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Tuesday 3 November 2020
Chairman of Wealth Management Business Charged with Securities FraudRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of TERRENCE CHALK, a/k/a “TERRENCE CASH,” the Chairman of Greenlight Investment Partners and several related entities operating in Florida, with securities fraud and wire fraud for his role in a scheme to fraudulently induce individuals to invest in his wealth management business under false pretenses, including operating under an alias to hide his criminal past. CHALK was arrested this morning in Orlando, Florida on a criminal complaint (the “Complaint”) and was presented before a magistrate judge in the Middle District of Florida.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Terrence Chalk gained the trust of his clients by promising that he would invest it in opportunities he had vetted. As alleged, he betrayed their trust. He concealed his criminal past, did not make the investments as promised, and sent most of the money he took from his clients to a pool of money from which he spent lavishly on himself and his friends. Meanwhile, his clients were left with broken promises. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud like this wherever it exists.”
Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As the chairman of a Florida-based investment group, “Terrence Cash” allegedly convinced his clients to trust him with their money, which, in some cases, amounted to the entirety of their retirement savings. Little did they know his investment pitch wasn’t the only lie he told. His real name was Terrence Chalk, and he was a previously convicted felon whose pseudonym spelled out exactly what he was after: cash, and lots of it. In the end, as charged today, he solicited more than $4 million from his victims for purposes other than what he had promised. The charges announced today demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to protect the investing public.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan Federal Court[1]:
CHALK, holding himself out as “Terrence Cash,” was the Chairman of Greenlight Investment Partners and Greenlight Investment Circle, among other similarly named entities (together, “Greenlight”). The Greenlight companies offered customers “business, money, and wealth coaching” -- advice and training in investment planning and wealth management. To certain of his coaching clients, CHALK also offered admission into the “Chairman’s Fund” – purportedly, an elite investing arrangement under which clients would purchase equity stakes in Greenlight and CHALK would invest the purchase proceeds into individual ventures he had vetted. As promised by CHALK, the ventures would generate a guaranteed, fixed return, often in excess of 12 percent annually, to be paid by check on a quarterly basis.
CHALK induced the investors to entrust him with their money – including, in several instances, the entire contents of their retirement accounts and pensions – while concealing from them the fact that, under his real name, he had been convicted for fraud-related offenses in this District in 2010. Had his clients known his real name and researched him on the Internet, they would have found press releases detailing his conviction and sentencing for an array of fraudulent activity, which included fraudulently applying for loans, including in the name of a deceased relative, and directing the submission of fraudulent documents to a BMW car dealership from jail after his initial arrest in order to secure luxury automobiles for his associates. This history would have dissuaded clients from investing with CHALK.
Instead, CHALK’s victims each invested tens of thousands of dollars in the Chairman’s Fund, which took in over $4 million overall. Within months of the clients’ investments, their promised return payments began to arrive erratically or not at all. In fact, CHALK had not made all of the promised investments. Despite having solicited more than $4 million in investments, CHALK routed no more than $1.2 million of that money into the promised ventures. Instead, he had diverted much of the money into other Greenlight accounts, from which he spent lavishly on himself and his associates. CHALK’s spending included approximately $1.7 million on credit card bills for cards in his name, those of his associates, and business accounts from which clear personal purchases or business purchases wholly separate from investment activity had been made. CHALK also transferred, out of the same accounts, tens of thousands of dollars to a criminal defense attorney who had handled a personal matter for him; over $70,000 to a luxury car dealer; approximately $30,000 to a retail jewelry retailer; over $20,000 to an incarcerated prison inmate; and approximately $17,000 to an NBA basketball team in what appear to have been season ticket payments.
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CHALK, 58, is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the FBI and thanks the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has separately filed a civil action against CHALK.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Martin S. Bell and Robert L. Boone are in charge of the prosecution.
The allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Central City Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Central City man who distributed over seven kilograms of meth from 2017 to 2018 was sentenced November 2, 2020, to more than 16 years in federal prison.
Brian Jeffrie Padgett, age 42, from Central City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 29, 2020 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.
In a plea agreement, Padgett admitted that on July 27, 2018, and again on August 10, 2018, he sold over 75 grams of methamphetamine to an individual within 1,000 feet of Central City Community School in Central City, Iowa. On August 16, 2018, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at Padgett’s residence in Central City, where they recovered over 38 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm, and drug packaging material. Padgett admitted that he had two main sources of supply for methamphetamine. Padgett received pounds of methamphetamine from these two sources over approximately six months.
Padgett was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Padgett was sentenced to 198 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Padgett is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-00016.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than One Kilogram of Heroin After Jury TrialRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Renato Salazar-Lopez, age 37, of San Ysidro, California, was convicted late yesterday, after a one-day jury trial in the Hammond District Court of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio presided over this jury trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 28, 2018, on Interstate 90 near the Portage Toll Plaza, a Hobart police officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Renato Salazar-Lopez. During a search of the vehicle, police recovered approximately 4.8 kilograms of heroin in the trunk.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on February 16, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Hobart Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.
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Boyle County Man Sentenced to over 26 Years for Armed Methamphetamine Trafficking in Floyd CountyRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Christopher Francisco, 30, of Boyle County, Kentucky, was sentenced last week to 322 months in federal prison, by United States District Judge Robert Wier, for possession with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement stopped Francisco’s vehicle in Floyd County, Kentucky, on February 11, 2020, and found approximately three pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm. Francisco admitted in his plea agreement that he had been regularly delivering methamphetamine to drug dealers in Floyd County. During the sentencing hearing, the Court found that Francisco was responsible for the introduction of between 15 and 45 kilograms of methamphetamine into Floyd County, between November 2019 and February 2020. Before this latest conviction, Francisco had twice been convicted of state drug trafficking charges, resulting his designation as a “career offender,” for the purposes of the federal sentencing guidelines.
Under federal law, Francisco must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years, following his release.
“The defendant was responsible for trafficking an enormous amount of a dangerous, illegal drugs,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We are committed to reducing the availability of these dangerous drugs, and the violence that often accompanies armed methamphetamine trafficking. This case reinforces a simple point: dealing meth with a gun invites a long stay in a federal prison.”
U.S. Attorney Duncan; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Louisville Field Division; and John Hunt, Floyd County Sheriff, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew H. Trimble.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Berkeley County residents admit to roles in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three Berkeley County residents have admitted to their roles in a drug conspiracy that spanned several states, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Braheem Jamal Gilbert, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, pled guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl, and Cocaine Base.” Gilbert, also known as “Slick,” 31, admitted to working with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base from January 2019 to September 2019 in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties and elsewhere.
Ashley Marie Seal, of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, pled guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl, and Cocaine Base.” Seal, 32, admitted to working with others to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base from January 2019 to September 2019 in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties and elsewhere.
Ashley Lynn Hess, of Inwood, West Virginia, pled guilty today to one count of “Distribution of a Mixture and Substance Containing Phencyclidine (PCP)” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Hess, 31, admitted to selling PCP and cocaine hydrochloride or “coke” in September 2019 in Berkeley County.
Gilbert, Seal, and Hess each face up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.Baltimore Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Devan Mack, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to get guns out of the hands of criminals, like Devan Mack, and off of our streets, in order to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Mack now faces 15 years of federal time, where there is no parole—ever. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”
“Criminals like Devan Mack are contributing to the violent crime on the streets of Baltimore by selling illegal guns,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “We are determined to work with our law enforcement partners to target repeat offenders and those illegally in possession of firearms in order to better protect our communities.”
According to his guilty plea, on November 29, 2018, a Baltimore Police Department undercover officer conducted a controlled purchase of two firearms from Mack in the 2900 block of Gwynns Falls Avenue. The controlled purchase was audio and video recorded. The first firearm was a 9mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition. The second firearm was also a 9mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol, which had been reported stolen. The undercover officer paid Mack $700 for each firearm. As the transaction was being completed, Mack advised that he had other firearms as well as an additional magazine for sale.
Mack was aware that he had a prior felony conviction and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. Mack had three previous convictions for serious drug offenses and was therefore an Armed Career Criminal subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years in prison.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (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; 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: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman, who is prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Alien Sentenced for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Santos Mileny Torres-Diaz, 31, of Honduras, illegally present in the United States and residing in Duplin County, North Carolina, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.
On July 28, 2020, Torres-Diaz pled guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft. From April 20, 2015 through January 13, 2020, Torres-Diaz, did knowingly use the identity of another person, including, name, date of birth, and Social Security number, which she knowingly purchased for $1000 from a fraudulent document vendor. Torres-Diaz was previously deported from the United States on June 23, 2009 at San Antonio, Texas.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel Diaz prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:20-cr-00049-M.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Albuquerque man charged with bank robberyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Calvin Whiteside, 27, of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court on Oct. 29 on two counts of bank robbery. Whiteside will remain in custody pending trial.
According to a criminal complaint, on Oct. 23, Whiteside allegedly entered and robbed Bank of the West on Menaul Blvd. in Albuquerque. Moments after leaving Bank of the West, Whiteside allegedly entered and robbed First Financial Credit Union on San Mateo Blvd. Albuquerque Police identified and apprehended Whiteside a short time later.
If convicted, Whiteside faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crime Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen A. White is prosecuting the case.
Monday 2 November 2020
West Michigan Woman Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Defrauding Immigrants Seeking Legal Status by Posing as A Department of Homeland Security AttorneyRead the Press Release
Jessica Marie Rubio also was Ordered to Pay $273,755 in Restitution to 91 Victims in Michigan, Texas, South Carolina, and Alabama
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff sentenced Jessica Marie Rubio, 32, of Holland, Michigan, to 72 months’ imprisonment for defrauding immigrants without legal status in the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 and 1343. Rubio was sentenced in Grand Rapids today by U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff. In imposing the sentence, Judge Neff commented that Rubio’s fraud was elaborate and found it “appalling when you pick on people trying to pursue the American dream and do it for your own financial gain . . . .”
“Rubio’s fraud scheme targeted people attempting to comply with the immigration laws of the United States and lawfully file paperwork to gain status in the United States. She took advantage of their hopes and dreams, yet pocketed their application fees and never filed these forms with the agencies that administer our immigration laws,” U.S. Attorney Birge commented.
Over a six year period, Rubio solicited people who did not have legal status in the United States by assuming the identity of a Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) attorney and promised to prepare and expedite the immigration application process for them, which included the filing of numerous immigration forms to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and the Department of Justice - Executive Office for Immigration Review. Rubio demanded payment for her services, purported to be legitimate fees, but never submitted those forms on her clients’ behalf. At least 91 victims in Michigan, Texas, South Carolina, and Alabama fell victim to this scheme, plus at least two other victims with no monetary losses but whose identity or employment affiliation Rubio misappropriated. Total loss amounts are calculated at $273,755 at the time of sentencing. Rubio violated her pretrial bond and was a fugitive between March 26, 2019 and December 13, 2019, when a U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force investigation located Rubio and returned her to face trial.
Maintaining the integrity of our nation’s immigration system remains one of the top priorities for the DHS Office of Inspector General (“OIG”). “To that end, the DHS OIG and our
law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue and investigate those who attempt to defraud the system. The agency has zero tolerance for those who prey upon the vulnerable who simply desire to become U.S. citizens,” Special Agent in Charge Todd Dennis, DHS OIG – Detroit Field Office said.“As this sentence makes clear, individuals who undermine our nation’s security by compromising the integrity of our immigration laws for their own enrichment will face serious
consequences,” said Shane Folden, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HSI will move
aggressively to hold those involved in these types of criminal schemes accountable.”As part of her sentence, the court imposed mandatory restitution for the victims in the amount of $273,755, and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $105,245. Rubio also was ordered to serve two years of supervised release following her prison sentence and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by DHS OIG - Detroit Field Office; HSI - San Antonio (Texas) Field Office; HSI - Grand Rapids, the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate of USCIS - Harlingen (Texas) Field Office; Texas Department of Public Safety - Harlingen Criminal Investigations Division; U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force; and the Holland Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay M. West prosecuted the case.
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Washington County Man with Felony Manslaughter Conviction Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Russell Lance Warren, 35, of St. Stephens, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and for possessing stolen firearms. Warren pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2020.
In connection with his guilty plea, Warren admitted that on November 6, 2019, he burglarized a residence in St. Stephens and stole three firearms: (1) a .45-caliber pistol; (2) a .30 30-caliber rifle; and (3) a .22-caliber rifle. After stealing the firearms, Warren went to a wooded area behind his house and fired rounds from the pistol. Warren then returned to his house and hid the stolen firearms in his bedroom closet. Warren admitted that at the time he possessed the stolen firearms, he knew he was a convicted felon and therefore could not legally possess firearms. At the time he possessed the stolen firearms, Warren had prior felony convictions for Manslaughter and Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Circuit Court of Washington County, Alabama.
United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a sentence of 51 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. During that time, Warren will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse. The court did not impose a fine, but the judge ordered Warren to pay $200 in special assessments.
This case was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Roller.
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore Announces $992,237 Award to Combat Violent Crime in Selma, AlabamaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore today announced more than $990,000 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the Southern District of Alabama. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
United States Attorney Moore said, “While we have made great strides in reducing violent crime in Selma, much of that progress has been on the ‘weeding’ side and not the ‘seeding’ side. We cannot arrest or prosecute our way out of Selma’s violent crime problem. Law enforcement continues to make Selma safer by removing the most violent trigger-pullers from the community, but we must have community-based programs that target the root of criminal behavior which is poverty, unemployment and the lure of local criminal gangs. I am extremely pleased to announce that the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation has been awarded a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant in the amount of $992,237 to reduce gang violence in Selma. Unfortunately, we have seen over the years that gang members engage in violent retaliation against rival gang members with innocent citizens often caught in the crossfire. This is a national problem that has been addressed successfully in other cities by programs that aggressively confront the dynamics of street violence and redirect gang members’ anger and provide alternatives to gun violence. The Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation, under the direction of Ainka Jackson, will be implementing intervention strategies that are modeled after the Nonviolence Institute in Providence, R.I. The model includes education and employment assistance, as well as victim services. The Weed and Seed Board in Selma will be working closely with this program as we continue to coordinate the work of our law enforcement partners to make a better Selma.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
United States Attorney McSwain Announces Successful Results of ADA Accessibility Review for All Polling Places in the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced the results of a review of all election polling places in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to determine their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. This massive undertaking, which was announced on February 19 of this year, involved nine counties and was the Department of Justice’s first-ever ADA review of an entire district. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all programs, activities, and services provided by public entities. The ADA requires that public entities provide voting facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities.
As part of the review, election officials in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia counties were asked to complete survey questions pertaining to polling place accessibility in their county. The United States Attorney’s Office then followed up with the county officials to address any access issues and to make sure each county remedied those issues. All nine counties responded to the survey and have now either resolved those issues or are in the process of remediating them.
By way of example, Lancaster County was one of the first counties to respond to the survey, demonstrating full accessibility and an extensive ADA plan in place for the county. Delaware County identified access issues with the entrance to Lamb of God Church in Havertown. Through a bipartisan agreement, the county was able to move that polling place to an accessible location at Chestnutwold School. Bucks County identified an inaccessible polling place in Lower Southampton, and the county is in the process of remediating that situation. Philadelphia County is currently finalizing its review and expects to have all issues resolved before election day.
“Polling place accessibility for the disabled is a critically important issue and one of the many ways that my Office is working hard to provide a free and fair 2020 election,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “People with disabilities deserve equal access to polling places, and we are committed to making sure that they have it. We also appreciate the seriousness with which the counties approached our review, during this 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
Any citizen with ADA-related polling place concerns in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is encouraged to contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, Civil Rights Coordinator, at 215-861-8200 or [email protected].
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces over $1.9 Million in DOJ Grants to Combat Violent Crime in NevadaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced $1,957,208 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the District of Nevada. The grants, which have been awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
“Driving down violent crime rates to improve public safety has been one of our office’s top priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “These funds will continue to make our Nevada communities even safer, as our law enforcement partners deploy the new resources provided by Office of Justice Programs.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations received funding:
• Clark County received $400,000
• Nevada Department of Public Safety received $720,508
• Nevada Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Assistance received $836,700
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI to Monitor Election Day ComplaintsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November2, 2020 - United States Attorney Don Cochran announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Sarah Beth Myers and Robert S. Levine will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for tomorrow’s general election. AUSAs Myers and Levine have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers for the Middle District of Tennessee and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the District Election Officers will be on duty while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 615-401-6661.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 615-232-7500.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
United States Attorney Cochran said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
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U.S. Attorney Wrigley Announces String of Violent Individuals Arrested for Federal Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
FARGO - United States Attorney Drew Wrigley announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Harleigh Josett Haugen, age 20 and Jordan Daniel Kraft, age 21, both of Fargo, ND, for Conspiracy to commit Robbery and Robbery. The Indictment alleges that from May and continuing through June 2019, Haugen and Kraft conspired with a group of young males and females to rob customers of commercial sex. Haugen, Kraft and others posted advertisements on "Skip the Games" promoting prostitution with adult women. The defendants sought to take advantage of a group of commercial sex customers whom they believed would be unwilling to go to law enforcement if they were robbed. The defendants arranged to meet the victims in their private residences and in local apartments controlled by the defendants. Using dangerous weapons, the defendants robbed the commercial sex customers by threats of force and violence, and in some instances the victims were physically assaulted by the defendants before they were robbed.
"While these violent defendants used a novel ruse to allegedly commit robbery, they still got ensnared in our high priority anti-violence initiatives," said US Attorney Drew Wrigley, "and we will continue to aggressively pursue violent offenders and remove them from our communities."
Several of Haugen and Kraft’s co-defendants have also been indicted in North Dakota and are awaiting trial:
• SHELTON LEE MOSEBY, IV, age 19, Fargo, ND: Indicted on charges of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery
• TEAJAHA SHANETTE LAYSHA GRANDER, age 24, Fargo, ND: Indicted on charges of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery
• TATYANNA DESHUAN GRANDER, age 21, Fargo, ND: Indicted on charges of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery
• TEON TYRIK BERRY, age 19, Fargo, ND: Indicted on a charge of Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery
• ZACHARY RONZELL MITCHELL, age 19, Fargo, ND: Indicted on a charge of Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence – Hobbs Act Robbery
• JACOBY RASHAWN LEE, age 19, Fargo, ND: Indicted on a charge of Interference with Commerce by Threats or Violence—Hobbs Act Robbery
Grand jury Indictments are allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigation and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Puhl assigned to the case.
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U.S. Attorney Trent Shores Announces $8.5 Million to Combat Violent Crime in the Northern District of OklahomaRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores today announced more than $8.5 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in Oklahoma. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
“I’m thankful for the men and women of the Tulsa Police Department and District Attorneys’ Offices who are called to protect our communities and ensure the safety of all Oklahomans. They are great partners, and I’m proud to see the Justice Department support them with more than $5.6 million in grants,” U.S. Attorney Trent Shores said. “My hope is that this grant money will help Oklahoma officials fulfill their public safety mission by focusing on community outreach, mental health funding, violent crime investigations, research programs and more.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations received grant funding in Oklahoma:
BJA Community-Based Crime Reduction: CBCR leverages community knowledge and expertise to focus enforcement efforts on crime “hot spots” ‒ neighborhoods where crime is concentrated. To generate long-term impacts, the program addresses a range of challenges.
- City of Tulsa (TPD)- $900,000
BJA Justice Reinvestment Initiative: JRI provides funding for innovative and research-based responses that address a range of problems within the criminal justice system. The Justice Reinvestment approach recognizes that every justice agency has a role to play in preventing crime, apprehending and prosecuting perpetrators, ensuring efficient and effective court and pretrial decision-making, facilitating appropriate sentencing and treatment and protecting community security.
- Tulsa County District Attorney $976,980
National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP): NARIP provides financial and technical assistance to states and tribes to improve the completeness, automation and transmittal of records to state and federal systems used by the NICS.
- Oklahoma District Attorneys Council $2,795,947
National Criminal History Improvement Program: NCHIP enhances the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information to state, territory and federal systems used by the NICS and ensures the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems
- Oklahoma District Attorneys Council $359,180
NIJ Research and Evaluation on Violent Crime ($7.3 million): The National Institute for Justice awarded grants to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime.
- Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences- Drugs and Crime $587,219
“The Tulsa Police Department is thrilled to have been awarded the Community-Based Crime Reduction Grant. The Department worked in partnership with Tulsa Housing Authority to author the grant,” Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said. “The Tulsa Police Department plans to use these funds to assist with youth enrichment, crime prevention, community education and violent crime investigations. Police departments rely upon funding from our federal partners to carry out existing programs as well as pilot programs and initiatives. TPD will build on our collaborative efforts with partners across the community!”
BJA Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant: Byrne JAG supports a broad range of initiatives that work to prevent and reduce violent crime. It also provides funds to help crime victims and assist efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
- State of Oklahoma- $2,469,111
- Tulsa County- $20,373
- Tulsa City Municipal- $322,587
- City of Broken Arrow- $11,382
BJA Project Safe Neighborhoods: The efforts of Project Safe Neighborhoods include addressing criminal gangs and the felonious possession and use of firearms. PSN collaborates with local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as the communities they serve, in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney in all 94 districts.
- Oklahoma Northern $103,782- Oklahoma District Attorney’s Council
“As a prosecutor for the past 30 plus years, I have longed to tackle issues where the criminal justice system and those with mental health needs intersect. This award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance is certainly a positive step forward in our effort to develop innovative and research-based solutions to this expanding area of the law,” Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said. “We are partnering with Family and Children Services to examine and implement best practices so that individuals suffering from mental illness might be diverted away from criminal prosecution, and towards restorative treatment options. I am certainly appreciative of US Attorney Trent Shores and his tireless efforts to help secure this award on behalf of all citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma. I am equally confident that the Tulsa County District Courts under the leadership of Judge William LaFortune are also appreciative of this allocation of resources to address this need in our community.”
“As a prosecutor for the past 30 plus years, I have longed to tackle issues where the criminal justice system and those with mental health needs intersect. This award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance is certainly a positive step forward in our effort to develop innovative and research-based solutions to this expanding area of the law,” Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said. “We are partnering with Family and Children Services to examine and implement best practices so that individuals suffering from mental illness might be diverted away from criminal prosecution, and towards restorative treatment options. I am certainly appreciative of US Attorney Trent Shores and his tireless efforts to help secure this award on behalf of all citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma. I am equally confident that the Tulsa County District Courts under the leadership of Judge William LaFortune are also appreciative of this allocation of resources to address this need in our community.”
“As the state administering agency for the National Criminal History Improvement Project (NCHIP) and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP), the District Attorneys Council is elated to receive notice of these grant funds,” DAC Executive Coordinator Trent H. Baggett said. “In 2020, NCHIP funds were used to help fourteen (14) law enforcement departments obtain Livescan digital fingerprinting devices that allows the electronic transmission of fingerprints of criminal offenders to be used nationwide for criminal and noncriminal background checks. The NARIP funds helped the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) with their Criminal Record Improvement Project. That project is vital considering the OSBI is the preeminent agency in Oklahoma for the collection of criminal offender records. The DAC is very appreciative of the efforts of everyone who played a role in seeing to it Oklahoma receives these funds.”
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Scott Brady Announces Record Number of Prosecutions for Western Pennsylvania for FY 2020Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Scott W. Brady, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, today announced that the number of cases being prosecuted by the district reached another all-time record high in fiscal year 2020.
From October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020, the office filed cases against 757 defendants, an increase of 67% versus FY 2016. The total number of drug defendants prosecuted reached 376, a 122% increase versus FY 2016. The total number of firearms defendants prosecuted was 187, a 78% increase versus FY 2016.
All numbers represent the most defendants prosecuted in any one year in the history of the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Additionally, the cases filed against defendants in the last fiscal year also exceeded FY 2019’s record amounts. The total number of defendants prosecuted last year vs. FY 2019 increased by 14%; the number of drug defendants increased by 22%; and the number of firearms defendants increased by 50%.
"The commitment of the men and women of the US Attorney’s Office to the safety of our region is nothing short of remarkable," stated U.S. Attorney Brady. "Despite a global pandemic and grand jury being shut down for two months this year, our office has prosecuted a record number of total defendants, drug dealers and violent felons federally."
Brady continued: "I believe there is a direct, linear and causal relationship between the number of violent felons that our federal prosecutions remove from communities they are terrorizing, and how safe our neighbors are. We have just completed the two most productive years in the history of this office, and as the head of this office, I am proud that western PA families and their loved ones have safer communities in which to live and flourish than they did in 2016."
U.S. Attorney Brady highlighted seven significant cases involving drug trafficking organizations and the violence associated with these groups, all of which were charged federally and arrested/dismantled during the COVID-19 pandemic:
"OPERATION RENTS DUE" - In May and June 2020, 22 total people were charged with drug conspiracy and firearms violations following an intensive investigation into the narcotics trafficking activities of a neighborhood street gang, known as "11 Hunnit", operating in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood and beyond.
"OPERATION CRYSTAL HIGHWAY" - In June 2020, an indictment was returned charging 38 residents of Centre, Clearfield, Clinton and Erie Counties with narcotics trafficking, money laundering and unlawful possession of firearms. The organization was bringing kilo quantities of methamphetamine from Atlanta for distribution throughout north central Pennsylvania.
"OPERATION COPPER BEACH" - In June 2020, 19 Pennsylvania residents were indicted for their roles in a Philadelphia-to-Indiana County drug trafficking network that distributed methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine, primarily in Indiana County.
"OPERATION NORTH COUNTRY" – In June 2020, 9 members of a significant Philadelphia-to-Butler drug organization whose pipeline brought fentanyl, heroin and cocaine into Butler communities, including near neighborhood playgrounds and schools, were charged.
"OPERATION BEELINE" - In August 2020, 26 residents of western Pennsylvania were charged following a wiretap investigation into drug trafficking and gun violence by a street gang known as the "Shot Boyz", who were wreaking havoc in Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood.
"OPERATION NO MERCY" - In September 2020, 13 members of a drug trafficking organization based in New Castle, PA were indicted for trafficking significant quantities of cocaine and fentanyl in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida. The organization’s source of supply was traced to a cartel in Mexico.
"OPERATION TRIPWIRE" – In September 2020, 27 members of an international drug trafficking organization were indicted, following an investigation that dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking pipeline that brought hundreds of kilos of cocaine from Mexican cartels, into the United States through California and Arizona, and across the country to the streets of Pittsburgh.
U.S. Attorney Schroder Announces More Than $1.8 Million Awarded to Combat Violent Crime in AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Schroder announced $1,875,130 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in Alaska. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety received funding under two programs:
• National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) $899,032
• National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) $976,098
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Says DOJ is Ready for Election DayRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Christopher P. Tenorio (619) 909-7556
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 2, 2020
SAN DIEGO – In anticipation of the upcoming general elections, the U.S. Department of Justice is providing detailed information about its particular efforts, through the Criminal Division, Civil Rights Division, and National Security Division, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or fraud in the election process.
“We are prepared to address any Election Day issues that arise,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Voters should feel confident that local, state and federal law enforcement officials are committed to making sure they will be able to vote safely, and without interference or discrimination.”
Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
The department’s Criminal Division oversees the enforcement of federal laws that criminalize certain forms of election fraud and vindicate the integrity of the federal election process. The Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and the department’s U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer in the Southern District of California, are responsible for enforcing the federal criminal laws that prohibit various forms of election fraud, such as destruction of ballots, vote-buying, multiple voting, submission of fraudulent ballots or registrations, and alteration of votes, and malfeasance by postal or election officials and employees. The Criminal Division is also responsible for enforcing federal criminal law prohibiting voter intimidation for reasons other than race, color, national origin, or religion (as noted below, voter intimidation that has a basis in race, color, national origin, or religion is addressed by the Civil Rights Division).
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country have designated Assistant U.S. Attorneys to serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) in the respective Districts. DEOs are responsible for overseeing potential election-crime matters in their Districts, and for coordinating with the department’s election-crime experts in Washington, D.C. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Brewer has designated AUSA/DEO Christopher Tenorio to remain on duty while the polls are open. The public can reach him at (619) 909-7556.
From now through Nov. 3, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices will work with specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible election fraud are handled appropriately. Specifically:
• In consultation with federal prosecutors at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., the District Election Officers in U.S. Attorney’s Offices, FBI officials at headquarters in Washington, D.C., and FBI special agents serving as Election Crime Coordinators in the FBI’s 56 field offices will be on duty while polls are open to receive complaints from the public.
• Election-crime complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorney’s Offices or the local FBI office. The FBI will have special agents and an Election Crimes Coordinator available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. The public can contact the San Diego FBI at (858) 320-1800. The public may also contact the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/
• DOJ’s Public Integrity Section prosecutors are available to consult and coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI regarding the handling of election-crime allegations.
All complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should be reported first to local police authorities by calling 911; after alerting local law enforcement to such emergencies by calling 911, the public should contact the department.
The U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division:
The department's Civil Rights Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of a wide range of federal statutes that protect the right to vote including: the Voting Rights Act; the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; the National Voter Registration Act; the Help America Vote Act; and the Civil Rights Acts. Among other things, collectively, these laws:
• Prohibit election practices that have either a discriminatory purpose or a discriminatory result on account of race, color, or language minority status;
• Prohibit intimidation of voters;
• Provide that voters who need assistance in voting because of disability or illiteracy can obtain assistance from a person of their choice (other than agents of their employer or union);
• Provide for accessible voting systems for voters with disabilities;
• Provide for provisional ballots for voters who assert they are registered and eligible, but whose names do not appear on poll books;
• Provide for absentee voting for absent uniformed service members, their family members, and U.S. citizens living abroad; and
• Provide for covered States to offer citizens the opportunity to register to vote through offices that provide driver licenses, public assistance, and disability services, as well as through the mail; and to take steps regarding maintaining voter registration lists.
The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that prohibits discrimination in voting based on disability.
The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and vote suppression based on race, color, national origin, or religion.
On Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020, the Civil Rights Division will implement a comprehensive program to help ensure the right to vote that will include the following:
• The Civil Rights Division will conduct monitoring in the field under the federal voting rights statutes.
• Civil Rights Division attorneys in the Voting, Disability Rights, and Criminal Sections in Washington, D.C., will be ready to receive complaints of potential violations relating to any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces. Attorneys in the division will coordinate within the Department of Justice and will take appropriate action concerning these complaints before, during, and after Election Day.
• Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can call the department’s toll-free telephone line at 800-253-3931, and also can submit complaints through a link on the department’s website, at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.• Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website, at ada.gov.
• Once again, complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911. They should also be reported to the department after local authorities are contacted.
The U.S. DOJ National Security Division:
The department's National Security Division supervises the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting or relating to national security, including any cases involving foreign interference in elections or violent extremist threats to elections. In this context:
• The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section oversees matters involving a range of malign influence activities that foreign governments may attempt, including computer hacking of election or campaign infrastructure; covert information operations (e.g., to promulgate disinformation through social media); covert efforts to support or denigrate political candidates or organizations; and other covert influence operations that might violate various criminal statutes.
• The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section oversees matters involving international and domestic terrorism and supports law enforcement in preventing any acts of terrorism that impact Americans, including any violent extremism that might threaten election security.
As in past elections, on Nov. 3, 2020, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorney’s Offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats. In particular, attorneys from both sections will be partnered with FBI Headquarters components to provide support to U.S. Attorney’s Offices and FBI Field Offices to counter any such threats. Again, complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911 and, after local authorities are contacted, then should also be reported to the department.
Both protecting the right to vote and combating election fraud are essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The department encourages anyone with information suggesting voting rights concerns or ballot fraud to contact the appropriate authorities, and notes in particular that the Department of Homeland Security plays its own important role in safeguarding critical election infrastructure from cyber and other threats.
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. Announces $403,972 to Combat Violent Crime in Eastern District of North CarolinaRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. today announced $403,972.00 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
“These two grants are critical to our ongoing effort to ‘Take Back North Carolina’ from the violent criminals, drug traffickers and gangs plaguing many of our communities.” Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina commented. “Law enforcement in Henderson has been a strong partner with the Department of Justice for the last three years as the work to rid that community of those who use and carry guns illegally. Funding for their Crime Gun Intelligence Center will help them to further strengthen their efforts and to know how guns are being used or by who. And funds for the Gang Investigation Association add resources to an organization that is laser focused on one of our most wide-spread crime problems and illegal gang activity.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations received funding:
- Henderson Police Department $215,919 FY 20 Crime Gun Intelligence Center
- North Carolina Gang Investigators Association $188,053 FY20 Project Safe Neighborhoods EDNC
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon Announces Latest Results of Operation False Haven: Convicted Child Molester Arrested in Fayetteville on Naturalization Fraud, Document Fraud and False Statement ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville man arrested on charges of naturalization fraud, document fraud, and making false statements in naturalization proceedings had an initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Brian S. Meyers in Raleigh, North Carolina.
A federal grand jury had returned an indictment charging Abdelfatah Khadir, age 44, a naturalized citizen of the United States, born in Morocco, residing in Fayetteville, North Carolina, with naturalization fraud, document fraud, and making false statements in naturalization proceedings.
According to the indictment, Khadir knowingly failed to disclose during his naturalization proceedings that he had committed the crime of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and negligent child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury. Khadir was thereafter naturalized as a United States citizen on March 25, 2016.
Khadir is charged in a six-count indictment with naturalization fraud, document fraud, and making false statements in naturalization proceedings. If convicted of naturalization and document fraud, he faces up to a maximum imprisonment term of 25 years per count, a $250,000 fine per count, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. A conviction for naturalization fraud also carries an automatic revocation of United States citizenship. If convicted of false statements in naturalization proceedings, he faces up to a maximum imprisonment term of 5 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry states in its public website that Khadir was convicted of taking indecent liberties with a 9 year old victim on March 25, 2019. Khadir, according to the Registry, committed the offense on April 9, 2017, was sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment of 19 to 32 months and placed on probation for 60 months.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven. Operation False Haven is an ongoing initiative to identify and prosecute egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Patrick names election officersRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two Assistant U.S. Attorneys will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 3 general election, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Civil Chief Daniel Hu has been appointed to serve as the election officer for civil matters, while Deputy Criminal Chief Sharad Khandelwal will act as the criminal election officer. In their capacities, both are responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.
For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. DOJ’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on Nov. 3, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Khandelwal and Hu will be on duty in this district while the polls are open and can be reached at 713-567-9345 and 713-567-9518, respectively.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form here.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Overbey Announces $700,000 in Justice Grants to Combat Violent Crime CrisisRead the Press Release
Awards Are Part of More than $458 Million in Justice Department Funding Announced by Attorney General Barr
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey announced $700,000 in Department of Justice grants to the City of Chattanooga to fight and prevent violent crime in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state and local law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of states, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
“Our office has been a leader in fighting to reduce violent crime in Chattanooga for many years, and in fact, our office works daily with a city-funded Special Assistant U.S. Attorney assigned to us for the sole purpose of charging Chattanooga’s most violent offenders federally,” said U. S. Attorney Overbey. “This grant will certainly enhance the Chattanooga Police Department’s efforts as we move forward in this battle.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation. OJP’s office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Announces More Than $2.6 Million to Combat Violent Crime in ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Michael Bailey today announced more than $2.6 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in Arizona. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention, and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations in the District of Arizona received funding:
- Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of ASU - $203,939
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (2 Awards) - $675,614; $1,810,569
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-094_Violent Crime Grants
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ the
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.- Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of ASU - $203,939
U.S. Attorney McAllister Announces $2.7 Million to Fight Violent Crime in KansasRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - Law enforcement agencies in Kansas will receive a total of $2.7 million in federal grants to fight violent crime, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
The grants include:
- $1 million to the City of Wichita from the Community Based Crime Reduction program for enforcement focused on crime hotspots in the city.
- $999,958 to Wyandotte County from the Community Based Crime Reduction program for enforcement focused on crime hotspots.
- $782,324 to the Executive Office of the State of Kansas for improvements to the electronic record system for criminal justice and background checks.
The awards are part of $458 million in Justice Department funding announced today by Attorney General William P. Barr.
“The safety of Kansas communities is at the top of our priorities,” McAllister said. “These resources will help support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing increases in crime. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components is available at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe Announces $2.8 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, today announced $2,870,008 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“Violence has absolutely no place in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the public, and our office continues to partner with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to make our District safer for all of our citizens. I’m pleased to announce that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was awarded almost $3 million to improve the systems of record we rely upon to fully assess and appropriately address potentially violent situations.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement received funding for the following programs:
- National Criminal History Improvement Program - $668,501
- National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) - $2,201,507
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - DOJ Violent Crime GrantsU.S. Attorney Garrison Announces $7.7 Million in Dept. of Justice Grants to Combat Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison today announced more than $7.7 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. The local grants are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“The Department of Justice grants announced today address a wide range of issues related to dispensing justice, from law enforcement to prosecutors to courts,” Garrison said. “This federal grant funding bolsters our efforts, and the efforts of our state and local partners, to reduce crime and improve public safety in the Western District of Missouri.”
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The following organizations received a total of $7,783,383 in federal grant funding:
• The Kansas City, Mo., Police Department received $1,428,571 under Operation Relentless Pursuit. This initiative infuses federal law enforcement resources into seven cities with violent
crime levels several times the national average. Federal funds support efforts such as hiring
prosecutors, overtime expenses for task force members, multi-agency investigations, technology,
and strategic planning.• The Missouri Attorney General’s Office received $397,020 and the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office received $247,236 under Project Guardian. This initiative reduces gun violence and enforces federal firearms laws. Funds will enable jurisdictions to hire prosecutors within local U.S. Attorney’s Offices who are cross-designated to bring firearms cases to federal court.
• The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office received $340,000 under Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combatting Violent Crime. This program provides state, local, and tribal prosecutors with resources, training, and technical assistance to implement technology and develop strategies and programs to address and prosecute individuals who commit violent crime.
• The Kansas City, Mo., Police Department received $998,478 under Operation LeGend. This is an ongoing, systematic, and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies. It enables them to work with state and local law enforcement officials to fight the current surge of violent crime in American cities.
• The Kansas City, Mo., Municipal Court received $1 million and the Judiciary Courts of the State of Missouri received $996,466 under the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. This provides funding for innovative and research-based responses that address a range of problems within the criminal justice system. The Justice Reinvestment approach recognizes that every justice agency has a role to play in preventing crime, apprehending and prosecuting perpetrators, ensuring efficient and effective court and pretrial decision-making, facilitating appropriate sentencing and treatment and protecting community security.
• The Missouri State Highway Patrol received $1,009,423 under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. This provides financial and technical assistance to states and tribes to improve the completeness, automation, and transmittal of records to state and federal systems used by the NICS.
• The Missouri State Highway Patrol received $1,366,189 under the National Criminal History Improvement Program. This enhances the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information to state, territory and federal systems used by the NICS and ensures the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant Announces over $2 Million to Combat Violent Crime in MemphisRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant today announced more than $2 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the Western District of Tennessee. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
"One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans."
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
"Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities," said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. "Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime."
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Under Operation LeGend, we have intensified our focus on removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons, and removing violent offenders from our streets. We are thankful to Attorney General Barr for providing these additional OJP grant resources to combat violent gun crime in Memphis, and we will continue to coordinate with our state and local law enforcement partners to use these resources to effectively target the real crime drivers in Memphis and Shelby County: gangs, guns, and drugs."
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations received funding:
• Operation Relentless Pursuit
Shelby County
$1,428,571• Project Guardian
District Attorney General, 30th Judicial District
$398,864• Operation LeGend
Shelby County
$200,000For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney DeVillers announces $1.7M to combat violent crime in Hamilton CountyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers today announced $1.7 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in Hamilton County. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
Hamilton County was awarded $1 million through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Community-Based Crime Reduction grant. The grant leverages community knowledge and expertise to focus enforcement efforts on crime “hot spots” – neighborhoods where crime is concentrated – to generate long-term impacts.
Hamilton County was also awarded $700,000 through BJA’s Strategies for Policing Innovation grant. The aim of this funding is for state and local law enforcement agencies to work with researchers to identify innovative and evidence-based strategies to tackle chronic crime.
“Today’s grants will bolster the work we already have underway in Cincinnati to hold armed and violent offenders accountable,” U.S. Attorney DeVillers said.
Other grant award recipients in the Southern District of Ohio include the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, who was awarded more than $1.1 million to enhance the quality, completeness and accessibility of criminal history record information through the National Criminal History Improvement Program. This funding ensures the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems.
Licking County was awarded $339,000 from the Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combatting Violent Crime program. The program is designed to provide local prosecutors with training and strategies for prosecuting violent offenders.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources. More information about OJP and its components can be found at https://www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Daniel Bubar Announces $488,595 to the City of Danville to Combat Violent Crime through Anti-Gang Programs for YouthRead the Press Release
DANVILLE, Va.- Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar today announced more than $488,000 in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the Western District of Virginia. Specifically, this grant has been awarded to the City of Danville as a part of its gang prevention, intervention and suppression efforts. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
“We cannot simply prosecute our way out of the gang violence problem that persists in Danville and other communities in the Western District of Virginia,” United States Attorney Bubar said today. “These funds will allow the City of Danville to provide critical programming for young people who may be tempted to enter the destructive gang lifestyle. Danville has made great strides in reducing violent crime brought on by gangs and I hope this grant helps expand that important work.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations received funding:
• The City of Danville received $488,595 in OJJDP Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression funding. These programs providing funding for communities to develop youth gang intervention and suppression programs that aim to reduce violence.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Carpenito Announces $2.9 Million in Grants to Combat Violent Crime in District of New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. –U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito today announced more than $2.9 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the District of New Jersey. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
“Combatting violent crime has been a top priority of our office,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “It’s a job that requires resources and cooperation among all levels of law enforcement. We have worked incredibly hard to develop strategies that allow us to combine the efforts of our local, state and federal partners to keep our citizens safe. The grants announced today will provide us with additional tools in that effort.”
The funding announced today continues the Justice Department’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan said. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations received funding:
BJA Community-Based Crime Reduction
CBCR leverages community knowledge and expertise to focus enforcement efforts on
crime “hot spots” ‒ neighborhoods where crime is concentrated. To generate long-term impacts, the program addresses a range of challenges.
- Newark Community Street Team, $915,000
BJA Strategies for Policing Innovation
Through SPI, BJA works with state and local law enforcement agencies and researchers to identify innovative and evidence-based strategies to tackle chronic crime in their jurisdictions.
- City of Atlantic City, $699,990
BJA Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combatting Violent Crime
The program provides state, local and tribal prosecutors with resources, training and technical assistance to implement technology and develop strategies and programs to address and prosecute individuals who commit violent crime.
- Cumberland County, $135,000
OJJDP Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression
More than $10 million was awarded to 24 jurisdictions under OJJDP’s Comprehensive Anti-Gang Programs for Youth. These programs provide funding for communities to develop youth gang intervention or suppression programs that aim to reduce violence.
Category I: Intervention
- Cumberland County, $499,791
National Criminal History Improvement Program
NCHIP enhances the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information to state, territory and federal systems used by the NICS and ensures the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems.
- N.J. Department of Law and Public Safety, $666,616
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov
U.s. Attorney Kurt Alme Announces $2.23 Million to Combat Violent Crime in MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today announced more than $2.23 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime in the District of Montana. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts to fight and prevent violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
The funding announced today continues the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime and improving public safety. In the two years before President Trump took office, America had experienced a precipitous rise in crime, particularly in serious violent crime. The President elevated community safety to the top of his domestic agenda and crime rates have fallen steadily since. Recent data from the FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2019 show a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third year in a row. However, a number of cities are experiencing conspicuous countertrends. Today’s grants will bolster crime-fighting efforts in those communities and in jurisdictions throughout the United States.
“Violence has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Working with officials across the Trump Administration and with thousands of state, local and tribal crime-fighters across the country, the Department of Justice is leading the response to this urgent challenge. OJP is pleased to make these resources available to support innovative, tested and diverse solutions to violent crime.”
“In 2019, Montana saw an 8.1 percent increase in violent crime according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports. These grants will help local, state and tribal law enforcement agencies combat it and protect our citizens and communities. I am pleased to announce these awards for Montana,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.3 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following Montana organizations received funding:
- BJA Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, local and tribal: $344,743
- Cascade County/Great Falls, $31,610
- Lewis and Clark County, $12,446
- Helena, $26,658
- Missoula County, $12,403
- Missoula, $46,037
- Yellowstone County, $13,135
- Billings, $71,102
- Blackfeet Tribe, $15,461
- Bozeman, $16,839
- Butte-Silver Bow City and County, $18,949
- Chippewa-Cree Tribe, $11,499
- Flathead County, $24,720
- Gallatin County, $11,456
- Lake County, $11,585
- Kalispell, $10,120
- Roosevelt County, $10,723
- BJA Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, state, Montana, $877,225
- BJA Project Neighborhoods: Montana, $92,945
- Project Guardian, Yellowstone County, $216,755
- National Criminal History Improvement Program, Montana Department of Corrections, Montana Board of Crime Control, $700,000
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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- BJA Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, local and tribal: $344,743
Two South Florida Police Officers Charged with Federal Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. – A recently unsealed criminal complaint charges Miami-Dade County Police Officers Roderick Michael Flowers, 30, and Keith Maurice Edwards Jr., 28, with conspiring to traffic cocaine. It also charges Manuel Carlos Hernandez, 23, in the cocaine trafficking conspiracy, and Hernandez, Durojaiye Obafemi Monsuru Lawal, 24, and Trevanti McLeod, 23, all from South Florida, with money laundering crimes.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Keith Weis, Special Agent in Charge for DEA Miami, made the announcement.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint affidavit, on September 16, 2020, Officers Flowers and Edwards provided protection for the transport of what they believed to be 10 kilograms of cocaine connected to a Mexican drug cartel from its pick-up point in Homestead, Florida to its drop-off point in Aventura, Florida. Officers Flowers and Edwards, each in his own car, escorted a third vehicle containing the purported cocaine: Flowers drove immediately in front of the loaded vehicle and Edwards drove immediately behind it on the Palmetto, 836, and I-95 highways. The affidavit alleges that the officers also escorted the purported cocaine and its handlers on foot, as they went into and out of buildings to pick up and drop off the load. In exchange for the protection service, Flowers and Edwards each made $5,000 in cash, according to the complaint. Unknown to Flowers and Edwards at the time, the cocaine was fake and the Mexican cartel dealers were actually law enforcement confidential sources and undercover agents.
In addition, the complaint affidavit describes Hernandez’s alleged money laundering operation, including transactions during which Hernandez and his associates, Lawal and McLeod, laundered $200,000 in purported drug proceeds. According to the complaint, prior to the protection job on September 16, Officer Flowers had been on Hernandez’s payroll and had improperly used his position as an officer to obtain information for Hernandez. The affidavit accuses Hernandez of investing in the load that Flowers and Edwards protected on September 16, believing that it was real cocaine connected to a Mexican cartel.
All defendants have made their initial appearances in federal magistrate judge court in Miami.
DEA Miami investigated this case, with assistance from FBI Miami, DEA Detroit, and Miami Dade Police Department, Internal Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys Frederic “Fritz” Shadley and Eduardo Sanchez are prosecuting this case.
A criminal complaint is a charging instrument that contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
You may find related court documents and information on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-mj-3922.
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Two Men Indicted for Allegedly Operating Multimillion Dollar Sports Betting Pyramid Scheme in Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Two Las Vegas residents made their initial court appearances in U.S. District Court on Friday for charges in connection with a multimillion dollar investment fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI.
A federal grand jury returned a 14 count indictment on Tuesday, charging John Frank Thomas III, 75, and Thomas Joseph Becker, 72, both of Las Vegas, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud. Thomas is also known as “John Frank,” “Johnathan West,” “John Frank Rodgers,” “John Marshall,” and “John Edwards.” Following their arrests on Friday, Thomas and Becker made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe, who scheduled a jury trial for January 4, 2021.
“Nevada has earned a worldwide reputation as the gold standard in gaming integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners and the gaming industry, including the FBI, to maintain Nevada’s reputation — which reflects the efforts of hardworking Nevadans across our state — by investigating and prosecuting violations of the law, and by helping enhance compliance programs.”
“The men and women of the FBI work hard every day to identify and apprehend those responsible for taking advantage of trusting citizens who were swindled out of their investments," said Special Agent in Charge Rouse.
According to allegations in the indictment, from September 2010 to August 2019, Thomas and Becker maintained — and advertised to investors as supposed investment funds — the following entities: Sports Psychometrics; Vegas Basketball Club; Vegas Football Club; Einstein Sports Advisory; Quantum Sports Advisory; Wellington Sports Club; and Welscorp, Inc. Thomas and Becker made false representations to investors that they would use their sports betting skills and strategy to make sports bets with the investors’ money:
- For example, Thomas and Becker told investors that their “‘special insights’ and ahead-of-the-curve strategies… can generate an Average-Profit-Per-Bet of +140% per $100 bet… and possibly as high as +180% or plus $180 per $100 bet. In essence, unlimited riches.”
- Similarly, they advertised a “perfect investment opportunity,” offering “quick access to funds – funds that can be withdrawn by wire or transfer in only one day” and “exceptionally high yield – we achieved a +10.75% ROI per betting day during 2014 Football Season.”
Thomas and Becker also allegedly misrepresented to investors that their accounts were multiplying in value due to successful sports betting, when in fact no such betting occurred. And when investors tried to cash out their investments, Thomas and Becker ignored their calls and emails, and made various excuses for why they could not distribute the money, ranging from purported medical reasons to issues with banks and sportsbooks. To the extent any investors were paid out, those payments came from money deposited by other investors, rather than successful sports bets.
Thomas and Becker induced more than 600 individuals to deposit money —from less than $10,000 to over $500,000 — into their purported investment funds, for a total of at least $29 million. The estimated loss amount to investors is alleged to be at least $9 million dollars. Thomas and Becker spent investors’ funds on personal expenses, including dining, housing, home improvement, and transportation.
The statutory penalty per count for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud is 20 years in prison, as well as a fine of either $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense.
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 investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Simon F. Kung is prosecuting the case.
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Trucker guilty of hauling nearly $2 million in drug proceedsRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 52-year-old man has entered a guilty plea to one count of money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Edgardo Serrano admitted he drove $1,758,465 in proceeds from the sale of illegal narcotics from Florida to the Rio Grande Valley. He is originally from New Boston, Michigan, but now resides in Miami, Florida.
The investigation revealed trucks would pick up cocaine from South Texas to be driven to Florida for illegal sale. Drivers like Serrano would then return to the Rio Grande Valley with the illegal drug proceeds for delivery into Mexico to drug cartel members.
Authorities discovered Serrano in Hidalgo County April 17 with drug money secreted in his semi-tractor-trailer.
As part of the plea today, Serrano agreed to forfeit the $1,758,465 as illegal money obtained from the sale of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for Feb. 9, 2021. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $500,000 fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives jointly conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation titled La Familia Tradicion. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Betancourt is prosecuting the case.
OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. Its mission is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States through prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task forces that leverage the authorities and expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Thirteen Individuals Charged with Social Security Fraud in Operation Dead RingerRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the filing of federal charges against 13 individuals in Operation Dead Ringer. The individuals are charged in 12 separate cases, with cumulatively stealing more than one million dollars in benefits paid by the Social Security Administration on behalf of beneficiaries who were deceased. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment on each count.
Operation Dead Ringer, initiated in the Middle District of Florida, aggressively targets individuals who steal Social Security benefits inadvertently paid to deceased beneficiaries. To date, 35 individuals have been charged as part of the Operation.
According to the respective indictments:
Lauren McKay (28, Jacksonville) and Leah McKay (31, Jacksonville) are charged with theft of government funds. From July 2011 to June 2017, the McKays fraudulently collected approximately $96,055 of their mother’s Social Security benefits following her death on July 12, 2011.
Donna Sharpe Crowther (63, Jacksonville) is charged with theft of government funds. From January 2009 to May 2019, Crowther fraudulently collected approximately $223,869 of her husband’s Social Security benefits following his death on December 15, 2008.
Robin Elmore (44, St. Augustine) is charged with theft of government funds. From April 2012 to June 2019, Elmore fraudulently collected approximately $63,492 of her sister’s Social Security benefits following her sister’s death on March 20, 2012.
Pamela LaTrail Toliver (62, Jacksonville) is charged with theft of government funds. From July 2016 to June 2020, Toliver fraudulently collected approximately $52,224 of her mother’s Social Security benefits following the mother’s death on July 27, 2016.
Virginia Gay (48, Jacksonville) is charged with theft of government funds. From February 2015 to September 2019, Gay fraudulently collected approximately $99,840 of her mother’s Social Security benefits following the mother’s death on May 29, 2013.
Margie Ann Norris-Bell (62, Jacksonville) is charged with theft of government funds. From June 2015 to July 2019, Norris-Bell fraudulently collected approximately $66,185 of her sister’s Social Security benefits following the sister’s death on July 26, 2011.
Humeshia Latasha Butler (42, Jacksonville) is charged with theft of government funds. From February 2015 to December 2017, Butler fraudulently collected approximately $35,774 of a close friend’s Social Security benefits following his death on November 12, 2013.
Robert Bruce Barnes (63, Jacksonville) is charged with theft of government funds. From June 2015 to April 2019, Barnes fraudulently collected approximately $86,581 of his wife’s Social Security benefits following her death on November 7, 2011.
Linda Becraft (65, Naples) is charged with theft of government funds. From May 2013 to April 2019, Becraft fraudulently collected approximately $152,374 in Social Security benefits following the death of a Social Security beneficiary in April 2013.
Ciera McClain (30, Alabama) is charged with theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft. From October 2015 to January 2019, McClain fraudulently collected approximately $30,670 in Social Security benefits following the death of a Social Security beneficiary on August 29, 2015.
Jacqueline Eugene (46, Orlando) is charged with theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft. From March 2014 to February 2019, Eugene fraudulently collected approximately $51,360 of her mother’s Social Security benefits following her mother’s death on February 17, 2014.
Keana Everett (35, Tampa) is charged with theft of government funds. From April 2012 to March 2019, Everett fraudulently collected approximately $63,382 of her mother’s Social Security benefits following her mother’s death on April 10, 2012.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
These cases are being investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from other federal and local law enforcement agencies. Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler is coordinating the Operation. She, along with Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Frein, David Mesrobian, and Yolande Viacava, will be prosecuting the cases.
Third Indianapolis Man Sentenced for Bellevue Pharmacy RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Billy Adell, III, 21, today to nine years in federal prison having previously pleaded guilty to a Hobbs Act robbery; that is, robbing a business involved in interstate commerce and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 28, 2018, at approximately 9:33 am, Daewoo Robertson, Adell, and Otis Brown, III robbed the CVS Pharmacy, 1701 Galvin Road South, Bellevue, Nebraska at gunpoint. Robertson, Adell, and Brown are from Indianapolis and drove to Bellevue to commit the robbery. Adell was the driver. Robertson and Brown went into the store. Robertson was armed with a Glock .40 caliber handgun that he pointed at employees and a customer while he and Brown zip-tied them. Robertson and Brown fled the store in Adell’s waiting vehicle, with $60,196.50 in controlled substances. They were caught shortly thereafter when their car was stopped. Officers searched the car and found the gun, zip-ties, and a garbage bag with the stolen drugs. Once the drugs leave the store, they cannot be taken back and resold by CVS and have to be destroyed.
Robertson, 20, and Brown, 18, were previously sentenced by the late Senior United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp. Robertson received a sentence of nine years’ imprisonment and Brown received a sentence of eight years’ one month imprisonment. Robertson, Brown, and Adell were also each ordered to serve five years of supervised release following their release from federal prison and ordered to pay $61,154 in restitution.
The FBI Great Plains Violent Crime Task Force, comprised of FBI agents, Omaha Police Department Detectives, Nebraska State Patrol Investigators and Papillion Police Department Detectives, is responsible for the investigation of the robbery. The task force was assisted by the Bellevue Police Department.
St. Joseph Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking in Taney CountyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Missouri, man who led law enforcement officers in a pursuit in Taney County, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing approximately six pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Andrew R. Trammell, 47, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
A Christian County sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop Trammell, who was driving a Dodge Durango on Highway 65 near Highway EE, on June 6, 2019. Trammell refused to stop and led the deputy in a pursuit southbound on Highway 65 into Taney County. Trammell crashed the vehicle upon entering Branson, Mo., and fled on foot. He was apprehended by Branson police officers after a brief foot chase.
Officers searched the vehicle before towing it from the scene of the crash. Officers found a box on the floorboard between the front and back seats that contained approximately six pounds of methamphetamine and a large quantity of cash.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver and Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the Branson, Mo., Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
South Bay Resident Charged with Wire Fraud in Alleged Scheme to Convert Funds Intended for Foster ChildrenRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Annie Corbett has been charged in a criminal complaint with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud local county governments of funds entrusted to her for the benefit of foster children, announced U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson; FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair; Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Kareem Carter; and U.S. Department Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan.
According to the complaint, Corbett, 53, of Redwood City, Calif., owned and operated Corbett Group Homes, Inc. (CGH), a company with the stated mission to provide residential care for children and adolescents. According to the complaint, CGH received funds from local county governments, including Santa Clara County, for the benefit of foster children. The complaint explains that from 2011 through 2018, CGH operated three group homes and received funds from local county governments under a federal program entitled Title IV-E, Aid to Families with Dependent Children- Foster Care.
Under the program, the local county governments provided the funds to CGH that received the funds on behalf of minors residing in the group homes. The complaint alleges that Corbett used wire transfers to convert funds intended for foster children and to use the money for her personal enrichment, including credit card payments, personal expenses, and personal retail business payments. Corbett is charged with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted of the charge, Corbett faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Corbett is scheduled to make her initial federal court appearance on November 19, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chinhayi Cadet is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Leung. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-CI, and HHS-OIG with assistance from the office of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeffrey F. Rosen.
Sentence: Kansas Woman Ignored Overdoses, Kept Peddling Heroin Laced with FentanylRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas woman was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison after a hearing in which prosecutors said she sold heroin laced with fentanyl while ignoring overdoses among buyers in Leavenworth, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Amber L. Juarez, 37, Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Juarez sold heroin on three separate occasions to a confidential informant. The heroin from two of the three purchases was mixed with fentanyl.
The investigation revealed Juarez sold more than a kilogram of heroin over the course of approximately five months.
At a sentencing hearing Monday, prosecutors argued that Juarez knew buyers were overdosing but continued to sell heroin.
McAllister commended the Leavenworth Police Department, the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel for their work on the case.
San Fernando Valley Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl that Resulted in Victim’s Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison for selling fentanyl to a 22-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose approximately 20 minutes after ingesting the drug.
James Dorion Rodriguez, 29, of Van Nuys, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney. Rodriguez pleaded guilty in December 2019 to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
Less than one month after he had been convicted in a separate drug trafficking case, Rodriguez arranged to sell cocaine to the victim. Investigators believe that Rodriguez intended to sell cocaine to the victim, but accidentally gave him fentanyl in the March 18, 2018 transaction.
The victim then ingested the drug and drove away. Hours later, the victim was found dead in his car in a nearby parking lot in Sherman Oaks. Based on telephone records, the victim died within 20 minutes of snorting the fentanyl.
Court documents filed in this case detail how investigators used surveillance video, phone records and witness statements to determine that Rodriguez supplied the narcotics to the victim only hours before he was found dead.
Rodriguez continued to deal in fentanyl and other opioids after the victim’s death. In September 2018, investigators executed a search warrant of Rodriguez’s car and found approximately 7 grams of powder fentanyl, a digital scale, multiple notebooks documenting drug dealing, and plastic baggies. After his arrest by federal authorities later that month, Rodriguez confessed to dealing fentanyl and delivering drugs to the victim on the night of the victim’s death.
This investigation in this case was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This was the first pursuant to a law enforcement partnership established to aggressively investigate opioid overdose deaths and prosecute the responsible drug dealers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin R. Barron, Chief of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Salinas Man Charged with Illegally Possessing A Firearm Silencer Located in His Storage LockerRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Rufino Costales Jr. made his initial appearance today after being charged in a criminal complaint alleging he possessed an unregistered firearm silencer, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman.
An affidavit filed by an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in connection with the criminal complaint alleges that Costales, 45, of Salinas, claimed to own firearms and to manufacture firearm silencers, also known as sound suppressors. The complaint further alleges Costales made a series of threats to the safety of law enforcement officers and other people. Costales threatened to use self-manufactured weapons, including an explosive device.
Law enforcement officers discovered the silencer in a storage unit rented to Costales. The silencer bore no manufacturer mark nor any serial number and was not registered as required by law.
Costales was arrested on October 30, 2020, and had his initial appearance in federal court in San Jose this morning. His next scheduled appearance is at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2020, for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi.
Costales is charged with possession of an unregistered firearm silencer, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d). If convicted of the offense charged in the complaint, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick R. Delahunty is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Russian Cybercriminal Sentenced to Prison for Role in $100 Million Botnet ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced Oct. 30 to eight years in prison for his role in operating a sophisticated scheme to steal and traffic sensitive personal and financial information in the online criminal underground that resulted in an estimated loss of over $100 million.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miller of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after the sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
Aleksandr Brovko, 36, formerly of the Czech Republic, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. According to court documents, Brovko was an active member of several elite, online forums designed for Russian-speaking cybercriminals to gather and exchange their criminal tools and services.
“For over a decade, Brovko participated in a scheme to gain access to Americans’ personal and financial information, causing more than $100 million in intended loss,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution and the sentence imposed show the department’s commitment to work with our international and state counterparts to bring cybercriminals to justice no matter where they are located.”
“Aleksandr Brovko used his programming skills to facilitate the large-scale theft and use of stolen personal and financial information, resulting in over $100 million in intended loss,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our office is committed to holding these criminals accountable and protecting our communities as cybercrime becomes an ever more prominent threat. I also want to thank our prosecutors and investigative partners for their terrific work on this complex case.”
“This investigation is a prime example of the Secret Service’s investigative mission; to protect the U.S. financial infrastructure by pursuing counterfeit and financial crimes investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miller of the Secret Service Washington Field Office. “The Secret Service in alliance with state and local law enforcement is dedicated to effectively identifying those victimizing our communities and bringing them to justice.”
As reflected in court documents, from 2007 through 2019, Brovko worked closely with other cybercriminals to monetize vast troves of data that had been stolen by “botnets,” or networks of infected computers. Brovko, in particular, wrote software scripts to parse botnet logs and performed extensive manual searches of the data in order to extract easily monetized information, such as personally identifiable information and online banking credentials. Brovko also verified the validity of stolen account credentials, and even assessed whether compromised financial accounts had enough funds to make it worthwhile to attempt to use the accounts to conduct fraudulent transactions.
According to court documents, Brovko possessed and trafficked over 200,000 unauthorized access devices during the course of the conspiracy. These access devices consisted of either personally identifying information or financial account details. Under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the estimated intended loss in this case has been calculated as exceeding $100 million.Senior Trial Attorney Laura Fong of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen Dwyer prosecuted the case. In addition, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Cybercrime Intelligence Unit of the New York County District Attorney’s Office provided critical assistance. The Department of Justice also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by authorities in the Czech Republic.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Ridgeland Woman Charged with Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Judith Ann Middleton, 70, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with multiple violations of federal law involving unemployment insurance benefits fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and U.S. Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Shawn Wolfe.
In May 2020, it was discovered that unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Washington had been deposited into Middleton’s account. Investigation into these benefits revealed that they were deposited under other individuals’ names. The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency, and Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act) into law in response to the pandemic to aid those financially affected by the outbreak. This aid included $600 of federal unemployment compensation benefits in addition to those provided by the states.
“Those who blatantly steal taxpayer money by defrauding government programs during a national emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic will soon find themselves standing in a federal court to answer for their crimes. This type of fraud particularly hurts the unemployed, but also our government, our economy, and all Americans. We will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to root out this fraud and protect the public from further financial harm,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
“The United States Secret Service is investigating the release of CARES Act relief payments and associated fraudulent schemes that seek to exploit these funds. We have observed a proliferation and diversification of criminal schemes, particularly an increase in targeting various economic relief programs, such as unemployment benefits, the Payment Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) payments. The Secret Service is collaborating closely with other federal, state, and local agencies, and our financial institution partners to detect, investigate, and bring justice to criminals committing financial fraud related to COVID-19,” said Shawn Wolfe, Resident Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, Jackson Resident Office.
Middleton appeared for arraignment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson. The case has been set for trial before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III on December 7, 2020. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan M. McCalla is prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Raeford Woman Had Initial Appearance on Wire and Mail Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raeford woman self-surrendered on charges of wire and mail fraud.
According to court documents, Tracey Cathey McNeill, Age 50, devised a scheme and artifice to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management by obtaining disability, retirement, and life insurance payments issued by those agencies for the benefit of W.R., an individual in McNeill’s care at the time of the alleged scheme. The documents allege that between April 2015 and February 2017, McNeill received over $90,000 in benefits from the agencies.
McNeill is charged with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. She faces a maximum penalty of 240 months in prison if convicted.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General and U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamika Moses is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:20-cr-474-D.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Plea: Man from Sinaloa Had 2+ Pounds of Heroin in CarRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A man from Mexico pleaded guilty today to driving more than one kilogram of heroin to Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Orlando Alexis Gaxiola-Guevara, 24, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He and another man were stopped on I-70 in Logan County, Kan. Gaxiola-Guevara presented an identification that said he was from a city in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. Officers found more than one kilogram of heroin hidden in the quarter panels of the car.
Sentencing is set for January 25, 2021. He could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. McAllister commended the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane for their work on the case.
Oregon Military Department Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Government Contracting FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— a former civilian program manager for the Oregon National Guard’s Oregon Sustainment Maintenance Site (OSMS) was sentenced to federal prison today for making false statements in representing the operational status of military equipment used to maintain the U.S. Army’s war-ready posture and billing for $6 million in repairs that were never done, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Dominic Caputo, 49, was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said “This criminal investigation and prosecution demonstrates why misrepresenting the availability of essential equipment to the Department of Defense is a serious offense and will be punished accordingly”.
"Mr. Caputo's scheme to defraud the Department of Defense (DoD) violated the trust afforded to him by the Oregon National Guard, threatened the integrity of the DoD acquisition process, and wasted taxpayer money," said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. "This investigation is yet another example of our agents and law enforcement partners working together to uncover corruption and protect taxpayers' dollars entrusted to the DoD."
“Americans rightly expect that those supporting our armed forces do so with pride and integrity, not indifference and dishonesty,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “We thank all of our law enforcement and military partners for working together to bring a resolution in this case and ensure the future safety of our troops in the field,”
According to court documents, from approximately 2009 through 2014, Caputo served as the Program Manager of the Power Division of the Oregon National Guard’s OSMS at Camp Withycombe, an Oregon Military Department installation in Clackamas County. OSMS supports readiness and training of the U.S. Military by refurbishing out-of-service electronic equipment owned by the U.S. Department of Defense. In the event of an emergency or declaration of war, OSMS deploys refurbished equipment to other military bases or installations. During the time alleged in the Indictment and until 2015, OSMS was the only maintenance site in the United States capable of repairing and rebuilding certain models of electric generators and other small engines and parts in support of the federal military supply system.
In Fiscal Year 2014, Caputo billed the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) more than $675,000 for the repair and rebuilding of John Deere Diesel Engines despite the work having not been performed. More than 60 of the engines had already been repaired and billed to CECOM in prior fiscal years. For those engines, Caputo directed Power Division employees to remove and replace original serial numbers and identifying engine plates from the engines to conceal the duplicate billing.
In June 2014, Caputo willingly and knowingly prepared a work order and run test data indicating that the falsified repair work on an engine had been performed. Caputo submitted this false information to CECOM. Caputo’s employment with OSMS was terminated in November 2014 when his fraud was revealed. Despite the magnitude of the monetary losses, there was no evidence that Caputo engaged in the fraudulent conduct for his own financial enrichment. The fraud perpetuated an inefficient operation, and covered for defendant’s own ineffective management.
In September 2018 a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 5-count indictment charging Caputo with multiple instances of making false statements in representing the operational status of military equipment used to maintain a war-ready posture. On January 9, 2020, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false and fraudulent writing.
During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut ordered Caputo to pay $2.6 million in restitution, the amount of overbillings for labor that was never performed by the Oregon National Guard employees at OSMS.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, and the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Ryan Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Marvin Keaton, 39, of Columbus, Ohio, pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
“Another Ohio poison peddler dealing meth in Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Keaton is the latest in a long line of Ohio drug dealers that have been convicted by my office. Out of state drug dealers are not welcome in West Virginia.”
Keaton admitted that on February 25, 2020, he met a person on the 1900 block of 12th Avenue in Huntington and sold them 10.159 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $200. On March 3, 2020, Keaton sold the same person 20.837 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $400.
Keaton faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine when sentenced on February 1, 2021.
The Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey 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-00112.
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O.C.-Based Health Care Organization Agrees to Pay over $31.5 Million to Settle Claims It Overbilled Medicaid for Prescription MedicationRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Memorial Health Services, a Fountain Valley-based non-profit health care organization, has agreed to pay more than $31.5 million to resolve allegations that it overbilled Medicaid for prescription medication purchased and reimbursed under a federal drug pricing program, the Justice Department announced today.
The settlement agreement is the result of a voluntary disclosure made in October 2019 by Memorial Health, which under the name MemorialCare Health System operates Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Miller Children's and Women's Hospital, and Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center.
After an internal audit, Memorial Health determined that its hospitals and pharmacies overbilled the United States and California, which jointly fund Medicaid – known in California as Medi-Cal – a program that helps lower-income people with their medical costs.
According to the settlement agreement, from December 2016 to October 2019, Memorial Health improperly charged higher “usual and customary” costs, rather than lower “actual acquisition costs,” as required under the 340B Drug Pricing Program. This federal program requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient medication to eligible health care organizations at significantly reduced prices.
The overbilling allegedly resulted from Memorial Health billing for its usual costs following a federal court’s temporary stay of the implementation of the California law requiring 340B providers to bill Medi-Cal at actual acquisition cost rates. But once a court lifted the temporary ban, Memorial Health failed to implement actual acquisition cost pricing.
“Hospitals and pharmacies that participate in the 340B Program are expected to provide low-priced drugs to vulnerable patients without overcharging the federal or state government,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “While we commend Memorial Health for making a voluntary disclosure of its overbilling, we expect health care entities that participate in the 340B Program to do so fairly, honestly and in full compliance with the law.”
“Today’s settlement was the result of Memorial Health coming forward, doing the right thing, and alerting the authorities of their error,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “The money from the settlement will go back where it belongs: to California’s residents, particularly low-income families and children who rely on Medi-Cal for their healthcare coverage.”
Memorial Health ultimately overbilled the United States and California $21,021,786 and the $31.5 million settlement represents 1.5 times the alleged overbilling, the agreement states. Memorial Health has agreed to pay the United States $12,613,071.60 and California $18,919,607.40 to resolve the allegations, bringing the total settlement amount to $31,532,679.
After making its voluntary disclosure, Memorial Health cooperated with the federal and state authorities’ investigation.
The settlement was negotiated by Assistant United States Attorneys John E. Lee and Abraham C. Meltzer of the Civil Fraud Section, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Inspector General and the California Department of Justice.
The settled claims are allegations only, and Memorial Health has not admitted any wrongdoing.
Northern Florida U.S. Attorney's Office and Federal Criminal Investigators Recognized by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network at Annual Awards ProgramRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Kenneth A. Blanco hosted a virtual ceremony on October 29, 2020, to recognize the recipients of this year’s FinCEN Director’s Law Enforcement Awards which included a new category of honors, “Recognition of COVID-19 Efforts.” He also applauded the swift and tremendous efforts of law enforcement, prosecutors, financial institutions, and others to confront wide scale fraud and money laundering associated with COVID-19 pandemic.
Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Justin Keen and investigators from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General were applauded for their work in uncovering a far-reaching scheme to steal the identities of elderly Floridians for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining federal COVID-19 relief funds. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, made the announcement.
“I couldn’t be prouder of AUSA Keen and our partners at IRS-Criminal Investigations, the FBI and the SBA,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “Protecting senior citizens from financial predators is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and this team used every tool available to ensure they left no stone unturned. We appreciate the work of the dedicated professionals at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for making this vital financial intelligence available to our investigators and prosecutors.”
The mission of the FinCEN is to safeguard the financial system from illicit use, combat money laundering and its related crimes including terrorism, and promote national security through the strategic use of financial authorities and the collection, analysis, and dissemination of financial intelligence. FinCEN serves the interests of the financial, law enforcement, and regulatory communities. FinCEN analysts provide case support to more than 165 federal, state, and local agencies, issuing approximately 6,500 intelligence reports each year. Using advanced technology and a variety of data sources, FinCEN links together various financial elements of the crime, helping federal, state and local law enforcement find the missing pieces to the criminal puzzle.
“Because of the secretive nature of many financial crime investigations, the general public may never know about all of our many successful cases; however, this award highlights the important work that we and our law enforcement partners do to thwart fraud and other crime that involves America’s financial system,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Keen. “Protecting our citizens – especially our seniors – from financial harm is an important part of our mission and would not be possible without the help of professionals at FinCEN and those who work at our local banks and credit unions.”
The Northern District of Florida case recognized by FinCEN at yesterday’s program is still being actively investigated, and is just one example of many cases that have been built with the help of financial intelligence. More information will be provided at the conclusion of the investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - NDFL Recognized By FinCEN.pdf