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Thursday 8 October 2020
Department of Justice Grants $1.2 Million to Help Western District of Oklahoma Track Sex Offenders and Protect Young AthletesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Department of Justice has issued grant awards of $1,199,047 to develop and improve systems to register and track sex offenders in the Western District of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing. Awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, these grants help states, U.S. territories and tribal communities register and track sex offenders and enable them to meet the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Funds also help maintain the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
"Citizens are better protected from sexual violence when jurisdictions follow SORNA’s standards," said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. "The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving state, territory and tribal officials the resources they need to register and track sex offenders and prevent known threats in one community from posing new dangers to others."
OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART Office) is awarding approximately $16 million to jurisdictions across the country to develop and enhance programs designed to implement the provisions of SORNA. The SMART Office is awarding almost $800,000 to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA standards. The U.S. Center for SafeSport will receive the $2.3 million Keep Young Athletes Safe grant to continue developing a comprehensive training and prevention program to prevent abuse in the athletic programs of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and related sports organizations. The SMART Office will award nearly $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to support maintenance, operations and technological improvements for the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, NSOPW.gov, which links state, territorial and tribal public registry websites and allows the public to search for registered sex offenders on a national scale.
"The grants provided by the Department of Justice are invaluable in the defense against sexual predators," said U.S. Attorney Downing. "Our pursuit of justice is fueled by the resourcefulness and dedication of our national, state, local and tribal partnerships. We are honored to work alongside the dedicated members of law enforcement to continue to uphold and protect our communities from sex offenders."
"Our mission at the SMART Office is to help our state, tribal and territorial partners register and provide notification to the public of sex offenders within their jurisdictions," said Kendel Ehrlich, Director of the SMART Office. "We will continue to provide both law enforcement and the public with the tools they need to better inform and protect their communities and themselves."
The following WDOK organization and Tribes received funding:
- Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes ($400,000)
- Oklahoma Department of Corrections ($399,047)
- Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma ($400,000)
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
DeRuyter Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Matthew Lamb, age 48, of DeRuyter, New York, pled guilty yesterday to two felony counts of failing to register and update a registration as a sex offender after it was discovered that he had two e-mail addresses that he did not disclose to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and United States Marshal David L. McNulty.
As part of his guilty plea, Lamb admitted that from May 3, 2016 through May 13, 2019, he failed to register a Yahoo! e-mail address that he created on December 10, 2001, as required by SORNA. Further, Lamb admitted that from April 27, 2018 through May 13, 2019, he failed to register and failed to update his registration to disclose a google e-mail address that he created on April 16, 2019, as required by SORNA.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2021 before Chief Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Lamb faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. 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 United States Marshal Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.
DOJ Charges 500+ Domestic Violence-Related Firearm Cases in FY20Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The Department of Justice announced that it has charged more than 500 domestic violence cases involving firearms during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. A Department priority since 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr created the Department of Justice’s first ever-Domestic Violence Working Group, these charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made domestic violence firearms-related investigations a priority.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminal offenders is one of the Department of Justice’s top priorities,” said Attorney General Barr. “This is especially important when it comes to individuals with prior domestic violence convictions. The statistics are clear that when domestic violence offenders have access to guns, their partners and their families are at much greater risk of falling victim to gun violence. In fact, in some communities across America, roughly half of the homicides are related to domestic violence. The Department of Justice is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them, and we will continue investigating and prosecuting all domestic violence firearms related crimes.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine has always prioritized prosecuting firearms crimes related to domestic violence, and will continue to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank. “October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, and it is a good time to reaffirm our commitment to having zero tolerance for the possession of firearms by those who have committed acts of domestic violence.”
“According to the CDC, data suggests that about one in six homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner,” said ATF Acting Director Lombardo. “Nearly half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner. ATF is committed to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and certain protective orders. It is another way we prevent violent gun crime within our communities.”
Under federal law, individuals with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from possessing firearms. The data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.
The Working Group, chaired by U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas, disseminates legal guidance on keeping guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers using three federal statutes:
- 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) — possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) — possession of a firearm by a person subject to a domestic violence protective order
- 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9) — possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
Based on the Working Group’s guidance, in FY 2020, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide brought 337 domestic violence-related charges under § 922(g)(1), 54 charges under § 922(g)(8), and 142 charges under § 922(g)(9).
For more information on domestic violence or to get help, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
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.
DOJ Charges 500+ Domestic Violence-Related Firearm Case in FY20Read the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Today, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 500 domestic violence cases involving firearms during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. A Department priority since 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr created the Department of Justice’s first ever-Domestic Violence Working Group, these charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made domestic violence firearms-related investigations a priority.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminal offenders is one of the Department of Justice’s top priorities,” said Attorney General Barr. “This is especially important when it comes to individuals with prior domestic violence convictions. The statistics are clear that when domestic violence offenders have access to guns, their partners and their families are at much greater risk of falling victim to gun violence. In fact, in some communities across America, roughly half of the homicides are related to domestic violence. The Department of Justice is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them, and we will continue investigating and prosecuting all domestic violence firearms related crimes.”
“According to the CDC, data suggests that about one in six homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner,” said ATF Acting Director Lombardo. “Nearly half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner. ATF is committed to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and certain protective orders. It is another way we prevent violent gun crime within our communities.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern Tennessee is a staunch advocate of national domestic violence awareness month. Domestic violence consists of depraved persons forcing their victims, under threat of pain, suffering, or death, to commit unthinkable acts. Talking about what happened to them and how they suffered can be one of the most difficult things for the victims of domestic violence, and those who care for and support them, to talk about. Nonetheless, we encourage everyone to find their voice and speak up against domestic violence. We must work together to break the silence and end the violence,” said U. S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
Under federal law, individuals with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from possessing firearms. The data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.
The Working Group, chaired by U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, of the Northern District of Texas, disseminates legal guidance on keeping guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers using three federal statutes:
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(1), felon in possession of a firearm
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(9), possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (misdemeanor crime of domestic violence)
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(8), possession of a firearm while subject to a domestic violence protective order
Based on the Working Group’s guidance, in FY 2020, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide brought 337 domestic violence felon-in-possession charges, 54 possession while subject to a protective order charges, and 142 possession by a prohibited person charges.
For more information on domestic violence or to get help, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
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DEA & LMPD Lawmen Honored with U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement for Combatting Drug Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman is pleased to announce the latest recipients of the U.S. Attorney’s Law Enforcement Award are Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Agent Nate Mills and Sergeant Tom Schardein, now retired from Louisville Metro Police Department.
“Special Agent Mills and Sergeant Schardein are a case study in how law enforcement should work, tirelessly and collaboratively, without being limited by each agency’s badge, all with the goal of saving lives and preventing further overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
The Award commendation presented by U.S. Attorney Coleman to Special Agent Mills and Sergeant (Retired) Schardein recognizes the recipients’ extraordinary service on behalf of the citizens of the Western District of Kentucky for their unwavering determination to save lives. Special Agent Mills and Sergeant (Retired) Schardein exemplify what it means to be public servants as demonstrated by their investigative prowess and outreach to families who have lost loved ones to drug overdoses. In addition, they have attended countless meetings and seminars working with law enforcement professionals, physicians, social workers, medical examiners, prosecutors, and community members in an effort to raise awareness and ensure the successful prosecution of those that push poison like heroin and fentanyl throughout Western Kentucky communities.
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.
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Chippewa County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Stein, 30, Cornell, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine for distribution, and for possessing a firearm in connection with his drug trafficking. Each of these crimes carries a five-year minimum mandatory sentence, which Judge Conley ordered to run consecutive to one another. Stein pleaded guilty to these charges on July 14, 2020.
The charges originated from the execution of a search warrant at Stein’s home in Cornell on April 8, 2019 by investigators with the West Central Drug Task Force. Investigators found over 84 grams of methamphetamine, scales and packaging material, as well as a number of handguns and ammunition. Police had been investigating Stein in the previous months and made a number of undercover purchases of methamphetamine from him during that time, which enabled them to ultimately obtain the search warrant.
The charges against Stein were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson.
Champaign County Woman Indicted for Alleged Embezzlement of More Than $600,000 from Former Employer; Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury has indicted the former office manager of a Champaign, Ill., contractor supply company on charges that she allegedly embezzled more than $600,000 from her employer over five years and filed false income tax returns. The indictment, returned Oct. 7, charges Joan L. Chenoweth, 57, of Tolono, Ill., with embezzling money from Illini Contractor Supply from May 2013 to February 2018.
The indictment alleges that Chenoweth, who had control of the business’s financial records as well as control and access to the business’s credit cards and bank account, wrote unauthorized vendor checks to herself or to cash payable from Illini Contractor Supply’s bank account; wrote unauthorized payroll checks to herself that exceeded her salary; and, used the business’s credit cards to make payments to her personal credit cards. She allegedly used her position as office manager to avoid detection by making false entries in the business’s financial records and omitted true and correct entries. As a result of the alleged scheme, the business suffered a loss of approximately $624,152.
In addition to the fraud charges, Chenoweth is charged with four counts of filing false income tax returns for calendar years 2014-2017.
The charges are the result of investigation by the Champaign Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the case prosecution.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud (five counts) is up to 20 years in prison; for each count of filing a false federal income tax return (four counts), the penalty is up to three years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Cary Man Charged in Shooting of the John H. Baker Public Safety Center in RaleighRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Cary man was arrested on the federal charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Late yesterday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina filed the charge by federal Criminal Complaint.
According to court documents, Willie Lee Hayes, Jr., 49, was arrested on October 6, 2020 on state criminal charges. As alleged in the publicly filed affidavit attached to the Criminal Complaint – on that day, officers with the Raleigh Police Department were dispatched to the John H. Baker Public Safety Center in downtown Raleigh to investigate reports of a man who fired several rounds into the front door and windows of the building. According to Wake County Sheriff’s Deputies at the scene, a vehicle stopped in front of the Safety Center and a man in the passenger seat started firing with a handgun. Officers were able to track the vehicle and Wake County Sheriff Deputies, Wake County ABC Police, and Cary Police responded to an address in Cary where the suspect was located and taken into custody.
Hayes is charged with violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g) (1) and 924, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 120 months in prison if convicted. His initial appearance in federal court is scheduled for October 9, 2020 before United States Magistrate Court Judge James E. Gates.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. said the following, “We are grateful for the swift action taken by our dedicated law enforcement officers and the Wake County District Attorney’s Office, who responded immediately to identify and arrest Mr. Hayes – the individual alleged to have fired multiple 9mm rounds into the Public Safety Center on Monday afternoon. This is an example of the critical role that law enforcement plays in protecting us every day. This crime took place in downtown Raleigh in the middle of the afternoon when the building was occupied by law enforcement, state employees, and members of the public. Miraculously, no one was hit by the discharged rounds. We look forward to presenting our case before the Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina, and will continue to closely coordinate with District Attorney Lorrin Freeman.”
“Our law enforcement officers acted swiftly and with great bravery to minimize the risk to our community in the face this threat,” stated District Attorney Lorrin Freeman. “We are grateful to our federal partners for their commitment to ensuring that we stand firmly in seeking justice.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Raleigh Police Department, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Wake County ABC Police and Cary Police Departments are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Smith is prosecuting the case for the government.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
CEO of Local Financial Firm Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Securities and Tax Fraud Scheme,Read the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact:
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel C. Silva (619) 546-9713 and DOJ Trial Attorney Kevin LowellSAN DIEGO – A La Jolla-based CEO pleaded guilty today to multiple felonies relating to the operation of his financial firm, Surf Financial Group, LLC, including conspiring to defraud shareholders of publicly traded companies, transmitting millions of dollars through an unlicensed money transmitting business, and falsifying multiple years of federal tax returns.
David John Nava, 62, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business (an "MTB"), and one count of tax fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford of the Southern District of California. Nava further agreed to forfeit more than $3.1 million for his crimes.
According to the plea agreement filed today, Nava managed Surf Financial Group, LLC despite federal securities regulators permanently banning and censuring him in 1994 from participating in the industry. Despite the ban, Nava admitted that he and other co-conspirators, including a licensed attorney, converted the debt of various publicly traded companies under materially false and fraudulent pretenses into unrestricted stock and then sold the stock for profit. Nava further admitted that he and his co-conspirators carried out their fraudulent scheme by entering into agreements where Nava sold shares of various entities’ stock on public exchanges after fraudulently claiming an exemption from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s ("SEC") registration requirements for selling securities in the public marketplace.
To conceal his involvement in the securities fraud scheme, Nava admitted using various nominees to ensure that, as Nava described it, he was a "ghost" in the transactions. Brokerage firms relied on the purported truth and accuracy of the attorney opinion letters in evaluating whether to clear the sale of shares of the restricted stocks on public markets. After the stocks were cleared for sale as a result of the false attorney opinion letters, Nava and his co-conspirators sold millions of shares of these stocks to the investing public.
"The defendant flagrantly engaged in an egregious fraud scheme on multiple levels—with securities for publicly traded companies; through the operation of an underground and unlicensed money transmitting business; and by misrepresenting his income for these schemes to the IRS," said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer, Jr. "Law enforcement will vigorously pursue both the individuals and entities who commit fraud and operate outside the conventional financial system to carry out that fraud." U.S. Attorney Brewer commended Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Financial Investigations and Border Crimes Task Force, and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section for their work on this case.
Nava further admitted that, from approximately 2017 to 2018, he operated an unlicensed MTB as a means to transmit financial proceeds from foreign locations, including Hong Kong and the Bahamas, as a way to disguise the source, origin, and control of the proceeds. As stated in his plea agreement, in 2017 Nava entered into a business partnership with at least one person who resided in Mexico and delivered dairy products for a living. To conceal Nava’s control over the MTB, Nava directed the Mexican resident to open a bank account at a financial institution in San Diego, and to transmit millions of dollars in funds as directed by Nava. Nava failed to register his MTB with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, as required under federal law.
"This investigation is an excellent example of the work Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) continues to do in its fight against transnational criminal enterprises that seek to exploit the global financial system," said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in San Diego. "No matter how creative or sophisticated the scheme; HSI and our partners at IRS-CI will continue to work tirelessly to stamp out fraud and the illicit movement of money, even in these trying times."
"Twenty years after David John Nava was censured and permanently barred from the securities industry, he orchestrated a multimillion-dollar scheme and fabricated documents to circumvent SEC requirements in order to sell fraudulent securities and victimize innocent shareholders," said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner. "Nava failed to report nearly $2.8 million in gross receipts from his scheme, thereby stealing over $609,000 in tax revenue from the United States. Today’s guilty plea evidences the hard work of our Special Agents and IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice fraudsters who repeatedly corrupt our securities exchanges and banking systems, while victimizing innocent Americans to feed their greed."
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Financial Investigations and Border Crimes Task Force, and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Trial Attorney Kevin Lowell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Silva of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is scheduled to occur on January 8, 2021 before U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw.
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 20-cr-03085-DMSDavid John Nava La Jolla, CA Age: 62
SUMMARY OF CHARGES*Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, restitution, and $250,000 fine
Operation of Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1960
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, forfeiture, and $250,000 fine
Tax Fraud – Title 26 U.S.C. Section 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison, and $100,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
IRS Criminal Investigation – Financial Investigations and Border Crimes Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or information are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Brooklyn Man Charged with Covid-19 Related FraudRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint has been filed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jeremy Trapp with wire fraud in connection with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Trapp is in federal custody on other charges, and made his initial appearance on the new charge yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. The defendant remains detained pending trial.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charge.
“As alleged, Trapp filed an application containing outright lies in order to steal government funds intended to help small businesses and their employees survive the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “The Department of Justice will ensure that taxpayer and pandemic relief funds are not misappropriated, but are used for their intended purpose and deserving recipients.”
"While small business owners around the country were scrambling to make ends meet and find ways to compensate their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, Trapp blatantly lied on an application for economic stimulus, as alleged today,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Without a legitimate business to claim or any employees to pay, he wasn’t at all eligible for the funding he eventually received. Stealing federal aid reserved for those suffering from the pandemic's economic fallout is an easy way to rack up criminal charges. As a result, the one thing Trapp is now eligible for is the chance of spending a significant amount of time behind bars.”
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL) provides qualifying small businesses with low-interest loans. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act expanded EIDL to provide economic support to help offset the temporary loss of revenue experienced by businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As alleged in the complaint and other court documents, Trapp applied for an EIDL loan and grant in June 2020. In the application, Trapp claimed that he was the sole proprietor of a car wash business located at his home address in Brooklyn, a multi-unit residential building. Trapp further represented that he employed ten individuals and that his gross revenue for the 12 months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was $150,000. Based on Trapp’s false representations, the Small Business Administration approved a $42,500 loan and $10,000 grant to Trapp, and these funds were deposited into Trapp’s bank account. On July 13, 2020, Trapp withdrew approximately $9,000 in cash from the bank account.
The government’s investigation revealed that Trapp did not operate a commercial car wash business, did not employ anyone and had no gross revenue from the purported business.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Trapp faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the fraud charge.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francisco J. Navarro.
The Defendant:
JEREMY TRAPP
Age: 24
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-915
Brentwood Man Sentenced to 31 Months for Purchasing Military Hand GrenadesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Daniel Musso, 56, of Brentwood, was sentenced to 31 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing fragmentation grenades and explosive material, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today. He was further ordered to pay a $7,500 fine.
At a week-long jury trial in August, Musso was found guilty of four counts of receiving and possessing unregistered firearms (fragmentation grenades) and one count of receiving explosive material.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, beginning in the summer of 2015, Musso engaged in a series of efforts to obtain ammunition and military weapons and explosives, including military hand grenades. After Musso told a firearms dealer about his desire to obtain these items, the FBI arranged for Musso to be introduced to an undercover agent who told Musso that he could obtain illegal hand grenades. During two meetings with the undercover agent in January 2016, Musso reiterated his desire to obtain hand grenades and other illegal military weapons and explosives. Musso explained that he was part of a group that was seeking to bring forth the “original constitution” and that he and his associates were seeking to obtain military weapons and explosives to “take our country back.” Musso was arrested on January 27, 2016, after he purchased four military hand grenades from the undercover agent in Seabrook.
Hand grenades are destructive devices that are unlawful to possess unless they are registered under the National Firearms Act. Musso previously argued that the grenades were not destructive devices because the FBI had made their fuses inoperable for safety purposes in the undercover operation. Although a district judge initially agreed with Musso, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed that decision, clearing the way for this matter to be tried by a jury.
“The defendant’s troubling scheme to obtain hand grenades could have resulted in a horrifying act of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the FBI supported by the ATF and Seabrook Police Department, Mr. Musso was stopped before he could take any action that would cause harm. This case highlights the need for law enforcement as well as citizens to remain alert to emerging threats. We will continue to work closely with the Joint Terrorism Task Force to prevent acts of violence that could jeopardize the lives of the people of New Hampshire.”
“Because of a tip from a concerned citizen, our Joint Terrorism Task Force began a year-long investigation that thwarted Daniel Musso’s frightening plan to use violence to defend his version of what our government should be. Now, with today’s sentence, he has finally been held accountable for his crimes,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “However, this case should serve as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in stopping extreme acts of violence while underscoring the critical need for people with knowledge about plots like this to come forward before it’s too late.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seabrook Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John S. Davis and Matthew T. Hunter.
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Bowie County Sex Offender Guilty of Again Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 60-year-old Bowie County man has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
William Johnson Springer pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline M. Craven on Oct. 5, 2020. In his plea agreement, Springer agreed to pay restitution to his victims, to register as a sex offender, and to be sentenced to a life term of supervised release following his imprisonment.
According to information presented in court, Springer possessed a cell phone, which he used to download and collect images and videos containing child pornography. His collection of more than 600 images included depictions of prepubescent minors, sadistic or masochistic abuse or violence, and sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers.
Springer was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. On February 9, 2009, he was sentenced to 67 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release as a result of that conviction. Springer also has pending charges for failure to comply with registration requirements in the 202nd District Court in Bowie County.
Under federal statutes, Springer faces a minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is being investigated by the Texarkana Resident Agency of the Dallas Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.
Billings man admits meth trafficking crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man admitted methamphetamine trafficking crimes today after law enforcement officers seized about eight pounds of the drug and three handguns from his vehicle, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Tyler James Fleming, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and to possession with intent to distribute meth. Fleming faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
Fleming has pleaded not guilty to a count charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and that charge is pending.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. Fleming was detained. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Court documents filed by the prosecution said that in 2019, drug task force officers received information from sources that Fleming was trafficking drugs in the Billings area. In December 2019, investigators learned Fleming had traveled to Arizona and returned two days later. Officers conducted a traffic stop of Fleming's vehicle outside of Miles City and obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. Officers found about 3,700 grams of meth, which is 8.15 pounds and the equivalent of approximately 29,600 doses, drug paraphernalia and three handguns.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 to 2018. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Beltsville Pimp Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking and Narcotics Conspiracies, Witness Tampering, and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Kenneth Wayne Hart, a/k/a Redds, Wayne Hawkins, Hawk, Big Daddy, Billy Reds, and Bill Red Hart, age 59, of Beltsville, Maryland, yesterday to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, on federal charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; a sex trafficking conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; and witness tampering. Hart was convicted of those charges on March 12, 2020, after a seven-day jury trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“As this case demonstrates, sex trafficking is a cruel business—often using violence and threats to control victims,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and we are proud to be one of the founding members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, which brings together law enforcement, victim service providers and survivor advocates to help human trafficking victims and bring the traffickers to justice.”
According to the evidence presented at his seven-day trial, beginning in December 2016 and continuing until April 2017, Hart conspired with a co-conspirator to run a prostitution business using force, threats, fraud, and coercion to cause women to engage in commercial sex acts. Hart and his co-conspirator also distributed narcotics, including to the women he recruited to work in the prostitution business. The evidence proved that Hart recruited women to engage in commercial sex acts in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Hart transported, photographed, and advertised the victims for commercial sex on websites set up for that purpose. According to trial testimony, Hart also supplied the victims with heroin and crack cocaine on a daily basis and threatened to withhold—and did withhold—the narcotics if the victims displayed any sign of disobedience or tried to leave the locations where the commercial sex acts occurred. According to trial evidence, in order to maintain control over the women he recruited to prostitute, Hart demanded that the women surrender to him their personal belongings, including identification cards, credit cards, cash, clothing, and cellular phones, and confiscated their earnings from the commercial sex acts. As detailed in trial testimony, Hart installed a padlock on the bedroom door of a condominium Hart used for the prostitution business, and locked the victims in the room for hours or days at a time, using a daily combination of heroin and crack cocaine to control and coerce the victims. Hart also used physical force, threatened physical force, and verbally abused the victims to force them to engage in prostitution against their will. Even if the door to the bedroom was left open, the victims feared leaving the room and the condominium because they believed that Hart would find them no matter where they went, and that Hart would punish them for trying to leave him.
The jury also found that the evidence proved that Hart used physical force and threatened physical force to prevent an individual from communicating to a law enforcement officer information related to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The sex trafficking charges were investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, FBI, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Daniel C. Gardner, who prosecuted the case.
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Aurora Residents Charged with Child Labor TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A couple from Aurora has been charged in federal court with child labor trafficking for allegedly forcing an undocumented Guatemalan teenager to work and keeping her earnings.
SANTOS TEODORO AC-SALAZAR, 23, and OLGA CHOC LAJ, 30, are charged with forcing labor through force, threats of force, and the threatened abuse of the law and legal process. The pair is in law enforcement custody and have made initial appearances in federal court in Chicago. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General in Chicago. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Aurora Police Department and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri.
According to the charges, Choc Laj accompanied the teenage victim into the United States from Guatemala and gave false identifications to U.S. immigration authorities. Once in the U.S., Choc Laj harbored the victim in a residence in Aurora and forced the victim to provide labor and services for Choc Laj’s financial gain, the complaint states. Ac-Salazar later joined Choc Laj in the Aurora residence and participated in the labor trafficking by, among other things, forcing the victim to perform household chores, including taking care of the defendants’ infant child, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Publication of Cryptocurrency Enforcement FrameworkRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr announced today the release of “Cryptocurrency: An Enforcement Framework,” a publication produced by the Attorney General’s Cyber-Digital Task Force. The Framework provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging threats and enforcement challenges associated with the increasing prevalence and use of cryptocurrency; details the important relationships that the Department of Justice has built with regulatory and enforcement partners both within the United States government and around the world; and outlines the Department’s response strategies.
“Cryptocurrency is a technology that could fundamentally transform how human beings interact, and how we organize society. Ensuring that use of this technology is safe, and does not imperil our public safety or our national security, is vitally important to America and its allies,” said Attorney General Barr. “I am grateful to the Cyber-Digital Task Force for producing this detailed report, which provides a cohesive, first-of-its kind framework for those seeking to understand federal enforcement priorities in this growing space.”
“At the FBI, we see first-hand the dangers posed when criminals bend the important technological promise of cryptocurrency to illicit ends," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “As this Enforcement Framework describes, we see criminals using cryptocurrency to try to prevent us from 'following the money’ across a wide range of investigations, as well as to trade in illicit goods like criminal tools on the dark web. For example, the cyber criminals behind ransomware attacks often use cryptocurrency to try to hide their true identities when acquiring malware and infrastructure, and receiving ransom payments. The men and women of the FBI are constantly innovating to keep pace with the evolution of criminals' use of cryptocurrency."
“The United States has been enormously successful blocking terrorists, rogue regimes, and their supporters from funding their activity using traditional currencies,” said Task Force member John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division. “As the Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework explains, we will adapt our strategy and tools to 21st century financing, including to combat the use of cryptocurrencies to evade enforcement and harm our national security.”
“Cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology present tremendous promise for the future, but it is critical that these important innovations follow the law. The Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework provides the public with important information intended to help them understand and comply with their obligations under the legal regimes that govern these new and fast-developing technologies,” said Task Force member Brian C. Rabbitt, the acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. “While the Department of Justice and its partners are committed to supporting the advancement of legitimate cryptocurrency technologies and uses, we will not hesitate to enforce the laws that govern these technologies when necessary to protect the public.”
Task Force member Beth A. Williams, who serves as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy, lauded the release of the Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework: “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the public from current and emerging cyber threats, including those involving cryptocurrency and related technologies. This Framework reflects the Department’s extensive cooperation with domestic and international partners in ensuring that we are adequately addressing these challenges, to the benefit of lawful cryptocurrency users and the public at large.”
The Enforcement Framework opens with an introductory essay authored by the Task Force’s chair, Associate Deputy Attorney General Sujit Raman.
Then, in Part I, the Framework provides a detailed threat overview, cataloging the three categories into which most illicit uses of cryptocurrency typically fall: (1) financial transactions associated with the commission of crimes; (2) money laundering and the shielding of legitimate activity from tax, reporting, or other legal requirements; and (3) crimes, such as theft, directly implicating the cryptocurrency marketplace itself.
Part II explores the various legal and regulatory tools at the government’s disposal to confront the threats posed by cryptocurrency’s illicit uses, and highlights the strong and growing partnership between the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Commission, and agencies within the Department of the Treasury, among others, to enforce federal law in the cryptocurrency space.
Finally, the Enforcement Framework concludes in Part III with a discussion of the ongoing challenges the government faces in cryptocurrency enforcement—particularly with respect to business models (employed by certain cryptocurrency exchanges, platforms, kiosks, and casinos), and to activity (like “mixing” and “tumbling,” “chain hopping,” and certain instances of jurisdictional arbitrage) that may facilitate criminal activity.
The Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework is the second detailed report issued by the Attorney General’s Cyber-Digital Task Force, which was established in February 2018 to answer two basic questions: How is the Department of Justice responding to global cyber threats? And how can federal law enforcement accomplish its mission in this area more effectively? An earlier Task Force report, published in July 2018, canvassed a wide spectrum of cyber threats, ranging from transnational criminal enterprises’ sophisticated cyber-enabled schemes, to malign foreign influence operations, to efforts to compromise our nation’s critical infrastructure, and articulated the Department’s priorities in detecting, deterring, and disrupting cyber threats.
Additional Cyber-Digital Task Force members include Andrew E. Lelling, United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, and two senior FBI executives. Components from across the Department contributed to the Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework’s drafting.
The Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework can be downloaded here.
Alleged Narcotics Trafficker Extradited to the United States to Face International Cocaine Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
Uldarico Narvaez Ansazoy will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy headed by his brother Roman Narvaez Ansazoy. The defendant was arrested in Colombia pursuant to a request for his extradition, and extradited yesterday to the United States. Roman Narvaez Ansazoy was arrested in September 2019 on charges of leading a continuing criminal enterprise and is awaiting trial in the Eastern District of New York.
Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP), announced the extradition and charges.
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendant and his brother operated a substantial Colombian drug-trafficking enterprise that imported multiple tons of cocaine into the United States each month,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “The United States stands committed to working with our international partners to dismantle the drug-trafficking organizations responsible for flooding our communities with poison and bringing the individuals who run these operations to justice.” Mr. DuCharme extended his grateful appreciation to the DEA’s offices in Bogota, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Colombian National Police, the Judicial Attaché’s office in Bogota and the Government of Colombia.
“This extradition leads to an unpleasant reunion between brothers, Roman and Uldarico Narvaez Ansazoy, who both have been brought to New York to face U.S. rule of law,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan. “The Narvaez trafficking organization threatened American lives by sending multi-ton quantities of cocaine from the jungles of Colombia to the United States, with assistance from a designated foreign terrorist organization, the FARC. This justice is long overdue, but this investigation is evident of law enforcement’s dedication to the safety and health of the American public.”
“I applaud our law enforcement officials at all levels for their strong police work in this case and for their continued dedication to preventing the trafficking of cocaine and other harmful narcotics within our communities. This indictment and the disruption of this international illegal drug trafficking operation sends a clear message that we will find and punish the people who are responsible for producing and transporting these illegal substances to our streets,” stated NYSP Superintendent Corlett.
According to the indictment, Narvaez and his brother were founders and principal leaders of the Narvaez drug trafficking organization responsible for producing multi-ton quantities of cocaine on a monthly basis in jungle laboratories in the Cauca region of Colombia. At its peak, the organization was one of the top producers of cocaine in Colombia. The cocaine was transported to Colombian port cities on the Pacific Ocean through jungle area routes protected by paramilitary groups paid by the Narvaez for safe passage. One of the paramilitary groups was the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The vast majority of the cocaine the organization delivered was destined for the United States.
The extradition of Narvaez is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Francisco J. Navarro is in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs handled the extradition in this case.
The Defendant:
ULDARICO NARVAEZ ANSAZOY
Age: 41
Antioquia, ColombiaDefendant Previously Indicted:
ROMAN NARVAEZ ANSAZOY
Age: 45
Antioquia, ColombiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-048 (S-1) (BMC)
Alleged Bank Robbery Crew Member Arrested and Indicted for Bank Robbery in Carson CityRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. — An alleged member of a bank robbery crew, who was wanted by law enforcement for a bank robbery in Carson City, made his initial appearance yesterday in Reno federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Antron Dwayne Mouton, 29, of Houston, Texas, is alleged to be a member of a bank robbery crew that traveled to Nevada to rob ATMs. He was indicted by a grand jury in June 2020, with one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and one count of bank robbery. Mouton absconded from authorities and remained a fugitive until his arrest on July 31, 2020 in Sealy, Texas, by the FBI’s Criminal Apprehension Team.
According to the indictment, on July 29, 2019, Mouton and two co-conspirators drove behind a worker who was servicing an ATM in Carson City. They intimidated and ordered the worker to move away from the ATM. Mouton and his co-conspirators then stole the money in the ATM and drove away.
Mouton faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a period of supervised release and restitution.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and Carson City Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow is prosecuting the case.
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Albany Man Indicted on Charges of Supplemental Security Income FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jorge Ortiz, Jr., age 59, of Albany, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with concealing his assets and resources, and making false statements, in connection with obtaining Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for a relative.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
The indictment alleges that Ortiz failed to disclose his assets and resources to the SSA from November 2008 through February 2016, and that as a result a relative in his care was able to receive SSI benefit payments that he was not otherwise eligible to receive. SSI is a needs-based program, available to elderly, blind, and disabled individuals, that provides money to pay for living expenses. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ortiz was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and ordered released pending trial.
The charges against Ortiz carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. 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 is being investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.
Agents Arrest 15 People in Multi-State Drug Trafficking Ring Involving Fentanyl, Heroin, Methamphetamine and FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – This week the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department arrested 15 people in several states linked to an organized multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to the previously sealed indictment, returned on September 16, 2020, this was a long-running drug distribution conspiracy operating throughout the Eastern District of Missouri, the Southern District of Illinois, the Western District of Missouri, and the District of Kansas. The court record reflects that during the investigation, law enforcement officers seized evidence that included approximately: (1) 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl; (2) 250 grams of fentanyl analogues; (3) 8 kilograms of heroin; (4) 13 kilograms of methamphetamine (ice); (5) $157,551.00 in United States currency; and (6) 15 firearms.
“Anytime we are able to dismantle an organization dealing in fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, it’s a big deal,” stated Special Agent in Charge William J. Callahan, who oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division, which includes Missouri, Kansas and Southern Illinois. “DEA is out on the streets every day combating drug traffickers, bringing our significant investigative resources to target the command and control of drug trafficking organizations. The number of defendants in this indictment shows that we will find those who traffic drugs into the St. Louis area wherever they are.”
All of the below mentioned defendants are charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy. The indictment further charges Lee Garth, Jr. and Lee Garth, Sr. with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The indicted defendants include:
JORGE LOPEZ-QUEZADA, 31, of Mexico;
YALITZA E. CALDERON-OLIVAS, 24, of Kansas City, KS;
BENIGNO MONTENEGRO, 36, of Kansas City, MO;
LEE P. GARTH JR., 35, of East St. Louis, IL;
LEE P. GARTH SR., 52, of Kansas City, KS;
TYDARRYL GRIFFIN, 45, of St. Louis, MO;
WILLIE GRIFFIN, 51, of St. Louis, MO;
JERMAINE J. JOHNSON, 48, of St. Louis, MO;
DEVAUGHN M. LEE, 41, of St. Louis, MO;
RON D. HILL, 40, of St. Louis, MO;
BARNARD REED, 50, of St. Louis, MO;
KEYSHIA S. HARRIS, 46, of St. Louis, MO;
FAITH FITZPATRICK, 22, of Kansas City, KS;
CASSIDY GARTH, 26, of Belleville, IL;
TERESA SMITH, 49, of Kansas City, KS.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Charles County Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service are investigating this case. The Office of the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force is handling the case.
This investigation is part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.
This prosecution was also brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime.
As is always the case, charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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20-year Prison Sentence for Defendant Involved in Major SWGA Meth Distribution RingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Additional defendants linked to a major methamphetamine ring based out of southwest Georgia and distributing large quantities of methamphetamine across the southeast have been sentenced to prison for their crimes, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Willie Clayton, aka Pimp, aka Pootsie, of Moultrie, Georgia, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 7 by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner to 240 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release. Clayton previously pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kurt Jones, of Moultrie, was sentenced on September 30 by Judge Gardner to 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Keyerra Green, of Moultrie, was sentenced on October 2 by Judge Gardner to five years of probation after pleading guilty to one count use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. All three defendants are co-conspirators in the 2016 Borris Fuller methamphetamine distribution case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“I can’t underscore enough the impressive coordination demonstrated by numerous law enforcement partners engaged in investigating and ultimately bringing down a major methamphetamine distribution ring which was trafficking massive amounts of this deadly drug across Georgia and the southeast,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “Our office stands with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in our unified work to dismantle meth distribution efforts and bring offenders to justice.”
Between May 17, 2016 and August 2, 2016, state and federal search warrants were obtained authorizing investigators to obtain text messages and other electronic content from relevant cell phones. A review of these communications revealed that the known leader of the methamphetamine distribution ring, Borris Fuller, 42, of Moultrie, and his co-conspirators were distributing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine a week to customers in Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina. These communications further showed that Fuller controlled a network of couriers that were traveling to Atlanta to acquire bulk quantities of methamphetamine. For his crime, Fuller was sentenced to serve 30 years in a federal prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release on October 26, 2018 by Judge Gardner after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Authorities estimate that an organization of 35 individuals regulated by Fuller was responsible for the distribution of more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in and around Moultrie from May until November 2016. The names of the additional defendants previously sentenced to prison for their involvement in the Fuller methamphetamine distribution case are listed in earlier press releases on the USAO Middle District of Georgia website. You can find them by visiting www.justice.gov/usao-mdga.
The case was investigated by the DEA, GBI, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Mid-South Narcotics Task Force, Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office, Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, Tift County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Grady County Sheriff’s Office, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Leon County Florida Sheriff’s Office, Volusia County Florida Bureau of Investigation and Moultrie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah E. McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Wednesday 7 October 2020
Wichita Woman Sentenced for Giving Gun to Man Convicted in KillingsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita woman was sentenced Tuesday to six years in federal prison for providing a gun to a man who later was convicted of killing three people, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Myrta Rangel, 35, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of giving a gun to a person she knew would use it in a drug trafficking crime and one count of giving a gun to a person she knew was a previously convicted felon.
In her plea, Rangel admitted she took part in a drug trafficking conspiracy including Jereme Nelson and others. She gave Nelson a handgun and he carried it to a meeting in rural Harvey Count to collect a drug debt. At that meeting, Nelson shot and killed three people: Travis Street, Angela Graevs and Richard Prouty. After the killing, Rangel and Nelson fled to Mexico. Eventually, Mexican authorities returned them to the United States for prosecution.
McAllister commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
West Monroe Man Sentenced for Stealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Ashton A’qumartez Thomas, 21, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced today. United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced Thomas to 30 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of stolen firearms. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,306.89. Thomas pled guilty on June 15, 2020.
According to information presented to the court, Thomas was involved in a burglary at TP Outdoors in West Monroe, Louisiana on August 27, 2018. The burglary committed on that date happened in the same fashion as a burglary at the same store on August 29, 2017. This led law enforcement agents to investigate Thomas, as he was the prime suspect in the 2017 burglary. Agents went to the residence of Thomas’ mother where he lived, and which is in close proximity to TP Outdoors. Upon arrival at the residence, officers learned that Thomas was not present but were given consent to search the residence. Agents recovered a hammer and pry bar from under Thomas’ bed. While searching the backyard of the residence, agents found a fresh pile of dirt, sticks and leaves. That portion of the yard was excavated and five of the stolen firearms from the 2018 burglary of TP Outdoors were recovered.
The ATF, West Monroe Police Department and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Utah Receiving $994,943 in Department of Justice Funding to Enhance State Victim Assistance ProgramsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – U.S. Attorney John W. Huber announced Wednesday morning that Utah is receiving almost $1 million in Department of Justice grant awards to support crime victims in Utah. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $144 million distributed nationwide to enhance the response to victims of crime throughout the United States.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
“The Department of Justice underscores its commitment to victim rights by dedicating resources like those announced today. These awards will help shore up gaps that may exist in the state, and provide substantial assistance to better serve Utah communities,” Huber said today.
Utah State University in Logan, Utah, will receive $196,335 as a part of the Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist program. This funding allows recipients to better support victims of crime through the criminal justice process.
The Utah Office for Victims of Crime is receiving two awards.
The Utah office is one of seven states to receive funding under the Crime Victim Compensation Assessment Program. The $348,608 award will support the states in assessing victims’ access to compensation programs and implementing recommendations to increase the number of victims aware of this resource.
The Utah Office for Victims of Crime is also one of 10 states receiving $450,000 through the State Victim Liaison Project to place one or more experienced crime victim liaisons within selected Victims of Crimes Act state administrating agencies to act as a bridge between state and other state-based nongovernmental organizations to identify gaps in victim services and improve access to resources for crime victims in rural and tribal areas, older victims of crime, and victims of violent crime.
Update: US v. Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee ElsheikhRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two militant fighters for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, arrived here today in FBI custody on charges related to their alleged participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
Former British citizens Alexanda Amon Kotey, 36, and El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, made their initial appearances here in federal court this evening in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa C. Buchanan.
The defendants were informed of the charges against them, provided court-appointed defense counsel, and remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals and held pending their next hearing.
The defendants are next scheduled to appear in federal court in Alexandria on Friday. They are each scheduled for a detention hearing at 11 a.m., and an arraignment at 2 p.m.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-239.
United States Seizes Domain Names Used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard CorpsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The United States has seized 92 domain names that were unlawfully used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to engage in a global disinformation campaign, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, David L. Anderson; Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers; and the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Francisco Division, John F. Bennett. According to the seizure documents, four of the domains purported to be genuine news outlets but were actually controlled by the IRGC and targeted the United States for the spread of Iranian propaganda to influence United States domestic and foreign policy in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and the remainder spread Iranian propaganda to other parts of the world. In addition, the seizure documents describe how all 92 domains were being used in violation of U.S. sanctions targeting both the Government of Iran and the IRGC.
“Today we are 92 domains closer to shutting down Iran’s worldwide disinformation campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “This important work will continue. Iran cannot be allowed to hide behind fake news sites. If Iran wants to be heard using U.S. facilities, it must reveal its true colors.”
“We will continue to use all of our tools to stop the Iranian Government from misusing U.S. companies and social media to spread propaganda covertly, to attempt to influence the American public secretly, and to sow discord,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Fake news organizations have become a new outlet for disinformation spread by authoritarian countries as they continue to try to undermine our democracy. Today’s actions show that we can use a variety of laws to vindicate the value of transparency.”
“Today, we successfully seized 92 domains involved in a disinformation campaign conducted by Iran-based actors to promote pro-Iranian propaganda. This investigation, initiated by intelligence we received from Google, was a collaborative effort between the FBI and social media companies Google, Facebook, and Twitter,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bennett. “This case is a perfect example of why the FBI San Francisco Division prioritizes maintaining an ongoing relationship with a variety of social media and technology companies.
These relationships enable a quick exchange of information to better protect against threats to the nation’s security and our democratic processes. The FBI also urges the public to remain vigilant about the information they find and share on social media. Every citizen must do their part to use a critical eye and look for trusted sources of information. We all have a role to play in protecting the American democratic system from foreign adversaries.”
Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), unauthorized exports of goods, technology or services to Iran, directly or indirectly from the United States or by a United States person are prohibited. Pursuant to the IEEPA, the Secretary of the Treasury promulgated the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) that prohibit the provision of services to the Government of Iran without a license. The Department of Treasury may issue a license through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Further, the United States has found that the IRGC has provided material support to a number of terrorist groups, including Hizballah, Hamas, and the Taliban and, on April 15, 2019, the IRGC was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States Government.
In this case, the United States seized 92 domain names on October 7, 2020, pursuant to a seizure warrant. The seizure documents describe how the 92 seized domain names were being operated in violation of federal law.
Four of the domain names, “newsstand7.com,” “usjournal.net,” “usjournal.us,” and “twtoday.net,” were seized pursuant to FARA. FARA establishes a registration, reporting, and disclosure regime for agents of foreign principals (which includes foreign non-government individuals and entities) so that the U.S. government and the people of the United States are informed of the source of information and the identity of persons attempting to influence U.S. public opinion, policy, and law. FARA requires, among other things, that persons subject to its requirements submit periodic registration statements containing truthful information about their activities and the income earned from them.
Disclosure of the required information allows the federal government and the American people to evaluate the statements and activities of such persons in light of their function as foreign agents. Here, the four domains purported to be independent news outlets, but were actually operated by or on behalf of the IRGC to target the United States with pro-Iranian propaganda in an attempt to influence the American people to change United States foreign and domestic policy toward Iran and the Middle East. These domains targeted a United States audience without proper registration pursuant to FARA and without notifying the American public with a conspicuous notice that the content of the domains was being published on behalf of the IRGC and the Government of Iran.
In addition, the remaining 88 domains targeted audiences in Western Europe, the Middle East, and South East Asia and masqueraded as genuine news outlets while actually being operated by the IRGC to spread pro-Iranian disinformation around the globe to the benefit of the Government of Iran. The Government of Iran and the IRGC utilized website and domain services in the United States without a license from OFAC. All 92 domains are owned and operated by United States companies. Neither the IRGC nor the Government of Iran obtained a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control prior to utilizing the domain names. A list of the 92 seized domain names is available here.
Visitors to the sites received the following message:
This seizure was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Special Prosecutions Section and Asset Forfeiture Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, and the Counterespionage Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, are prosecuting the seizure.United States Seizes Domain Names Used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard CorpsRead the Press Release
The United States has seized 92 domain names that were unlawfully used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to engage in a global disinformation campaign, announced the Department of Justice.
According to the seizure documents, four of the domains purported to be genuine news outlets but were actually controlled by the IRGC and targeted the United States for the spread of Iranian propaganda to influence United States domestic and foreign policy in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), and the remainder spread Iranian propaganda to other parts of the world. In addition, the seizure documents describe how all 92 domains were being used in violation of U.S. sanctions targeting both the Government of Iran and the IRGC.
“We will continue to use all of our tools to stop the Iranian Government from misusing U.S. companies and social media to spread propaganda covertly, to attempt to influence the American public secretly, and to sow discord,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Fake news organizations have become a new outlet for disinformation spread by authoritarian countries as they continue to try to undermine our democracy. Today’s actions show that we can use a variety of laws to vindicate the value of transparency.”
“Today we are 92 domains closer to shutting down Iran’s worldwide disinformation campaign,” said U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California. “This important work will continue. Iran cannot be allowed to hide behind fake news sites. If Iran wants to be heard using U.S. facilities, it must reveal its true colors.”
“Today, we successfully seized 92 domains involved in a disinformation campaign conducted by Iran-based actors to promote pro-Iranian propaganda. This investigation, initiated by intelligence we received from Google, was a collaborative effort between the FBI and social media companies Google, Facebook, and Twitter,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bennett. “This case is a perfect example of why the FBI San Francisco Division prioritizes maintaining an ongoing relationship with a variety of social media and technology companies. These relationships enable a quick exchange of information to better protect against threats to the nation’s security and our democratic processes. The FBI also urges the public to remain vigilant about the information they find and share on social media. Every citizen must do their part to use a critical eye and look for trusted sources of information. We all have a role to play in protecting the American democratic system from foreign adversaries.”
Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), unauthorized exports of goods, technology or services to Iran, directly or indirectly from the United States or by a United States person are prohibited. Pursuant to the IEEPA, the Secretary of the Treasury promulgated the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) that prohibit the provision of services to the Government of Iran without a license. The Department of Treasury may issue a license through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Further, the United States has found that the IRGC has provided material support to a number of terrorist groups, including Hizballah, Hamas, and the Taliban and, on April 15, 2019, the IRGC was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States Government.
In this case, the United States seized 92 domain names on Oct. 7, 2020, pursuant to a seizure warrant. The seizure documents describe how the 92 seized domain names were being operated in violation of federal law.
Four of the domain names, “newsstand7.com,” “usjournal.net,” “usjournal.us,” and “twtoday.net,” were seized pursuant to FARA. FARA establishes a registration, reporting, and disclosure regime for agents of foreign principals (which includes foreign non-government individuals and entities) so that the U.S. government and the people of the United States are informed of the source of information and the identity of persons attempting to influence U.S. public opinion, policy, and law. FARA requires, among other things, that persons subject to its requirements submit periodic registration statements containing truthful information about their activities and the income earned from them. Disclosure of the required information allows the federal government and the American people to evaluate the statements and activities of such persons in light of their function as foreign agents. Here, the four domains purported to be independent news outlets, but were actually operated by or on behalf of the IRGC to target the United States with pro-Iranian propaganda in an attempt to influence the American people to change United States foreign and domestic policy toward Iran and the Middle East. These domains targeted a United States audience without proper registration pursuant to FARA and without notifying the American public with a conspicuous notice that the content of the domains was being published on behalf of the IRGC and the Government of Iran.
In addition, the remaining 88 domains targeted audiences in Western Europe, the Middle East, and South East Asia and masqueraded as genuine news outlets while actually being operated by the IRGC to spread pro-Iranian disinformation around the globe to the benefit of the Government of Iran. The Government of Iran and the IRGC utilized website and domain services in the United States without a license from OFAC. All 92 domains are owned and operated by United States companies. Neither the IRGC nor the Government of Iran obtained a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control prior to utilizing the domain names. A list of the 92 seized domain names is available here.
Visitors to the sites received the following message:
This seizure was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Special Prosecutions Section and Asset Forfeiture Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, are prosecuting the seizure.
Download List of Domain Names (PDF)
United States Attorney William D. Hyslop Announces $400,000 Grant to Assist Victims of Crime Awarded to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation in the Eastern District of WashingtonRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced $400,000 in a Department of Justice grant to assist crime victims in Eastern Washington. The grant, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, is part of almost 1.8 billion distributed to state victim assistance and compensation programs to fund thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and to provide millions in compensation to victims of crime.
The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, flagship formula grant program is supported by the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), which was established under The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The Fund supports a broad array of programs and services that focus on helping victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and continuing to support them as they rebuild their lives. In FY 2019 alone, VOCA grants served over seven million victims and paid more than $399 million in compensation claims.
“Advocates, service providers, and law enforcement agencies from around the country stand ready to help crime victims exercise their legal rights and reclaim their lives,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “These new funding resources continue this administration’s unprecedented commitment to providing the support necessary for victims of crimes to be able to heal and recover.”
The award of $400,000 being made to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation will support local direct victim service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim assistance positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “This grant will provide much needed resources to help victims of crime at the Yakama Nation. Convicted criminals are sent to jail, but their victims often suffer financial loss and long-lasting emotional scars. Supporting and helping the victims of crime is a top priority of the United States Department of Justice.”
State victim compensation programs will receive over $133 million to supplement the state funds that offset victims’ financial burdens resulting from crime. This compensation is often extremely vital to victims who face enormous financial setbacks from medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs.
“The services made available by this funding represent a lifeline for tens of thousands of survivors each month, many of whom otherwise would have no place to turn in a moment of profound crisis,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. “These awards will help service providers, as well as law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices respond to the many emotional and material challenges that crime victims in our country face every day.”
The Fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders and does not include tax dollars. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Announces $900,000 to Support Offenders Returning to Communities in Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow today announced $900,000 in Department of Justice grants to reduce recidivism among adults and juvenile offenders returning to their communities in Puerto Rico 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 Department of Justice is committed to giving justice-involved individuals the tools they need to become productive members of society,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Providing meaningful support through prevention programs and other critical services is vital to our ongoing efforts to reduce recidivism, promote public safety, and foster positive results in communities across the island.”
The Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration (ASSMCA, for its acronym in Spanish) received $900,000 in funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for its Improving Reentry for Adults with Substance Use Disorders Program. The funding supports establishing, expanding, and improving treatment for people with substance use disorders during their incarceration and reentry into the community.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts to be awarded, and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit:
https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/reentryfactsheet.pdf.
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
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U.S. Attorney Trent Shores Announces $1.6 Million in Grants to Improve Services for Crime Victims in Northern District of OklahomaRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores today announced more than $1.6 million in Department of Justice grants are being awarded to improve services for crime victims in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of $144 million distributed throughout the United States to enhance the response to victims of crime.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
The awards made to organizations in the Northern District of Oklahoma will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
“My hope is that these grants will support and enable our law enforcement partners and victim advocates to fulfill their public safety mission. The collective work they do is critical for crime victims and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “These grants will provide restorative resources for victims of crime and their families so that they may begin the healing process and reclaim their lives. Funding is also being awarded to strengthen sex offender registration programs.”
“As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights.”
The following organizations in the Northern District of Oklahoma received funding to enhance their responses to victims of crime:
Receiving grants for emergency shelter and transitional housing for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking and their companion animals is:
- Delaware Tribe of Indians: $399,989
The Adam Walsh Act program provides funding to assist jurisdictions with developing or enhancing programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. SORNA was enacted to provide a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. In the Northern District of Oklahoma, the following entities are receiving funding for this program:
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation: $399,985
- Miami Tribe of Oklahoma: $213,755
- Oklahoma Department of Corrections: $399,047
Finally, the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma received $250,000 in continuation funding to provide services to Tribal children and youth who are victimized as the result of the opioid crisis.
Other Oklahoma entities receiving grant funding are the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts to be awarded and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/ovcvictimsfactsheet.pdf.
In addition to the grants listed above, OJP awarded nearly $101 million in funding to combat human trafficking and provide vital services to trafficking victims throughout the United States. For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts and jurisdictions that will receive this funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/ovchumantraffickingfactsheet.pdf.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser Announces the Grant of over $120,000 to Improve Services for Crime Victims in the Eastern District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Strasser today announced a $129,202 grant provided by the U.S. Department of Justice to improve services for crime victims in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The grant, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, is a part of over $144 million distributed nationwide to enhance the district's response to victims of crime.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
The awards made to organizations in the Eastern District of Louisiana will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
U.S. Attorney Strasser stated, “The announcement of Louisiana’s awards highlights the commitment from the Department of Justice to afford law enforcement the opportunity to develop and enhance programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) and to provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA standards. This training will provide law enforcement with an invaluable tool to protect victims and the community from predators.”
“As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights.”
The following organization received funding:
- St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office: $129,202
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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- St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office: $129,202
U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart Announces More Than $9.3 Million to Assist Victims in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
Award Part of Over $1.8 Billion in Justice Department Funding Announced by Attorney General Barr
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart announced $9,362,969 in a Department of Justice grant to assist victims in West Virginia. The grant, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), is part of almost 1.8 billion distributed to state victim assistance and compensation programs to fund thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and to provide millions in compensation to victims of crime.
The OVC’s flagship formula grant program is supported by the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), which was established under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The Fund supports a broad array of programs and services that focus on helping victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and continuing to support them as they rebuild their lives. In FY 2019 alone, VOCA grants served over seven million victims and paid more than $399 million in compensation claims.
“Advocates, service providers, and law enforcement agencies from around the country stand ready to help crime victims exercise their legal rights and reclaim their lives,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “These new funding resources continue this administration’s unprecedented commitment to providing the support necessary for victims of crimes to be able to heal and recover.”
The awards made to organizations in West Virginia will support local direct victim service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim assistance positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments.
“During my tenure as U.S. Attorney, I have met many strong, courageous and inspirational victims of crime,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Our state has a phenomenal network of victim service providers that work tirelessly for these victims each and every day. This funding will help ensure that West Virginia crime victims get the critical assistance and support they need and deserve.”
State victim compensation programs will receive over $133 million to supplement the state funds that offset victims’ financial burdens resulting from crime. This compensation is often extremely vital to victims who face enormous financial setbacks from medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs.
“The services made available by this funding represent a lifeline for tens of thousands of survivors each month, many of whom otherwise would have no place to turn in a moment of profound crisis,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. “These awards will help service providers, as well as law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices respond to the many emotional and material challenges that crime victims in our country face every day.”
The Fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders and does not include tax dollars. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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
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U.S. Attorney McAllister: Kansas to Receive $16.8 Million to Assist Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Kansas will receive more than $16.8 million in Department of Justice grants to fund victim assistance programs and provide compensation to victims of crime, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
“Promoting justice by providing support to victims of crime is an important part of our mission,” McAllister said. “These funds will be used both to assist victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and to support them over the longer term as they rebuild their lives.”
The grants to Kansas include:
- $750,000 to the Wichita Children’s Home from funds committed to supporting victims of human trafficking.
- $14.9 million for victim assistance to the State of Kansas from the Crime Victims Fund that was established by the Victims of Crime Act.
- $1.15 million to the Office of the Kansas Attorney General for crime victim compensation.
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has released awards totaling more than $1.8 billion to state victims’ assistance and compensation programs to fund thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and to provide millions of dollars in compensation to victims of crime.
“Advocates, service providers and law enforcement agencies from around the country stand ready to help crime victims exercise their legal rights and reclaim their lives,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The new funding resources continue the administration’s commitment to providing the support necessary for victims of crime to be able to heal and recover.”
U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe Hosts Law Enforcement Roundtable with Top Drug Enforcement Administration OfficialsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Seeking to build on the success of a multi-agency effort to stanch the distribution of methamphetamine and related violent crime in Franklin County, Florida, United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe of the Northern District of Florida hosted Timothy Shea, Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), for a law enforcement roundtable discussion with sheriffs from throughout the District to identify additional partnership opportunities. The Honorable Ashley Moody, Florida Attorney General, and Keith Weis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Miami Division, also participated in the event.
“The United States Attorney’s Office was honored to host Acting Administrator Shea for a substantive discussion with sheriffs from throughout the Northern District of Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “He rolled up his sleeves, along with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and got into trenches with these sheriffs who were elected by the people of their counties. Together, we worked to create new strategies in our ongoing effort to disrupt the distribution of methamphetamine and related violent crime in Northern Florida, using our recent success in Franklin County as a model.”
The closed roundtable focused on the impact of Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations in the Northern Florida. Dialogue between Sheriffs from Franklin, Bay, Taylor, Calhoun, Lafayette, Jefferson, Gilchrist and Leon Counties and DEA leadership focused on intelligence sharing and identifying further opportunities for local, state, and federal law enforcement to work together to reduce meth trafficking, use, and associated violent crime. Officials from the Florida Sheriff’s Association, leaders from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jacksonville Division and the U.S. Marshal Service’s Northern District and State Attorney Jack Campbell of Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit participated in the talks.
Following the closed roundtable, U.S. Attorney Keefe, A.J. “Tony” Smith, Sheriff of Franklin County, and DEA Acting Administrator Shea spoke to the media. Sheriff Smith spoke about the significant impact that the support of the DEA has made in reducing the trafficking, sale, and use of methamphetamine in Franklin County. DEA Acting Administrator Shea then shared information about nation-wide DEA efforts to combat methamphetamine trafficking and emphasized the importance of partnerships with state and local law enforcement.
“Those who say drug trafficking is not a violent crime couldn’t be more wrong,” said Acting Administrator Shea. “Drug trafficking affects the safety and security of all of us. The criminals who engage in drug trafficking fuel the epidemic of addiction in our country – and profit from it – while feeding the violence that it plaguing so many communities.”
U.S. Attorney Keefe concluded the press conference by discussing the topics and outcomes of the closed law enforcement roundtable.
For additional information, footage and/or photography requests, please contact the News Service of Florida (Mr. Tom Urban, [email protected], or Mr. Jim Turner, [email protected]) or the Tallahassee Democrat (Mr. Karl Etters [email protected], or Ms. Tori Schneider [email protected]).
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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - U.S. Attorney Keefe Hosts Law Enforcement Roundtable With Top Drug Enforcement Administration Officials Lawrence Keefe, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, Timothy Shea, Acting Administrator of the DEA, Keith Weis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA's Miami Division, and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody conduct a law enforcement roundtable with sheriffs from throughout the District, creating new strategies to stanch the distribution of meth and reduce related violent crime in Northern Florida.U.s. Attorney Wrigley Announces over a Half-Million Dollars to Improve Services for Crime Victims in District of North DakotaRead the Press Release
NORTH DAKOTA – U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley announced today that $699,920 in Department of Justice crime victim service improvement grants have been approved for North Dakota. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $144 million distributed to enhance each states response to victims of crime throughout the United States.
"The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery."
The awards made to organizations in the North Dakota will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
"The Department of Justice and our office partner with those who share our commitment to securing justice for victims," said United States Attorney Drew Wrigley, "and these grants help ensure progress toward one of our most sacred responsibilities."
"As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles," said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. "The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights."
The following organizations received funding:
• $399,920 to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians for the Adam Walsh Act program that gave over $16.7 million to 61 recipients to assist jurisdictions with developing and enhancing programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
• $270,000 to the North Dakota Office of Attorney General for the Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist program that gave over $8.6 million to 22 recipients to develop or enhance crime victim specialist programs within law enforcement agencies to better support victims through the criminal justice process, and another $2 million to one organization to support training and technical assistance for the grantees.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.s. Attorney Kurt Alme Announces $6,243,585 to Assist Victims in MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today announced $6,243,585 in Department of Justice grants to assist victims in Montana. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of almost $1.8 billion distributed to state victim assistance and compensation programs to fund thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and to provide millions in compensation to victims of crime.
The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, flagship formula grant program is supported by the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), which was established under The Victims of Crime Act. The Fund supports a broad array of programs and services that focus on helping victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and continuing to support them as they rebuild their lives. In FY 2019 alone, VOCA grants served over seven million victims and paid more than $399 million in compensation claims.
“Advocates, service providers, and law enforcement agencies from around the country stand ready to help crime victims exercise their legal rights and reclaim their lives,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “These new funding resources continue this administration’s unprecedented commitment to providing the support necessary for victims of crimes to be able to heal and recover.”
The awards made to organizations in Montana will support local direct victim service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim assistance positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments.
"These funds support important organizations in Montana providing critical protection and assistance to crime victims. They will also be used to lessen the financial losses experienced by victims. We are pleased these funds are coming to help Montana victims," U.S. Attorney Alme said.
The awards to Montana include the Montana Board of Crime Control, $5,785,585, for Victim Assistance; and the Montana Department of Justice, $458,000, for Victim Compensation.
State victim compensation programs will receive over $133 million to supplement the state funds that offset victims’ financial burdens resulting from crime. This compensation is often extremely vital to victims who face enormous financial setbacks from medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs.
“The services made available by this funding represent a lifeline for tens of thousands of survivors each month, many of whom otherwise would have no place to turn in a moment of profound crisis,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. “These awards will help service providers, as well as law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices respond to the many emotional and material challenges that crime victims in our country face every day.”
The Fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders and does not include tax dollars. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.s. Attorney Kurt Alme Announces $1,894,452 to Improve Services for Crime Victims in MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today announced $1,894,452 in Department of Justice grants to improve services for crime victims in Montana. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $144 million distributed to enhance the district's response to victims of crime throughout the United States.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
The awards made to organizations in Montana will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
"It takes remarkable courage for crime victims to recover and to hold the perpetrators accountable so they harm no more victims. We are very pleased these funds are coming to Montana to provide help and support to our victims," U.S. Attorney Alme said.
“As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights.”
The following organizations in Montana received funding:
- Montana Legal Services Association, $1,000,000
- Montana Board of Crime Control, $500,000
- Chippewa Cree Tribe, $394,452
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Two Massachusetts Men Indicted for Tax Scheme Targeting Immigrant CommunityRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men were arrested today in connection with a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by falsely inflating taxpayer’s federal income tax refunds and diverting a portion of those refunds to accounts they and their co-conspirators controlled.
Boris Shadari, 44, of Swampscott, and Christian Zynga, 45, of Everett, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Shadari was additionally charged with three counts of filing a false tax return, three counts of aiding or assisting in filing a false tax return, two counts of theft of government funds, five counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of witness tampering.
According to the charging documents, from 2012 to 2018, Shadari and Zynga held Shadari out as a tax professional, particularly targeting the Congolese community of Greater Boston. Until 2017, they took their customers’ tax information to a tax professional at a tax preparation company, and provided the tax professional with false information concerning their customers’ dependents, dependent and child care expenses and business income and losses in order to inflate the customers’ federal income tax refunds. They then caused the refunds to be split between the customers’ bank accounts and accounts they and their co-conspirators controlled. After 2017, Shadari prepared customers’ returns himself and added false information to the returns to inflate the refunds due. Shadari also allegedly failed to report the income he received from this scheme on his own tax returns.
The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charges of filing a false tax return and aiding or assisting in filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of witness tampering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any sentence received on the other charges. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Twenty-Three Indicted in Large-Scale Heroin RingRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that 23 individuals have been indicted with 37 counts for their role in running a large-scale, Denver-based heroin trafficking organization. The Denver Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration joined in today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment as well as information from detention hearings, defendants Azusena Maribel Sierra and her husband Juan Antonio Amaya-Nunez were at the center of the organization. Sierra was the heroin dispatcher and money collector who, on a daily basis, received calls and texts from dozens of street-level customers. Sierra took heroin orders, dispatched multiple runners to meet with, make deliveries to, and collect money from customers, and collected money at the end of the day. The organization distributed approximately 1 kilogram of heroin every week.
Following an investigation that was initiated in September 2019, agents and officers seized approximately 33 kilograms of heroin, approximately $100,000 in cash, and two firearms.
The defendants face charges including conspiracy to distribute heroin, money laundering, transporting heroin in aid of racketeering, and using telephones in connection with drug trafficking.
Of those indicted, 14 defendants have been arrested and have made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court where they were advised of their rights and the charges pending against them. Nine other defendants are pending arrest and are considered fugitives.
Those charged include:
Benjamin Lopes-Alvarado, age 31 and a Mexican National Azusena Maribel Sierra, age 33 and a U.S. Citizen
Hector Nunez-Sandoval, age 34 and a U.S. Citizen
Jorge Reyes Cruz-Garcia, age 19 and a Mexican National
Bradley Michael White, age 32 and a U.S. Citizen
Michael Ian Mills, age 37 and a U.S. Citizen
Anna Marie Rebekah Davis, age 47 and a U.S. Citizen
Keven Alexander Perez, age 29, and a U.S. Citizen
Victoriano Hinojosa, age 31, and a Mexican National
Oscar Manuel Oliveros, age 19, and a Mexican National
Diego Romero-Cruz, age 28, and a Mexican National
Christian Anthony Carver, age 29, and U.S. Citizen
Abisai Escobar Flores, age 42, and a Mexican National
Nicho Garcia, age 24, and a U.S. Citizen
Jesse Cervantes, age 37, and a U.S. Citizen
Victor Alonso Carreon, age 24, and a Mexican National
Adrianna Rafaela Holguin, age 19, and a U.S. Citizen
In addition to the named defendants, six indicted individuals have not been identified.
“Thanks to the great work of the DEA and our team, we’ve dismantled a significant drug trafficking organization in the metro-area,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “While others may seek to fill the newly created vacuum, they are on notice that we will come for them with the same zeal that we pursued these defendants.”
“Taking down an organization like this and removing a pipeline of this magnitude can only be accomplished with our law enforcement partners,” said Deanne Reuter, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Denver Field Division. “As long as this poison continues to wreak havoc in our communities the DEA will find those responsible and hold them to account.”
These defendants are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Podolak. Law enforcement agencies involved in investigation and/or takedown include – the Denver Field Division of the DEA and Denver OCDETF Strike Force Group-1, to include the IRS, Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Northern Colorado Drug Task Force, Arvada Police Department, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshal Service, Parker Police Department, and North Las Vegas Police Department.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. Related court documents can be found on PACER. The defendant’s case number is 20-cr-292.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Wesley Scott Stonebarger, 37, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Stonebarger admitted that from October 2019 to February 2020, he conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine to others who then redistributed the drug to third parties in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
“Methamphetamine and fentanyl are two of the most notorious killers of our time. They wreak havoc through addiction and death. This drug dealer had both at the time of his arrest,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Sadly, methamphetamine remains the most widely abused illicit drug in Oklahoma, and we are seeing more and more fentanyl being trafficked into our communities. Thanks to the interdiction efforts of federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations, we were able to stop this dope from making it to the streets.”
“Homeland Security Investigations special agents will always partner with law enforcement agencies across Oklahoma and around the globe to arrest drug traffickers who pose a significant public safety risk to our communities. Anyone that distributes dangerous substances, such as methamphetamine, that destroys countless lives to make a profit has no place in our society, said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge, HSI Dallas. “Countering these type of threats is a top priority for HSI, and we are committed to holding those who take advantage of vulnerable consumers fully accountable.”
During a law enforcement operation, agents suspected that Stonebarger received methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources outside the Northern District of Oklahoma and that he received some deliveries through the U.S. Postal Service. Agents learned that Stonebarger was wanted on a series of warrants and arrested him on Dec. 19, 2019.
Chief Judge Dowdell set sentencing for Jan. 7, 2021.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
The initial indictment press release can be found here.
Traffic Stop on I-70 Results in Drug Trafficking Charges for Henderson ManRead the Press Release
GRAND JUNCTION – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Beau Aaron Howarth of Henderson, Colorado has been indicted by a federal grand jury, charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin. The indictment was returned on October 2, 2020. Howard was ordered detained pending trial. The Denver Field Division of the DEA joined in the announcement.
According to allegations in court documents, Howarth was driving a minivan on I-70 in Mesa County heading eastbound. He was pulled over by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department in a traffic stop. A Sheriff’s Deputy deployed a canine trained to detect the odor of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. The dog alerted near the rear passenger door. A search of the van identified 13 packages of suspected narcotics, including 11.75 kilograms of suspected heroin and 2.10 kilograms of opiate pills containing suspected fentanyl.
Howarth was ordered detained by United States Magistrate Judge Gordon P. Gallagher pending further proceedings.
This matter is being investigated by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office together with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Hautzinger is handling is matter.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted. Howarth faces not less than 10 years, and up to life in federal prison, and up to a $10,000,000 fine.
Ten Alleged Members of Crips Gang in Baltimore Face Federal Indictment for Racketeering and Drug Conspiracies, Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Robbery, and Related Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging 10 alleged members of the Eight Tray Gangsta (ETG) Crips gang in Baltimore with racketeering and drug conspiracies, murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, robbery, and related firearms charges. The superseding indictment was returned on September 30, 2020, and unsealed upon the arrest of six of the defendants. Four other defendants were already in custody.
The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “This is the second federal indictment filed in several weeks charging Baltimore gang members who terrorize their neighborhoods with drug dealing, gun violence, and witness intimidation. We continue to root out the drivers of violent crime and deadly drug dealing and hold accountable those who bring them to our streets. These defendants now face decades in federal prison, where there are no suspended sentences or parole—ever. And witness intimidation and retaliation will not be tolerated—period. We need the community’s help to continue these efforts.”
“Members of the ‘ETG’ Crips used violence as their calling card, leaving that card all over this neighborhood with a goal of flooding the streets with fear while they tried to tear down our neighborhoods. We cannot let them get away with it,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “These indictments send a message to all gang members in West Baltimore and beyond – we will be relentless in our pursuit of violent gang members who have besieged communities like Lexington Terrace and the Baltimore Hilton neighborhood for far too long.”
The ETG Crips were a violent subset of the Crip gang that operated on the streets and in correctional facilities in Maryland and elsewhere. For many years, the ETG Crips controlled the drug trade in particular territories in Baltimore City, including the area around the intersection between West Baltimore Street and South Hilton Street in West Baltimore (the “Baltimore Hilton neighborhood”), the area around the intersection between West Lexington Street and North Fremont Avenue (the “Lexington Terrace neighborhood”), and the area around the intersection between Frankford Avenue and Sinclair Lane in North Baltimore (the “Frankford Sinclair neighborhood”).
The ETG Crips originated in Los Angeles, California in the 1970s, and derived their name from 83rd Street, where they were formed. Within the ETG Crips, various cliques emerged corresponding to different neighborhoods in Los Angeles, such as the Baccwest ETG Crips in West Los Angeles and the Nutty North Side ETG Crips in North Los Angeles. Eventually, the ETG Crips spread across the country, and they became prevalent in Maryland beginning in the 2000s. In Baltimore, the ETG Crips members from the Baltimore Hilton and Lexington Terrace neighborhoods referred to themselves as the Baccwest ETG Crips—modeling themselves after the Baccwest ETG Crips in Los Angeles—and ETG Crips members from the Frankford Sinclair neighborhood called themselves the Nutty North Side ETG Crips. The two groups allegedly work together for common criminal purposes.
The ETG Crips were organized hierarchically, with members climbing the ranks from “BG” (Baby Gangster), to “YG” (Young Gangster), to “G” (Gangster), to “OG” (Original Gangster), to “OOG” (Original Original Gangster), and so on. ETG Crips members were required to follow certain rules of conduct. Members who violated these rules or who disobeyed an order from a superior were subjected to disciplinary measures called “sanctions,” which ranged from fines to murder. Violations that were punishable by murder included “snitching” (i.e., cooperating with law enforcement); “homosexuality”; and murdering a fellow Crip without a “greenlight” (i.e., authorization and approval from the gang leadership).
According to the 12-count superseding indictment, from at least 2008 through the date of the superseding indictment, the defendants participated in a racketeering conspiracy related to their gang activities, which included murder, robbery, drug distribution, witness tampering, and witness retaliation.
The superseding indictment alleges that the acting leader of the Baccwest ETG Crips in Baltimore was Trayvon Hall, who was referred to as a “G” of the gang. In or about 2013, Hall flew to California to meet with West Coast leaders of the ETG Crips and gain their official approval for his Baccwest ETG Crips set in Baltimore. The ETG Crips operated street-level drug distribution “shops” in Baltimore, distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, among other controlled substances. Non-members who attempted to sell drugs in the ETG Crips’ territories were targeted for violence by ETG Crips members. The gang’s primary drug shops were located in the Baltimore Hilton neighborhood (which the Baccwest ETG Crips considered to be their headquarters), the Lexington Terrace neighborhood, and the Franklin Sinclair neighborhood.
The ETG Crips allegedly used social media websites to assert their claim to particular drug territories, intimidate rival gangs and witnesses against the gang, enhance the ETG Crips’ status, and enhance individual members’ status within the gang. Members of the ETG Crips posted photographs and rap videos to these social media websites in which they flaunted firearms and threatened to kill those who stood in the way of the gang.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, the defendants sold drugs and committed robberies to earn money for the enterprise. Members of the gang allegedly purchased, maintained, and circulated firearms, which they used to commit murders and robberies, and to further their drug trafficking activity. For instance, from May 2016 through November 2016, ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang who operated a rival drug shop in the Lexington Terrace neighborhood. On June 23, 2016, ETG Crips members attempted to murder two BGF gang members, instead shooting two victims who were in the area at the time. On July 18, 2016, Hall murdered BGF member Albert Pittman, shooting him to death in the 4800 block of Midline Road. On November 11, 2016, in the 800 block of West Lexington Street, Hall opened fire on members of the rival BGF gang, murdering BGF member Shyheim Brown and wounding two other victims. Immediately afterward, Hall sent an unindicted co-conspirator a series of text messages about the shooting, saying he had “Jus bashed the monkeys” (a derogatory term for members of BGF), and they “Wasn’t exspecting [sic] me be out early lmGCao [laughing my Gangster Crip ass off].”
Further, the superseding indictment alleges that from July 2017 through July 2019, members of the ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Abington Avenue drug trafficking organization, whose territory the ETG Crips had taken over. The ETG Crips allegedly murdered two members of the Abington Avenue organization and shot several others. According to the superseding indictment, ETG members also threatened a witness who testified against a fellow gang member in a state murder trial, posting the witness’s photograph on social media, labeling the witness as a “snitch,” and threatening to kill that witness as retaliation.
The following defendants, all from Baltimore, are charged in the superseding indictment:
Trayvon Hall, a/k/a Tru and G-Tru, age 29;
Ronnie Finney, a/k/a Fin, age 34;
Donnell Foster, a/k/a Fuss, age 30;
Daran Hickman, a/k/a Chizzle, age 28;
David Jackson, a/k/a Dev and Lil David, age 25;
Alvin Johnson, a/k/a Jug, age 29;
Keith Pinson, a/k/a Gotti, age 27;
Devon Powell, a/k/a Smuppy, age 29;
Ridgley Shipley, a/k/a Crazy, age 30; and
Marcus Williams, a/k/a Gangsta C and GC, age 32.If convicted, the defendants all face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hall also faces a maximum sentence of death or life in federal prison for each of two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Powell faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering; Powell and Shipley face a maximum of life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing, and/or discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Shipley faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of two counts of commercial robbery; and Shipley, Powell, and Hall face a maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendants had their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson ordered the defendants be detained pending detention hearings scheduled to begin on Friday, October 9, 2020.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) 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. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Peter J. Martinez, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Tampa Pill Mill Owners Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Distribution of OpioidsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Ernest Gonzalez (68, Tampa) to 46 months in federal prison and Rosa Colon (30, Tampa) to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances for no legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice. As part of their sentences, the court also entered money judgments of $47,780.96 against Gonzalez and $765,356.76 against Colon which were for the proceeds of the conspiracy to illegally distribute and dispense controlled substances.
Gonzalez and Colon had pleaded guilty on September 11, 2018.
According to court documents, Gonzalez served as the president and owner of Health and Pain Center (HPC), a pain management clinic. In June 2011, Gonzalez transferred his executive title and ownership of HPC to Colon. Gonzalez and Colon hired physicians who routinely prescribed controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose to HPC’s patients. Gonzalez and Colon participated and facilitated the physicians’ illegal prescribing practices by instructing HPC employees to overlook failed urine screens and by procuring MRI studies that the physicians used to justify their opioid prescriptions. Additionally, Gonzalez and Colon operated HPC as a cash-only business that had little to no medical equipment on site, staffers with no medical training, and a high volume patient base. Gonzalez and Colon actively participated in the management and administration of HPC through October 2016 when the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the clinic.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration—Tampa District Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.
Statement of United States Attorney KruegerRead the Press Release
This afternoon, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office announced that it will not pursue criminal charges related to the officer-involved shooting of Alvin Cole.
Federal law enforcement in Wisconsin is sworn to protect First Amendment rights, which include the rights to speak and assemble “peaceably.” In the past year, however, in addition to witnessing peaceful protests, some Wisconsin communities have suffered episodes of violent civil unrest.
Federal law enforcement is joined with state and local authorities to address any further violence. Federal law imposes serious penalties for arson, rioting, firearms offenses, and other violent crimes, which we will prosecute to the fullest extent possible. No one else in Wisconsin should become a victim of needless violence or face destruction of a business as a result of unrest.
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For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700
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South Florida Federal Prosecutors Charge Eleven Individuals in Telemedicine Fraud Scheme, Part of Nationwide Federal Law Enforcement EffortRead the Press Release
Miami, Fl. -- Ten Florida residents and one Boston resident have been charged in the Southern District of Florida for their roles in a massive nationwide prescription medication telemedicine scheme. The announcements are part of a federal law enforcement effort to crack down on health care fraud nationwide.
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications technology to provide health care services remotely. The eleven defendants charged in this telemedicine scheme are:
- Mark L. Vollaro, 38, of Boynton Beach, Florida,
- Anthony J. Loveland, 43, of Boynton Beach, Florida,
- Luis Garcia, 30, of Boca Raton, Florida,
- Robert C. Clark, 54, of Boca Raton, Florida,
- Jason T. Faley, 39, of Deerfield Beach, Florida,
- Joseph A. Cavallo, 42, of Cooper City, Florida,
- James D. Engimann, 37, of Lake Worth, Florida,
- Benjamin C. Heath, 37, of Boca Raton, Florida,
- Antonio J. Gousgounis, 34, of Boca Raton, Florida,
- Christopher Margait, 43, of West Palm Beach, Florida, and
- Margaret Chiasson, 32, of Boston, Massachusetts (formerly of Pompano Beach).
The information charges defendants with unjustly enriching themselves by recruiting patients who were insured by various health benefit insurance plans, including Tricare, and causing the submission of fraudulent and invalid prescriptions for compounded medications that were not medically needed by the recruited individuals. According to the information, the defendants’ activities caused the various health benefit insurance plans to reimburse compounding pharmacies for the fraudulent compounded medication prescriptions, which were much more expensive than mass-produced prescription medications. Telemedicine consultations were used in the scheme.
Several of the defendants are also charged with money laundering crimes, in connection with their activities concerning the proceeds from the scheme.
All defendants had their initial appearances today in federal court. The 10 defendants who live in Florida appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Patrick Hunt, who sits in Fort Lauderdale. The defendant who lives in Boston appeared before Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler in the District of Massachusetts.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Cynthia A. Bruce, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Southeast Field Office, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia R. Wood is prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Zloch is handling asset forfeiture.
This announcement is part of a nationwide federal law enforcement effort to combat telemedicine and prescription fraud. As part of this effort, the Department of Justice announced last week the largest amount of alleged fraud loss ever charged - $4.5 billion in allegedly false and fraudulent claims submitted by more than 86 criminal defendants in 19 judicial districts around the country – related to nationwide schemes involving telemedicine. See DOJ press release.
The charges and allegations contained in an information are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. under case no. 20-cr-60104.
Six Additional Individuals Indicted on Antitrust Charges in Ongoing Broiler Chicken InvestigationRead the Press Release
Note: The defendants in this case, Jayson Penn, Roger Austin, Mikell Fries, Scott Brady, and William Lovette, were acquitted by a jury of the charges alleged in the indictment.
A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado, returned a superseding indictment charging six additional defendants for their roles in a previously indicted conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products, and containing additional allegations against the previously charged defendants in the same conspiracy, the Department of Justice announced today. The superseding indictment also charges one defendant with making false statements and obstruction of justice.
“The division will not tolerate collusion that inflates prices American shoppers and diners pay for food,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Executives who choose collusion over competition will be held to account for schemes that cheat consumers and corrupt our competitive markets. The division will also continue to charge those who knowingly lie to our law enforcement partners and obstruct our investigations — such conduct undermines our criminal justice system and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The charges in this ongoing investigation show the commitment of the FBI and our partners to work together to uncover these crimes and hold these individuals responsible,” said James A. Dawson, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “To date, there have been 10 individuals charged for their participation in this conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids. The American people and restaurant owners should not be the ones to pay unnecessary rising costs of food while executives and employees line their pockets.”
“We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to root out corruption that harms consumers and the competitive market,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Scott Kieffer of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General. “The superseding indictment should serve as a deterrent to those who might contemplate similar criminal actions.”
“We appreciate the ongoing commitment and concerted efforts of our law enforcement partners at the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General to investigate a long-running scheme affecting competition through the rigging of bids and price fixing of broiler chicken products,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Inspector General. “During these uncertain times, USDA, OIG will continue to dedicate resources and prioritize work that benefits hard working Americans through competitive prices for agricultural producers and fairness in pricing and quality of agricultural products for consumers.”
The three-count superseding indictment charges 10 executives and employees at major broiler chicken producers for their participation in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products from at least 2012 until at least early 2019. Broiler chickens are raised for human consumption and sold to grocers and restaurants. The six additional defendants are Timothy Mulrenin, William Kantola, Jimmie Little, William Lovette, Gary Roberts, and Rickie Blake. Mulrenin was a sales executive at a chicken supplier headquartered in Maryland and a sales executive at a chicken supplier headquartered in Arkansas. Kantola was a sales executive at a chicken supplier headquartered in Illinois. Little was a sales director at a chicken supplier headquartered in Colorado. Lovette was President and Chief Executive Officer at a chicken supplier headquartered in Colorado. Roberts was an employee at a chicken supplier headquartered in North Carolina and a manager and director at a chicken supplier headquartered in Arkansas. Blake was a director and manager at a chicken supplier headquartered in Arkansas.
The previously indicted defendants who were co-conspirators in the same conspiracy and remain charged in the superseding indictment are Jayson Penn, Roger Austin, Mikell Fries, and Scott Brady. All 10 individuals charged were executives or employees of several different companies that supply broiler chicken products in the United States. Finally, defendant Little is charged with one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement agents in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001, and one count of obstruction of justice in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2). The investigation remains ongoing.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Sherman Act offense charged carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than $1 million. The false statements offense charged carries a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The obstruction of justice offense charged carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
This case is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging, and other anticompetitive conduct in the broiler chicken industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging, or other anticompetitive conduct related to the broiler chicken industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Sacramento Man Arrested for Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento man was arrested yesterday afternoon on charges of sex trafficking of a child, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On Oct. 1, a federal grand jury in Sacramento returned a sealed indictment against Michael Anthony Butler Jr., 41, aka Spice916 and Spice, charging him with sex trafficking of a child. The indictment was unsealed today after Butler’s arrest.
Butler recruited, harbored, and transported a minor victim, knowing that the minor victim was younger than 18 years old and would be caused to engage in prostitution. Butler also advertised the minor victim’s prostitution activity.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Yuba City Police Department with assistance from the Yuba County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Quinn Hochhalter are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Butler faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Rockland Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockland man pleaded guilty yesterday to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lamont Boswell, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. scheduled sentencing for Feb. 11, 2021. Boswell has been in custody since he was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on July 1, 2020.
In the early morning hours of March 5, 2020, police officers were dispatched to a Hanover convenience store where they approached a vehicle with the engine revving and an occupant, later identified as Boswell, who appeared to be sleeping in the driver’s seat with a sweatshirt pulled up over his head. Plainly visible on Boswell’s lap was a black revolver handgun. Officers were able to secure the firearm without incident. The revolver, a .38 Special caliber Smith & Wesson, was loaded with five rounds of .38 caliber special ammunition in the cylinder. Boswell could not produce any documentation for the firearm or a license to carry, and was subsequently arrested.
Boswell was also in possession of quantities of suspected heroin and cocaine packaged individually in 10 small clear plastic bags at the time of his arrest. According to court documents, Boswell revealed during booking that he is a member of the Latin Kings gang. Due to previous state drug convictions punishable by more than one year of incarceration, Boswell is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 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 United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz; and Hanover Police Chief Walter Sweeney made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Chinappi's Gun Store Burglary and Lying About Military MedalsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Marcos D. Guzman, 36, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and fraudulent representations about the receipt of military medals, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Guzman was also ordered to pay $41,500 in restitution to August Chinappi, former owner of Chinappi’s Firearms & Supplies.
“Guzman is the opposite of a hero,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “The heartless crimes that he and his co-conspirators committed continue to bring harm and wreak havoc in our community as the guns that they stole and sold on our streets almost inevitably end-up in the hands of those who acquire them for criminal purposes. The crimes they committed are acts of treason against the safety and well-being of our community.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who handled the case, stated that the defendant, along with co-defendants Dakota Sarfaty and Luis D. Marcano-Agosto, broke into Chinappi’s Firearms & Supplies, a gun store on West Ridge Road in Spencerport, NY, in the early morning hours of August 16, 2018. Defendant Sarfaty entered the basement through a hole in the wall and, together with Guzman and Marcano-Agosto, stole approximately 87 firearms, most of which were handguns. Many of the firearms were sold on the streets of Rochester.
In April 2019, Guzman pleaded guilty for his role in the gun story burglary. The defendant then lied to the U.S. Probation Office about his military service and being awarded two Purple Hearts in order to try to get a lower sentence on his pending firearms offenses. Specifically, Guzman lied about serving in the United States National Guard, being deployed to Iraq for 18 months, and receiving two Purple Hearts for saving another soldier on the battlefield in Iraq. The defendant provided photographs to the U.S. Probation Office that purported to show the two Purple Heart certificates. The Purple Heart certificates were fake.
Co-defendants Dakota Sarfaty and Luis D. Marcano-Agosto were previously convicted for their roles in the gun store burglary. Sarfaty was sentenced to serve 175 months in prison, while Marcano-Agosto is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Mark Simmons; the VA Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Algieri; and the Yates County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Ron Spike.
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Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – William Don Dollarhide, 44, of Nardin, Oklahoma (Kay County), pleaded guilty today to producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
According to court documents and records, Dollarhide, who is a registered sex offender due to a prior Oklahoma state child pornography conviction, used his cell phone to film himself sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in his recreational vehicle (RV) in September of 2018. The child’s mother called the Grant County Sheriff’s Department on May 12, 2019, reporting Dollarhide had assaulted the girl. Officers responded to Dollarhide’s residence and arrested him. Officers later searched his electronic devices under a search warrant and discovered photographs and videos of Dollarhide sexually abusing the girl as well as images of a naked girl he had produced with a hidden video camera.
On June 16, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Dollarhide with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Today, Dollarhide pleaded guilty to production of child pornography before Judge Scott L. Palk. Due to his prior conviction, he faces not less than 25 years and up to 50 years in federal prison.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, with forensic analysis assistance from the Enid Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to court filings for further information. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.