Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 20 October 2020
Department of Justice is Combatting COVID-19 Fraud but Reminds the Public to Remain VigilantRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – The Department of Justice is reminding members of the public to be vigilant against fraudsters who are using the COVID-19 pandemic to exploit American consumers and organizations and to cheat disaster relief programs, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. In particular, the department is warning the public about scams perpetrated through websites, social media, emails, robocalls, and other means that peddle fake COVID-19 vaccines, tests, treatments, and protective equipment, and also about criminals that fabricate businesses and steal identities in order to defraud federal relief programs and state unemployment programs.
At the direction of Attorney General William Barr on March 16, 2020, the Department of Justice mobilized to safeguard Americans from coronavirus-related fraud and other illegal activity. On March 18, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen instructed the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) to take coronavirus-related complaints from the public and facilitate information sharing among law enforcement partners and regulators, like the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Drug Administration. The Deputy Attorney General tasked U.S. Attorneys to appoint Coronavirus Fraud Coordinators in each judicial district, including the Western District of Louisiana, who has done that very thing. Our office, along with many other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, have also established a regional task force to improve federal, state, and local law enforcement coordination and these members are working diligently to track down any and all complaints that are received in connection with these type of crimes. On March 24, following the President’s invocation of his authorities under the Defense Production Act, the Attorney General formed the DOJ Hoarding & Price Gouging Task Force, which is a nationwide effort to deter, detect, and prosecute hoarding and profiteering in the sale of health and medical resources essential to combatting the spread of COVID-19. Memoranda from the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General prescribing these measures may be found at www.usdoj.gov/coronavirus/DOJresponse.
To date, the NCDF has received more than 76,000 tips concerning COVID-19-related wrongdoing. Similarly, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has also received more than 20,000 tips regarding suspicious websites and media postings. These tips, as well as reports made directly to the offices of U.S. Attorneys, FBI field offices, and other law enforcement agencies, have led to federal law enforcement opening hundreds of investigations.
The department charged its first COVID-19-related fraud case on March 25, and since then, the department has filed criminal charges in 33 cases across the country involving scam vaccines, treatments, or testing or price gouging in the sale of scarce medical supplies. Additionally, the department has initiated civil actions in 11 cases to enjoin fraudulent coronavirus schemes targeting consumers, including cases against defendants marketing ozone gas, silver-ion solution, and bleach-based solution as treatments.
The department has also focused on prosecuting bad actors who have exploited federal relief programs enacted on March 27 under the CARES Act that are intended to assist hard-hit Americans and businesses. In particular, the department has charged 65 defendants in 50 separate cases to date that relate to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The total intended loss to the PPP in those cases is more than $227 million. The defendants in these cases include those brazen enough to submit PPP loan applications for fabricated businesses named after “Game of Thrones” characters and to spend PPP loan proceeds on exotic cars, boats, and expensive jewelry.
The department has coordinated closely with the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) and various other federal law enforcement agencies to stand up the U.S. Department of Justice National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. (See https://www.justice.gov/file/1319301/download.) This task force is charged with investigating numerous fraud schemes targeting the unemployment insurance programs of state workforce agencies, which have been distributing additional Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds provided for under the CARES Act. To date, the department has charged fraud or money laundering in 12 cases relating to unemployment insurance, and has also been supporting DOL-OIG’s efforts to mitigate the threats that transnational criminal organizations and other identity thieves continue to pose to the important benefits programs on which unemployed Americans rely. The department’s leadership has been crucial in organizing and focusing the whole of federal law enforcement on this important issue, including by leveraging the capabilities and resources of the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center and by hiring additional prosecutors to investigate and charge these schemes.
Moving forward, the department also is concerned about, and will aim to deter and prevent, attempts by wrongdoers to prey upon potential victims by leveraging news about anticipated approval of a COVID-19 vaccine or about the potential enactment of new disaster relief bills that extend or expand upon CARES Act relief.
The department encourages the public to continue to report wrongdoing relating to the pandemic to the NCDF and to remain vigilant against bad actors looking to exploit this national emergency. To report a scam relating to COVID-19, or if you have information on hoarding or price gouging of critical supplies necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home by calling the NCDF Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form, available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. You can also contact the local U.S. Attorney’s Office in Shreveport at 318-676-3600 or in Lafayette at 337-262-6618 to report any wrongdoing relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
###
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.
Department of Justice Issues Annual Report to Congress on its Work to Combat Elder Fraud and AbuseRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Department of Justice issued its Annual Report to Congress on Department of Justice Activities to Combat Elder Fraud and Abuse. The report summarizes the department’s extensive efforts from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
“The Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to protecting our nation’s seniors from fraud and abuse is clearly illustrated in this year’s report to Congress,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “I appreciate the men and women of the department, our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, and those in the private sector who support our mission. Their hard work and dedication is to credit for our mutual and ongoing efforts to end elder fraud and abuse.”
This year’s report details the department’s incredible successes, despite the challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic. The report notes that while the pandemic presented numerous barriers to investigating and advancing cases, the department nonetheless charged almost 300 cases involving a wide variety of fraud targeting or affecting the elderly. Examples of these cases include government imposter scams, computer tech scams, romance scams, investment scams and lottery scams, among others. The report also describes the department’s extraordinary efforts to end transnational criminal organizations from committing fraud on seniors, including by obtaining court orders to prevent robocalls from overseas organizations and by prioritizing the annual Money Mule Initiative to disrupt the flow of fraud proceeds to perpetrators, particularly those who are overseas.
The report additionally describes the department’s significant outreach efforts — including over 575 events around the country, reaching over 165,500 participants, including seniors and other community members, financial and business partners, and state, local, and tribal governments and law enforcement partners. The report also details the department’s many grants to our partners around the country.
The report features the department’s Elder Fraud Sweep — the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, with over 400 defendants charged for causing more than $1 billion in losses — and the launch of the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline, managed by the department’s Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by trained caseworkers, and to date has received thousands of calls, providing help to seniors and generating leads for further investigation. The department’s National Nursing Home Initiative is also highlighted in the report — launched earlier this year, the Nursing Home Initiative is designed to coordinate and enhance civil and criminal efforts to investigate and prosecute nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care to their residents.
In addition to these historic achievements, the department urges Congress to enact legislation that would strengthen our response to fraud and other crimes that have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have disproportionately impacted seniors.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s work on Elder Justice, please visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $4 Million to Public and Private Entities in Northern Illinois to Advance Forensic ScienceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that governmental and private entities in northern Illinois will receive more than $4 million in Department of Justice grants to advance forensic science.
The grants, administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of $192 million in nationwide awards to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons.
“These substantial federal funds will provide crucial resources to northern Illinois agencies working to advance the important area of forensic science,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “The Justice Department is committed to helping state and local law enforcement improve its crime-fighting technology.”
“Developments in forensic science have given investigators an extraordinary array of tools that can be enlisted to solve crimes and bring answers to victims and survivors, often after many years and even decades,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP. “These investments will help identify and convict perpetrators, ensure justice for innocent victims, and keep communities safe by deterring future criminal activity.”
Three types of grants were awarded to recipients in northern Illinois:
DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program. These funds assist with increasing the capacity for DNA analysis and the number of DNA samples, while decreasing the backlog and turnaround time for DNA analysis. Recipients may use funding to upgrade laboratories and purchase equipment and supplies, such as DNA sample collection kits. The recipients and awards in northern Illinois are as follows:
- Illinois State Police: $2,384,863
- DuPage County Sheriff’s Office: $340,696
- Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Laboratory: $340,696
Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program. These funds help improve forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services, including services provided by laboratories operated by states and units of local government. Funds may be used to eliminate a backlog in the analysis of forensic evidence and to train and employ forensic laboratory personnel. The recipients and awards in northern Illinois are as follows:
- Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority: $683,465
- Cook County: $190,500
Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes. These funds advance basic and applied research and development that lead toward more accurate, reliable, and cost-effective methods of analyzing physical evidence. The recipients will address the current needs of the forensic science community while adding to the existing body of knowledge. The recipient and award in northern Illinois are as follows:
- Cadre Research Labs: $199,615
For the full list of awards across the country, view the OJP fact sheet.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. For more information about OJP and its components, visit the OJP website.
Department of Justice's COPS Office Invests More Than $536.7 Million in Grants to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Crime, and Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) awarded more than $536.7 million in Fiscal Year 2020 to increase law enforcement hiring and to improve school safety, combat opioids and methamphetamine, advance community policing efforts, provide training to the law enforcement field, and protect the health of our nation’s officers and deputies. A total of $4,695,126 was awarded within Florida’s Northern District, according to Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Community Oriented Policing Services grants are critical to our District’s ability to continue protecting the health and safety of our citizens and our law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “These programs provide support for a wide variety of initiatives such as school violence prevention, anti-narcotics programs, law enforcement mental health and wellness, and community policing development, just to name a few. It has been my pleasure to announce over $4.5 million in awards to North Florida recipients throughout fiscal year 2020.”
COPS Office awards within Florida’s Northern District in fiscal year 2020 include:
COPS Hiring Program (CHP): Nearly $400 million in CHP grant funding was awarded to 605 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which will allow those agencies to hire 2,761 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. CHP provides funding for the hiring and rehiring of entry-level career law enforcement officers in an effort to create and preserve jobs and increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
Recipients in the Northern District of Florida:
- Fort Walton Beach Police Department: $329,595
- Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office: $118,838
- Walton County Sheriff’s Office: $1,500,000
School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP): Through SVPP, nearly $49 million was awarded to 160 states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds. Awards included funding for coordination with local law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self; placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures providing significant improvements in security.
Washington County School District received $500,000.
Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program: More than $29.7 million in AHTF grant funding was awarded to 14 state law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement received $2,208,052.
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA): Through LEMHWA, 41 awards were announced totaling $4.5 million to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, implementation of promising practices related to peer mentoring mental health and wellness, and suicide prevention programs.
The City of Gainesville received $38,641.
“Building on the successes in reducing violent crime in 2017, 2018, and 2019, these Department of Justice grants for 2020 help to fight violent crime and deadly narcotics, to improve public safety, and to support the officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “Strong partnerships of federal, state, and local law enforcement can produce better results for the public we all serve.”
“Supporting the men and women of law enforcement as they serve their communities is of paramount importance to the COPS Office,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Now more than ever, it is critical that we continue to provide state, local and tribal agencies the resources they desperately need to continue to advance public safety, which they are so committed to doing. We are all the beneficiaries of that work.”
Full lists of all announced COPS Office awards are available here.
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 available 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
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.
Press Release - COPS Grants FY20Department of Justice Announces National Response Center and Offer to Bring Assistance to Minneapolis Police Department to Support Law Enforcement and Safe Communities Through Fair PolicingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, in an announcement by Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric S. Dreiband, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Katharine T. Sullivan, and U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald, unveiled a new National Response Center Initiative and offered the assistance to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) to support law enforcement, and review, enhance and reform policies and practices to prevent the use of excessive force. The BJA Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Response Center will be a national resource for all state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
“I have heard, loud and clear, from Minneapolis faith, community, and business leaders the call for safety and protection in our community,” said United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald. “Today we announce a new initiative between the Department of Justice and the Minneapolis Police Department, offering federal resources to assist MPD in their reform efforts to better serve the City of Minneapolis.”
“As Chief of Police I’m grateful for the opportunity to partner with our U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald to launch the DOJ Response Center Program to improve law enforcement and community protection here in Minneapolis,” said Chief Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis Police Department. “In creating a new MPD, I want to utilize all available tools and resources to support the hardworking and professional men and women of the MPD. We have an obligation and duty to be guardians of our communities and enhance our level of service and this program seeks to do just that. I want to thank our U.S. Attorney for her leadership and assistance in this endeavor.”
“Our goal with this new policing initiative and offer of assistance to the Minneapolis Police Department to keep everyone safe and secure through Constitutional and otherwise lawful police practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Chief Medaria Arradondo and the Minneapolis Police Department to protect the people of Minneapolis and support law enforcement. We seek to ensure public safety and eliminate excessive force by the police. We also seek to enforce the rule of law to protect the people of Minneapolis and because doing so is necessary to all civilized societies.”
“The Department of Justice maintains a long-standing commitment to public safety, and inherent in that commitment is the desire for highly skilled, highly trained professionals capable of protecting their communities while promoting the principles of equity and fairness that form the foundation of law and order,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “This initiative will help law enforcement officers adapt to the wide range of challenges they face every day, from violent gangs, illegal guns, and lethal drugs to civil unrest, decisions about use of force, and the complex social problems like addiction and mental illness that they are so often called on to resolve.”
Following the announcement of the Program, various representatives of the Civil Rights Division, Office of Justice Program, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota will meet with a diverse group of faith, business and community leaders in roundtable events to hear from these stakeholders about important issues related to safe policing and safe communities.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available at www.justice.gov/crt. More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components, please visit at www.ojp.gov.
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Denison Woman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Embezzlement of nearly $1.5 Million from a Local Credit UnionRead the Press Release
Brenda Jensen, age 53, from Denison, Iowa, was convicted of credit union embezzlement. Jensen pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City to embezzling nearly $1.5 million over several years.
In a plea agreement, Jensen admitted that from at least May 2012 to March 2018, she embezzled money from Consumer Credit Union (CCU) in Denison, Iowa while working there as an employee. CCU serviced Crawford, Carrol, Shelby, Ida, Monona, Sac, and Harrison counties.
Jensen and at least one other employee embezzled a total of nearly $1.5 million. Jensen, the credit union’s head teller, was responsible for all cash and cash counts at CCU during the relevant timeframe. Jensen successfully concealed her crime from auditors and CCU for years. Jensen was able to conceal the crime in numerous ways, including overstating the change fund in the credit union’s general ledger balance, and participating with at least one other employee in issuing and depositing fraudulent checks to cover up their ongoing theft. Jensen further concealed the embezzlement by creating fictitious deposits into her personal accounts at CCU. After years of embezzling, the employees changed their methods of concealment and developed another concealment scheme. The new scheme caused CCU an additional $539,000 in losses. CCU’s total cash loss caused an insolvency resulting in a forced merger with SAC Federal Credit Union. CCU was insolvent with negative equity of approximately $481,206, and the value of its assets had decreased by over a million dollars. The million dollar decrease was a direct loss from fraudulent activity.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jensen remains free on bond pending sentencing. Jensen faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4083.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted felon admits guilt in statewide series of robberiesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Columbus man who criss-crossed Georgia while committing a series of robberies has entered guilty pleas to multiple federal charges.
Lawrence Dominique Franklin, 36, of Columbus, Ga., pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Savannah to Armed Bank Robbery, Bank Robbery, and Interference with Commerce by Robbery, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Taken together, the charges carry a possible penalty of up to 65 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Lawrence Franklin chose to commit violent robberies across Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Thanks to the cooperative effort by state and federal law enforcement, Franklin will trade his freedom for a prison cell.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Franklin began a violent crime spree last November, even though he had multiple prior armed robbery and firearm convictions. On November 25, 2019, he entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Columbus, Ga. wearing a construction worker-style vest, retrieved what appeared to be a gun from underneath his shirt, pointed it at a bank employee, and announced a robbery. Three days later, again wearing a construction vest, he robbed a Dollar General store in Savannah, forced an employee to open the store safe, and fled with more than $6,000 cash. The next day, he robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Newnan, Georgia by revealing a gun from underneath a construction worker vest and threatening to shoot.
Franklin later was taken into custody in Atlanta, and the charges in all of the cases were consolidated for plea and sentencing in the Southern District of Georgia.
“Within a matter of days, the defendant terrorized employees and customers in three communities across the state, causing havoc and instilling fear in hardworking Georgians. It’s a choice that will cost him years in a federal prison, where there is no parole,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “Violent crime will not be tolerated in Georgia. I want to commend our law enforcement partners for helping us hold violent criminals accountable.”
“Franklin terrorized innocent victims, who by chance, were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Working together with several law enforcement agencies across the state and the U.S. Attorney's Office, we were able to put an end to his reign of terror so those victims can take comfort in the fact that he won't be able to traumatize any more innocent citizens."
The case was investigated by the FBI, Savannah Police Department, Columbus Police Department, Newnan Police Department, and Atlanta Police Department. It is being prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia; by Northern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg; and by Middle District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Williams.
Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Escaping Custody of Federal Bureau of PrisonsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announces that today, Richard R. Cephas, of Wilmington, Delaware, was sentenced to 18 months consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving for escaping from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in Butner, North Carolina on or about April 1, 2020.
In June 2017, Cephas was sentenced by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware to a term of 66 months in federal prison – for his violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 (a)(l) and (b)(l)(A) and 846, Conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine. The conviction and sentence resulted from a long-term High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) federal wiretap investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Drug Trafficking Task Force in Delaware. More about that investigation here.
As alleged in the publicly filed affidavit attached to the Criminal Complaint, Cephas had been serving the remainder of his prison sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Butner, NC. On April 2, 2020, Cephas was placed in an escape status by the BOP following his absence from a bed count conducted by staff at the Butner facility. At the time of his absence, Cephas was not authorized to be away from the Federal Prison Camp. On April 20, 2020, Cephas was returned to custody.
“Several months ago, as the Coronavirus pandemic began, Richard Cephas, a convicted drug trafficker serving a federal prison sentence, tried to take advantage of the situation by using the threat of the pandemic as a way to avoid paying the price of his criminal activity,” said United States Attorney Higdon. “No one was fooled. And today the U. S. District Court sent that message loud and clear by adding 18 more months - the maximum allowed under the Federal Sentencing rules - to his drug sentence. This sends a powerful message to Mr. Cephas and to anyone else who would try to use the virus or any other similar situation as an opportunity to escape justice.”
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found 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-00209-D-1.
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.
Columbus man admits to selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Deontre Christian Johnson, of Columbus, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Johnson, also known as “Day Day,” age 20, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Johnson admitted to selling cocaine near Jensen Playground on Wheeling Island in December 2019.
Johnson faces at least one and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Colombian Foreign National Extradited to Pensacola to Face Federal Charges for His Role in an International Cocaine Importation ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Gustavo Adolfo Pareja, 26, of Cali, Colombia, was extradited by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida last week as a result of an extensive investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pareja is charged with two federal drug trafficking conspiracy charges involving large amounts of cocaine that are alleged to have been imported into northern Florida. He made his initial appearance today at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola. The extradition and charges were announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This extradition clearly demonstrates that North Florida law enforcers stand united against drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “We have strong partnerships with our local, state and federal partners, and together we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those that prey on our communities. If you are trafficking drugs in our District, you will be held accountable.”
It has been alleged that between January and August 2018, in the Northern District of Florida and in the country of Colombia, former Master Sergeant Daniel Gould of the United States Army and Henry Royer, formerly of the United States Army and Army National Guard, conspired to distribute large amounts of cocaine, knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States.
Pareja is alleged to be the source of supply of the cocaine in Bogota, Colombia. He has been awaiting international extradition proceedings for over a year. Last week, the United States Marshals Service flew from northern Florida to Bogota, wherein the Colombian authorities relinquished Pareja to American law enforcement in order for him to stand trial in Pensacola, Florida.
The conspiracy is alleged to have begun in early 2018 when Gould and Royer initially imported 10 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Royer traveled to Colombia with U.S. currency to use as payment. Gould placed the cocaine in a gutted punching bag and had the package transported to Bogota to be placed on a United States military aircraft. A few days later, the cocaine-filled punching bag arrived at Duke Field, which is an auxiliary airfield of Eglin Air Force Base. Gould and Royer distributed the 10 kilograms of cocaine in Northwest Florida.
Gould and Royer then reinvested the money from the first load of cocaine into a second load of 40 kilograms of cocaine. Gould placed approximately $65,000 in cash on a United States military cargo aircraft destined for Colombia as funds for the next purchase.
In early August 2018, Gould and Royer returned to Colombia and provided money for the 40 kilograms to Pareja, their alleged cocaine supplier. Gould and Royer received the cocaine, loaded the 40 kilograms into two gutted punching bags, and coordinated transport to the embassy before flying back to the United States. Suspicion was aroused at the embassy when packages were x-rayed, revealing cocaine within gutted out punching bags.
On August 13, 2018, when the cocaine was seized at the embassy, Gould had already returned home and was awaiting its arrival. The 40 kilograms of cocaine would have an estimated value in excess of $1 million in the Northern District of Florida. Gould and Royer have pled guilty to their involvement in the criminal activity and are serving sentences in federal prison.
“An apparent source of supply for cocaine into Pensacola has been knocked out,” said DEA Miami Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis. “Pareja is alleged to have participated in a highly brazen criminal scheme to open a pipeline into Northern Florida for illicit distribution that was shut down. Now, like others he conspired with, he will face serious federal narcotics trafficking charges as a result of his actions.”
If convicted, Pareja faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison. A trial date will be set before Senior United States District Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg is prosecuting the case.
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 - Pareja ExtraditionCalifornia University to Pay $225,000 for Allegedly Violating Ban on Incentive CompensationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – San Diego Christian College (SDCC), based in Santee, California, will pay $225,000 to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act for submitting false claims to the U.S. Department of Education in violation of the federal ban on incentive-based compensation, the Justice Department announced today.
Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) prohibits any institution of higher education that receives federal student aid from compensating student recruiters with a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based on the recruiters’ success in securing student enrollment. The incentive compensation ban protects students against admissions and recruitment practices that serve the financial interests of the recruiter rather than the educational needs of the student.
“Higher education enrollment decisions should put students first,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Offering recruiters financial incentives to enroll students undermines students’ ability to make educational decisions in their own best interests.”
“Colleges should be places for students to learn and grow, not places to be taken advantage of by recruiters watching out for the own financial interests,” said U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. for the District of South Carolina. “This office will continue its efforts to protect students against illegal recruiting practices.”
“Today’s settlement is a result of the hard work and effort of the Office of Inspector General and the Department of Justice to protect and maintain the integrity of the Federal student aid programs,” said Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southern Regional Office. “We will continue to work together to ensure that Federal student aid funds are used as required by law. America’s taxpayers and students deserve nothing less.”
The settlement, which was based on SDCC’s ability to pay, resolves allegations that between 2014 and 2016, SDCC hired Joined, Inc., a California-based student recruiting company, to recruit students to SDCC. The United States contended that SDCC compensated Joined with a share of the tuition that SDCC received from the enrollment of recruited students, in violation of the prohibition on incentive compensation.
The allegations resolved by the settlement were brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by Maurice Shoe, the co-owner of Joined. The Act permits private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive $33,750.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch. Investigative assistance was provided by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Shoe v. San Diego Christian College, No. 6:16-cv-01570 (D.S.C.).
#####
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.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Hailang Xie, age 25, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to possessing and intending to distribute 131 pounds of marijuana in Clinton County.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division
As part of his guilty plea, Xie admitted that on July 23, 2019, he transported four hockey bags containing 131 pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute the drugs in the Northern District of New York. Xie admitted that he was heading south on Interstate 87 near Plattsburgh, New York, when he was pulled over by police. Xie admitted that he had the hockey bags in the vehicle’s rear seat; the bags were full of multiple vacuum-sealed plastic bags of marijuana, totaling 131 pounds.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2021.
Xie faces up to 20 years in prison and will be subject to at least 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Anderson.
Boston Man Arrested for Misuse of IdentityRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was arrested today and charged in connection with his use of multiple identities. The defendant allegedly used false identities to obtain government benefits.
Angelito Concepcion Soto, 31, a Dominican national residing in Boston, was charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Concepcion Soto will make an initial appearance remotely in U.S. District Court in Boston.
According to charging documents, Concepcion Soto was arrested on state charges in July 2020 and found to be in possession of a fraudulent driver’s license and Social Security card in the name of a U.S. citizen. That citizen’s identity had also been used to obtain MassHealth coverage and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020. A fingerprint match revealed the true identity of Concepcion Soto, who had been removed from the United States in October 2016 and had subsequently re-entered without permission. Prior to his removal, Concepcion Soto had been arrested on a heroin-related offense under yet a different identity.
Concepcion Soto faces a sentence of up to two years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Chief of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. The DBFTF investigates suspected aliens who are believed to have obtained stolen identities of U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico. The DBFTF has investigated individuals who have used stolen identities to obtain public benefits that they otherwise would not be eligible to receive, including Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles identity documents, Social Security numbers, MassHealth benefits, public housing benefits and/or unemployment benefits.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Al Qaeda-Trained Jihadist Who Recruited Other Inmates to Join ISIS Sentenced to 300 MonthsRead the Press Release
A 46-year-old international terrorist convicted of additional terrorist activity that he committed while an inmate of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has been sentenced in the Eastern District of Texas, announced the Department of Justice.
Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, an Ethiopian national born in Eretria, was found guilty by a jury in December 2019, of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) and making a false statement to the FBI. Ahmed was sentenced to an additional 300 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
“While in prison for a prior terrorism conviction, Ahmed continued to engage in terrorist activity by recruiting fellow inmates to join ISIS and training them in preparation for future attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “As long as terrorists keep offending, the Department will continue to bring them to justice. We have done so in this case.”
“This terrorist’s original prison sentence did not diminish his support of ISIS or its ugly ideology,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. “Fortunately, his efforts to radicalize and train others to commit acts of violence against civilians were thwarted by the quick actions of our law enforcement partners. Our office is committed to pursuing terrorists wherever they hide, including within our federal prison system.”
“As terrorists have grown more determined to inflict violence on populations and use any tool or method at their disposal to do so, law enforcement has become more agile in disrupting their plots,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Division Perrye K. Turner. “Despite serving a sentence for terrorism charges, Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed had unwavering intent to continue on his quest for terror, and used his access to incarcerated individuals to further his recruiting efforts for ISIS. Today's sentence not only demonstrates the persistence terrorists and terrorist organizations have but also, reinforces the persistence of FBI agents in the Beaumont Resident Agency to protect the homeland."
According to information presented in court, in 2013 Ahmed was convicted in the Southern District of New York of conspiring to provide material support to and receive military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization. Ahmed had attended an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan in 1996 and was a member of the Brandbergen Mosque network, which financially and logistically supported other terrorist groups. A federal judge in New York sentenced Ahmed to 111 months in federal prison and he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Beaumont, Texas to serve his sentence.
Ahmed continued his terrorist activities while serving his sentence at FCI-Beaumont. He recruited at least five inmates to join ISIS and to conduct terrorist acts in the United States after their release from federal custody, telling them that he was aligned with ISIS and supported al Shabaab and al Qaeda. From prison, he celebrated the Ariana Grande concert bombing and other acts of terror in the news, telling an inmate, “They kill kids, we gonna kill kids.” Ahmed wanted the inmates he was recruiting to either travel abroad to join ISIS, or create “sleeper cells” within the United States to carry out attacks.
Ahmed provided would-be recruits with a training manual on how to carry out violent jihad, including topics such as “how to carry out guerilla war,” “selection of human targets,” and “how to carry out assassinations.” He even held physical training exercises with other inmates in the prison yard to get them in shape to carry out the acts of terror he was plotting. Ahmed also discussed a plot with fellow inmates to bomb the Federal Detention Center in New York City as a revenge for his prosecution there.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Beaumont Resident Agency, out of the Houston Division, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice and Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook and Katie Sweeten of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Rapp participated in the sentencing hearing.
ATF & LMPD Investigators Honored with U.S. Attorney’s Award for Work in Fighting Violent Crime in LouisvilleRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman is pleased to announce the latest recipients of the U.S. Attorney’s Award For Excellence in Law Enforcement are Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) Detectives Holly Hogan, Tyrell Barner, and Jordan Settle, along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agents Andrew Bledsoe and Dan Volk.
“These ATF and LMPD colleagues demonstrated a level of mission-focus and willingness to collaborate across agency barriers for a unitary purpose: the safety of Louisville families,” said United States Attorney Russell Coleman. “Individuals and families across our city are safer for it.”
The Award commendation presented by U.S. Attorney Coleman to LMPD Detectives Hogan, Barner, and Settle, and ATF Special Agents Bledsoe and Volk recognizes the recipients’ extraordinary service on behalf of the citizens of the Western District of Kentucky for their work during the investigation and prosecution of Marcus Bishop. The agents and detectives broke down the silos that historically exist between law enforcement agencies and worked collaboratively to build a drug conspiracy case that included a number of other open LMPD cases – most notably the shooting of a female victim.
As a result of the award recipients’ investigative efforts, Bishop was convicted of the use of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime and three counts of possession with the intent to distribute heroin. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison - where there is no parole.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky is honoring the extraordinary efforts of its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the District. Additional awards will be presented during the coming months.
####
Monday 19 October 2020
United States Attorney Mike Stuart Recognizes Two in Wood County for Excellence in Pursuit of JusticeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart recognized Agent Cody McClung with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Pat Lefebure today for their outstanding work in partnership with his office.
McClung and Lefebure were presented with the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Justice for their roles in the case of United States v. Benjamin Lee Parsons. The work of both McClung and Lefebure were critical to the case’s successful conclusion. Law enforcement officers with the Parkersburg Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also involved in the investigation of Parsons.
“It was truly a pleasure for me to honor the outstanding work of Agent McClung and Prosecutor Lefebure today. It is through strong partnerships with law enforcement and state prosecutors that we achieve our greatest, most meaningful successes,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The investigation and prosecution of the Parsons case was important for public safety as well as the safety of our police officers. As U.S. Attorney, one of my greatest honors is to work alongside the men and women of law enforcement. I thank them for what they do each day to keep us safe and for their unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice.”
The investigation of Benjamin Lee Parsons, 31, of Mineral Wells, began in 2016 for making threats against police and others and claiming to have interest in terrorist organizations. In December 2015, Parsons had worn a mask to a church service in Mineral Wells. In January 2017, Parsons told several witnesses at a church in Parkersburg that he was armed, that he had recently thought about shooting police, that he had been watching violent terrorist videos, and that he had communicated with foreign terrorists and discussed several “soft targets” in Wood County. The Wood County Sheriff’s Department responded and seized numerous firearms from his residence. Agent Cody McClung was the lead investigator for the Sheriff’s Department and he worked closely with members of the Parkersburg Police Department, and ATF and FBI special agents throughout the investigation. Due to the efforts of Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure, Parsons was involuntarily committed to a mental hospital in February 2017. That adjudication prohibited Parsons from possessing firearms under both state and federal law.
In October 2018, investigators learned that Parsons had acquired additional firearms including a high-capacity semiautomatic FNH model M249S 5.56 caliber assault rifle. The rifle is the semiautomatic civilian version of the Squad Assault Weapon (SAW) used by the United States military. Investigators further learned that Parsons had obtained the weapon from another individual who told investigators that he had purchased it for Parsons from a licensed firearms dealer in Marietta, Ohio. Police arrested Parsons on October 31, 2018 on a federal charge of conspiracy to provide false information to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the acquisition of a firearm. On November 2, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at a wooded area in Mineral Wells where Parsons had been living. When investigators executed the search warrant, they recovered the FNH assault rifle and a Molot 5.45x39mm rifle from a locked case Parsons kept at his campsite on the property. The FNH was loaded with approximately 190 rounds of belted ammunition in a drum magazine. Investigators also located and seized 12 magazines for the Molot loaded with 164 rounds of ammunition, 32 additional unloaded magazines, and approximately 640 rounds of 9mm and other rifle ammunition.
As a result of this investigation, in May 2019, Parsons pled guilty in federal court to possessing the SAW and Molot 5.45x39 rifle after being committed to a mental institution. Parsons was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for his crime. Upon release from prison, Parsons will serve three years of federal supervised release, during which he will receive mental health treatment.
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.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
###
United States Attorney Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Peter Deegan announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Daniel Tvedt will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Tvedt has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Iowa, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Deegan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. 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, United States Attorney Deegan stated that AUSA/DEO Tvedt will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at telephone number 319-363-6333.
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 402-493-8688.
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 Deegan 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.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Update on Federal Prosecutions and Strategies to Combat Violent Crime in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today provided an update on federal prosecutions and strategies to combat violent crime in Chicago and the surrounding area.
The centerpiece of the federal fight against violent crime continues to be the revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods, as well as Project Guardian, which focuses on firearms prosecutions, and Operation Legend, the Department of Justice’s recent initiative to address violent crime in several U.S. cities, including Chicago, which has been facing a significant increase in homicides and shootings. These initiatives have enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to sustain significant levels of federal prosecutions of violent offenders despite the recent unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Despite a global health crisis that continues to impact the criminal justice system, our office has maintained or exceeded its recent levels of prosecutions of violent criminals, including trigger-pullers, carjackers, and those who illegally use and possess firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We are using every available federal law enforcement tool to reduce violent crime in Chicago and hold violent offenders accountable.”
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms.”
According to preliminary data for the 2020 Fiscal Year, which ended Sept. 30, 2020, 262 defendants were charged with a firearm offense in the Northern District of Illinois. This number is higher than 14 of the previous 15 years, with the lone exception being 2019, which had 8% more firearm defendants. The number of firearm defendants in FY20 was 33% higher than 2018, and 48% higher than 2017, according to preliminary data. These increases were particularly significant considering that, prior to 2019, the 2018 and 2017 fiscal years stood as the two highest years of federal firearm defendants in more than a decade.
The sustained focus on federal prosecution of firearm offenses in the Northern District of Illinois was enhanced by Operation Legend, which launched in Chicago in July. Under Operation Legend, approximately 176 defendants have been charged with federal offenses impacting violent crime in Chicago, including 130 charged with firearms-related offenses, 40 charged with narcotics-related offenses, and 6 charged with other violent crimes. Approximately 1,057 defendants have been charged throughout the country under Operation Legend, including 568 with firearms-related offenses, 411 with narcotics-related offenses, and 78 with other violent crimes.
“The number of violent crimes in Chicago remains stubbornly high, including homicides, shootings, and carjackings, and we have seen troubling increases in these areas in 2020,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our goal as federal prosecutors is not simply to bring more cases against more defendants, but rather to reduce violent crime, and one way to do that is by continuing to bring quality, impactful cases. As federal prosecutors, we endeavor to disrupt violent crime by seeking pre-trial detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community, employing federal resources to enhance law enforcement’s efforts to build strong cases, and pursuing appropriate sentences in federal prison to deter dangerous individuals from continuing to wreak havoc in our neighborhoods.”
Nationally, the Department of Justice announced last week that more than 14,200 defendants were charged in federal courts across the country with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year 2020.
“Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners,” said Attorney General Barr.
Through enforcement actions, prosecutions, and community partnerships, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer.
Enforcement Actions and Prosecution Activity
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including ATF, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to investigate and prosecute a variety of violent crimes. State and local partners in this effort include the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Rockford Police Department, and other local departments throughout northern Illinois.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Gun Crimes Prosecution Team continues to enhance the prosecution of illegal firearm possession in certain police districts in Chicago. Working collaboratively with federal and local law enforcement, the team focuses on charging Chicago’s most dangerous criminals quickly after arrest, endeavoring to disrupt the cycle of violence in the neighborhoods most in need.
“Our Gun Crimes Prosecution Team has had tremendous success investigating and prosecuting firearms cases from those Chicago neighborhoods suffering from the most violent crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our partnerships with CPD and other state and local law enforcement have never been better.”
Firearm and violent crime investigations in Chicago have also been bolstered by an important tool from ATF: the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. Federal, state and local law enforcement in Chicago have used NIBIN extensively to help solve violent crimes and prosecute trigger-pullers and other gun offenders.
Following up on the activities our office reported in October of last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains active in fighting violent crime through various enforcement actions, prosecutions, and sentencings, as illustrated below:
Gang-Related Prosecutions
“Combating the unacceptable level of gang violence in Chicago has been and will continue to be a top priority in our office,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- ALONZO G. HORTA, a member of the violent Latin Kings street gang, was sentenced last month to 27 years in prison for engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder. Horta fatally shot Alfonso Calderon on the Southeast Side of Chicago in 2017 because Horta suspected Calderon was a member of a rival gang. Horta was named with more than 30 other alleged members of the Latin Kings in an indictment that charged numerous other murders, attempted murders, and arsons. The case was investigated by FBI, CPD, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hammond, Ind., Police Department.
- DARNELL MCMILLER, the alleged leader of the Black Disciples street gang in Chicago, was among 23 individuals charged in July as part of a federal investigation into drug and gun trafficking on the city’s South Side. Several other alleged high-ranking members of the Black Disciples were also charged, including the leader of the gang’s “Dog Pound” faction. Law enforcement seized 24 firearms and more than 13 kilograms of cocaine during the probe, which was led by FBI, CPD, ATF, DEA, and IRS-CI.
- “Operation Full Circle” and “Operation Wicked Stones” targeted two street gangs responsible for firearms offenses, narcotics trafficking, and violence on the West Side of Chicago. During the probe, 24 defendants were charged, and law enforcement seized 34 firearms, more than six kilograms of heroin, more than 17 kilograms of cocaine, more than a kilogram of fentanyl, and more than $1.3 million in cash and jewelry. The multi-year investigation was led by ATF, DEA, IRS-CI, HIDTA, and CPD, with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), and assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
- Racketeering charges were unsealed in March against ten alleged members of the LAFA street gang for allegedly participating in a criminal organization that murdered its rivals and violently protected drug-dealing territories on the South Side of Chicago. The charges accuse five alleged LAFA members of committing murder in furtherance of the gang’s activities. The indictment also charged attempted murders and several firearm offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office worked closely in the investigation with FBI and CPD, with support from OCDETF.
- JASON BROWN, also known as “Abdul Ja’Me,” the alleged leader of the AHK street gang, which is based in the Chicago suburb of Bellwood and comprised of former members of other gangs, including the Black P Stones, Gangster Disciples, and Four Corner Hustlers, was charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Six other alleged AHK members or associates were charged separately with federal drug offenses. The case was investigated by the National Security Division of the Department of Justice, CPD, IRS-CI, ISP, USPIS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, HSI, Lombard, Ill., Police Department, and Addison, Ill., Police Department.
Firearm Trafficking and Firearm Theft Prosecutions
“Straw purchasers and firearms traffickers enable unlawful possession of guns and the violence that may follow,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, including our colleagues in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, to hold accountable those who engage in illicit firearm transactions.”
- Earlier this month, WAYNE ADAM TUCKER, of Albion, Ind., was charged with illegally selling 39 handguns and assault rifles in the Chicago area. In setting up the deals with an individual who was confidentially working on behalf of law enforcement, Tucker explained that he obtained the guns from people who purchased them at gun shows in Indiana. The probe was led by FBI and CPD.
- Last month, BRIAN HAYWOOD, of Hammond, Ind., was charged with “straw purchasing” guns in Indiana on behalf of a convicted felon in Chicago. On three occasions this summer, Haywood allegedly purchased the guns and falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer. The investigation was led by the FBI.
- A suburban Chicago man was sentenced in January to eight years in prison for stealing guns from a licensed firearms dealer. KEVIN CULPS, of Dolton, stole or attempted to steal guns from firearms dealers in Manteno, Loves Park, and Tinley Park. Two co-defendants were also convicted and sentenced to prison terms. ATF led the investigation, with assistance from the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, CPD, and Police Departments of Loves Park, Manteno, Tinley Park, and Lombard.
- OMRAN ISMAIL, of Burbank, was sentenced in December to a year and a half in prison for conspiring to straw purchase handguns on behalf of a woman who allegedly tried to smuggle the firearms into Egypt. The guns were discovered in the woman’s checked luggage at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago as she attempted to board a flight to Cairo, via London. The investigation was conducted by HSI, CBP, and CPD.
Carjacking and Robbery Prosecutions
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement to prosecute violent crimes, such as carjacking, that violate federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- ELIAS QUINONES-FIGUEROA, of Chicago, was charged last month with carjacking a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe sport-utility vehicle from a victim in the city’s West Town neighborhood in May. Quinones-Figueroa allegedly brandished a handgun during the carjacking. The probe was led by FBI and CPD, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- In August, MICHAEL C. PEARSON, of Chicago, was charged with carjacking a 2006 Buick Lucerne from two victims in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. Pearson allegedly discharged a handgun during the carjacking, but fortunately neither victim was wounded. The case was investigated by FBI and CPD, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- DARIUS D. YOUNG, of Berwyn, was arrested on a federal criminal charge for allegedly robbing a United Parcel Service delivery truck in Oak Park in August. The driver was ordered to lay face down in the street while Young and two others allegedly removed boxes from the truck and drove off. FBI and the Oak Park Police Department participated in the investigation.
- A federal jury in November convicted IVAN PARKER, of Chicago, of robbing an ATM technician at gunpoint in the city’s Little Village neighborhood. Parker pointed a handgun at the technician’s head and used pepper spray on him before grabbing a bag containing $106,335. Parker is awaiting sentencing. FBI led the probe.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Prosecutions
“If you are a felon and thinking about picking up a gun in Chicago, you should expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and face the possibility of going to federal prison for a long time,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- CHAWAN LOWE, of Chicago, was sentenced last month to seven and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun in the city’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. As a convicted felon, Lowe was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. The case was investigated by ATF and CPD, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- In July, convicted felon ANTOINE JACKSON, of Chicago, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded gun in the city’s Avalon Park neighborhood. The semiautomatic handgun had a 16-round magazine and was capable of accepting an even larger capacity magazine. ATF and CPD conducted the probe.
- In the first federal prosecutions in Chicago under Operation Legend, three individuals were charged in July with illegally possessing guns or ammunition in various parts of the city this summer. One of the firearms was a machinegun. ATF and CPD led the investigation.
- Several individuals were charged with federal firearm offenses for allegedly illegally possessing guns during periods of civil unrest in Chicago this summer. The federal defendants include ADAM WALTON, of Chicago, who was arrested in June after Chicago Police officers observed him exiting a store through a broken window while in possession of a loaded semiautomatic handgun and a case of .22-caliber long-rifle ammunition; and JAVONTE T. WILLIAMS, of Chicago, who allegedly possessed a loaded gun while looting a store in downtown Chicago in August.
- A Chicago man who allegedly pointed a loaded semiautomatic handgun at a federal agent in June was charged with a federal firearm offense. The agent had approached JOSEPH HAMMOND in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood while investigating a report of a man holding a gun and a toddler. ATF and CPD led the probe.
- Two roommates were charged in federal court with illegally possessing handguns and trafficking cocaine out of their apartment in Oak Park. Law enforcement searched the apartment of ISAIAH INGRAM and KEVIN HAGER and discovered five semiautomatic handguns, all of which were loaded. The case was worked by FBI, CPD, and the Oak Park Police Department.
- A suburban drug dealer was sentenced in December to 12 years in prison for illegally possessing narcotics and a loaded semiautomatic handgun. EFREN GUTIERREZ illegally possessed the firearm and narcotics in Burbank in 2017. The gun was loaded and had a .45-caliber magazine attached to it. FBI and CPD led the probe.
- A federal jury in December convicted RAMONE SHAFFERS, of Chicago, of illegally possessing a loaded handgun with an extended magazine in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The jury also found Shaffers guilty of obstructing justice for offering to pay witnesses to lie on his behalf. ATF and CPD led the investigation. Shaffers is awaiting sentencing.
- A convicted felon was sentenced in December to nearly seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun and 61 rounds of ammunition in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. ANTONIO BROWN, of Chicago, was previously convicted in state court of the attempted armed robbery of a nail salon. He was released from state prison seven months before the illegal gun possession that led to the federal charge. The probe was led by FBI and CPD.
- A federal judge in December sentenced a Chicago man to more than 16 years in prison for shooting an ATF agent. ERNESTO GODINEZ shot the agent in 2018 in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago. The agent was wounded in the head but survived. ATF led the investigation, with assistance CPD, FBI, USMS, HSI, DEA, and ISP.
Opioid Prosecutions
Opioids are a class of highly addictive drugs that includes heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. Public safety is being threatened by unprecedented levels of opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose. The Department of Justice is committed to using every available tool to enforce federal drug laws and combat the opioid epidemic.
In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed a strategy of aggressive investigations and prosecutions of those who are most responsible for this epidemic. This includes prosecuting the leaders of traditional drug trafficking organizations, as well as rogue healthcare providers, pharmacists, pharmacist technicians, and others who contribute to the supply and overuse of opioids.
“The current opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. "We are actively attacking this crisis from all investigative and prosecutorial angles.”
- WILLIAM TOWNSEND was charged last month with selling wholesale quantities of heroin and fentanyl in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago. During the investigation, which was led by the FBI, law enforcement seized approximately $469,000 in cash and approximately a kilogram of suspected heroin.
- Eighteen individuals were charged this summer as part of “Operation Monticello’s Revenge” with conspiring to sell heroin or fentanyl-laced heroin. Law enforcement during the DEA-led probe shut down a busy open-air drug market in the 1000 block of North Monticello Avenue in Chicago.
- CHARLES KINDRED, of Chicago, was charged in May with selling fentanyl-laced heroin in a store parking lot in Chicago’s Ashburn neighborhood. Unbeknownst to Kindred, the buyer was cooperating with law enforcement. DEA led the investigation, with assistance from the Oak Lawn Police Department.
- A federal grand jury in May indicted MITCHELL DWAYNE SIMMONS, of Chicago, for allegedly trafficking fentanyl-laced heroin and illegally possessing a loaded assault rifle while on parole from a previous drug conviction. The investigation was conducted by ATF and CPD.
Other Significant Drug Trafficking Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office targets traffickers who bring illegal drugs into Illinois from other states or countries, with a focus on organizations or individuals who use guns, violence and threats of violence to protect and promote their illegal businesses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works directly with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure that individuals trafficking drugs are charged with appropriate offenses in either federal or state court.
- In “Operation Dirty Ice,” 13 defendants were charged this summer with participating in a drug trafficking operation that distributed at least 25 kilograms of heroin to customers in Chicago. The street-level sales allegedly occurred at two open-air drug markets in the city’s Austin neighborhood. The investigation was conducted by FBI, IRS-CI, and CPD.
- In July, five individuals were charged as part of an FBI and CPD investigation into cocaine trafficking in the West Ridge neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side.
- FELIPE CABRERA SARABIA, a former high-ranking member of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was extradited to Chicago from Mexico in June to face federal drug charges. Cabrera Sarabia is accused of conspiring with other Sinaloa Cartel members to transport multi-ton quantities of illegal drugs into the U.S. DEA and IRS-CI conducted the probe.
- Ten defendants were charged in May as part of a DEA-led investigation that disrupted a Mexico-to-Chicago cocaine pipeline. The alleged drug sales occurred in the South Loop and Streeterville neighborhoods of Chicago, as well as suburban locations.
- A federal jury in March convicted a Chinese national of laundering illegal narcotics proceeds on behalf of drug traffickers in Mexico. XIANBING GAN schemed to have $534,206 in narcotics proceeds picked up in Chicago and transferred to various bank accounts in China, in order for the money to ultimately be remitted to the Mexican traffickers. Gan is awaiting sentencing. HSI and IRS-CI conducted the probe.
- A suburban man was sentenced in November to 15 years in prison for his role in transporting various narcotics into the United States from China and selling it on the streets of Chicago. NESTOR BURGOS, of River Grove, also possessed two handguns and a silencer in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. HSI and USPIS conducted the probe.
Community Partnerships
The revitalized PSN program continues to invest resources in violence-prevention initiatives. Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office have participated in offender notification meetings and youth outreach forums. Even during the current COVID-19 pandemic, these meetings and forums are still being held, including in a virtual environment, to maintain the outreach to former offenders.
Offender notification meetings provide an opportunity for individuals who have been convicted of a state or federal offense to make an informed choice not to engage in further criminal activity. Researchers at Arizona State University found that the forums have a positive influence on the offenders’ perception of police and help create an understanding that criminal activity results in a higher risk to return to prison. Researchers at Yale University found that ex-offenders who attend an offender notification meeting in Chicago are 30% less likely to commit a new offense than those who did not attend a meeting.
The quarterly youth forums assist children aged 13-17 to identify a path other than gang membership. The youth forums are conducted in partnership with CPD, the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, and the University of Chicago Crime Lab, which tracks the progress of the children to assess results.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges 3 with COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Local Tax Business Alleged to be Responsible for $1.1 Million in Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 Related Economic Injury Disaster Loans
Memphis, TN – Brandy D. Scaife, 42, Janisha L. Jones, 22, and Sharika L. Carpenter, 42, of Better Days Tax Service, have been charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the unsealing of the federal criminal complaint today.
According to information presented in the complaint, between April 2020 and June 2020, Scaife, Jones and Carpenter, participated in a fraud scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funds from the Small Business Administration in excess of $1 million. Further, the scheme resulted in 401 fraudulently filed applications seeking Economic Injury Disaster loans made available to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Numerous applications were submitted using false information for the purpose of facilitating the fraudulent activity. Evidence revealed approved loan applications netted approximately $1.1 million in fraudulently obtained funds.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 30 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Protection of the United States Treasury is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and our office is absolutely committed to bringing to justice those who would seek to take unfair advantage of critical government resources through fraud during this challenging and uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I commend the outstanding investigation by our federal law enforcement partners in this brazen and disturbing case."
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop illegal COVID-19-related activity, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster- complaint-form.
The Western District of Tennessee Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and convicted through due process of law.
###
U.S. Attorney: Do Not Let COVID-19 Distract from Keeping Children Safe on the InternetRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is reminding educators and parents in Kansas not to let COVID-19 distract from keeping students and children safe on the Internet.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives in so many ways,” McAllister said. “We should not forget, however, that young people still face more online threats than ever.”
“In this new environment,” he continued, “I want to remind parents, educators, caregivers and children about the dangers of online sexual exploitation. I urge adults to watch for signs of such exploitation and abuse and to report to and engage federal and state law enforcement authorities when exploitation and abuse are suspected or discovered.”
McAllister said children sometimes are too trusting online and befriend people they do not know. Predators take advantage of this and target children, often between the ages of 10 and 17, typically through social media. Children across all demographics and genders can be targeted and exploited. Sexual exploitation, even when there is never any physical contact, causes very real harm and has a lasting impact. Images and videos do not disappear from the Internet, and the long term effects can be devastating.
Online sexual exploitation can come in many forms. Sextortion occurs when a predator entices a victim into providing sexually explicit images or videos—usually by falsely pretending to be a teen, someone much younger and different than their real identity—and then threatens to share the images publicly if the victim fails to comply with the predator’s demands for increasingly explicit and degrading images and videos.
“In order for such victimization to stop, children need adult intervention and assistance,” McAllister said. “They have to come forward to someone they trust — a parent, teacher, friend, or caregiver—who can then cut off the communications and report the situation to us, which will permit law enforcement to go after the predator.”
McAllister urged parents to review the resources regarding child exploitation and other crimes related to COVID-19 at https://www.fbi.gov/coronavirus. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact the FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, or your local law enforcement agency and report it. Such exploitation is a serious federal crime carrying severe federal penalties.
You can call the FBI office in Kansas City at (816) 512-8200 or make a report online at https://www.ic3.gov/ .
“Federal law enforcement has taken an aggressive approach toward the investigation and prosecution of COVID-19 related crimes such as fraud, price-gouging and hoarding of essential medical supplies,” McAllister said. “But we stand ready to act just as aggressively against those who might seek to take advantage of this situation to exploit our children.”
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Nearly $2.5 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced awards of $2,463,568 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of Nevada. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
“During the pandemic and corresponding restrictions, Nevada has seen an increase in drug overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “By providing these additional grants, the Department of Justice is reinforcing its commitment to end opioid abuse and addiction. We are grateful to the Office of Justice Programs for its support in the fight to end the opioid epidemic, both in Nevada and across the country.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- Reno Municipal Court received $899,839
- Justice Court, Las Vegas Township received $180,450
- Nevada State Board of Pharmacy received $781,761
- Nevada Department of Public Safety received $339,089
- Reno Municipal Court Community Court received $183,042
- Justice Court, Las Vegas Township received $79,387
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
###
U.S. Attorney welcomes new Assistant U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Bill Powell has hired four new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Christopher L. Bauer, Eleanor F. Hurney, Maximilian F. Nogay, and Clayton J. Reid were sworn in over the past few months.
“A position as an Assistant United States Attorney is a coveted one. We receive dozens of applications for every one opening, and many of the applicants are highly qualified. Ultimately, we hire the best person for the position, and we have done so again. I am very proud of our team in this district, and I am confident that our new Assistant United States Attorneys will continue the great work our district is recognized for,” said Powell.
Christopher L. Bauer received his undergrad degree in legal studies and political science, and a minor in philosophy, from William Paterson University in New Jersey. Chris then received his JD/MBA from West Virginia University, where he served on the West Virginia Law Review and the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. From 2016 to 2017, he worked as a litigation associate in the Bridgeport, West Virginia office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. From 2017 to 2018, Chris served as a term law clerk for the Honorable Robert W. Trumble, United States Magistrate Judge. From 2018-2020, he served as a term law clerk for the Honorable Irene M. Keeley, Senior United States District Judge. Chris is working in the criminal division in the District’s Clarksburg office.
Eleanor F. Hurney is a 2017 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. After graduating from WVU in May 2017, she clerked for U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey in Wheeling, for Judge Stephanie D. Thacker with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and, most recently with Judge Frank W. Volk while he was the Chief U. S. Bankruptcy Judge in Southern West Virginia and as a U. S. District Judge in Charleston. Eleanor is working in the criminal division in the Martinsburg office.
Maximilian F. Nogay is a 2018 graduate of WVU College of Law. After graduation, Max joined the law firm of Sellitti, Nogay & Nogay in Weirton, WV. He handled a variety of civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts throughout West Virginia and Pennsylvania as the firm’s primary associate attorney. While in law school, Max won the Lugar Cup, WVU’s annual in-house trial competition, and competed in the National Moot Court Competition held at the U. S. Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit. Max was also a four-year varsity athlete for the West Virginia University baseball team. Max is working in the District’s Wheeling office in the civil division.
Clayon J. Reid is a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia. He received his Bachelor of Science in American Legal Studies from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 2009. Following graduation from West Point, C.J. served in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer until 2014, including one tour in Afghanistan. C.J. received his J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2017, where he was a member of the West Virginia Law Review, Veterans Advocacy Clinic, and Order of the Coif. Following graduation from law school, C.J. served as a term law clerk for the Honorable John Preston Bailey until joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia this year. C.J. works in the District’s Wheeling office in the criminal division.
U.S. Attorney Shappert Announces Election Day Program to Oversee Any Complaints of Election Fraud of Voting Rights ConcernsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Alphonso Andrews will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Andrews has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Virgin Islands District and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Shappert said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination. Every vote must be counted in accordance with the law. 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 consent or without their approval. Federal law also provides protections for the rights of voters, and ensures that citizens can vote without intimidation or harassment. 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 election 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 voting 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 the franchise 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, United States Attorney Shappert stated that AUSA/DEO Alphonso Andrews will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (340) 773-3920 or (340) 344-0503.
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 will have agents on St. Thomas and St. Croix available to respond and who can be reached by the public at (340) 777-3363.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also 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, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately, 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 Shappert 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.”
U.S. Attorney Schroder Announces over $3 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction Crisis in AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage – U.S. Attorney Schroder announced awards of $3,204,331 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in Alaska. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Authorized by the 2016 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program encourages and supports the development of comprehensive, locally driven responses to the opioid and stimulant epidemics that expand access to supervision, treatment and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for non-violent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by the opioid and stimulant epidemics. All projects are expected to involve multiple agencies and partners.
The following organizations received funding:
- Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian tribes was awarded $599,673
- Koyukuk Native Village was awarded $312, 953
Drug courts have been demonstrated to reduce recidivism and substance abuse among high-risk, high-need participants and increase their likelihood of successful rehabilitation. These courts integrate evidence-based substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in judicially supervised court settings. BJA’s Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program provides financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government and tribal governments to develop, implement and enhance drug courts and veterans treatment courts.
The following organizations received funding:- Alaska Court System was awarded $736,129
- Tanana Chiefs Conference was awarded $400,000
BJA awarded $28 million to support the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program, which helps states develop and implement residential substance abuse treatment programs within state and local correctional facilities.
The following organizations received funding:- The Alaska Department of Corrections was awarded $141,718
In addition, BJA awarded $28.1 million to 17 states to fund the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which enhances the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database administered by an authorized agency. Prescription drug monitoring programs help state and local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutically controlled substances such as opioids and other prescription drugs.
The following organizations received funding:- State of Alaska Division of Public Health was awarded $1,013,858
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. 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
U.S. Attorney Schroder Announces over $1.7 Million Awarded to Alaska Department of Public Safety for Advancement of Forensic Science in AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage – U.S. Attorney Schroder announced $1,736,924 in Department of Justice grants to Alaska to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $45 million in funding to support the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) and an additional $192 million in funding to advance forensic science nationwide.
“Far too many people endure the physical and emotional trauma of a sexual assault only to have evidence of the crime remain unanalyzed,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. “These grants will help investigators get these kits to labs, where they can be tested, used to solve crimes and ultimately bring justice to victims.”
Department of Justice grants help law enforcement agencies and crime labs process sexual assault evidence and increase the number of sexual assault kits submitted to crime labs in order to solve more crimes, including cold cases, in Alaska. The Alaska Department of Public Safety was awarded $998,791 in grant funding through the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence –Inventory, Tracking and Reporting (SAFE-ITR) Program in support of law enforcement and prosecutorial activities related to the testing and use of evidence obtained in a sexual assault investigation.
“This funding represents the continued commitment of the Department of Justice in addressing violent crime in Alaska.” said U.S. Attorney Schroder, “Each processed rape kit is step closer to justice for the victims.”
Since 2004, the Office of Justice Programs has received an annual appropriation for DNA and other forensic science activities. The funding, administered through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Institute of Justice, supports DNA analysis, laboratory capacity enhancement and forensic science research that provides knowledge and tools to improve the quality and practice of forensic science. The Alaska Department of Public Safety received $473,435 under the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program.
The Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program helps improve forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services, including services provided by laboratories operated by states and units of local government. Funds may be used to eliminate a backlog in the analysis of forensic evidence and to train and employ forensic laboratory personnel. The Alaska Department of Public Safety was awarded $264,698 under this program.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts, and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., Appoints Election Officer for the Eastern District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.– United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., announced on Thursday that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ken Taylor will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election.
AUSA Ken Taylor has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Kentucky and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Duncan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. 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, United States Attorney Duncan stated that AUSA/DEO Taylor will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 859-685-4874 (office); 859-338-9509 (cell).
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. For all Kentucky based complaints, FBI personnel can be reached by the public at 1-844-596-6721 or [email protected].
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 Duncan 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.”
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 K. Hur Announces More Than $622,000 to Support Mental Health Programs for Juveniles in Contact with Justice Systems in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $622,883 in Department of Justice grants to the Maryland Office of the Public Defender to support juvenile justice initiatives to reduce crime and recidivism associated with mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
“These grant funds will assist youth offenders with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Hopefully, linking these juveniles with treatment will prevent them from re-offending.”
“More and more people with mental illness are coming into contact with the criminal justice system, straining law enforcement resources and placing exceptional demands on our jails and prisons,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “By supporting partnerships between justice system professionals and treatment providers, we are making substantial investments in addressing the link between mental health and public safety.”
Provided through the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, the funding supports efforts that establish collaborative anti-recidivism comprehensive care before, during and after incarceration for persons with serious mental illness. The funding also supports training and technical assistance to law enforcement, other criminal justice agencies and their partner mental health and substance abuse authorities to improve outcomes for youth with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
The following organization in Maryland received funding:
- The Maryland Office of the Public Defender will receive $622,883 from the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
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 Maryland Office of the Public Defender will receive $622,883 from the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $2.9 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction Crisis in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $2,905,629 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of Maryland. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
“We must do everything we can to combat opioid addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “These grants from the Department of Justice will help prevent opioid addiction through prescription drug monitoring programs, provide treatment to drug-addicted prisoners, and help prosecute drug dealers by enhancing our ability to evaluate evidence. These efforts are crucial to the fight to stop drug abuse and dangerous overdoses.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- The Maryland Department of Health has received $1,930,382 to enhance the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database. Prescription drug monitoring programs help state and local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutically controlled substances such as opioids and other prescription drugs.
- The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services has received $427,047 for residential substance abuse for state prisoners.
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology is receiving a total of $548,200 for research and development in forensic science for criminal justice purposes; and for research and evaluation for the testing and interpretation of physical evidence in publicly funded forensic labs.
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
###
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces Almost $10.2 Million in Federal Grants to Support Wellness and Safety of Law Enforcement Officers in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $10,199,380 in Department of Justice grants to benefit law enforcement officers in the District of Maryland. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $54 million in funding nationwide to provide services that protect officers and improve overall public safety. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded grants to law enforcement departments, local jurisdictions, and training and technical assistance organizations throughout the United States.
The FBI’s official crime data for 2019, the most recent available, reflects a decrease in the number of law enforcement officers killed feloniously between 2018 and 2019, from 43 to 32 killed as of September 30, 2019. The number of law enforcement officers reported accidentally killed in 2019 decreased slightly from 33 to 29 in the same reporting period. Additionally, officers experienced nearly 59,000 assaults against them in 2018.
“We simply cannot close our eyes to the unique risks facing law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “It is critically important to support our law enforcement officers and these grants will help provide the tools needed to keep them safe and healthy.”
“The Office of Justice Programs stands proudly with the Attorney General and the President in our commitment to the health and safety of 700,000 sworn law enforcement professionals who selflessly place their lives in jeopardy to keep us all safe,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Bulletproof vests, body-worn cameras, professional training on wellness and safety—these resources, equipment and strategies will help officers do their jobs effectively, keep them safe from harm and protect their health.”
Nationwide, more than $19 million will support the training and implementation of law enforcement agencies’ body-worn camera programs. Another $23.6 million will reimburse jurisdictions for up to 50 percent of the cost of body-armor vests, while nearly $11 million will support law enforcement safety and wellness programs, research and services.
The following organizations in Maryland received funding:
- Morgan State University received $139, 380 under the Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to enable it to improve the capacity to gather evidence and protect the safety of law enforcement officers and citizens.
- Towson University received $60,000 under the same program.
- Justice and Security Strategies received $10 million under the Supporting Small and Rural Agency Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to provide funding and program development to assist small agencies nationwide.
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 Overbey Announces $899,488 in Justice Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey announced today $899,488 in Department of Justice grants to Cocke County to fight drug abuse and addiction in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
"The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction."
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
"If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction," said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. "These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm."
"Many of our rural communities in the Eastern District of Tennessee are confronted daily with the challenges of dealing with drug abuse and addiction. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for communities struggling to address the drug epidemic, these federal funds will help provide treatment-related resources and support services through the Tennessee Recovery Oriented Compliance Strategy (TN-ROCS)," said U.S. Attorney Overbey. "TN-ROCS has proved its effectiveness, and I’m pleased OJP has made this award to such a worthy project."
The TN ROCS project serves Tennessee’s 4th Judicial District, which includes Cocke, Sevier, Jefferson, and Grainger Counties, and its purpose is to increase the capacity of this innovative court-based intervention program to link individuals at high risk of overdose to appropriate, evidence based behavioral health treatment and recovery support services.
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts to be awarded and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit here and here.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
###
U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Appoints Election Officer for the District of ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. - United States Attorney Michael Bailey announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Sean Lokey will lead the efforts of his office related to the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the general election on November 3.
As the District Election Officer (DEO) for Arizona, AUSA Lokey is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election fraud complaints and voting rights concerns in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington, DC.
“The integrity of the voting process is vital to our democracy,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “My office stands ready, alongside our law enforcement partners and the entire Department of Justice, to ensure that integrity is protected and preserved. It is imperative that citizens report any concerns promptly so that we can address them fully and effectively.”
The Justice Department 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 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.
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. Actions designed to interrupt or intimidate a voter at a polling place by questioning, challenging, filming, or photographing the voter under the pretext of trying 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 if needed.
Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt the process are brought to justice.
AUSA Lokey will be on duty in Arizona on Election Day to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns. AUSA Lokey can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 602-514-7516 or 602-361-6516.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will also have 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 FBI in Arizona can be reached by phone at 623-466-1999 or online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also 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/ .
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-087_District Election Officer
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Announces over $3.5 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Michael Bailey today announced awards of over $3.5 million in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in Arizona. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations in Arizona received funding:
- County of Yuma - $262,164
- Gila River Indian Community - $500,000
- Superior Court in Pima County - $499,524
- Judiciary Courts of the State of Arizona - $750,000
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission - $817,487
- Arizona Youth Partnership - $690,553
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: 2020-088_Opioid Grants
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.- County of Yuma - $262,164
U.S. Attorney McCoy Announces More Than $2.5 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today awards of more than $2.5 million in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of South Carolina. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
“As the perils of addiction ravage through the country, the citizens of South Carolina have been hit hard,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “While this office continues to vigorously prosecute those who traffic these addictive substances, it is critical to address other factors surrounding the addiction crisis in South Carolina. These funds do that by providing resources for drug courts, veteran treatment programs, site-based addiction programs, and residential substance abuse treatment.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- Oconee County: $585,693
- Lancaster County: $590,757
- Colleton County: $483,599
- Richland County: $500,000
- South Carolina Department of Public Safety: $430,032
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.
U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn Announces Election Day Program for November 2020 and Appointment of Election OfficerRead the Press Release
DENVER -- United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Rebecca Weber will lead the efforts of the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Weber in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
In the past two weeks U.S. Attorney Dunn has been involved in a variety of meetings to discuss election security, including meeting with Governor Jared Polis and hosting a virtual meeting with representatives of the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, the FBI, Homeland Security, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
United States Attorney Dunn said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
United States Attorney Dunn continued, “Ensuring free and fair elections also 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 or the FBI.”
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, United States Attorney Dunn directed that AUSA/DEO Weber be on duty now through the election and final result tabulation in Colorado. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 303-454-0332 desk or 720-281-1734 cell.
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 303-629-7171.
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.
U.S. Attorney Erica H. Macdonald Announces $4.7 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced awards of more than $4.7 million in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of Minnesota. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
“As a former judge and Assistant United States Attorney, I have seen first-hand the damage and destruction drug addiction can cause to individuals, families, and communities, said United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald.” But I have also seen inspiring examples of recovery and I know that there is always hope. These grants will provide and sustain the treatment and prevention resources that are crucial in the fight against drug addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program:
Category 1
Awardee
Amount Awarded
Ottawa County Community Mental Health
$900,000
City of Duluth
$899,055
Upper Sioux Community
$538,819
County of Saint Louis
$897,607
City of Saint Paul
$412,125
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program: Category 2
8th Judicial District Treatment Court
$286,617
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program: Category 3
Judiciary Courts of the State of Minnesota
$499,486
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
$279,382
Total Minnesota
$4,713,091
A full list of the awards, organized under specific grant programs and listing awardees by state, is available here.
Additional information about FY 2020 grant awards from the Office of Justice Programs can be found online at the OJP Award Data Page.
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.
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
U.S. Attorney Duncan Announces over $2 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., announced on Monday the awarding of $2,011,078 in Department of Justice grants, to fight drug abuse and addiction in eastern Kentucky. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
“Opioid abuse continues to have a devastating impact on eastern Kentucky and the Department of Justice remains committed to continuing the fight against this scourge,” said U.S. Attorney Duncan. “These important grant awards to entities in the Eastern District of Kentucky will allow criminal justice officials to better allocate resources toward addressing the critical health issues associated with opioid abuse.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- Floyd County Fiscal Court- $600,000
- Kenton County Fiscal Court- $900,000
- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government- $511,078
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
###
U.S. Attorney Appoints Election Officers to Respond to Election Fraud or Voting Rights Complaints in MaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) John Osborn and Andrew McCormack will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3 general election. AUSAs Osborn and McCormack have been appointed as the District Election Officers for the District of Maine. In that capacity they will be 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,” U.S. Attorney Frank said. “The Department of Justice will always use whatever means are necessary 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, AUSAs Osborn and McCormack will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Osborn can be reached in Portland at 207-771-3214, and McCormack can be reached in Bangor at 207-262-4615.
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 207-774-9322.
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.
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “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.”
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 Announces Resources for Voter Intimidation and Election FraudRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Christopher P. Tenorio (619) 909-7556
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 19, 2020
U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Tenorio will lead the efforts on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election on November 3, 2020.
Mr. Tenorio has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Southern District of California, which includes San Diego and Imperial Counties. He will be responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination,” Brewer said. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the integrity of the election process, stopping fraud, and making sure votes are not stolen.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and responding to election fraud and discrimination at the polls. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program aims to enhance this role and ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process. To this end, the Department is providing local points of contact for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations through Election Day.
Federal law prohibits 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. Federal law also protects voters from intimidation and harassment, including challenges at polling places designed to interrupt or intimidate voters, or the photographing or videotaping of voters under the pretext of uncovering illegal voting. Federal law also protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to receive assistance by a person of their choice to overcome a disability or illiteracy.
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, United States Attorney Brewer stated that AUSA/DEO Tenorio will be on duty while the polls are open. The public can reach him at (619) 909-7556.
In addition, 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/.
The public is advised, however, to call 911 immediately in the case of a crime of violence or active intimidation. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and can generally respond more quickly in an emergency. Federal authorities can respond thereafter.
Brewer 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.”
U.S. Attorney Announces $2.3 Million Award to Support Offenders Returning to Communities in AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced $2,300,000 in Department of Justice grants to reduce recidivism among adults and juvenile offenders returning to their communities in Alaska after confinement. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $92 million in funding to support reentry efforts throughout the United States.
These awards represent President Trump’s commitment to assisting people in America’s prisons and detention facilities who have earned the opportunity to take their places back in society.
“Former offenders are ultimately responsible for their own successes and failures, but our criminal and juvenile justice systems have an important role to play in preparing them for the obstacles that lie before them,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “I’m very pleased to make these resources available to help them get back on their feet and contribute to the prosperity of their communities and the betterment of our nation.”
The reentry and recidivism reduction grants awarded will help communities develop and implement comprehensive strategies to address the challenges posed by reentry and recidivism; support reentry services for detained juveniles and incarcerated parents with children under the age of 18; and support research and evaluation programs to advance understanding about reoffending.
The following organizations received funding:
- $900,000 was awarded to Alaska Department of Corrections through BJA’s Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program, to implement or expand education and employment programs that emphasize strong partnerships with corrections, parole, probation, education, workforce development and reentry service providers.
- Alaska Native Justice Center was awarded $900,000 through BJA’s Improving Reentry for Adults with Substance Use Disorders Program, the to support establishing, expanding, and improving treatment for people with substance use disorders during their incarceration and reentry into the community.
- $500,000 was awarded to Alaska Department of Corrections through BJA’s Statewide Adult Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan Implementation Program, to implement strategic plans that will result in improved reentry systems and reduced recidivism.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: [link to fact sheet] 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
- $900,000 was awarded to Alaska Department of Corrections through BJA’s Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment and Recidivism Reduction Strategies Program, to implement or expand education and employment programs that emphasize strong partnerships with corrections, parole, probation, education, workforce development and reentry service providers.
Tyndall Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Tyndall, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography was sentenced on October 13, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol.
Paul Hovorka, age 25, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hovorka was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 4, 2020. He pled guilty on July 30, 2020.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between June 15, 2019, and November 21, 2019, when Hovorka accessed child pornography using a private social media network known as "MeWe." Using the "MeWe" app, he uploaded images of child pornography and shared images of child pornography with other users of the "MeWe" app. After receiving a cybertip of the illegal activity, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant and discovered child pornography on two of Hovorka's cell phones.
This case was investigated by South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Hovorka is required to report to the U.S. Marshals Service on October 29, 2020.
Two Lowcountry Men Each Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Selling Heroin and Fentanyl that Killed One and Hospitalized AnotherRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Gordon William Brock, III, 49, of Mount Pleasant, and Carlos Ravenel, 37, of North Charleston, were sentenced to 20 years each after pleading guilty to distribution of heroin and fentanyl causing death and serious bodily injury.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on November 20, 2018, Brock distributed heroin and fentanyl to the victim in the Snee Farm area. The victim and a friend shared the drugs, which ultimately hospitalized the friend and killed the victim.
"Pushing drugs that seriously harm others is reprehensible, and this office will continue to deal swiftly and severely with these criminals,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “I particularly appreciate the work of our federal, state, and local partners. Together, we are doing everything in our power to disrupt and dismantle the flow of deadly opioids into South Carolina.”
“In this case, the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another, strikes at the core of this country’s opioid epidemic,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “DEA’s commitment to combat the opioid epidemic is unwavering and the defendants in this case will spend well-deserved time in prison.”
“The North Charleston Police Department is committed to confronting the opioid crisis through prevention, education, intervention, and enforcement,” said Scott Deckard, Deputy Chief of the North Charleston Police Department. “The successful prosecution and sentence in this opioid death case is a result of the inter-agency cooperation necessary to hold the individuals, who are dealing in illegal drugs, responsible for their actions.”
Text messages showed that Brock had used the drugs himself prior to the sale, and the drugs made him extremely ill. Brock had been enraged that his dealer distributed him “garbage” drugs, and Brock attempted to get his money back from the dealer for the drugs. Brock explained that if he couldn’t get his money back, he would “unload” the bad drugs. Evidence also showed that Brock believed the substance could be fentanyl due to his own prior experience overdosing on fentanyl.
Further investigation, including data recovered from cell phones, revealed that Ravenel - a heroin dealer in North Charleston - had been the source of supply for the fentanyl and heroin mix. Evidence showed that Ravenel had been distributing heroin since at least 2015.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Ravenel and Brock to 240 months in federal prison each, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Gergel also required each defendant to pay restitution to the victim’s family for the victim’s funeral.
The case was investigated by the DEA Task Force, the Mount Pleasant Police Department, the North Charleston Police Department, and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
According to the CDC, 67,367 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2018, and opioids were involved in 69.5% of those deaths. Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin, significantly increasing the risk for overdose, and a person who obtains drugs illegally may not know that a substance contains fentanyl. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance misuse, you can find treatment options in your area at http://www.daodas.sc.gov/treatment/local-providers/.
#####
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.
Two Cleveland men with long, violent criminal history sentenced to 30 years for drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced today that Clayton Hall, 40, and Gregory D. Franklin, II, 43, both of Cleveland, were sentenced by Judge Donald C. Nugent to 30 years imprisonment each. A jury previously found both defendants guilty of drug trafficking and found Franklin guilty of firearms crimes.
“This sentence reflects the lengthy criminal history and incarceration records of both defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. "These men have had little time as an adult in which they were free and not pending new charges or in prison. Thanks to the hard work of federal law enforcement and the men and women of the Cleveland Division of Police Vice Units, these two career criminals will be behind bars for a long time.”
According to court documents, Hall and Franklin conspired together between February and April of 2019 to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues and cocaine. On February 4, 2019, Hall was arrested in possession of 24.36 grams of cocaine and a mixture of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. On March 28, 2019, Cleveland Police searched the residence where Hall had been trafficking narcotics and found more than 50 grams of various mixtures containing heroin and fentanyl as well as 12.25 grams crack cocaine.
While Hall was detained pending county charges for those incidents and incidents in October and November of 2018, he used the jail phone system to call Franklin and coordinate further trafficking. Cleveland Police detectives found Franklin on April 30, 2019, and he was arrested with approximately 319.32 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl analogues, as well as 527.59 grams of cocaine hidden under the center console of the vehicle he was driving.
Despite multiple prior felony convictions that prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition, Franklin possessed a 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol and 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition, also concealed under the console. Those prior convictions include two first-degree drug trafficking with firearm specifications and a conviction for felonious assault of a peace officer.
The sentence comes after courtroom proceedings emphasized both Hall and Franklin’s “career offender” criminal histories. Hall’s criminal history includes 22 adult criminal convictions. During previous jail sentences, Hall committed approximately 86 rule violations, including possessing and using drugs in prison and assaulting an officer.
Franklin’s criminal history includes 15 adult criminal convictions. One of those convictions was for a 2012 incident with facts similar to the circumstances of his April 2019 arrest—heroin and a firearm found concealed under the center console of the vehicle he was driving.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of Police Second District Vice Unit and the Drug Enforcement Agency. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Morrison and Bryson N. Gillard.
Two Brothers from California Charged with Trafficking 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine to Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Two brothers made their initial appearances in federal court on Friday for allegedly transporting 100 pounds of methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich.
Huy Ngoc Tran, aka “Tony,” 37, and Sinh Van Tran, aka “Paul,” 34, both of Riverside, California, are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – methamphetamine. Both defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts, who scheduled a preliminary hearing on October 30, 2020.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, on October 14, 2020, Huy Ngoc Tran and Sinh Van Tran were arrested in the parking lot of a Las Vegas hotel and casino after delivering 100 pounds of methamphetamine for $300,000. The brothers had also agreed to deliver an AR-15 type rifle and a shotgun.
During the search of the brothers’ vehicle, in addition to methamphetamine, law enforcement found an AR-15 style rifle, a Norinco SKS rifle with a sling and bayonet, a scoped Ruger Mini-14, and a double barrel 12 gauge shotgun.
Huy Ngoc Tran and Sinh Van Tran each face a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is the product of a joint investigation by the FBI, North Las Vegas Police Department, the Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Nevada Gaming and Control Board.
###
Ten Individuals Charged in $50 Million Russian Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment and a complaint were unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn variously charging 10 defendants with transportation of stolen property, failure to file export information, illegal exportation of electronic devices and conspiracy to commit these offenses. The defendants allegedly participated in the illegal smuggling of electronic devices, particularly Apple products, from the United States to Russia using couriers, many of whom were current and former employees of Aeroflot Airlines.
Akmal Asadov, Sayuz Daibagya, Anton Perevoznikov, Shohruh Saidov, Marat Shadkhin, Kirill Sokhonchuk and Zokir Iskanderov were arrested today and will be arraigned this afternoon via teleconference before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. Azamat Bobomurodov was arrested in the Northern District of Illinois and will be arraigned in that district later today. Two additional defendants are fugitives.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Keith Byrne, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Troy Miller, Director of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office (CBP); Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (Commerce); Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Office (HSI); and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants were members of an international smuggling ring that used a network of operators here and in Russia to circumvent U.S. export laws and regulations,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “With today’s arrests, the network has been disabled thanks to the outstanding work of the Eastern District of New York prosecutors who worked tirelessly alongside our agency partners to closely scrutinize the goods and individuals that transit our international borders.”
“If you believe it is acceptable to exploit positions with a foreign airline to smuggle millions of dollars in illegal goods back to Russia as we allege, the answer is Nyet. While this international smuggling ring’s activities demonstrate vulnerabilities exist, it also highlights that the combined efforts of federal agents, detectives, analysts and prosecutors are a powerful counter to any threat. The FBI New York office and our inter-agency partners are on watch, and we all take our obligation to enforce our laws and protect the United States seriously,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“This case represents the finest efforts of cooperative law enforcement,” stated Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent-in-Charge Byrne. “If criminal enterprises manipulate the instruments of international travel for profitable gain, then we are all at risk on the national security level. The federal agencies, police, and the United States Attorney’s Office deserve high praise for vigorously defending the interests and security of the United States of America.”
“CBP takes a comprehensive approach to border security and control, combining customs, and immigration, into one coordinated and supportive activity by leveraging our unique authorities to enhance criminal investigations. This indictment serves as a direct message that no matter how complex the criminal scheme, crimes occurring at our border will be stopped,” stated CBP Director Miller.
“Today’s action is the result of the outstanding effort and collaboration among law enforcement agencies. The illicit smuggling of goods on commercial aircraft is a serious violation of export control and public safety laws that we take very seriously. We will continue to pursue violators wherever they are, worldwide,” stated Commerce Special Agent-in-Charge Carson.
“Those charged today are alleged to have taken full advantage of their position with the airline to smuggle more than $50 million in stolen electronics to Russia,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “It is with the continued collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that we are able to put an end to schemes like these that rob U.S. businesses of millions while funding illicit organizations overseas that threaten our national security.”
“As alleged, these defendants used commercial air travel in furtherance of their illegal smuggling scheme, a staggeringly dangerous circumstance that this investigation uncovered and grounded. I thank our dedicated NYPD detectives and all of our law enforcement partners for their work in this case,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea.
As set forth in the government’s court filings, the defendants allegedly engaged in a scheme to export over $50 million worth of electronic devices, including Apple iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches, from the United States to Russia. The defendants allegedly carried out this scheme by smuggling cash and merchandise via airline passengers, including current and former Aeroflot Airlines employees. Upon receiving instructions from defendant Daibagya, a resident of Russia, Aeroflot Airlines crew members and others travelled to the United States to pick up the electronic devices. Defendants Asadov, Sokhonchuk, Perevoznikov and Shadkhin, together with others in the United States, had obtained the devices, many of which had been stolen, to be sent to Russia without the required export authorizations. During the investigation, searches of luggage belonging to various Aeroflot crew members and other couriers revealed millions of dollars of electronic devices. Occasionally, defendants Daibagya and Saidov smuggled the devices themselves. For example, between August 2019 and December 2019, Daibagya took four trips from the United States transporting over 1,000 Apple products valued at over $1 million, and on October 5, 2019, Saidov carried nine suitcases containing 235 Apple products with an estimated value of about $250,000.
As a result of the investigation, the Department of State has revoked approximately 113 visas of Aeroflot employees for their participation in their scheme.
Search warrants executed at the time of the defendants’ arrest revealed over $600,000 in cash, including some hidden in the crawl space of Shadkhin’s residence, and large amounts of electronic devices.
The charges in the indictment and complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Keith D. Edelman, Andrey Spektor and Dana Rehnquist are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-415 (ARR)
AKMAL ASADOV
Age: 38
Brooklyn, New YorkSAYUZ DAIBAGYA
Age: 46
Moscow, RussiaANTON PEREVOZNIKOV
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkSHOHRUH SAIDOV
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkMARAT SHADKHIN
Age: 40
Brooklyn, New YorkKIRILL SOKHONCHUK
Age: 37
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-884 (LB)
AZAMAT BOBOMURODOV
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkZOKIR ISKANDEROV
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkStockton Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Roeuth Korm, 33, of Stockton, pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on July 26, 2019, deputies encountered Korm near East Waterloo Road in Stockton. Korm was on parole and subject to search. When deputies searched his car, they found a Glock semi‑automatic handgun. Korm has been convicted of several felonies and is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanya B. Syed and Cameron Desmond are prosecuting the case.
Korm is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Jan. 11, 2021. Korm faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
St. Thomas Man Charged with Robbery of a Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that a complaint has been filed charging Jamari Benjamin with interference with commerce by threats or violence and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the affidavit filed in this case, on Saturday, September 19, 2020, a white Suzuki Vitara arrived in the area of Gems & Gold Corner jewelry store located on the waterfront near Veteran’s Drive, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Two men wearing masks, got out of the white Suzuki Vitara with firearms and entered Gems & Gold Corner jewelry store. A third person remained with the vehicle as the driver. The two masked men brandished the firearms and threatened the jewelry store employees and others. One of the masked men physically assaulted a jewelry store employee using the firearm, striking the employee’s head. The two masked men broke the jewelry showcases and took jewelry from the store. They then retreated from the jewelry store, got back into the white Suzuki Vitara, and were driven away from the area of the jewelry store by the same driver. The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) initiated an investigation into the robbery, collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses and developing sources of information to provide investigative leads. This led VIPD to interview Jamari Benjamin, who admitted to participating in the robbery.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino.
A complaint is merely a charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Louis man pleads guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White accepted a plea today from LeVaughn Neal. The 35-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to a plea agreement, in August 2019, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned Neal and a co-defendant were involved in significant methamphetamine distribution in the St. Louis area. The United States Postal Inspection Service, at the same time, was conducting surveillance of suspicious packages mailed from Arizona to St. Louis.
On October 17, 2019, postal inspectors intercepted a suspicious package mailed from Scottsdale, Arizona to a vacant home in Jennings, MO. The addressee was not associated with the vacant home. DEA agents conducted surveillance on the vacant house and saw Neal parked in a vehicle near the house. The DEA conducted a controlled delivery of the package and left it on the front porch of the vacant house. Agents then watched Neal get out of a vehicle and pick up the package off the porch.
Agents tried to arrest Neal, but he dropped the package and ran. Agents eventually arrested Neal and executed a search warrant to search the package. Inside the package, agents found zip-lock bags of crystal methamphetamine wrapped in duct tape and a vacuum-sealed bag inside bubble wrap. Neal admitted he chose the vacant address for delivery and the package should contain five pounds of meth. A forensics lab confirmed the package contained 2,217 grams. Neal is actually responsible for between 1.5 kilograms and 4.5 kilograms.
The charge of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a maximum penalty of no more than Life imprisonment and a fine of no more than $10,000,000.
Judge White has set sentencing for January 25, 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.
#####
Six Russian GRU Officers Charged in Connection with Worldwide Deployment of Destructive Malware and Other Disruptive Actions in CyberspaceRead the Press Release
On Oct. 15, 2020, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh returned an indictment charging six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia) and officers in Unit 74455 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
These GRU hackers and their co-conspirators engaged in computer intrusions and attacks intended to support Russian government efforts to undermine, retaliate against, or otherwise destabilize: (1) Ukraine; (2) Georgia; (3) elections in France; (4) efforts to hold Russia accountable for its use of a weapons-grade nerve agent, Novichok, on foreign soil; and (5) the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games after Russian athletes were banned from participating under their nation’s flag, as a consequence of Russian government-sponsored doping effort.
Their computer attacks used some of the world’s most destructive malware to date, including: KillDisk and Industroyer, which each caused blackouts in Ukraine; NotPetya, which caused nearly $1 billion in losses to the three victims identified in the indictment alone; and Olympic Destroyer, which disrupted thousands of computers used to support the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy, computer hacking, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false registration of a domain name.
According to the indictment, beginning in or around November 2015 and continuing until at least in or around October 2019, the defendants and their co-conspirators deployed destructive malware and took other disruptive actions, for the strategic benefit of Russia, through unauthorized access to victim computers (hacking). As alleged, the conspiracy was responsible for the following destructive, disruptive, or otherwise destabilizing computer intrusions and attacks:
- Ukrainian Government & Critical Infrastructure: December 2015 through December 2016 destructive malware attacks against Ukraine’s electric power grid, Ministry of Finance, and State Treasury Service, using malware known as BlackEnergy, Industroyer, and KillDisk;
- French Elections: April and May 2017 spearphishing campaigns and related hack-and-leak efforts targeting French President Macron’s “La République En Marche!” (En Marche!) political party, French politicians, and local French governments prior to the 2017 French elections;
- Worldwide Businesses and Critical Infrastructure (NotPetya): June 27, 2017 destructive malware attacks that infected computers worldwide using malware known as NotPetya, including hospitals and other medical facilities in the Heritage Valley Health System (Heritage Valley) in the Western District of Pennsylvania; a FedEx Corporation subsidiary, TNT Express B.V.; and a large U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer, which together suffered nearly $1 billion in losses from the attacks;
- PyeongChang Winter Olympics Hosts, Participants, Partners, and Attendees: December 2017 through February 2018 spearphishing campaigns and malicious mobile applications targeting South Korean citizens and officials, Olympic athletes, partners, and visitors, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials;
- PyeongChang Winter Olympics IT Systems (Olympic Destroyer): December 2017 through February 2018 intrusions into computers supporting the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, which culminated in the Feb. 9, 2018, destructive malware attack against the opening ceremony, using malware known as Olympic Destroyer;
- Novichok Poisoning Investigations: April 2018 spearphishing campaigns targeting investigations by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) into the nerve agent poisoning of Sergei Skripal, his daughter, and several U.K. citizens; and
- Georgian Companies and Government Entities: a 2018 spearphishing campaign targeting a major media company, 2019 efforts to compromise the network of Parliament, and a wide-ranging website defacement campaign in 2019.
Cybersecurity researchers have tracked the Conspirators and their malicious activity using the labels “Sandworm Team,” “Telebots,” “Voodoo Bear,” and “Iron Viking.”
The charges were announced by Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers; FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich; U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Scott W. Brady; and Special Agents in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta, Oklahoma City, and Pittsburgh Field Offices, J.C. “Chris” Hacker, Melissa R. Godbold, and Michael A. Christman, respectively.
“No country has weaponized its cyber capabilities as maliciously or irresponsibly as Russia, wantonly causing unprecedented damage to pursue small tactical advantages and to satisfy fits of spite,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Today the department has charged these Russian officers with conducting the most disruptive and destructive series of computer attacks ever attributed to a single group, including by unleashing the NotPetya malware. No nation will recapture greatness while behaving in this way.”
“The FBI has repeatedly warned that Russia is a highly capable cyber adversary, and the information revealed in this indictment illustrates how pervasive and destructive Russia’s cyber activities truly are,” said FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich. “But this indictment also highlights the FBI’s capabilities. We have the tools to investigate these malicious malware attacks, identify the perpetrators, and then impose risks and consequences on them. As demonstrated today, we will relentlessly pursue those who threaten the United States and its citizens.”
“For more than two years we have worked tirelessly to expose these Russian GRU Officers who engaged in a global campaign of hacking, disruption and destabilization, representing the most destructive and costly cyber-attacks in history,” said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “The crimes committed by Russian government officials were against real victims who suffered real harm. We have an obligation to hold accountable those who commit crimes – no matter where they reside and no matter for whom they work – in order to seek justice on behalf of these victims.”
“The exceptional talent and dedication of our teams in Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Oklahoma City who spent years tracking these members of the GRU is unmatched,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Christman. “These criminals underestimated the power of shared intelligence, resources and expertise through law enforcement, private sector and international partnerships.”
The defendants, Yuriy Sergeyevich Andrienko (Юрий Сергеевич Андриенко), 32; Sergey Vladimirovich Detistov (Сергей Владимирович Детистов), 35; Pavel Valeryevich Frolov (Павел Валерьевич Фролов), 28; Anatoliy Sergeyevich Kovalev (Анатолий Сергеевич Ковалев), 29; Artem Valeryevich Ochichenko (Артем Валерьевич Очиченко), 27; and Petr Nikolayevich Pliskin (Петр Николаевич Плискин), 32, are all charged in seven counts: conspiracy to conduct computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, damaging protected computers, and aggravated identity theft. Each defendant is charged in every count. The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, however, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment accuses each defendant of committing the following overt acts in furtherance of the charged crimes:
Defendant
Summary of Overt Acts
Yuriy Sergeyevich Andrienko
· Developed components of the NotPetya and Olympic Destroyer malware.
Sergey Vladimirovich Detistov
· Developed components of the NotPetya malware; and
· Prepared spearphishing campaigns targeting the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.
Pavel Valeryevich Frolov
· Developed components of the KillDisk and NotPetya malware.
Anatoliy Sergeyevich Kovalev
· Developed spearphishing techniques and messages used to target:
- En Marche! officials;
- employees of the DSTL;
- members of the IOC and Olympic athletes; and
- employees of a Georgian media entity.
Artem Valeryevich Ochichenko
· Participated in spearphishing campaigns targeting 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games partners; and
· Conducted technical reconnaissance of the Parliament of Georgia official domain and attempted to gain unauthorized access to its network.
Petr Nikolayevich Pliskin
· Developed components of the NotPetya and Olympic Destroyer malware.
The defendants and their co-conspirators caused damage and disruption to computer networks worldwide, including in France, Georgia, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The NotPetya malware, for example, spread worldwide, damaged computers used in critical infrastructure, and caused enormous financial losses. Those losses were only part of the harm, however. For example, the NotPetya malware impaired Heritage Valley’s provision of critical medical services to citizens of the Western District of Pennsylvania through its two hospitals, 60 offices, and 18 community satellite facilities. The attack caused the unavailability of patient lists, patient history, physical examination files, and laboratory records. Heritage Valley lost access to its mission-critical computer systems (such as those relating to cardiology, nuclear medicine, radiology, and surgery) for approximately one week and administrative computer systems for almost one month, thereby causing a threat to public health and safety.
The conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; the two counts of wire fraud carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; intentional damage to a protected computer carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and the two counts of aggravated identity theft carry a mandatory sentence of two years in prison. The indictment also alleges false registration of domain names, which would increase the maximum sentence of imprisonment for wire fraud to 27 years in prison; the maximum sentence of imprisonment for intentional damage to a protected computer to 17 years in prison; and the mandatory sentence of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft to four years in prison. These maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress, however, and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the assigned judge will determine any sentence of a defendant.
Defendant Kovalev was previously charged in federal indictment number CR 18-215, in the District of Columbia, with conspiring to gain unauthorized access into the computers of U.S. persons and entities involved in the administration of the 2016 U.S. elections.
Trial Attorney Heather Alpino and Deputy Chief Sean Newell of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Eberle and Jessica Smolar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting this case. The FBI’s Atlanta, Oklahoma City, and Pittsburgh field offices conducted the investigation, with the assistance of the FBI’s Cyber Division.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this case. The department also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by Ukrainian authorities, the Governments of the Republic of Korea and New Zealand, Georgian authorities, and the United Kingdom’s intelligence services, as well as many of the FBI’s Legal Attachés and other foreign authorities around the world. Numerous victims cooperated and provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
The department is also grateful to Google, including its Threat Analysis Group (TAG); Cisco, including its Talos Intelligence Group; Facebook; and Twitter, for the assistance they provided in this investigation. Some private sector companies independently disabled numerous accounts for violations of the companies’ terms of service.
Senior Executive of Venture Capital Funds Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Securities and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MARC LAWRENCE pled guilty to securities fraud and wire fraud in connection with his role as a senior executive of a number of corporate entities (collectively referred to as “Downing”) that were operated as a Ponzi-like scheme. LAWRENCE solicited millions of dollars from Downing investors through materially false and misleading statements regarding, among other things, Downing’s use of investor proceeds, sources of funding, financial condition and ability to pay salaries to employee-investors, and portfolio companies. LAWRENCE pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. LAWRENCE’s co-defendant, David Wagner, the chief executive officer of Downing, previously pled guilty to securities fraud and wire fraud before Judge Hellerstein on September 21, 2020.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As he admitted in court, Marc Lawrence and his co-defendant swindled employee-investors of their purported venture capital firm. They fraudulently induced employee-investors to hand over more than $8 million that was supposed to be invested in profitable business operations. The firm was a sham, and employee-investor funds were used to pay personal expenses or pay off other investors in Ponzi-like fashion. Now Lawrence awaits sentencing for his crimes.”
According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court:
From at least in or about December 2013 through at least in or about 2017, Wagner, the chief executive officer of Downing, and LAWRENCE, the president of several Downing entities, solicited investments in Downing, a purported venture capital firm that would invest in healthcare start-ups referred to as “portfolio companies” and provide sales, operations, and management expertise to the portfolio companies in order to bring their products to market and generate returns for Downing investors, who also worked for Downing (the “employee-investors”). Wagner and LAWRENCE, and others acting at their direction, solicited more than approximately $8 million in investments in Downing from employee-investors located across the United States, including in the Southern District of New York, as a requirement of employment with Downing.
After making the required investment of between $150,000 and $250,000 in Downing and starting their employment at Downing, employee-investors soon learned, among other things, that contrary to representations made by Wagner and LAWRENCE, and others acting at their direction, Downing did not have access to millions of dollars in funding, often could not make payroll, had virtually no products to sell, and employee investments were the overwhelming source of funding. Employee-investors also learned that Wagner and LAWRENCE had misrepresented the companies in Downing’s portfolio, their product readiness, and ability to generate revenue. While the particular formulation of these misrepresentations shifted over time, Wagner and LAWRENCE systematically sought and obtained employee-investor money through materially false and misleading statements.
Beginning in or about May 2016, after several employee-investors had brought lawsuits against Wagner, LAWRENCE, and several Downing entities alleging claims based on, among other things, fraud, Wagner and LAWRENCE continued the scheme by recruiting employee-investors into a new company called Cliniflow Technologies, LLC (“Cliniflow”), through materially false and misleading statements about Cliniflow’s cash reserves, portfolio companies, and exposure to litigation. In fact, Cliniflow purportedly held majority ownership in the same primary portfolio company as other Downing entities and was simply a new name used by Wagner and LAWRENCE to solicit investments from new employee-investors that was not tainted by the lawsuits filed against Downing entities. A majority of the over $1.5 million raised by Wagner and LAWRENCE through Cliniflow was transferred to other Downing entities and used to pay for, among other things, Wagner’s personal expenses and the repayment of prior investors.
* * *
LAWRENCE, 66, of St. Petersburg, Florida, pled guilty to two counts of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. As part of the plea agreement with the Government, LAWRENCE agreed to forfeit $150,000 in United States currency and pay restitution of $4,550,000 to victims of his criminal conduct.
LAWRENCE will be sentenced by Judge Hellerstein on February 1, 2021, at 2:30 p.m.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Enforcement Section of the Massachusetts Securities Division for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jilan J. Kamal and Sagar K. Ravi are in charge of the prosecution.
Seattle man with significant ties to a violent street gang sentenced to 42 months in prison for illegally possessing a machinegunRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 22-year-old member of a violent street gang was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. JAYVON GRAYSON was on probation for an armed robbery when he used straw-buyers to obtain various firearms, one of which was converted from semi-automatic to automatic. GRAYSON made a video of himself shooting this machinegun from a moving car. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart referenced the video at the sentencing hearing saying it indicates GRAYSON “was an immediate and serious threat to the community and himself.”
“This case demonstrates how illegally purchased firearms circulate in the criminal community and pose a danger to anyone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “To fire an automatic weapon, loaded with an extended capacity magazine, from a moving vehicle, puts countless people at risk. Stopping the circulation of these firearms in the criminal community is a top priority of the Department of Justice.”
According to the records filed in the case, during 2018, GRAYSON and a friend had the friend’s mother purchase firearms for them from a licensed gun store. The woman falsely claimed she was the person who would purchase and possess the firearms. Instead, she turned the firearms over to her son who shared or sold various firearms with gang associates, including GRAYSON. A second straw-purchaser also provided a firearm to GRAYSON. On social media GRAYSON posted numerous videos of his use and possession of firearms, including the machinegun. GRAYSON posted these images and videos on social media even as he was under state supervision for an armed robbery conviction.
At the sentencing hearing GRAYSON told Judge Robart, “I was reckless…. I was dangerous… Please give me a second chance.” Judge Robart noted that GRAYSON needs to forge a new path, saying, “I don’t know how you get much worse than possessing a machine gun.” The judge imposed a three-year term of supervised release to follow prison and noted that if GRAYSON returned to gang and gun life, the prison sanctions will increase significantly.
This case is 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 and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. Project Guardian ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. More information about Project Guardian is here.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Division of Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca.