland’s promises to investors were lies, and he spent much of their money on himself. For the financial and emotional devastation his fraud has inflicted, Borland will spend the next seven years in prison.”
According to the Complaint, Indictment, and statements made in connection with sentencing:
From 2014 through March 2018, BORLAND and others solicited and received approximately $26.1 million from approximately 40 investors based upon representations that he would use the investors’ money to construct an airport in Belize. BORLAND promised investors high rates of return on their investments, which he represented were temporary “bridge financing.” BORLAND also represented to investors that their investments would be fully secured by real property in Belize that was unencumbered by any liens or obligations.
In fact, however, BORLAND misappropriated millions of dollars of investors’ funds and used those funds for his own personal benefit. BORLAND diverted a substantial portion of the funds invested by victims to himself to pay for a variety of personal expenses, including his mortgage payments, credit card bills, luxury automobiles, a beach club membership, and private school tuition for his children. In contrast to BORLAND’s representations that investors would receive high rates of return within a specified time frame, all known investors in the scheme lost money. And while BORLAND represented that the investments would be secured by real property, the property purportedly serving as collateral was improperly pledged to multiple investors and, in some cases, did not even exist in the manner identified and described by Borland in documents he provided to the investors.
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In addition to his prison term, BORLAND, 51, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $26,584,970 and restitution of $26,184,970.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which brought a separate civil action.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Negar Tekeei and Edward Imperatore are in charge of the prosecution.
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to His Role in Cross Country Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051OREGON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO HIS ROLE IN
CROSS COUNTRY MARIJUANA CONSPIRACYBUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Robert Fiels, 33, Springfield, Oregon, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant served as the source of supply for individuals that trafficked marijuana and marijuana-based products across the country. Fiels utilized individuals, including co-defendant Syed Ahmad and others, to deliver the marijuana and marijuana-based products. Others, including co-defendant Frank Vacanti, then distributed the marijuana to individuals such as co-defendant Vincent Lopresti, who then sold the marijuana and marijuana products across Western New York. Between late 2016, and June 2019, Fiels trafficked approximately 1,800lbs of marijuana to one individual.
In January 2017, the defendant was stopped by DEA-Chicago and Amtrak Police while traveling from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, Illinois. After questioning and providing consent, DEA-Chicago seized $222,965.00 in drug proceeds located in the defendant’s suitcases. On December 31, 2017, in Morgan County, Illinois, local law enforcement and the DEA, recovered approximately 1,000 lbs. of marijuana from an RV driven by co-defendant Syed Ahmad and another individual. The marijuana belonged to Fiels and was destined for locations around the United States. On January 18, 2018, the defendant was stopped in a vehicle for traveling too fast for conditions in Hobart, Indiana by local law enforcement. During a search his vehicle, law enforcement seized $48,000 in drug proceeds. On February 10, 2020, law enforcement in Springfield, Oregon seized approximately $15,000 in drug proceeds sent to the defendant via USPS.
On June 29, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations in the State of Oregon associated with Fiels, including his residence, work apartment, and the residence of his former girlfriend. Law enforcement recovered marijuana, marijuana-based products, USPS parcels, drug paraphernalia, packing materials, scales, psychedelic mushrooms, two firearms, and liquid steroids.
Charges remain pending against Syed Ahmad, Frank Vacanti, and Vincent Lopresti. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; HSI Portland, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Clifford Jones; HSI Springfield, Illinois, under the direction of Acting Resident Agent-in-Charge Eric Bowers; the Illinois State Police, under the direction of Director Brendan F. Kelly; the Oregon State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Terri Davie; the Morgan County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff’s Office Director Mike Carmody; the Hobart, Indiana Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard W. Zormier; and the Springfield, Oregon Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew Shearer.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 17, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Ophthalmologist Pleads Guilty to Using Misbranded MedicationRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dr. James W. Heroman, 43, formerly of Charlotte, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer on Monday, October 4, 2021, and pleaded guilty to receiving and delivering a misbranded medication, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General for the region including North Carolina, and Justin C. Fielder, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
Dr. Heroman is an ophthalmologist and the former owner of a now-closed ophthalmology clinic, Carolina Retina and Vitreous Consultants (CRVC). According to plea documents filed with the court, as early as September 2013, Dr. Heroman caused CRVC to order and receive an unapproved, foreign and cheaper drug which he used to treat patients with macular degeneration, instead of using Lucentis®, the medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of the condition in the United States. As Dr. Heroman admitted in court yesterday, he purchased the foreign, unapproved medication because it cost less than the name brand Lucentis®. At the same time, Dr. Heroman caused CRVC to bill Medicare for the non-covered and non-reimbursable unapproved medication as if it were FDA-approved and kept the difference in price as profit.
In addition to pleading guilty to the criminal charge, Dr. Heroman and CRVC have also agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve the United States’ allegations that they violated the False Claims Act, when they knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims for payment to Medicare related to the administration of unapproved medications. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer said, “Dr. Heroman sought to increase his profit margins by using an unauthorized medication, potentially putting the health of his patients at risk. Together with our law enforcement counterparts, we will investigate and prosecute physicians who choose to fill up their pockets at the expense of their patients.”
“Physicians who provide non-FDA approved drugs to their patients unnecessarily place those in their care at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Jackson. “Working with our law enforcement partners, our oversight agency will investigate such fraud schemes that threaten the health of patients and the integrity of federal health care programs.”
“U.S. patients rely on FDA oversight to ensure that the drugs and medical devices they use are safe and effective. Rogue health care professionals who obtain foreign unapproved medical products, and dispense and administer those products to their patients, put the health of those patients at significant risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Fielder. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who choose to put the public’s health at such risk.”
A sentencing date for Dr. Heroman has not been set. The charge of receiving and delivering a misbranded medication carries a maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended HHS-OIG and and FDA-OCI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Savage is prosecuting the criminal case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Armstrong is in charge of the civil proceedings.
Oklahoma Man Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Romain Green, 32, of Oklahoma City, was arraigned today upon an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment alleges that Green and others conspired to engage in financial transactions involving wire fraud proceeds and that the financial transactions were designed to conceal the nature, location, source, and ownership of the criminal proceeds.
The Grand Jury in Vermont returned its indictment charging Green with this offense on March 25, 2021. Green was arrested on September 23 in Minnesota, where he was detained over the weekend before being released on September 27.
According to the indictment, Green and others distributed and received information regarding various bank accounts, including how to utilize those accounts for purposes of receiving crime proceeds. The indictment is an accusation only. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Green released on conditions, and granted Green’s lawyers 90 days for the filing of pre-trial motions.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michal Drescher. Green is represented by David McColgin of the Federal Public Defender’s office and Laura Wilson, Esq. of Lyndonville, Vermont.
Ohio County man indicted on child pornographyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua H. Ruschel, of Valley Grove, West Virginia, was indicted today on a child pornography charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Ruschel, 41, was indicted on one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Ruschel is accused of having child pornography depicting children under the age of 12 in June 2020 in Ohio County.
Ruschel faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Pennsylvania Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of North Carolina pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
David R. Shahriari, a/k/a “David Anderson”, 38, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, on August 29, 2011, Shahriari did knowingly steal and unlawfully take, eight firearms from L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop in DuBois, PA, which is a business licensed to deal in firearms.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the DuBois City Police led the prosecution of Shahriari.
Moss Point Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point Man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, on August 21, 2020, Le’Darrius Jamontaie Forrest, 30, was arrested after the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team served a state search warrant on a Moss Point residence where he was the sole occupant. During the search, a rifle, ammunition, methamphetamine, and cocaine were found. The firearm was a stolen Norinco, Model MAK90 Sporter, 7.62 rifle.
Forrest was confirmed to have two, separate Mississippi State felony convictions from the Circuit Court of Jackson County.
Forrest pleaded guilty on July 15, 2021, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case as part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s crime reduction efforts, PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mobile, Alabama man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and interstate travel in aid of racketeering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, Gerald Wayne Jones, 66, was the co-owner and operator of a trucking company that transported marijuana and other controlled substances from California to Harrison County, Mississippi for distribution.
Jones pled guilty on July 9, 2021.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annette Williams and Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Charged with Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A recently unsealed federal indictment charges a Minneapolis man with sex trafficking a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, between August 12, 2020, and August 14, 2020, Charles William Dexter III, 40, knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, and advertised a minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act, knowing that the victim had not attained the age of 18 years.
Dexter is a fugitive. The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Dexter’s location and arrests. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican National Sentenced to over Two Years for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national with an immigration history of prior removals and felony convictions was sentenced today in federal court for illegally reentering the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Galdino Velasco-Santiago, aka Galdino Chavez-Santiago, 40, to 27 months in prison. Velasco-Santiago pleaded guilty on May 15, 2021.
According to court records, on October 2, 2020, Velasco-Santiago was arrested on state criminal charges after a car he was operating went off the road in Augusta and was damaged. He had been removed from the U.S. to Mexico four times previously. He had also been convicted in federal courts in Arizona, Florida and California for prior illegal reentry felony offenses.
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement and the Augusta Police Department investigated the case.
Man from Albuquerque sentenced to three years in prison for federal firearm violationRead the Press Release
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Elijio Saenz, 27, of Albuquerque, was sentenced in federal court on Sept. 22 to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Saenz pleaded guilty on Apr. 13.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Nov. 19, 2019, law enforcement responded to a shooting at Saenz’s residence in Bernalillo, County, New Mexico. Law enforcement learned that Saenz had shot his own leg but was unaware of the injury at the time due to his legs being paralyzed. Law enforcement located the loaded firearm and arrested Saenz for an outstanding warrant by the New Mexico Corrections Department Division of Probation and Parole for absconding.
At the time of the incident, Saenz had two previous felony convictions for child abuse. As a previously convicted felon, Saenz cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Upon completion of his sentence, Saenz will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and the Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Walsh and Nicholas Mote prosecuted the case
Loves Park Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charge for Misappropriating More Than $950,000 in Customer FundsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Loves Park investment advisor pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston to wire fraud.
NASEEM SALAMAH, 40, was an investment advisor who fraudulently obtained more than $950,000 from the accounts of three of his customers between August 2017 and May 2021. According to a written plea agreement, Salamah told the customers that he needed to move the money to diversify their assets, when, in fact, Salamah used the money for his own benefit and without the customers’ knowledge or consent.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil enforcement action against Salamah, provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 28, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Salamah faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. He will also be required to pay restitution to the customers in the amount of $968,582.12.
Leader of $2.4 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Massachusetts used car dealer admitted to a federal court judge in Providence, RI, that he led a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud financial institutions in several states of more than $2.4 million dollars by obtaining and attempting to obtain car loans using stolen personal identifying information of others and fraudulent documents, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Rolando E. Estrella, 32, of Dracut, Mass., the former owner of a used car dealership in Lawrence, MA, admitted to the court that he recruited, employed, advised, and directed others to file fraudulent used car loan applications, open bank accounts, deposit fraudulently obtained used car loan checks, and execute cash withdrawals of the fraudulently obtained funds.
Estrella is among nine individuals named in an indictment returned in February 2020, and subsequently in a superseding indictment, that alleged Estrella, and others working at his direction, opened bank accounts with major banks and smaller credit unions using other individuals’ personal identifying information. Estrella and his confederates then used that information, along with falsified automobile titles and other counterfeit documents, including, to apply for and received used car and truck loans. The loan funds were deposited into bank accounts opened by members of the conspiracy in the supposed “sellers’” names. Members of the conspiracy quickly withdrew the funds from banks in the form of cash.
According to information presented to the court, Estrella and his co-defendants intended to defraud financial institutions of $2,419,054.
Appearing Friday before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Estrella pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2022.
In addition to Estrella, four others charged in this matter have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining four defendants are awaiting trial.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.
The investigation into this fraud ring which operated throughout the northeast was conducted by the Social Security Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Le ministère de la Justice résout l'examen des droits civils du système judiciaire unifié du Dakota du SudRead the Press Release
Note : Ce communiqué de presse a été traduit en plusieurs langues. Voir les pièces jointes ci-dessous.
WASHINGTON – Aujourd'hui, le ministère de la Justice a annoncé qu'il avait résolu un examen des droits civils du système judiciaire unifié du Dakota du Sud (UJS, United Judicial System) qui améliorera l'accès aux tribunaux de l'État pour les personnes ayant une compétence limitée en anglais (LEP, Limited English Proficiency).
L'examen du ministère de la Justice a débuté après la réception d'une plainte d'East River Legal Services alléguant que les tribunaux de l'UJS pratiquaient une discrimination à l'encontre des usagers siglés LEP dans les tribunaux en raison de leur origine nationale, en violation du Titre VI de la loi sur les droits civils de 1964. Le Titre VI interdit de pratiquer une discrimination fondée sur la race, la couleur ou l'origine nationale à l’encontre des bénéficiaires d'une aide financière fédérale. L'examen du ministère a mis en évidence des barrières linguistiques et des frais de justice plus élevés au sein de l'UJS qui rendaient difficile la participation des personnes siglées LEP aux affaires et procédures civiles de l'État.
« Les tribunaux d'État sont fondamentaux pour l'intégrité de notre système judiciaire et il est important que toute barrière qui empêche les individus d'accéder à ces institutions soit supprimée », a déclaré l'assistante du procureur général Kristen Clarke, de la division des droits civils du ministère de la Justice. « Nous continuerons à travailler avec les tribunaux d'État pour supprimer les barrières linguistiques qui empêchent l'accès à la justice et violent la loi fédérale sur les droits civils. Nous remercions le système judiciaire unifié du Dakota du Sud d'avoir coopéré avec le ministère de la Justice pour résoudre ce problème et d'avoir pris rapidement des mesures pour faire en sorte que tous les usagers des tribunaux puissent comprendre et participer aux affaires, quelles que soient leurs compétences linguistiques en anglais. »
En réponse à l'examen du ministère, l'UJS a présenté un projet de loi à l'assemblée législative de l'État afin d'élargir l'accès aux interprètes et traducteurs judiciaires pour les personnes siglées LEP dans toutes les affaires civiles. La loi est entrée en vigueur le 1er juillet. Pour mettre en œuvre la nouvelle loi, l'UJS a obtenu des fonds supplémentaires dans son budget pour fournir des services d'interprétation sans frais aux parties et témoins siglés LEP. En outre, l'UJS a mis à jour les plans d'accès linguistique pour tous les circuits judiciaires de l'État, a nommé un coordinateur d'accès linguistique et a créé une procédure de plainte pour l'accès linguistique. Le coordinateur et les procédures de plainte contribueront à garantir que les personnes puissent fournir un retour d'information à l'UJS. L'UJS a également accepté de continuer à travailler avec le ministère pour améliorer l'équité et l'accès non discriminatoire aux tribunaux pour les personnes siglées LEP.
Cette affaire a fait l'objet d'une enquête conjointe des avocats de la division des droits civils et du bureau du procureur des États-Unis pour le district du Dakota du Sud. L'application du Titre VI est une priorité absolue de la division des droits civils. Des informations supplémentaires sur la division des droits civils sont disponibles sur son site à l'adresse www.justice.gov/crt, et des informations sur la compétence limitée en anglais et le Titre VI sont disponibles à l'adresse www.lep.gov. Les membres du public peuvent signaler d'éventuelles violations des droits civils à l'adresse https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ ou au bureau du procureur des États-Unis pour le district du Dakota du Sud en remplissant le formulaire de plainte disponible à l'adresse https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/civil-rights.
Kentucky Psychiatrist Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Related to Referrals for Drug Testing at Greensburg, PA LabRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Louisville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of health care fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Varanise C. Booker, 66, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with her guilty plea, the defendant admitted that she was a licensed psychiatrist who operated a medical practice, Family and Children Behavioral Health Services, in Louisville, Kentucky. Between approximately October 2011 and August 2013, the defendant further admitted that she referred patients for drug testing and related services performed by Universal Oral Fluid Labs (“UOFL”), a clinical drug testing and drug screening laboratory located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The court was further advised that the defendant engaged in health care fraud by causing UOFL to bill the Kentucky Medicaid program for testing based on referrals that were outside the ordinary course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Specifically, the defendant acknowledged that she did not document a legitimate justification for ordering certain drug tests and services, failed to document the results of certain drug tests and services performed by UOFL in her medical files, and failed to address the results of certain drug tests and services in the treatment of her patients. The defendant further admitted that she caused UOFL to pay her a certain portion of the reimbursements the laboratory received from Kentucky Medicaid in connection with her referral of unlawful drug tests and related services. As a result, the defendant caused losses to Kentucky Medicaid of more than $15,000 but not more than $40,000.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2022. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Section conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Booker.
Justice Department Resolves Civil Rights Review of South Dakota Unified Judicial SystemRead the Press Release
Note: This press release has been translated in various languages. See attachments below.
The Justice Department announced it resolved a civil rights review of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System (UJS) that will improve access to state courts for people with limited English proficiency (LEP).
The Justice Department’s review began after it received a complaint from East River Legal Services alleging that UJS courts discriminated against LEP court users based on their national origin in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin. The department’s review uncovered language barriers and higher court costs within the UJS that made it difficult for LEP individuals to participate in state civil cases and proceedings.
“State courts are fundamental to the integrity of our justice system and it is important that any barriers that prevent individuals from accessing these institutions be removed,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to work with state courts to remove language barriers that deny access to justice and violate federal civil rights law. We thank the South Dakota Unified Judicial System for working cooperatively with the Justice Department to resolve this matter and taking prompt action to ensure that all court users can understand and participate in cases, regardless of their English language ability.”
In response to the department’s review, UJS introduced a bill in the state legislature to expand access to court interpreters and translators for LEP individuals in all civil cases. The legislation became law on July 1. To implement the new law, UJS secured additional funding in its budget to provide interpreter services at no cost to LEP parties and witnesses. Additionally, UJS has updated the language access plans for all state judicial circuits, appointed a language access coordinator and created a language access complaint process. The coordinator and complaint procedures will help ensure that individuals can provide feedback to UJS. UJS has also agreed to continue working with the department to improve fairness and nondiscriminatory access to the courts for LEP individuals.
This case was jointly investigated by attorneys in the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota. Enforcement of Title VI is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota by completing the complaint form available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/civil-rights.
Justice Department Commemorates National Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
The Justice Department joins law enforcement partners, victim services professionals, advocates and communities across the country in observing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and announces more than $476 million in Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grants. The funding supports projects that meaningfully address the needs of underserved and marginalized survivors, improve access to justice, enhance survivor safety, hold accountable those who have caused harm, and provide training and technical assistance to an array of professionals and systems working to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in every state and territory, as well as dozens of tribal communities.
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a sobering reminder of the harm domestic violence inflicts across our country, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic means that for many survivors, abuse may be compounded by being isolated with an abuser, loss of income and stress over the virus itself,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “These OVW grants will provide local organizations with resources to support survivors as they heal, promote victim access to justice, and further local, state and tribal training efforts to best prepare officials to respond to these dangerous calls.”
“The grant awards we make this year will not only touch the lives of millions of survivors of domestic violence, but also help our nation prevent and end sexual assault and stalking,” said Acting Director Allison Randall of OVW. “OVW is proud to be the leading federal voice in the country’s fight against these devastating crimes. Grant awards announced today will fund victim services, culturally specific responses, legal assistance, law enforcement and prosecution services, and court practices, as well as training and technical assistance to an array of professionals who help survivors every day.”
In addition to administering grant funding, the department is combating domestic and sexual violence in local and tribal communities on other fronts. The department has outlined a comprehensive strategy to address violent crime, which asked U.S. Attorneys to evaluate the current drivers of violent crime in their regions, including domestic violence, and to develop strategies to address these drivers. OVW’s announcement today of over $476 million in grants is a key part of that strategy. In addition, on Sept. 20, the department’s Office of Justice Programs announced more than $1.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2021 Victims of Crime Act funding.
In his Domestic Violence Awareness Month proclamation, President Joseph R. Biden, the original author of the Violence Against Women Act, called on all Americans to reaffirm their commitment to ending this violence, and in his Fiscal Year 2022 budget, proposed a historic $1 billion for grant programs administered by OVW.
Funds being awarded this year by OVW formula grant programs include:
Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program: $153.1 million awarded to all states and territories to support communities, including American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages, in their efforts to develop and strengthen effective responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The STOP Formula Grant Program – authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent legislation – requires that 30% of funds be allocated for victim services, of which at least 10% must be distributed to culturally specific, community-based organizations. No less than 25% of a state’s formula funding must be allocated for law enforcement, 25% for prosecution and 5% to courts.
Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) Formula Grant Programs: $28.2 million awarded to states and territories for direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The SASP Formula Grant Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations or tribal programs that provide services, direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. Funds provided through SASP are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial level.
State and Territorial Coalitions Program: $15.1 million awarded to fund 87 state and territorial domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions (determined by the Department of Health and Human Services) to coordinate victim services activities. These coalitions support member rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters and other victim service providers through funding, training and technical assistance, public awareness activities, and public policy advocacy.
Tribal Coalitions Program: $6.1 million awarded to support 18 nonprofit, nongovernmental tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions. Tribal coalitions provide education, support and technical assistance to tribal victim service providers and tribes to enhance their response to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and sex trafficking.
For more information about these grants, please see OVW’s Formula Grant Programs fact sheet.
OVW discretionary program funding for 2021 includes:
Legal Assistance for Victims: $35.8 million awarded to 59 projects to provide a range of services, including legal assistance for victims and the implementation, expansion and establishment of efforts and projects to provide competent, supervised pro bono legal assistance for victims. See the Legal Assistance for Victims Program fact sheet.
Transitional Housing: $35.3 million awarded to 68 programs to support funding for: the operating expenses of newly developed or existing transitional housing programs; short-term housing assistance, including rental or utilities payments assistance and assistance with related expenses; and voluntary services designed to enable a minor, an adult, or a dependent of such minor or adult, who is fleeing a situation of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, to locate and secure permanent housing, secure employment (including obtaining employment counseling, occupational training, job retention counseling and counseling concerning re-entry into the workforce), and integrate into a community by providing that minor, adult, or dependent with services such as transportation, counseling, child care services, case management and other assistance. See the Transitional Housing fact sheet.
Rural Program: $34.6 million awarded to 46 programs to identify, assess and appropriately respond to child, youth and adult victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in rural communities by encouraging collaboration among service providers, criminal justice service providers, human and community service providers, educational institutions, and health care providers; establish and expand nonprofit, nongovernmental, state, tribal, territorial and local government victim services in rural communities; and increase the safety and wellbeing of women and children in rural communities. See the Rural Program fact sheet.
Grants to Tribal Governments: $32.4 million awarded to 40 programs for a wide range of support, including: increasing tribal capacity to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking and stalking crimes against American Indian and Alaska Native women; strengthening tribal justice interventions; enhancing victim services; providing transitional housing for victims, including rental or utilities payment assistance and assistance with related expenses and support services, to enable victims to locate and secure permanent housing and integrate into a community; and developing, strengthening and implementing policies, protocols and training for law enforcement regarding cases of missing or murdered Indians. See the Tribal Governments Program fact sheet.
Improving Criminal Justice Responses: $30.8 million awarded to 41 programs that address a wide range of support across the criminal justice system so that domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are treated as serious violations of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system and partnerships with victim service providers. See the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program fact sheet.
Campus Program: $16.2 million awarded to 52 programs to support a wide range of projects that develop a comprehensive coordinated community approach to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking on campuses that enhances victim safety, provides services and support for victims, and supports efforts to hold offenders accountable. See the Campus Program fact sheet.
Justice for Families: $13.6 million awarded to 24 projects to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice systems to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse, including by supporting court-based programs, supervised visitation and safe exchange of children, training for court personnel, and civil legal services. See the Justice for Families Program fact sheet.
Consolidated Youth and Engaging Men: $9 million awarded to 20 programs to provide services and training to address the needs of children and youth impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking; and engage men to prevent violence against women and girls. See the Consolidated Youth and Engaging Men Program fact sheet.
Culturally Specific Services: $6.8 million awarded to 23 projects to increase communities’ capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims; provide culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing and workplace needs of victims; provide training for law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation and correctional facilities on culturally specific responses; and examine the dynamics of culture and its impact on victimization and healing. See the Culturally Specific Services fact sheet.
Underserved Program: $4.9 million awarded to 11 programs to develop or enhance services for populations or implement outreach strategies targeted at adult or youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking in underserved populations, who often face challenges in accessing victim services that are accessible, culturally relevant, and responsive to their needs. See the Underserved Program fact sheet.
Disabilities Program: $4.1 million awarded to 10 programs to provide a range of resources including personnel, training, technical assistance, advocacy, intervention, risk reduction and prevention to disabled victims, and to develop model programs. See the Disability Grant Program fact sheet.
Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program: $4 million awarded to 14 programs to create, maintain and expand sustainable sexual assault services provided by organizations that are uniquely situated to respond to the needs of sexual assault victims from culturally specific populations. See the Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program fact sheet.
Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program: $3.8 million awarded to 10 programs to support the establishment, maintenance and expansion of programs and projects within Indian country and Alaska Native villages to assist those victimized by sexual assault. See the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program fact sheet.
Research and Evaluation Initiative: $2.3 million awarded to seven projects on a range of topics including measuring effectiveness of a wide breadth of funded activities, including victim services, policing, prosecution and court responses. See the Research and Evaluation Initiative Solicitation.
Abuse in Later Life: $1.4 million awarded to four programs to provide training, establish and support multidisciplinary collaborative community responses, provide and enhance services for victims, and conduct outreach and awareness campaigns to support projects that provide a comprehensive approach to addressing elder abuse. See the Abuse in Later Life Program fact sheet.
National Tribal Clearinghouse on Sexual Assault: $1 million awarded to one program to establish, sustain and expand a repository that provides resources, training opportunities, educational materials and technical assistance on issues relating to sexual assault of American Indian and Alaska Native women.
Resource Center on Workplace Responses to Assist Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence Program: $1 million awarded to one program to manage the National Resource Center on Workplace Responses, which provides information, resources, tools and technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to better equip them to respond to victims. These efforts address the needs of employees in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking impacting the workplace.
Special Domestic Violence Jurisdiction Program: $733,691 awarded to two programs to assist Indian tribes in planning, implementing and exercising “special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction” to hold accountable non-Indians who commit crimes of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country. For more information, see the Tribal Jurisdiction Program fact sheet.
Training and Technical Assistance Program: $36.2 million awarded to 65 programs that provide training, expertise and problem-solving strategies to meet the challenges of addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Technical assistance projects offer in-person and online educational opportunities, peer-to-peer consultations, on-site technical assistance, and tailored assistance for OVW grantees and potential grantees. In more limited circumstances, OVW's technical assistance projects offer technical assistance to a small number of pilot sites as part of demonstration initiatives or assessments of newly developed training curricula or tools. For more information, please visit OVW’s Training and Technical Assistance website.
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About the Office on Violence Against Women
The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw. To sign up for OVW alerts visit this webpage or follow OVW on Twitter @OVWJustice.
Inmate Sentenced to Six Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance BenefitsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on a charge of fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Tylan Huddleston, 24, was sentenced to six months of incarceration followed by two years of supervised release by United States District Judge David Cercone.
On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to be an emergency under Section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford disaster Relief and Emergency Act. Subsequently, on March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (which is frequently referred to as the CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which provided unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits. The CARES Act also provided an emergency increase in unemployment compensation benefits of $600.00 per week.
According to information provided to the court, Huddleston conspired with another individual to commit mail fraud to obtain $13,905 in connection with pandemic unemployment assistance benefits while he was incarcerated awaiting trial on state charges.
“Tylan Huddleston conspired to defraud the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program by having his co-conspirator fraudulently file for and receive benefits on his behalf while Huddleston was incarcerated at Lawrence County Jail. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General will continue to work closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and our law enforcement partners, to safeguard the integrity of all unemployment assistance programs,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tylan Huddleston.