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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Monday 10 May 2021
University of Miami to Pay $22 Million to Settle Claims Involving Medically Unnecessary Laboratory Tests and Fraudulent Billing PracticesRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. -- The University of Miami (UM) has agreed to pay $22 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary laboratory tests, and submitting false claims through its laboratory and off campus hospital based facilities (“Hospital Facilities”).
According to court documents, the United States alleged that UM engaged in three practices that violated the False Claims Act. First, the government alleged that UM knowingly engaged in improper billing relating to its Hospital Facilities. Medicare regulations allow medical systems to convert physician offices into Hospital Facilities provided they satisfy certain requirements. Billing as a Hospital Facility results in higher costs to the Medicare program and beneficiaries. Hospital Facilities are required to give notice to Medicare beneficiaries that explains the financial ramifications of receiving services at Hospital Facilities as opposed to physician offices. Here, the government alleged that UM converted multiple physician offices to Hospital Facilities, and then sought payment at higher rates without providing beneficiaries the required notice, even after being advised by a Medicare Administrative Contractor that its notice practices were deficient.
Second, the government alleged that UM billed federal health care programs for medically unnecessary laboratory tests for patients who received kidney transplants at the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI) — a transplant program operated by UM and Jackson Memorial Hospital (JMH). Each time a patient checked into the MTI, UM’s electronic ordering system triggered a pre-set “protocol” of tests to be run for the patient at UM’s laboratory. The government alleged that several tests on the protocol for all kidney transplant patients were medically unnecessary and dictated by financial considerations rather than patient care.
Third, the government alleged that UM caused JMH to submit inflated claims for reimbursement for pre-transplant laboratory testing conducted at the MTI in violation of related party regulations, which limit the reimbursement a provider can obtain for tests performed by a related entity to that entity’s actual costs. The government alleged that UM did so by controlling JMH’s decision to purchase pre-transplant laboratory tests from UM at inflated rates in exchange for UM’s surgeons and Department of Surgery continuing to perform surgeries at JMH. In a separate agreement, the United States has reached a $1.1 million settlement with JMH relating to this conduct.
“Medical providers who submit fraudulent claims to our taxpayer-funded health care programs not only violate the public’s trust, they compromise the very integrity of these programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida. “Our office will aggressively pursue investigations against all providers who knowingly violate these billing rules no matter their size.”
“Health care providers who charge for medically unnecessary services and knowingly violate billing rules contribute to the soaring cost of health care,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will investigate and hold accountable those who seek to profit at the expense of federal health care programs and their beneficiaries.”
“Bilking the Medicare program and patients by charging for medically unnecessary services will always draw the attention of my office,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, our agents are committed to investigating alleged billing scams that result in tremendous costs to federal health care programs and its beneficiaries.”
Contemporaneous with the civil settlement, UM has also agreed to enter into a corporate integrity agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services.
The civil settlement resolves allegations made in three lawsuits filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. The relator share of the recovery in this case has not yet been determined.
The case was handled jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (AUSAs Jessica Sievert and Jessica Elliott) and the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the U.S. Defense Health Agency, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The cases are captioned United States ex rel. Jonathan Lord, M.D. v. University of Miami, Civ. No. 13-22500 (S.D. Fla.); United States ex rel. Philip Chen, M.D. and Joshua Yelen v. University of Miami and Miami-Dade Public Health Trust, Civ. No. 13-24320 (S.D. Fla.); and United States ex rel. Mitchell Wallace v. University of Miami and Miami-Dade Public Health Trust, Civ. No. 14-21206 (S.D. Fla.).
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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U.S. Department of Justice Honors Law Enforcement During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 10, 2021
SAN DIEGO — In honor of National Police Week, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Our federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officers in the Southern District of California face harrowing situations day after day, yet they keep coming back to protect and serve. Some have even given their lives to do so,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Grossman. “I am grateful beyond words to our law enforcement partners for their extraordinary dedication, and the sacrifices that they and their families have made for our communities.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Last year, the Southern District of California, which includes San Diego and Imperial counties, lost two officers who served with distinction and will be added to the memorial: Efren Coronel of El Centro Police Department, who contracted COVID in the line of duty, and Daniel G. Walters of the San Diego Police Department, who was lost during gunfire.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8 p.m. EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“During this week of national recognition, the Department of Justice celebrates the women and men who have devoted their lives to public safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Here in the District of Minnesota, we extend our gratitude to the federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement officers who are dedicated to serving and protecting our communities, and honor those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes National Police Week, Sacrifice and Dedication of Fallen Central Illinois OfficersRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In honor of National Police Week, on behalf of the Central District of Illinois’ U.S. Attorney’s Office, Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey recognizes the dedication and sacrifice of local, state, and federal police officers. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021. In the Central District of Illinois, more than 300 municipal police departments, 46 county sheriff’s offices, Illinois State Police, and federal agents serve and protect more than 2.2 million citizens every day.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“The past year has been incredibly trying for all law enforcement officers, including those who serve the Central District of Illinois,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Quivey. “Since last year’s annual observance, two central Illinois law enforcement officers were killed while in the line of duty, in traffic crashes: Momence Police Officer Troy Jacobson, 38 of Kankakee, on Dec. 10, 2020, and Illinois State Trooper Todd Hanneken, 45, of Long Creek, Ill., on March 25, 2021. While protecting us, these men made the ultimate sacrifice, for which we will forever be grateful.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — In honor of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada honors the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, National Police Week is observed from Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Our law enforcement partners regularly face challenging and dangerous situations without hesitation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou. “Their jobs have only become more difficult during the pandemic. Our office joins in expressing gratitude for individuals who belong to the noble profession of law enforcement and thanking them for their daily sacrifices, as guardians of peace and a system of equal justice are essential to thriving communities.”
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. Since last spring, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19. Here in the District of Nevada, two officers died in the line of duty. They were: Lt. Erik Lloyd of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Sgt. Benjamin Jenkins of the Nevada Highway Patrol.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. In honor of National Police Week, Acting United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
"This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation," said Attorney General Garland. "I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude."
"In honor of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee remembers the service, dedication, and commitment of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Today our office expresses its deepest gratitude and pays tribute to those who serve, and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty," said Acting United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the
National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit, www.policeweek.org.
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U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft Observes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft joined today with federal officials
across the Department of Justice to recognize the service and sacrifice of all federal, state,
local, and Tribal law enforcement officers, in honor of National Police Week.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement
from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to
keeping our communities safe. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the courage of our
law enforcement officers and the devotion to the communities they have sworn to serve.“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in
service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the
extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting
their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your
families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and
sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and
eternal gratitude.”“Protecting and serving our communities has never been more difficult, more demanding, or more
dangerous than it is today,” said U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft. “In the past year, we have seen so many
brave and selfless officers put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety of others. We know
most stories of police heroism go untold. This week is a great opportunity to say thank you to the
unsung heroes of our community.”In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and
National Police Week, to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and
sacrifices. This year, the week falls from Sunday, May 9, through Saturday, May 15, 2021. Peace
Officers Memorial Day is always observed on May 15 and specifically honors law enforcement officers
killed or disabled in the line of duty.In 2020, 295 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. According to the FBI, 46
officers died as a result of felonious acts, and 47 died in accidents. These and other statistics
can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website. Based on data analyzed by the National Law
Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 90 percent of the remaining 2020 deaths were
attributable to COVID-19.We are grateful that none of the reported fatalities occurred here in the Southern District of
Illinois. We still remember and honor the life of Illinois State Trooper Nicholas Hopkins, who was
shot and killed on Aug. 23, 2019, while attempting to execute a search warrant in East St. Louis.
He was just 33 years old.
In 2021, the names of 394 officers killed in the line of duty were added to the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. The list includes the 295 officers who were killed
during 2020, plus 99 officers who died in previous years but whose stories of sacrifice were only
recently discovered. The names of all 394 fallen officers will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021,
during a virtual candlelight vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 p.m. EDT at
www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.A complete schedule of virtual Police Week events is listed on NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, all in-person Police Week events originally scheduled for May
have been rescheduled to Oct. 13-17, 2021. To learn more about National Police Week in-person
events scheduled for October, including an in-person candlelight vigil scheduled for Oct. 14, 2021,
please visit www.policeweek.org.
###U.S. Attorney John Lausch Recognizes the Contributions of Law Enforcement During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – In honor of National Police Week, John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today recognized the service of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
“All of us at the U.S. Attorney’s Office consider it a privilege to work with the brave men and women who serve our communities with honor and integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “National Police Week presents a special opportunity to acknowledge their courage and sacrifice. To them, I say thank you for your valor and commitment to justice.”
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
While many National Police Week events have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund will host a virtual Candlelight Vigil on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. CDT. During the vigil, the names of fallen officers who are being added to the wall of the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read aloud. The vigil can be viewed live on YouTube here.
According to 2020 statistics reported by the FBI, 46 on-duty law enforcement officers nationwide died as a result of felonious acts, and 47 died in accidents. One of the officers killed in an on-duty auto accident was Terrence Engle, Chief of the Hampton, Ill., Police Department.
Additionally, hundreds more law enforcement personnel succumbed to COVID-19 in 2020 while bravely protecting their communities. At least eight of those individuals served in the Northern District of Illinois:
- Marco DiFranco, Chicago Police Department
- Clifford Martin, Chicago Police Department
- Ronald Newman, Chicago Police Department
- Titus Moore, Chicago Police Department
- Sheila Rivera, Cook County Sheriff’s Office
- Richard O’Brien, Cook County Sheriff’s Office
- Antoine P. Jones, Cook County Sheriff’s Office
- Jose P. Marquez, Cook County Sheriff’s Office
“There is no higher calling than to be willing to die for the safety of others,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We pay a special tribute to those officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. We will never forget their courage and sacrifice.”
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as the annual Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which that date falls as National Police Week. To learn more about National Police Week, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert Urges Everyone to Recognize Police WeekRead the Press Release
2021 National Police WeekSt. Thomas, USVI — In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert encourages everyone to recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Here in the U.S. Virgin Islands, we are grateful for our law enforcement partners who have dedicated their lives and careers to public service,” Shappert said. “Despite the challenges, they work daily to improve public safety and to hold wrongdoers accountable.”
President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week in 1962 to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.S. Attorney Fleming recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS - In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Our law enforcement partners in the Eastern District of Missouri routinely face challenging and dangerous situations, risking their personal safety for the safety of the community,” said U.S. Attorney Fleming. Men and women on the local, state, and federal level have worked tirelessly, especially during the challenges of the pandemic. Every single day, the law enforcement community protects us from violence and helps enforce the rule of law. This week and always I am honored to thank our courageous members of law enforcement for their sacrifice.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19. Here in the Eastern District of Missouri, three officers died in the line of duty.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS— In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
U.S. Attorney Evans said, “During Police Week, our nation celebrates the selfless contributions from our brave men and women in law enforcement from around the country, and especially in the Eastern District of Louisiana, by recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe. We owe it to these officers and their families to never forget that sacrifice and we want them and their families to know they have our unwavering support and appreciation. Our brave men and women in law enforcement, on the federal, state, and local levels, made the selfless choice to protect and serve with full knowledge that they could one day find themselves in harm’s way while doing their jobs. This week we should all take some time to reflect and honor the fallen and also those in law enforcement who continue to dutifully serve the public.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19. While serving the Eastern District of Louisiana, 8 officers died in the line of duty.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va., – In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Every day our police officers put on their badges and risk their lives to protect the safety of our communities,” Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Bubar stated today. “They take up the call to serve in the face of great personal sacrifice and increasing adversity. Specifically, this past year’s global pandemic coupled with rising anti-police sentiment presented unprecedented challenges. Instead of wilting in the face of these difficult circumstances, these brave men and women provide security and the rule of law against violence and mayhem. Please join me this week in thanking our law enforcement community and taking time to honor their great sacrifice.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
U.s. Attorney’s Office Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
NORTH DAKOTA - In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Chase recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
"This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation," said Attorney General Garland. "I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude."
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Three men indicted on federal gun feloniesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Three defendants face felony firearms charges after indictment by a U.S. District Court grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia.
The cases are being investigated in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with charges related to illegal possession or purchase of firearms.
“A key factor in reducing gun violence is to get firearms out of the hands of people who are prohibited from possessing them,” said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our collaboration with the ATF and other law enforcement partners will help make our communities safer.”
In the past three years, more than 670 defendants were federally charged in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a previous felony. The charge carries a statutory penalty upon conviction of up to 10 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Defendants named in federal indictments from the May 2021 term of the U.S. District Court grand jury include:
- Tareem Burgess, 39, of Hephzibah, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, in reference to a prior conviction for domestic violence;
- Jakobian Sentell Jones, 20, of Warrenton, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
- Jerry Allen Edenfield, 30, of Swainsboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases also are being investigated under the Prosecutor to Prosecutor Program (P3), in which federal and state prosecutors collaborate to determine the most appropriate venue for adjudication of alleged crimes.
Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF; the Georgia State Patrol; the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office; and the Swainsboro Police Department.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including Project Guardian Coordinator Henry W. Syms Jr.; Alejandro V. Pascual IV; and Joseph McCool.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
Three Murfreesboro Men Indicted Following Violent Crime Spree Last SummerRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury last week handed down a 13-count indictment charging three Murfreesboro, Tennessee, men with a variety of serious offenses, stemming from a July 2020 series of violent crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Joshua Hallmon, 25, Charles Melvin Walker, 20, and Walter Lee Williams, 20, were charged with multiple counts of Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and using a firearm in during and in relation to a crime of violence. Additionally, Joshua Hallmon was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, on July 6, 2020, the trio committed an armed robbery of a Twice Daily convenience store in Murfreesboro, and on July 23, 2020, they committed an armed robbery of a Mapco gas station in Murfreesboro. Then, on July 26, 2020, the trio carjacked an individual at gunpoint on Bradyville Pike in Murfreesboro. After taking the victim’s phone and wallet, they drove the victim to an ATM and forced the withdrawal of $1,000 cash before discharging a firearm out the window of the vehicle and eventually putting the victim out of the car and taking his Honda Accord. The indictment and other court records also allege that on the same day, the defendants attempted to carjack another vehicle in Franklin, Tennessee, and shot into the occupied vehicle during the attempt.
Later that same evening, law enforcement responded to another carjacking and kidnapping incident and located a victim on Interstate 24, with a gunshot wound. The victim told police that he was kidnapped at his residence in Murfreesboro and his Ford F150 pickup truck was taken. The victim was also shot during this carjacking. A short time later, officers with the Smyrna Police Department observed the stolen pickup truck and the driver fled at a high rate of speed. After a pursuit by area law enforcement, the driver crashed in the Antioch, Tennessee, area and fled on foot. He was found a short time later hiding in a convenience store bathroom and was taken into custody. The driver was identified as Joshua Hallmon. Arresting officers found a magazine and ammunition in his pocket and recovered a .380 caliber handgun from the pickup truck that he was driving. Hallmon was found to have previously been convicted of at least three felonies and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The next day, Murfreesboro Police Department officers found the stolen Honda Accord and attempted to stop it, but the driver fled and eventually abandoned the car and fled on foot into a wooded area. He was taken into custody a short time later and identified as Charles Melvin Walker. The follow-up investigation led to the identification and arrest of Walter Lee Williams, the third suspect in these carjackings.
If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 44 years and up to life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Murfreesboro Police Department; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office; the Smyrna Police Department; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Franklin Police Department; and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Three Men Plead Guilty to Carjacking Lyft DriverRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Three Detroit men have pleaded guilty for their role in the carjacking of a Lyft driver, announced Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.
Mohsin was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Pleading guilty were Marquel Bazemore, 20, Jesse Evans, 21 and Joseph Shade-Hubbard, 21. The three are scheduled to be sentenced before United States District Judge Nancy Edmunds on July 28 (Bazemore) and September 27, 2021. Each face up to 15 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2019, Bazemore, Evans, and Shade-Hubbard ordered a Lyft (ride-sharing service) through the Lyft mobile application. At approximately 4 a.m. on that day, the Lyft driver (victim) picked up the defendants in a Cadillac Escalade from the area of 8 Mile and 75 in the city of Detroit. The defendants entered the victim’s vehicle and were driven to the area of Mark Twain and Lyndon in Detroit. As the victim attempted to drop the defendants off, defendants Bazemore and Shade-Hubbard exited the Cadillac and began punching the victim. Evans was the front seat passenger, and he (Evans) pulled out a firearm, pointed the firearm at the victim and demanded that he give him everything he had. Bazemore and Shade-Hubbard began going through the victim's pockets and took his wallet, credit cards, and money.
This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Jeanine Brunson.
The U.S. Department of Justice and EDTX Recognize Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas - In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line each and every day to protect the safety and wellbeing of their fellow citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Though the hours can be long, and the job fraught with peril, many brave men and women put on the badge and holster every morning to make our communities a safe place to live and work. To these heroes—and especially to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty—you have our deepest respect. A grateful nation thanks you.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19. Here in the Eastern District of Texas, four officers died in the line of duty. A fifth officer who died in 1937 will also be included in this year’s induction.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 295 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be live-streamed to the public at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
DENVER — In honor of National Police Week, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
“Colorado law enforcement officers routinely put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch. “As we’ve recently seen through the heroic actions of Boulder Police Department Officer Eric Talley, law enforcement officers sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe. Police Week is a time for us to recognize and honor their service and sacrifice.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Stockton Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Roeuth Korm, 33, of Stockton, was sentenced today to three years and three 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 July 26, 2019, deputies encountered Korm near East Waterloo Road in Stockton. Korm was on parole and subject to search. When deputies searched his car, they found a Glock semi‑automatic handgun. Korm has been convicted of several felonies and is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanya B. Syed and Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
St. Louis Drug Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A St. Louis man pled guilty and was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in
prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.According to court documents, Orlando Goss, 46, was a supplier of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine for
distributors in the East St. Louis area. Goss was charged with knowingly participating in the
conspiracy and with distributing fentanyl disguised as heroin.Goss’s three co-defendants had already been sentenced. Ricardo Overton, 44, formerly of Cahokia,
Illinois, was sentenced in February 2020 to 100 months in prison. Jodi Prater, 38, of Mt. Vernon,
Illinois, was sentenced last July to 24 months in prison. The third co-defendant, Amy Ring, 36, of
Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced last October to a prison term of 41 months.When his prison term is finished, Goss will serve four years on supervised release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service investigated this case. This
prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money
launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by
using a prosecutor- led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of
federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Fischer.Sioux City Man Who Sold Methamphetamine Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who sold methamphetamine was sentenced on May 7, 2021, to 10 years in federal prison.
Tad Lynch, age 32, from Sioux City, IA, received the prison term after a guilty plea to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Sioux City.
Lynch admitted that on February 20, 2020 and March 4, 2020 that he possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it around the Sioux City area. Lynch has a significant criminal history, including prior convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia, drug possession, check forgery, disorderly conduct, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, and eluding a peace officer. Lynch also has five prior theft convictions
Lynch was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lynch was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lynch is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4075.
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Several Central Kentucky Farmers Plead Guilty to Charges Related to Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Several Central Kentucky men, Roger Wilson, Robert Livingood, John Watkins, and Morgan Wayne Culbertson pleaded guilty in federal court Monday, to charges related to crop insurance fraud.
Roger Wilson, 88, former owner of Clay’s Tobacco Warehouse and current owner of Ag Wood, Inc., both in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit crop insurance fraud before U.S. District Judge Karen K. Caldwell. Wilson admitted that between September 2013 and May 2018, he arranged for farmers to purchase poor quality tobacco to present to tobacco graders, so the farmers could receive poor quality tobacco grades to report to on their federally-backed tobacco insurance (called multi-peril crop insurance or “MPCI”) claims of loss. Wilson further admitted he knew his actions were designed to facilitate the filing of false claims of loss, which in turn caused the federal government to pay out indemnity payments, or to increase the amount of those payments, to farmers who were not entitled to them.
Robert Livingood, 64, a farmer who owns and rents tobacco farmland in Bourbon, Fleming, Harrison, and Nicholas Counties, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit crop insurance fraud. Livingood admitted that, in Crop Year 2014, he submitted a false MPCI claim of loss, by submitting fake tobacco sales bills he obtained from Clays Tobacco Warehouse and underreporting the amount of tobacco production he had that year. He further admitted to selling muddy tobacco, which he knew would be used by other farmers to obtain fake grade reports. According to his plea agreement, Livingood also obtained MPCI policies in his son’s name, in Crop Years 2014 and 2015, even though the crop ensured in his son’s name actually belonged to Livingood. As a result of his misrepresentations, Livingood caused a loss to the federal government of approximately $313,652.
John D. Watkins, 49, a farmer who owns and rents tobacco farmland in Bath, Fleming, and Nicholas Counties, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit crop insurance fraud and one count of crop insurance fraud. In his plea agreement, Watkins admitted to failing to report his total tobacco production from Crop Years 2011 through 2014, which influenced the federal government to pay out sums of indemnity payments to which he was not entitled. He further admitted to having an agreement with Kevin Watkins, his co-defendant, to handle Kevin Watkins’s MPCI paperwork and to fail to accurately report Kevin Watkins’s tobacco production, likewise influencing the federal government to pay out indemnity payments to which Kevin Watkins was not entitled.
Morgan Wayne Culbertson, 33, a farmer with tobacco farmland in Montgomery, Clark, and Bath Counties, also pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud. According to his plea agreement, Culbertson underreported his crop production on his MPCI claims of loss, by, among other things, selling tobacco for cash at Clay’s Tobacco Warehouse and failing to report tobacco he sold in others’ names. He also admitted to obtaining fake grade sheets by paying $0.20 per pound to obtain quality adjustments on the tobacco production he did report. In Crop Years 2015 and 2016, Culbertson also failed to report his total production on his own policies. He also obtained policies and filed claims of loss, including fake sale bills from Clay’s Tobacco Warehouse, on MPCI policies in the names of his brother (2014 and 2015), grandfather (2014 and 2015), and mother (2015 and 2016).
Previously, two other farmers, Jesse Smith and R. Chad Price, pleaded guilty to crop insurance fraud related offenses. On April 29, 2021, Jesse Smith, 56, pleaded guilty to committing crop insurance fraud. On May 5, 2021 Price, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit crop insurance fraud and tax evasion. Smith and Price both admitted to working with others to submit false MPCI claims of loss.
Acting U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV; Jason M. Williams, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS – Criminal Investigation; James Robert Brown, Jr. Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office:, and Sharon P. Clark, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Insurance jointly announced the guilty pleas.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Kentucky Department of Insurance. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Anderson and Erin Roth.
Jesse Smith and R. Chad Price face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000Jesse Smith, R. Chad Price, Roger Wilson. John D. Watkins are scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2021. Wilson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, while Watkins faces a maximum of thirty years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. Robert Livingood and Morgan Culbertson face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 and are scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2021. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Carjacking and Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jacob Loyd, 21, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that at approximately 6:30 p.m. on June 16, 2019, two victims (Victim A and Victim B) were sitting in a vehicle in the area of 115 Gothic Street in Rochester when the defendant and two others approached the vehicle. Loyd pointed a firearm at Victim A’s head and said, “don't do anything stupid, don't look up or I'll blow your head off,” and he ordered the victims to get out of the car. As Victim A exited the car, the defendant struck him in the head with the firearm. Loyd and the two others then drove away in the vehicle. Police officers recovered the vehicle at approximately 8:25 p.m. near 146 Alphonse Street in Rochester. The radio and hubcaps had been removed from the vehicle. The defendant was arrested at approximately 9:30 p.m., near North and Roycroft Streets in Rochester. When taken into custody, Loyd had in his possession 15 bags containing cocaine and a revolver.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. 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 plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 17, 2021, at 10:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
# # # #Retired School Psychologist Faces up to 20 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead 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 David Michael Calaiacovo, 63, of Hamburg, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Meghan A. Tokash, who are handling the case, stated that the defendant is a retired school psychologist. On June 27, 2019, after receiving reports from the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) via the New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Calaiacovo’s residence and found several electronics, including a laptop and a desktop computer. A forensic review of those devices recovered more than 800 images and videos of children being raped, sexually assaulted, or sexually exploited.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Kevin Kelly; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; and the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 20, 2021, before Judge Vilardo.
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Randolph County man sentenced or transporting stolen propertyRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Travis Charles White, of Kerens, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 15 months of incarceration for charges related to taking stolen items across state lines, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
White, 43, pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of “Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property.” White admitted to taking more than $16,000 of stolen U.S. Savings Bonds from West Virginia to Colorado. The crime occurred in February 2017 in Randolph County.
White was also ordered to pay $16,677.91 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Passaic County Man Admits Participating in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man today admitted conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine base and to distributing a quantity of heroin and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jimir Ricks, 26, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to Count One of a third superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine base and knowingly and intentionally distributing heroin and fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendant and his conspirators are members and associates of the 230 Boys street gang, which operates primarily around Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue in Paterson. Through investigative techniques, including numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, consensually recorded telephone calls and text messages, physical surveillance, and the analysis of telephone call detail records, law enforcement determined that from at least September 2018 through Oct. 1, 2019, the defendant and his conspirators conspired to distribute narcotics, including heroin and fentanyl.
The count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of at least $5 million. The count of distribution of fentanyl and heroin carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2021.
This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig B. Kailimai; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; detectives of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Belleville and Livingston police departments for their assistance with the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori, of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
Orlando Man Sentenced for Fraudulent Scheme to Evade Payroll Taxes and Workers’ Compensation Requirements in Construction IndustryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Gregorio Jose Fuentes-Zelaya (27, Orlando) to 33 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. The court also ordered Fuentes-Zelaya to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $5,766,286 and to an insurance company in the amount of $68,073. In addition, the court ordered Fuentes-Zelaya to forfeit his interest in $230,764 that was seized from two bank accounts. The court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $1,367,625, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud.
Fuentes-Zelaya had pleaded guilty on September 11, 2020. His co-defendant, Dennis Alexander Barahona, had pleaded guilty on March 29, 2021. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 6, 2021.
According to court documents, Fuentes-Zelaya established shell companies that purported to be involved in the construction industry. He or his co-conspirators obtained workers’ compensation insurance policies in the name of the shell companies to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees. The conspirators then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties. Fuentes-Zelaya or his co-conspirators sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate, the conspirators falsely represented that the work crews worked for their companies. Over the course of the scheme, Fuentes-Zelaya and his co-conspirators “rented” the certificates to hundreds of work crews.
The contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell companies and the conspirators cashed these checks, then distributed the cash to the work crews after deducting their fee, which was typically about 6% of the payroll. During the period of the scheme, the conspirators cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $22,793,748, with their fees totaling approximately $1,367,625. Neither the shell companies nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay either the employees’ or the employers’ portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax. According to the IRS, the amount of payroll taxes due on wages totaling $22,793,748 was $5,766,286.
The scheme also facilitated the avoidance of the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the hundreds of workers on the work crews to whom Fuentes-Zelaya and his co-conspirators “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance. Had workers’ compensation insurance policies been purchased for a payroll totaling $22,793,748, the policy premiums would have totaled about $3,684,057. The policies that Fuentes-Zelaya and his co-conspirators purchased, and then “rented” out, were for estimated payrolls of $80,800 to $100,800. The insurance company issued those policies for premiums ranging from $15,206 to $31,268.
“This criminal stealthily concealed his business transactions behind numerous illegitimate companies, facilitating over $22.7 million in unlawful payroll payments, all while defrauding the U.S. insurance industry,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the diligent work of HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners, he will not be able to take advantage of the significant criminal proceeds derived from these crimes.”
“Today’s sentencing of Gregorio Jose Fuentes-Zelaya is a reminder that payment of both individual and business taxes is an obligation, not a choice,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of IRS Criminal Investigation. “We recognize the detrimental consequences of evasion of employment tax. It results in the loss of tax revenue to the United States government, the loss of future social security and Medicare benefits for the employees, and it creates an uneven playing field among competing businesses. As our system of taxation depends on everybody paying their fair share, employment tax fraud will remain a top priority for the Special Agents of IRS-CI.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Nation Pays Tribute to Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“National Police Week provides an opportunity to express our gratitude and to honor the memories of law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their community,” Moore said. “Tragically, four officers in the Western District of Missouri lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. They will not be forgotten, and their sacrifice was not in vain. Their unflinching dedication reminds us that our law enforcement partners often face uncertain and dangerous situations with bravery and without hesitation.”
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
Here in the Western District of Missouri, four officers died in the line of duty in 2021. Officer Chris Walsh of the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, was fatally shot on March 16, 2021. Sheriff Andy Clark of the DeKalb County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department was killed in a traffic crash on June 3, 2021. Detention Officer Dwight Willis of the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department died from COVID-19 on Nov. 22, 2021. Officer Kendle Blackburn of the Lebanon, Mo., Police Department died from COVID-19 on Dec. 28, 2021.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 7 p.m. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to Oct. 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Mission Man Sentenced for Assault by Striking, Beating, or WoundingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding was sentenced on May 6, 2021, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Steven McDaniel, a/k/a Steven McDaniels, age 33, was sentenced to 11 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
McDaniel was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 17, 2019. He pled guilty on February 26, 2021.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 7, 2019, in Mission, wherein McDaniel assaulted his intimate partner.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
McDaniel was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Laredo man sentenced for marijuana smuggling operationRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 37-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to import more than 50 kilograms of marijuana, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Francisco De Luna pleaded guilty Aug. 3, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered him to serve a 70-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the defense argued for a lesser sentence due to De Luna’s poor health condition. Judge Marmolejo explained that his health problems were no excuse, noting they were apparently not serious enough to prevent him from continuing criminal conduct. In handing down the sentence, she considered his previous convictions of drug distribution and being a felon illegally in possession of firearm.
On Feb. 12, 2020, co-conspirator Antonio de Jesus Cadena-Rodriguez applied for entry into the United States at the Lincoln-Juarez port of entry in Laredo. A K-9 alerted to contraband in the silver Dodge Grand Caravan he was driving where authorities ultimately found 57.38 kilograms of marijuana.
Cadena-Rodriguez admitted to being a part of a smuggling operation, noting he was supposed to take the vehicle to a pre-arranged location. Law enforcement continued the investigation by delivering the marijuana as expected. A white Kia Rio soon arrived with De Luna riding as passenger. Another passenger entered Cadena-Rodriguez’s vehicle and attempted to start it.
Authorities took everyone into custody. De Luna admitted he smuggled marijuana and was at the location to pick up the load for further distribution.
Law enforcement also conducted a search of De Luna’s bedroom where they found a scale, marijuana, plastic wrap and an AR-15 style rifle with high-capacity magazines.
The drugs had an estimated street value of $27,830.
De Luna was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Mexican national Cadena-Rodriguez, 36, had also pleaded guilty and previously received his sentence for his role in the scheme.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Harrison prosecuted the case.
Jury convicts Warren man of drug trafficking and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that on Thursday, May 6, a federal jury found Donald E. Jones, 40, of Warren, Ohio, guilty of drug trafficking and firearms charges as jury trials resume around the Northern District of Ohio. Jones was found guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute tramadol and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on November 11, 2018, at approximately 3:00 a.m., City of Warren Police Officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle and identified Jones as the driver, owner, and sole occupant. Officers detected a smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle and initiated a search. During the search, officers discovered a secret compartment beneath the center console where they found a mixture of heroin and fentanyl with a street value of $2,000, multiple tramadol pills, and two loaded guns. In a second secret compartment, officers also found digital scales and drug paraphernalia. At the time of his arrest, Jones had over $3,000 in cash in his wallet and over $5,000 in his shoe. Jones is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2021, before U.S. Judge Dan Aaron Polster. This case was investigated by the ATF and city of Warren Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David M. Toepfer and Kathryn Gaughan Andrachik.
Jefferson County man admits to methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael Anthony Parkinson, of Ranson, West Virginia, has admitted to having a large amount of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Parkinson, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Fifty Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Parkinson admitted to having 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in January 2020 in Jefferson County.
Parkinson faces at least five years and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Iowa Man Who Used Facebook Messenger to Entice a 12-Year-Old for Sexual Activity Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sought out and enticed a 12-year-old for sexual activity was sentenced on May 7, 2021, to 14 years in federal prison.
Nathan Landrum, age 40, from Carnarvon, IA, was convicted of enticement of a minor.
In a plea agreement, Landrum admitted that in April 2020, using Facebook Messenger, he knowingly enticed a 12-year-old child to his apartment for sexual activity. After attempting to convince the child to send sexual images of themself, Landrum eventually convinced the child to go his bedroom with him where he admits he intended to engage in sexual activity with the child. DNA testing confirmed the presence of sperm cells closely matching Landrum’s in the child’s underwear.
Landrum was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Landrum was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Landrum is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sac County Sheriff’s Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4046.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempted Child Sex Crimes in Central IllinoisRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm today sentenced Caleb Hickman, 46, of Granger, Ind., to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for attempted enticement, sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted receipt of child pornography.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Hickman entered pleas of guilty to the indictment that charged him with attempted enticement of a minor; attempted sexual exploitation of children; and, attempted receipt of child pornography from Feb. 14 to May 26, 2020, in Kankakee and Champaign counties. Hickman was previously charged in a criminal complaint and was arrested on May 26, 2020, in Indiana.
According to court documents, Hickman used social media applications to contact and engage with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old minor and made arrangements for the minor to travel from Champaign, Ill., to South Bend, Ind., to engage in sexual activity.
The FBI - Springfield Division investigated the charges with the assistance of the FBI -Indianapolis Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate ThreatRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Illinois man pleaded guilty today to sending a threatening message through social media to a West Virginia law enforcement officer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 8, 2019, Rodney Hanson, 37, sent a threatening Facebook message to a law enforcement officer in Putnam County after a police involved shooting.
Hanson pleaded guilty to transmitting an interstate threatening communication and faces a maximum of five years in prison when sentenced on August 9, 2021.
Johnston made the announcement and praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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. 3:20-cr-00169.
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Fulton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for transporting child pornography over the internet.
Kevin Michael Downey, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Downey to pay a total of $30,000 in restitution to 10 of his victims.
On Nov. 3, 2020, Downey pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography. Downey admitted that he uploaded child pornography to his online Dropbox account. Downey was employed as a corrections officer at the Boone County Jail at the time of the offense.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Department received a CyberTip on Aug. 2, 2019, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, based upon a complaint from Dropbox that Downey had uploaded videos and images of child pornography. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Downey’s residence on Nov. 27, 2019, and arrested Downey on state charges, which were dismissed following the return of the federal indictment. He was arrested in this federal case on Aug. 20, 2020, and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
Downey admitted to downloading, viewing, and uploading child pornography to Dropbox. Downey also admitted to trading child pornography with others online. Investigators found more than 700 videos and more than 400 images in Downey’s Dropbox account that depicted the rape and molestation of prepubescent children, some as young as infants and toddlers, as well as children bound and children engaged in sexual activity with animals.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Fulton, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty to Damaging U.S. Courthouse During May 2020 Protest in Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A fourth defendant has pleaded guilty to causing damage to the Foley Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI, and U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield.
According to court documents, Alejandro Avalos, 28, of Las Vegas, participated in a protest on the evening of May 30, 2020 — in front of the federal buildings in downtown Las Vegas — following the May 25th death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. During the protest, fireworks were set off, walls were spray painted with obscenities and graffiti, and small bushes were lit on fire. Avalos and others went to the east entrance of the Foley Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, threw paint on the windows, and kicked and struck the windows with objects. Video surveillance footage at the courthouse, as well as social media videos, showed Avalos striking the building’s windows with a metal bar and breaking at least one window.
Avalos pleaded guilty to one count of depredation against property of the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on August 9, 2021. Avalos faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In addition to Avalos, three other individuals - Reginald Lewis, 20; Kelton K. Simon, 35; and Alexander Kostan, 22; all of Las Vegas - have pleaded guilty to one count of depredation against property of the United States and await sentencing. A fifth individual, Keion Joe'l Cherry, 25, has been charged with one count of depredation against property of the United States and awaits a preliminary hearing in June 2021. A sixth individual, Jeanette R. Wallace, 35, of Las Vegas, is charged with one count of depredation against property of the United States and awaits a jury trial scheduled for August 2021.
A complaint or an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
These cases are the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Las Vegas Violent Crimes Task Force and LVMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Cartier-Giroux and Kimberly Sokolich are prosecuting the cases.
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Former Whitesville Pharmacy to Pay Civil Monetary Penalties to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mountaineer Drug, Inc. (“MDI”), which operated a pharmacy in Whitesville, Boone County, has agreed to pay civil monetary penalties to resolve allegations that the pharmacy violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by filling illegitimate prescriptions. MDI ceased operations at the Whitesville location in October 2019 during the course of the federal investigation. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement, MDI agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that from in or about January 2015 to in or about January 2019, the pharmacy filled prescriptions for Schedule II and Schedule III controlled substances from the Whitesville location that were not valid. The United States contends that during this time MDI filled these prescriptions “knowing or having reason to know that they were not written for a legitimate purpose in violation of 21 C.F.R. §§ 1306.04(a) and 1306.06 and 21 U.S.C. § 842(a)(1),” according to the settlement agreement. The CSA prohibits the distribution or dispensing of a controlled substance without a valid prescription. A valid prescription for a controlled substance must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her practice. Based on the investigation, the United States maintains that MDI’s pharmacists knew or had reason to know that patients had presented illegitimate prescriptions that should not have been filled.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of West Virginia is committed to putting an end to drug diversion and to working with our partners at DEA and HHS-OIG to hold all DEA registrants accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.
“As our nation reels from a staggering rise in overdose deaths, the Drug Enforcement Administration remains committed to stopping those unscrupulous medical professionals who put personal greed above patient care,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division.
“Pharmacists play an important role in health care and are expected to review prescriptions carefully,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to work with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA to investigate allegations of illegitimate prescriptions.”
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Alan G. McGonigal and Gregory P. Neil.
The settlement is a result of the United States Attorney’s Healthcare Fraud Abuse, Recovery and Response Team (ARREST), an innovative approach linking civil and criminal enforcement efforts together in a comprehensive attack on the opioid epidemic and healthcare fraud.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Former Honduran National Police Officer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Weapons OffenseRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that LUDWIG CRISS ZELAYA ROMERO, a former member of the Honduran National Police (“HNP”), was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and conspiring to use machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of drug trafficking. ZELAYA ROMERO previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield, who imposed today’s sentence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Ludwig Criss Zelaya Romero was a lawless law enforcement officer, a purported crime-fighter working for a murderous criminal enterprise. For the personal role he played in cocaine trafficking and multiple murders, Zelaya Romero has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:
Between at least approximately 2004 and 2014, ZELAYA ROMERO worked with members of a drug trafficking organization known as the Cachiros, which was a prolific and violent criminal syndicate that relied on connections to politicians, military personnel, and law enforcement to transport cocaine to, within, and from Honduras. During that time, and while ZELAYA ROMERO was purportedly enforcing the law as member of the HNP, he participated in the Cachiros’ criminal enterprise by engaging in cocaine trafficking and violence. Among other things, ZELAYA ROMERO participated in Cachiros drug shipments, recruited other members of the HNP to join the Cachiros, located teams of hitmen in Honduras to carry out murders for the Cachiros, and himself committed and attempted to commit murders to protect and strengthen the Cachiros’ criminal enterprise.
Beginning in about 2004, ZELAYA ROMERO personally helped escort large drug shipments belonging to the Cachiros as they were transported through Honduras over land toward the Guatemalan border, so that the drugs could be brought by others to the United States via Mexico and Guatemala. ZELAYA ROMERO helped transport cocaine from the Atlantic coast of Honduras, where many maritime shipments arrived on their way to the United States, and also coordinated with other members of the HNP along the planned drug routes to ensure that tons of cocaine would transit Honduras unimpeded. With the help of ZELAYA ROMERO and other members of the HNP, the Cachiros were able to distribute over 130 tons of cocaine to the United States.
In addition, ZELAYA ROMERO participated in violence and murder for the Cachiros. ZELAYA ROMERO participated in a 2011 massacre at the airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, that left six dead, and recruited a hitman who murdered Honduran journalist Anibal Barrow in 2013. ZELAYA ROMERO also himself shot and killed a victim at the Cachiros’ request, murdering an individual who had participated in the robbery of a truck containing a large quantity of concealed currency.
This prosecution resulted in the drug trafficking convictions of Fabio Porfirio Lobo, the son of former Honduran president Porfirio Lobo Sosa, and seven former members of the HNP: Zelaya Romero, Mario Guillermo Mejia Vargas, Juan Manuel Avila Meza, Carlos Jose Zavala Velasquez, Victor Oswaldo Lopez Flores, Jorge Alfredo Cruz Chavez, and Carlos Alberto Valladares Garcia. On September 5, 2017, Judge Schofield sentenced Lobo to 24 years in prison. On February 6, 2018, Judge Schofield sentenced Lopez Flores to five years in prison. On June 27, 2018, Judge Schofield sentenced Zavala Velasquez to 12 years in prison. On September 27, 2018, Judge Schofield sentenced Valladares Garcia to 14 years in prison. On March 29, 2021, Judge Schofield sentenced Avila Meza to 12 years in prison.
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In addition to the prison term, ZELAYA ROMERO, 44, was sentenced to four years of supervised release and forfeiture of $120,000.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Gutwillig, Jason A. Richman, and Elinor Tarlow are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Danbury Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DOMINGO ST. HILAIRE ROSARIO, 57, formerly of Danbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford to fraud and identity theft offenses stemming from his involvement in a scheme to use stolen identities to lease and purchase vehicles and motorcycles.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in late 2017, Rosario, Jamie Pinto and another individual conspired to use stolen identities to obtain vehicles and motorcycles at dealerships in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. As part of the scheme, Rosario arranged for a car or motorcycle to be purchased or leased from a dealership in the name of an identity theft victim, and Pinto or another co-conspirator impersonated the identity theft victim at the dealership to complete the paperwork. Rosario supplied his co-conspirators with fraudulent identification documents bearing the victim’s personal identifying information, and with a fraudulent photo identification that contained the identifying information of the victim and a photograph of a co-conspirator. Rosario intended to sell or export the vehicles.
Through this scheme, Rosario and his co-conspirators acquired at least 13 vehicles and attempted to acquire at least two more. Some of the vehicles were recovered by law enforcement and returned to the dealers.
In July 2018, Rosario was stopped by the New Jersey State Police driving a Chevrolet Silverado that had been obtained through the fraud from dealership in Vernon, Connecticut. After that encounter, he fled to the Dominican Republic. On February 28, 2019, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Rosario. He was extradited from the Dominican Republic in May 2020, and is detained.
Rosario pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. Rosario is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on September 8, 2021.
Rosario has agreed to pay $220,589.19 in restitution.
On March 20, 2019. Pinto, 44, last residing in Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and identity theft offenses. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with substantial assistance from the Vernon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.
Former Administrator, Supervisor of Illinois Secretary of State Department of Vehicle Services Sentenced for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A former administrator and supervisor for the Illinois Secretary of State’s Department of Vehicle Services, Candace Faye Wanzo, 58, of Centralia, Ill., has been ordered to serve 18 months in federal prison for defrauding the Secretary of State’s Office and the Illinois Department of Revenue. During the video conference hearing on May 6, 2021, U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough ordered Wanzo to pay restitution and that she remain on supervised release for three years following completion of her prison term.
Wanzo pleaded guilty on Nov. 13, 2020, to one count each of mail fraud, misapplication of government funds, and theft of government funds. Wanzo was responsible for operation of the Public Service Center in the Howlett Building, in Springfield, Ill., where, among other services, vehicle owners pay title and registration fees, apply and pay for license plates, and make sales tax payments related to vehicle sales. Wanzo admitted that from March 2015 to April 2017, she stole title and registration fees and sales tax payments and replaced the stolen funds with title and registration fees from other vehicle owners. As a result, Wanzo misapplied approximately $300,000 in title and registration fees to conceal fees that she had previously stolen. She also admitted to using the United Parcel Service (UPS) rather than the U.S. Mail to deliver license plates to conceal the delay caused by her having to locate and use other funds to replace stolen funds.
Wanzo was allowed to self-report to begin serving her sentence on a date to be determined by the federal Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI – Springfield Division investigated the case with the assistance of the Illinois Secretary of State Inspector General’s Office which referred the matter to federal law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris represented the government in the prosecution.
Farm Broker Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Stole Millions from InvestorRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A farm broker has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme to defraud an investor of up to $2.1 million.
Collis Robert Todd, aka C. Robert Todd, aka Collis Todd, aka Robert Todd, aka Robert C. Todd, 64, of Jesup, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. Todd faces a maximum twenty years of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is August 18. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Those who lie their way to an illegal profit can expect to be prosecuted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Defrauding people and small businesses out of their hard-earned money with deceit and manipulation is a criminal offense. I want to thank the FBI for unraveling this scheme and bringing the defendant to justice.”
“Todd deceived an investor into believing the investor’s money would make legitimate gains only to find out the money was going into Todd’s pockets,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It is a stark reminder to investors to be very careful where they entrust their money. The FBI is committed to find investment predators no matter how clever they think their schemes are.”
Todd worked as a cattle and corn broker from 2008 through 2017. During that time, Todd entered into an agreement with an investor who supplied the money used to execute deals negotiated and conducted by Todd. The general understanding was that profits would be split evenly. Todd did not invest the money as promised in certain deals, instead using it for his own purposes. Todd sometimes sent money back to the investor representing the amount to be profit, which was not true. This was done to disguise Todd’s theft and to keep the investor investing in current and future deals. Todd’s deceit continued when he made a phone call on November 6, 2016 to the investor’s business manager, claiming he would sell cows and calves he previously purchased on behalf of the investor, with the investor’s money, as part of the “Big Cow” deal and transmit the proceeds to the investor. In fact, the cows and calves did not exist. The investor was schemed out of an amount not to exceed $2,137,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCommon is prosecuting the case.
East Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOVON GAMBLE, 40, of East Haven, pleaded guilty today in Harford federal court to theft of public funds related to his illegal receipt of Social Security benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gamble’s mother lawfully received Social Security Administration (“SSA”) monthly benefit payments. Gamble’s mother died in June 2007. The SSA was never informed her death and Gamble continued to access the SSA funds that were deposited into his mother’s account. Between 2007 and 2017, the SSA deposited more than $88,000 into Gamble’s mother’s account.
Gamble is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on August 6, 2021, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Gamble also has agreed to pay $88,150.78 in restitution.
Gamble is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elena Coronado and Brendan Keefe.
Dubuque Felon Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who possessed stolen firearms and sold drugs near a city park was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison.
Jordan Dakota Ness, also known as “Bubba,” age 29, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 18, 2021 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at detention, plea, and sentencing hearings showed that, in August 2016, law enforcement officers executed a series of search warrants at a home Ness shared with his father, twin brother, and others in Dubuque. In Ness’s basement bedroom, officers found large quantities of marijuana. Just outside of the bedroom, officers discovered a loaded pistol on a shelf. Officers also located a locked cabinet nearby that contained multiple guns and magazines, including a gun stolen in a burglary in Wisconsin, a semi-automatic rifle with an obliterated serial number, and two 25-round, high-capacity magazines.
Ness has a lengthy criminal history, including ten convictions over a ten-year period. Ness’s other convictions include burglary, harassment, and driving while drugged. Ness’s home was located near a public park in Dubuque.
Ness was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ness was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Ness is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. In March 2019, Ness’s father, Neil George Ness, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment after law enforcement officers found an unregistered short-barrel shotgun in another locked cabinet near Neil George Ness’s bedroom during the same search. In January 2021, Ness’s twin brother, Jacob Dylan Ness, who is also a felon, was sentenced to five years’ probation for possessing an unloaded rifle that officers found in his bedroom during the same search.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-1022-CJW.
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Dubuque Care Facility’s Owner Agrees to Repay Federal Medicaid Funds to Resolve Allegations Relating to COVID-19 Screening ProceduresRead the Press Release
Care Initiatives, a Texas corporation with a home office in West Des Moines, Iowa, has agreed to repay the United States $214,200 to resolve claims the United States was entitled to restitution for the federal share of Medicaid funds the facility received for an approximately 10 week period while residents at Dubuque Specialty Care, a Care Initiatives facility, were suffering from or testing positive for COVID-19. The United States alleged that repayment of these funds was warranted due to Dubuque Specialty Care’s practices surrounding COVID-19 infections, including the facility’s procedures and criteria for screening symptomatic employees.
Care Initiatives cooperated during the investigation and did not admit to any liability as part of the settlement agreement.
“Our office expects that recipients of federal healthcare funds take appropriate steps to maintain beneficiary safety, to protect our district’s most vulnerable residents, and to ensure their practices comport with recognized standards, especially during this unprecedented time,” said Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry.
“Being a healthcare provider in the Medicare and Medicaid programs is a privilege, not a right. It is incumbent upon these providers to protect the safety of beneficiaries under their care, especially during this pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller of Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our investigators, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to thoroughly investigate allegations of substandard safety practices.”
Individuals with direct knowledge of facilities in the Northern District of Iowa failing to comply with recognized standards and procedures during the pandemic are encouraged to report any such failures to the appropriate authorities, including the United States Attorney’s Office. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Schunk and investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
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Dual Lebanese-U.S. Citizen Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering and Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A dual Lebanese and U.S. citizen who resides in Vienna, Virginia pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to launder money as part of a decade-long scheme to ship electronics equipment to a Hizballah-owned television station in Lebanon. In addition, the defendant and her husband pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit tax fraud by concealing income from her employment in Virginia.
“For over a decade, Racha Farhat participated in a conspiracy to purchase electronics equipment using the proceeds of illegal activity, which benefited a Lebanese television station owned by Hizballah,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will bring to justice those who use the U.S. financial system to further the interests of prohibited entities that engage in unlawful activities abroad.”
According to court documents, Racha Farhat, 44, began laundering money in 2010 and continued to do so until the time of her arrest in February 2021. The scheme involved Farhat receiving money from an unindicted co-conspirator (UCC-1) in Lebanon, which she used to purchase electronics equipment in the United States. Farhat then shipped the items purchased by herself and other co-conspirators overseas, primarily to Lebanon, where UCC-1 supplied at least $175,000 worth of goods to Al Manar TV. Al Manar TV is a Lebanon-based TV station owned and operated by Hizballah. Both Hizballah and Al Manar TV are prohibited entities for a U.S. person to conduct business with under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
“This plea is an example of the FBI and our partners using available tools and techniques to investigate criminals who attempt to launder funds through U.S. financial institutions,” said Matthew R. Alcoke, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterterrorism and Incident Management Division. “The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice international money launderers and to deter those who may attempt to perpetrate criminal activity in the U.S.”
In order to facilitate the purchase of electronics equipment in the United States, UCC-1 used a variety of means to transfer money to Farhat that were designed to conceal the money’s origins. Farhat received over $1 million in wire transfers from Lebanon, more than $500,000 of which went into a third-party bank account that actually was controlled by Farhat. Farhat also received nearly $80,000 worth of money orders that were purchased in a way to evade identification reporting requirements.
Farhat received direction from UCC-1 as to what equipment to buy, and she lied to vendors about the intended destination of the items, knowing (or being willfully blind to the fact) that at least some of the money was derived from unlawful activity. Farhat also filed U.S. tax returns for UCC-1 that contained false information and used the refunds generated for electronics purchases.
Farhat and her husband, Hussam Hawi, 46, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States in the collection of income taxes. Farhat and Hawi concealed Farhat’s employment from the IRS, declaring her as a “stay home mom” and failing to declare any of the employment wages she earned for tax years 2015–2019. As a result of these willful misstatements and omissions, Farhat and Hawi received a tax refund each year. They owe the IRS more than $64,000.
Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 21. Farhat faces a maximum combined penalty of 25 years in prison, and Hawi faces a maximum five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew R. Alcoke, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterterrorism and Incident Management Division; and Darrell J. Waldon, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Dennis M. Fitzpatrick are prosecuting the case.
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 Nos. 1:21-cr-112 and 1:21-cr-113.
Detroit man admits to his role in a drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Schuyler Davis, of Detroit, Michigan, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.
Davis, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Fentanyl.” Davis admitted to working with another to sell fentanyl in August 2019 in Monongalia County.
Davis faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Champaign Man to Serve Nearly 11 Years in Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm today sentenced Mathew McDuffie, 37, of the 1500 block of Holly Hill Dr., Champaign, Ill., to serve 130 months (10 years, 10 months) in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography. In rendering sentence, the court noted the humiliating and degrading sexual abuse of toddlers depicted in McDuffie’s images of child pornography.
Following McDuffie’s release from prison, he was ordered to serve 15 years on federal supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
On Jan. 6, 2021, McDuffie entered pleas of guilty to the indictment that charged him with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography on September 25 through 30, 2019. McDuffie has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest on Aug. 13, 2020.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Champaign Police Department.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
California Man Convicted of Running Prescription Opioids Distribution RingRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A federal jury convicted a California man last Friday for his role in running a prescription opioids trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from January 2018 to May 2019, Myron Motley, 57, of Richmond, California, conspired with others to possess and distribute Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, both Schedule II controlled substances. As part of the conspiracy, Motley enlisted co-defendant Dr. Eric Math to write fraudulent prescriptions for Oxycodone and Hydrocodone to Motley and co-conspirators Joseph Jeannette, Michael Kwoka, Ivy Elliott, and Alesia Sampson. The co-conspirators would then fill the prescriptions at local pharmacies and give some of the pills to Motley, so that he could sell them to other co-conspirators, including Michael Slater.
Motley was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, four counts of distribution of Oxycodone, and one count of distribution of Hydrocodone. U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks presided over the jury trial. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 23, 2021.
Motley faces a statutory mandatory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Motley was charged along with co-conspirators Math, Kwoka, Slater, Elliott, and Sampson, who have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Co-conspirator Jeannette awaits a jury trial.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was a joint investigation conducted by the FBI; the Reno Police Department; Nevada Highway Patrol; the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Division of Welfare and Social Services; the Office of the Nevada Attorney General; the Carson City Sheriff’s Office; the Nevada Department of Corrections; the Nevada Gaming Control Board; the Sparks Police Department; the University of Nevada-Reno Police Department; and IRS Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Rachow and Peter Levitt.
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Burke County man sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for operating illegal pill factoryRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Burke County man who admitted to operating an illegal pill factory has been sentenced to prison, and his codefendant also has pled guilty.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall sentenced Telly Savalas Carswell, 47, of Midville, Ga., to 168 months in prison after Carswell pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and To Distribute Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term, Carswell will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Carswell’s codefendant, Cedrick Gabriel Brown, a/k/a “Pop,” 47, also of Midville, awaits sentencing after also pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
“Drug traffickers like Carswell and Brown prey on rural communities, spreading poison for profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Vigilant law enforcement makes our neighborhoods safer when it identifies and shuts down these illegal markets.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation of Carswell and Brown in January 2020 after tracking the delivery of a commercial pill press to their residence. With assistance from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, DEA agents searched the home on May 7, 2020, and found the pill press, along with methamphetamine, heroin and other drugs; nearly $9,000 in cash; and paraphernalia related to drug manufacturing and trafficking.
Both Carswell and Brown have extensive criminal records, including state convictions for drug trafficking offenses.
“DEA and its law enforcement partners worked jointly to shut down the drug trafficking activities of this poisonous pill peddler,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Mr. Carswell’s drug trafficking activities posed a significant threat to the quality of life in the Burke County community and his sentencing makes this community a safer place today.”
The case is being investigated by the DEA and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Josephson.