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22 October 2020
Wake County Man Arrested on Naturalization Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wake County man was arrested on naturalization fraud charges and had an initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge James E. Gates in Raleigh, North Carolina.
A federal grand jury had returned an indictment charging Edgar Daniel Cruz-Magallanes, age 29, a naturalized citizen of the U.S., born in Mexico, residing in Wake County, North Carolina, with naturalization fraud.
According to the indictment, Cruz-Magallanes knowingly failed to disclose during his naturalization proceedings that he had committed the crime of indecent liberties with a child. Cruz-Magallanes was thereafter naturalized as a United States citizen.
Cruz-Magallanes is charged in a 4-count indictment with naturalization fraud. If convicted, he faces up to a maximum imprisonment term of 25 years per count, a $250,000 fine per count, a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and the revocation of his citizenship.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven. Operation False Haven is an ongoing initiative to identify and prosecute felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Previous media coverage on this case is located here: Click here
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
United States Attorney’s Office Continues Its Efforts to Dismantle Drug-Dealing GangsRead the Press Release
A federal indictment was unsealed today charging seven members of the It’s Just Us (IJU) street gang with various crimes including RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by David G. Nanz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan and Chief James Craig, Detroit Police Department.
“Our message to violent drug-dealing gang members could not be more clear: our federal and state law enforcement team knows exactly who you are, and we are coming after you,” stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “Today, our neighborhoods are safer because these violent gang members are off our streets.”
Charged were:
Duane Peterson, 35, Dionne Peterson, 34, Deshawn Peterson, 30, Dayquan Johnson, 23, James Davis, 26, Melvin Brown, 21, and Luther Peterson, 26. All are from Detroit.
The indictment alleges a series of racketeering acts including murder and narcotics trafficking allegedly committed by IJU members at the direction of the Duane Peterson. The indictment details the illegal activities of IJU whose territory extended from Detroit to West Virginia, as well as in Flint, and Jackson, Michigan. In Detroit, IJU operated primarily on the eastside of Detroit. The indictment alleges that IJU maintained drug and gun stash houses, and sold drugs in this area. IJU members also claimed certain bars and restaurants as their own. Patrons and owners recognized IJU members and gave them the privilege of carrying firearms inside the business and remaining at the business after hours. The indictment also describes how the gang allegedly generated money through the sale of illegal narcotics and used the proceeds to enrich its members and to purchase more drugs.
The indictment caps numerous law enforcement actions over several years involving this gang. Since 2018, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers including members of the Detroit Police Department, have worked collaboratively to bring individual members of IJU to justice.
Earlier this month, an indictment charging twelve Detroit men with trafficking in controlled substances and other related charges was unsealed. That indictment charged the following individuals:
Demarco Johnson, 30, Maurice Johnson, 45, Gary Johnson, 35, Janard Thomas, 39, Carlouse Johnson, 48, Lanardo Johnson, 45, Dominique Jackson, 28, Michael Thomas, 43, Deantez Johnson, 35, Ricky Poole, 46, Martin Battiste, 47, Marquan Moses, 25
According to this indictment, from 2015 to approximately September 2020, the defendants conspired to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack”, in the Eastern District of Michigan. The indictment also charges specific distributions of controlled substances, and other related charges. The indictment alleges that the defendants and others have utilized residences in Detroit to store, conceal, and distribute controlled substances as well as the proceeds of such drug trafficking. In addition, the indictment alleges that the defendants utilized automobiles and telecommunication facilities to facilitate their drug trafficking. The indictment also alleges that as part of the conspiracy the defendants possessed firearms to protect their controlled substances and used and threatened the use of physical violence in an effort to maintain and protect their drug trafficking activities.
Over 50 search warrants were executed during the course of this investigation.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Attorneys Available to Receive Election ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Seth D. DuCharme, the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) will lead the efforts of their Offices in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020 general election. AUSA Erik Paulsen has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of New York, and David J. Kennedy has been appointed to serve as the DEO for the Southern District of New York. In their capacity as DEOs, these AUSAs are responsible for overseeing the Districts’ handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
Acting United States Attorneys DuCharme and Strauss stated, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
Acting United States Attorneys DuCharme and Strauss stated, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI or the Civil Rights Division.”
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the Acting United States Attorneys said that their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers on Tuesday, November 3, 2020:
(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties) and
(718) 254-6790 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk counties)
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (212) 384-1000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
The Acting United States Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available on Election Day for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:
IN NEW YORK CITY
City Board of Elections
Main Office (866) 868-3692
TTY #: 212-487-5496
IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
County Boards of Elections
Dutchess (845) 486-2473
Nassau (516) 571-8683
Orange (845) 360-6500
Putnam (845) 808-1300
Rockland (845) 638-5172
Suffolk (631) 852-4500
Sullivan (845) 807-0400
Westchester (914) 995-5700
United States Attorneys Available to Receive Election ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorneys Audrey Strauss and Seth DuCharme announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) will lead the efforts of their Offices in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Erik Paulsen has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of New York, and David J. Kennedy has been appointed to serve as the DEO for the Southern District of New York. In their capacity as DEOs, these AUSAs are responsible for overseeing the Districts’ handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
Acting United States Attorneys Audrey Strauss and Seth DuCharme said: “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the Acting United States Attorneys said that their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers on Tuesday, November 3, 2020:
(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties) and
(718) 254-7000 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties)
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (212) 384-1000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
The Acting United States Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available on Election Day for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:
IN NEW YORK CITY
City Board of Elections
Main Office (866) 868-3692; TTY #: 212-487-5496
IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
County Boards of Elections
Dutchess (845) 486-2473
Nassau (516) 571-8683
Orange (845) 360-6500
Putnam (845) 808-1300
Rockland (845) 638-5172
Suffolk (631) 852-4500
Sullivan (845) 807-0400
Westchester (914) 995-5700
Acting United States Attorneys Strauss and DuCharme said: “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
US Attorneys Announce over $6 Million in Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – United States Attorneys Matthew D. Krueger and Scott C. Blader announced awards of $6,472,018 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in Wisconsin. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“As a United States Attorney and former District Attorney, I know the devastation caused by opioids, methamphetamine, and other addictive drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “These grants will fund critical investigation, treatment and prevention resources throughout Wisconsin.”
“The threats posed by illicit drugs continue to evolve,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “Increasingly, synthetic opioids like fentanyl are mixed with other drugs to create lethal combinations, and methamphetamine use is on the rise. These grants underscore the Justice Department’s commitment to help state and local partners to meet this epidemic with prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts.”
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
Milwaukee County $1,200,000
Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians $589,959
Rock County $500,000
Milwaukee County Combined Courts $500,000
Vernon County $318,354
Oneida Nation $203,166
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services $1,945,652
Wisconsin Department of Justice $514,887
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians $700,000
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
United States Attorneys Announce More Than $6 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Matthew D. Krueger and Scott C. Blader announced awards of $6,472,018 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in Wisconsin. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
“As a United States Attorney and former District Attorney, I know the devastation caused by opioids, methamphetamine, and other addictive drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “These grants will fund critical investigation, treatment and prevention resources throughout Wisconsin.”
“The threats posed by illicit drugs continue to evolve,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “Increasingly, synthetic opioids like fentanyl are mixed with other drugs to create lethal combinations, and methamphetamine use is on the rise. These grants underscore the Justice Department’s commitment to help state and local partners to meet this epidemic with prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
Milwaukee County $1,200,000
Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians $589,959
Rock County $500,000
Milwaukee County Combined Courts $500,000
Vernon County $318,354
Oneida Nation $203,166
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services $1,945,652
Wisconsin Department of Justice $514,887
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians $700,000
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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 Robert J. Higdon, Jr. Announces $332,876 in Justice Department Grants to Support Gun Prosecutor in Wake CountyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. today announced $332,876 in Department of Justice funding to hire a Special Assistant United States Attorney to try federal firearms cases originating in Wake County. The award supports violence reduction efforts as part of Operation Legend and other Department-led initiatives in cities across the country. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, that initiative is called Take Back North Carolina.
“Keeping its citizens safe is the primary responsibility of government,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Cities plagued by violent crime need the resources to tackle it, and these grant awards will help do that. On the enforcement side, Real Time Crime Centers will make policing more efficient and targeted; and on the prosecution side, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys will help bring more federal firearms cases to justice.”
Attorney General Barr announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is making up to $5.3 million available in grants to support Operation Legend sites nationwide. More than $1.3 million will fund special prosecutors who have been cross-designated to try federal firearms cases originating in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, these and other Legend cities will be eligible for grant funding to support Real Time Crime Centers. These centers are a considerable financial investment for any law enforcement agency. The funding being made available to each Legend city can assist police departments in purchasing critical equipment and paying for the overtime to keep these centers staffed around the clock.
“We are pleased to support the outstanding work being undertaken through Operation Legend to reduce violent crime by focusing on cases involving illegal firearms,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to make these resources available to support the brave crime-fighters who work so hard to deter violence and keep our communities safe.”
“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has provided this additional and critically needed funding in support of our efforts in the Eastern District to fight violent crime and return our communities to law-abiding citizens,” said United States Attorney Higdon. “Adding this prosecutor to our team will have real and immediate positive effect in our community.”
A grant to the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts for the Wake County District Attorney’s Office will support the hiring of a full-time Special Assistant United States Attorney who will be empowered to try firearms cases in federal court. Prosecuting gun crimes is central to the Justice Department’s strategy under Operation Legend and other violence reduction initiatives - like the Take Back North Carolina Initiative - led by the Department. These efforts follow a sustained, systematic and coordinated approach to gun violence in which federal law enforcement agencies work closely with state and local officials to fight violent crime. Funding comes from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
The Department of Justice launched Operation Legend in July, following the murder of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept in his Kansas City home. The initiative was subsequently expanded from Kansas City to Albuquerque, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Since the summer launch, officials in Operation Legend sites have made more than 5,500 arrests, including approximately 276 for homicide, and seized more than 2,000 firearms. Of the more than 5,500 individuals arrested, approximately 1,124 have been charged with federal offenses. More than 600 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses.
The Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina is an initiative that emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Promotes Fall National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The DEA is holding its 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, at locations across the country. Since the initiative began in 2010, the DEA has sponsored spring and fall campaigns to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means to dispose of prescription drugs and to educate the public about the potential for abuse of medications. In Central Illinois, last year, the DEA collected approximately 17,400 pounds of pharmaceuticals during Take Back Day.
“I urge everyone to take advantage of this service provided by DEA, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, to safely dispose of unused and expired pharmaceutical medications,” said U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “The collection slogan, ‘Don’t Be The Dealer,’ highlights the dangers these medications pose when they end up in the wrong hands.”
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
“The initiative – now in its tenth year – addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Together with our partners, we are not only holding National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, but offering other ways to dispose of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications.”
To find a collection site near you, visit www.deatakeback.com, and enter your zip code. Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home.
U.S. Attorney McCoy Announces More than $250,000 in Department of Justice Grants to Support Gun Prosecutors in the Myrtle Beach AreaRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. today announced $265,258 in Department of Justice funding to hire special prosecutors to try federal firearms cases originating in the Myrtle Beach area. The award supports violence reduction efforts as part of Operation Legend and other Department-led initiatives in cities across the country.
“Keeping its citizens safe is the primary responsibility of government,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Cities plagued by violent crime need the resources to tackle it, and these grant awards will help do that. On the enforcement side, Real Time Crime Centers will make policing more efficient and targeted; and on the prosecution side, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys will help bring more federal firearms cases to justice.”
Attorney General Barr announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is making up to $5.3 million available in grants to support Operation Legend sites nationwide. More than $1.3 million will fund special prosecutors who have been cross-designated to try federal firearms cases originating in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, these and other Legend cities will be eligible for grant funding to support Real Time Crime Centers. These centers are a considerable financial investment for any law enforcement agency. The funding being made available to each Legend city can assist police departments in purchasing critical equipment and paying for the overtime to keep these centers staffed around the clock.
“We are pleased to support the outstanding work being undertaken through Operation Legend to reduce violent crime by focusing on cases involving illegal firearms,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to make these resources available to support the brave crime-fighters who work so hard to deter violence and keep our communities safe.”
“These funds will be crucial to our efforts to target firearms-related crimes in Myrtle Beach and throughout Horry County, and will help us keep the people of South Carolina safe,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “Specifically, this grant will support the hiring of full-time local prosecutors who will be empowered to try firearms cases in federal court here in South Carolina. This is vital for this office, as we are a leading district in cases where defendants charged with firearms-related offenses receive sentences of at least five years or more.”
Prosecuting gun crimes is central to the Justice Department’s strategy under Operation Legend and other violence reduction initiatives led by the Department. These efforts follow a sustained, systematic and coordinated approach to gun violence in which federal law enforcement agencies work closely with state and local officials to fight violent crime. Funding comes from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
The Department of Justice launched Operation Legend in July, following the murder of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept in his Kansas City home. The initiative was subsequently expanded from Kansas City to Albuquerque, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Since the summer launch, officials in Operation Legend sites have made more than 5,500 arrests, including approximately 276 for homicide, and seized more than 2,000 firearms. Of the more than 5,500 individuals arrested, approximately 1,124 have been charged with federal offenses. More than 600 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez Announces $356,196 in Justice Department Grants to Support Gun Prosecutors in Clay, Duval, and Nassau CountiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez today announced $356,196 in Department of Justice funding to hire a special prosecutor to try federal firearms cases originating in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida. The award supports violence reduction efforts as part of Operation Legend and other Department-led initiatives in cities across the country.
“Keeping its citizens safe is the primary responsibility of government,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Cities plagued by violent crime need the resources to tackle it, and these grant awards will help do that. On the enforcement side, Real Time Crime Centers will make policing more efficient and targeted; and on the prosecution side, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys will help bring more federal firearms cases to justice.”
“We are proud to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners in combating violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “This funding will allow us to strengthen our partnerships and leverage our resources to focus on firearms-related violence in our communities.”
Attorney General Barr announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is making up to $5.3 million available in grants to support Operation Legend sites nationwide. More than $1.3 million will fund special prosecutors who have been cross-designated to try federal firearms cases originating in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, these and other Legend cities will be eligible for grant funding to support Real Time Crime Centers. These centers are a considerable financial investment for any law enforcement agency. The funding being made available to each Legend city can assist police departments in purchasing critical equipment and paying for the overtime to keep these centers staffed around the clock.
“We are pleased to support the outstanding work being undertaken through Operation Legend to reduce violent crime by focusing on cases involving illegal firearms,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to make these resources available to support the brave crime-fighters who work so hard to deter violence and keep our communities safe.”
“We remain committed to addressing the violent gun crime plaguing our community and are grateful for this opportunity to expand our partnership in this public safety effort,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson.
A grant to the State Attorney’s Office, Fourth Judicial Circuit will support the hiring of a full-time local prosecutor who will be empowered to try firearms cases in federal court. Prosecuting gun crimes is central to the Justice Department’s strategy under Operation Legend and other violence reduction initiatives led by the Department. These efforts follow a sustained, systematic and coordinated approach to gun violence in which federal law enforcement agencies work closely with state and local officials to fight violent crime. Funding comes from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
The Department of Justice launched Operation Legend in July, following the murder of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept in his Kansas City home. The initiative was subsequently expanded from Kansas City to Albuquerque, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Since the summer launch, officials in Operation Legend sites have made more than 5,500 arrests, including approximately 276 for homicide, and seized more than 2,000 firearms. Of the more than 5,500 individuals arrested, approximately 1,124 have been charged with federal offenses. More than 600 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Lelling Joins DEA to Announce Annual National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
BOSTON – DEA is holding its 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24. The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs locally, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers.
To find a collection site near you, and for more information, visit www.deatakeback.com. Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
“Unused prescription drugs are a safety hazard and can contribute to drug misuse and abuse,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a tool to eliminate a major source of prescription drugs from homes and reduce the hazard they pose to our families and communities in a safe and responsible manner.”
“The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Together with our partners, we are not only holding National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, but offering other ways to dispose of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications.”
“Our take-back events highlight the problems associated with prescription drug abuse and gives our citizens an opportunity to contribute to the solution,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These efforts help remove unwanted, expired and unused prescription pills that can be abused, stolen or resold which helps our continued dedication to combat the prescription pill, fentanyl and heroin epidemic of substance abuse and addiction.”
Prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year. For more information, visit: https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency also provide tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home for those homebound during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announces $500k in DOJ grant funding available to support Real Time Crime Center in ClevelandRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced today that the Department of Justice has made up to $500,000 available in grant funding to support the operations of a Real Time Crime Center in the city of Cleveland. The Real Time Crime Center provides police with rapid intelligence and instant information to help identify emerging crime patterns.
“Keeping its citizens safe is the primary responsibility of government,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Cities plagued by violent crime need the resources to tackle it, and these grant awards will help do that. On the enforcement side, Real Time Crime Centers will make policing more efficient and targeted; and on the prosecution side, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys will help bring more federal firearms cases to justice.”
“Under Operation Legend in Cleveland, our collaborative law enforcement partnership has already removed over 100 violent criminals, drug traffickers and other career criminals off the streets of this great American city,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “The availability of funding for Cleveland’s Real Time Crime Center will undoubtedly strengthen this effort and enable all of our law enforcement partners to use the latest available technologies to help keep our neighborhoods safe.”
Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Director of Public Safety Karrie D. Howard and Police Chief Calvin D. Williams said:
“The City of Cleveland, Division of Police Real Time Crime Center has been an asset since its implementation. The Real Time Crime Center assisted us in responding to shootings, robberies, homicides and other violent crimes in real time. The additional funding will allow the Division to expand technological capabilities and add resources to this valuable team. We are thankful for the continued support of the United States Attorney’s Office."
The funding made available to each Operation Legend city can assist police departments in purchasing critical equipment and paying overtime to help keep these centers staffed around the clock. This funding is provided by the Office of Justice Programs and must be applied for through the traditional process.
In addition, Attorney General Barr announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is making up to $5.3 million available in grants to support Operation Legend sites nationwide. More than $1.3 million will fund special prosecutors who have been cross-designated to try federal firearms cases originating in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri.
“We are pleased to support the outstanding work being undertaken through Operation Legend to reduce violent crime by focusing on cases involving illegal firearms,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to make these resources available to support the brave crime-fighters who work so hard to deter violence and keep our communities safe.”
The Department of Justice launched Operation Legend in July, following the murder of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept in his Kansas City home. The initiative was subsequently expanded from Kansas City to Albuquerque, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis.
Since the summer launch, officials in Operation Legend sites have made more than 5,500 arrests, including approximately 276 for homicide, and seized more than 2,000 firearms. Of the more than 5,500 individuals arrested, approximately 1,124 have been charged with federal offenses. More than 600 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
U.S. Attorney Encourages Participation in DEA's 19th Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Fairview Heights, Ill. - U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft called on everyone in the district to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired prescription drugs by participating in Prescription
Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Organized by the DEA, the nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of prescription medications, while also educating the public about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.
“If you have old bottles of pills sitting on a shelf or in a drawer in your house, this is a great opportunity to get rid of them the right way,” said U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft. “Simply throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the drain can harm the environment and pollute our water supply, while keeping them around can put loved ones at risk. If we all do our part, we can make sure these medications are properly and safely destroyed.”Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
“The initiative – now in its tenth year – addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Together with our partners, we are not only holding
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, but offering other ways to dispose of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications.”All sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices must have their batteries removed. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off.
This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
In addition to DEA’s 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year. DEA also encourages the public to reach out to their local law enforcement to find out if they have any permanent drug disposal locations throughout their local community. There are also other safe ways to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave your home. For more information, see https://www.fda.gov/drugs/ensuring-safe-use-medicine/safe-disposal-medicines.
More information on DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day can be found by visiting www.deatakeback.com.
U.S. Attorney Duncan Promotes 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY – U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. wants to ensure that everyone knows how to rid their homes of unused and unwanted medications.
The DEA is holding its 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24 at locations across the country. The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
“I strongly support the DEA’s Tack Back Day; among its many benefits, it dramatically assists the DEA and our other law enforcement partners in reducing unlawful access to prescription drugs,” stated U.S. Attorney Duncan. “In 2019, we lost 1,316 Kentucky residents to overdose deaths, with a significant number of those overdose deaths caused by opioids. Take Back Day provides a vital opportunity to fight against the opioid problem in Kentucky. Far too often, the path to addiction starts with experimentation with legitimately prescribed prescription opioids found in the home. By participating in Take Back Day and disposing of unused pills, you can help prevent a loved one from misusing or abusing prescription drugs.”
“With America in the grips of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we’re seeing an alarming rise in overdose deaths,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “There’s never been a more important time to rid our homes of medicines we’re not using and keep them away from those who might abuse or misuse them.”
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
“The initiative – now in its tenth year – addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Together with our partners, we are not only holding National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, but offering other ways to dispose of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications.”
The Take Back Day Collection sites for the Eastern District of Kentucky are below. Click on each hyperlink to get directions to the collection site.
Eastern Kentucky
KY State Police at Kentucky State Police Post 14 in Ashland, KY
Ashland KY Police at King’s Daughters Medical Center
Ashland KY Police at Ashland KY Police Department
Flemingsburg Police Department at Flemingsburg Police Department
Kentucky State Police at Kentucky State Police Post 8 in Morehead, KY
Morehead Police Department at Morehead Police Department
Mt. Sterling Police Department at Mt. Sterling Police Department
Mt. Sterling Police Department at Kroger in Mt. Sterling, KY
Northern Kentucky
Bracken County Sheriff’s Office at Bracken County Fiscal Courthouse
Boone County Sheriff’s Office at Boone County Sheriff’s Office
Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force at Covington Police Department
Fort Wright Police Department at Walmart- Fort Wright, KY
Kentucky State Police at Kentucky State Police Post 6 in Dry Ridge, KY
Florence Police Department at Florence Police Department
Florence Police Department at Kroger Pharmacy in Florence, KY
Fort Thomas Police Department at Fort Thomas Police Department
Grant County Sheriff’s Office at Grant County Sheriff’s Office (from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.)
City of Ft. Mitchell Police Department at Fort Mitchell Police Department
City of Covington Police Department in Kroger in Covington, KY
Central Kentucky
Kentucky State Police at Kentucky State Police Post 15
Harrison County Sheriff’s Office at Harrison County Sheriff’s Office
Cynthiana Police Department at Cynthiana Police Department
Danville City Police Department at Danville Police Department/City Hall
Eminence Police Department at Eminence Police Department
Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office at Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office
Frankfort Police Department at Frankfort Regional Medical Center
Tpr. Stuart Jackson and Monica Dockery at Kentucky State Police Post 12 in Frankfort, KY
Frankfort Police Department at Franklin County Health Department
Lexington Police Department at Kentucky American Water Company in Lexington, KY
Nicholasville Police Department at Walmart in Nicholasville, KY
Owingsville Police Department at Owingsville Police Department
Paris Police Department at Walmart in Paris, KY
Richmond Police Department at Richmond Police Department
Kentucky State Police at Kentucky State Police Post 7 in Richmond, KY
Shelby County Coroner’s Office at Walmart in Shelbyville, KY
Shelby County Coroner’s Office at Shelby County Coroner’s Office
Woodford County Sheriff’s Office at Woodford County Sheriff’s Office
Winchester Police Department at Walmart in Winchester, KY
Given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year. For more information, visit: https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/
DEA also encourages the public to reach out to their local law enforcement to find out if they have any permanent drug disposal locations throughout their local community.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
For more information on DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and to find a collection site near you, visit www.deatakeback.com
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U.S. Attorney Dunavant Announces a total of $898,864 in Justice Department Grants to Support Gun Prosecutors and Real Time Crime Center in Memphis as Part of Operation LeGendRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant today announced $398,864 in Department of Justice grant funding awarded to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office to hire special prosecutors to try federal firearms cases originating in Memphis. The award supports violence reduction efforts as part of Operation LeGend and other Department-led initiatives in cities across the country. An additional $500,000 is available to support a Real Time Crime Center in Memphis that will provide police with rapid intelligence and instant information to help identify emerging crime patterns.
"Keeping its citizens safe is the primary responsibility of government," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "Cities plagued by violent crime need the resources to tackle it, and these grant awards will help do that. On the enforcement side, Real Time Crime Centers will make policing more efficient and targeted; and on the prosecution side, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) will help bring more federal firearms cases to justice."
Attorney General Barr announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is making up to $5.3 million available in grants to support Operation LeGend sites nationwide. More than $1.3 million will fund special prosecutors who have been cross-designated to try federal firearms cases originating in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, these and other LeGend cities will be eligible for up to $500,000 in grant funding to support Real Time Crime Centers. These centers are a considerable financial investment for any law enforcement agency. The funding being made available to each LeGend city can assist police departments in purchasing critical equipment and paying for the overtime to keep these centers staffed around the clock.
"We are pleased to support the outstanding work being undertaken through Operation LeGend to reduce violent crime by focusing on cases involving illegal firearms," said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. "The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to make these resources available to support the brave crime-fighters who work so hard to deter violence and keep our communities safe."
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Under Operation LeGend, we have intensified our focus on removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons, and removing dangerous offenders from our streets. We are thankful to Attorney General Barr for providing these additional SAUSA resources to enforce federal firearms laws, and we will continue to coordinate with Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich and the Memphis Police Department in our joint efforts to combat violent gun crime. Rest assured that, with our successful results and sustained resolve under Operation LeGend, we will aggressively prosecute the trigger-pullers, traffickers, straw purchasers, and prohibited persons who illegally possess firearms in Memphis and Shelby County."
A grant to the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office will support the hiring of two (2) full-time local prosecutors who will be empowered to try firearms cases in federal court. Prosecuting gun crimes is central to the Justice Department’s strategy under Operation LeGend and other violence reduction initiatives led by the Department. These efforts follow a sustained, systematic and coordinated approach to gun violence in which federal law enforcement agencies work closely with state and local officials to fight violent crime. Funding comes from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
The Department of Justice launched Operation LeGend in July, following the murder of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while he slept in his Kansas City home. The initiative was subsequently expanded from Kansas City to Albuquerque, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Since the summer launch, officials in Operation LeGend sites have made more than 5,500 arrests, including approximately 276 for homicide, and seized more than 2,000 firearms. Of the more than 5,500 individuals arrested, approximately 1,124 have been charged with federal offenses.More than 600 of those defendants have been charged with firearms offenses.
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 Davis Appoints Election Officers for the District of IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – United States Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Raymond Patricco, Jack Haycock, and Traci Whelan will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020 general election. AUSAs Patricco, Haycock, and Whelan have been appointed to serve as District Election Officers for the District of Idaho, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, DC.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “The Department of Justice must act to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
Federal law protects against the crimes of intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Davis stated that AUSAs Patricco, Haycock, and Whelan will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (208) 334-9118 in Boise for AUSA Patricco; (208) 251-0589 in Pocatello for AUSA Haycock; or (208) 676-7344 in Coeur d’Alene for AUSA Whelan.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The Salt Lake City FBI field office, which covers Idaho, can be reached by the public at (801) 579-1400.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at (800) 253-3931 or by complaint form at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate,” Davis said. “It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.s. Attorney Krueger Announces New Initiatives in Southeast Wisconsin to Prevent Opioid Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced the launch of a new public awareness campaign to prevent opioid-related overdose deaths in Southeast Wisconsin. In addition, the Department of Justice awarded two grants totaling $1.7 million to address opioid and other substance misuse in Milwaukee County.
Southeast Wisconsin has continued to experience high rates of overdose deaths related to opioids. In Milwaukee County alone, through August 2020, 313 individuals have died of opioid-related overdoses, which represents a 42% increase from the same time in 2019. An increasing number of those overdose deaths involve synthetic opioids like fentanyl, with fentanyl being involved in over 70% of overdoses deaths in the first half of 2020.
To raise awareness of the dangers of opioid use—especially the prevalence of fentanyl—and to encourage individuals using opioids to seek treatment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has launched a public awareness campaign in partnership with the North Central High Intensity Drug Treatment Area (HIDTA) program. The campaign will include messages displayed on billboards and social media throughout Southeast Wisconsin. The campaign also encourages people to call or visit online 211 which can refer individuals to treatment resources.
“The widespread presence of fentanyl has made drug use more dangerous than ever,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “This campaign will warn people of the dangers of drug use and encourage individuals to seek treatment.”
As detailed in another press release issued today, the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) awarded more than $341 million to communities nationwide to address substance misuse and the opioid epidemic. Two of these grants will fund efforts to reduce overdose deaths in Milwaukee County.
First, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office (MCMEO) in partnership with Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Milwaukee Community Justice Council (CJC), has been awarded $1.2 million for a three-year grant to develop a Milwaukee Overdose Public Health and Safety Team (OD-PHAST). According to the grant recipients, the cross-sector OD-PHAST will utilize near real-time data and information from case reviews to develop and implement recommendations to help prevent future overdoses. The grant funds will also increase capacity to deliver toxicology findings to public health and safety partners and expand efforts to connect families, and in particular children, to services to mitigate the impact of the trauma experienced by overdose deaths in the community. The MCMEO and partners will plan to announce further details as the project planning develops.
Second, Milwaukee County Combined Courts was awarded a three year $500,000 Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant. According to the County, through this grant Milwaukee’s Adult Drug Treatment Court (DTC) and Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) programs will continue to serve high risk/high need individuals with a substance use disorder. Participants will have access to additional holistic services including sober living facilities to aid in their recovery. Transparent and consistent drug testing and peer mentoring will also be enhanced and aid in the recovery process.
Finally, the public is reminded that this Saturday, October 24, 2020, is DEA’s Drug Takeback Day. At numerous sites around the State, unused prescription drugs can be safely returned, which ensures that the prescription drugs will not be abused. To learn more or find a takeback site, visit www.DEAtakeback.com.
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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For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
(414) 297-1700
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Two New York Individuals Indicted for Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 29, 2020, Courtney Murray, age 22, of Slingerlands, New York, and Rashaun Ferguson, age 26, of Flushing, New York, were indicted by a federal grand jury for passing counterfeit U.S. currency. The indictment was unsealed following the arrests of the defendants.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Murray and Ferguson conspired to pass counterfeit currency between September 2019 and April 2020. They also are charged with multiple counts of passing approximately $14,000 in counterfeited Federal Reserve Notes in the denomination of $20, in Luzerne and York Counties, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and various state and local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offenses is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Two Men Convicted in Violent Robbery of Hinsdale Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted two men on robbery and weapons offenses for stealing expensive watches and jewelry at gunpoint from a Hinsdale store.
TOBIAS DIGGS, 26, of Chicago, and JOSHUA MCCLELLAN, 31, of Oak Lawn, robbed Razny Jewelers, 37 S. Washington St. in the western suburb, on the morning of March 17, 2017. More than $200,000 in merchandise was stolen during the heist, including watches by luxury brands Frederique Constant, Patek Phillipe, and Tudor. The defendants later sold, attempted to sell, or disposed of some of the stolen items in the Chicago area and Atlanta, Ga.
After a six-day trial in federal court in Chicago, Diggs and McClellan were convicted of all counts against them, including conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, transportation of stolen goods, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Gary S. Feinerman did not immediately set sentencing dates.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The Hinsdale Police Department, Oak Lawn Police Department, and the FBI Chicago Field Office’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) provided valuable assistance. Additional support was provided by the Felony Investigation Assistance Team (FIAT), a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement task force in the western suburbs. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Berry III and Christopher V. Parente.
Two other individuals allegedly participated in the robbery. MARVON HAMBERLIN, 42, of Chicago, was indicted and is a fugitive. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. The fourth individual has not been identified.
According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants planned in advance to rob Razny Jewelers. On the day of the heist, McClellan drove the getaway car – a Lexus sport-utility vehicle – while Diggs and the others entered the store and pointed a gun at a female employee. After the unidentified robber tackled a store security guard, Diggs hit the female employee with the gun and dragged her by her hair to a back room, while he and the others gained accessed to the store’s safe and stole the jewelry.
The conspiracy and robbery counts each carry maximum sentences of 20 years in prison, while transportation of stolen goods is punishable by up to ten years. The firearm conviction carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as a minimum term of imprisonment of seven years, which must be served consecutively to the sentences imposed for the conspiracy, robbery, and transportation of stolen goods convictions.
Two Men Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Commit Murder for HireRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VANCE COLLINS, a/k/a “Big AK,” and RAMON RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Obendy,” were found guilty of hiring gang members to murder an individual believed to be having an affair with RAMIREZ’s wife. COLLINS was also convicted of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. COLLINS and RAMIREZ were convicted yesterday after a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Vance Collins and Ramon Ramirez tried to arrange for a murder. Now, in the first criminal trial in this District since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the defendants stand convicted and will face punishment for their crimes.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and evidence at trial:
In around 2017, RAMIREZ learned that his wife was having an affair with another man (the “Victim”). RAMIREZ enlisted COLLINS, a high-ranking gang leader, to hire someone to kill the Victim. COLLINS turned to a member of his gang, who in turn enlisted another gang member, and those two gang members took steps to locate and surveil the Victim, intending to shoot or stab the Victim to death. One night in October 2018, the two hitmen encountered the Victim at the Victim’s home; however, the presence of another person thwarted their plan. One of the hitmen was arrested shortly thereafter, and the Victim was not killed. During his arrest, COLLINS was found to be in possession of three firearms, including one that he and one of the hitmen had acquired to use in the plot to kill the Victim.
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Count One charged the defendants with conspiracy to commit murder for hire in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958, and Count Two charged the defendants with murder for hire in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1958 and 2. Count Three charged defendant COLLINS with possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on February 10, 2021.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises agents and task force officers from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Probation Office, New York State Police, New York City Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, Yonkers Police Department, Greenburgh Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Westchester County Police Department, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Bagliebter, Adam Hobson, Frank Balsamello, Christopher Brumwell, and Celia Cohen are in charge of the prosecution.
Two Defendants Arrested at A Cheektowaga Hotel, Charged with Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Archie Butler, 42, of Buffalo, NY, and Jamielah Huggins, 37, of Kenmore, NY, were arrested and charged by complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas T. Cooper, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 16, 2020, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance at the Aloft Hotel on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga, NY. Homeland Security Investigations received information regarding the possibility of a bulk narcotics transaction on that date involving defendant Butler, who is currently on post-release supervision with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision following a New York State drug-related felony conviction.
During surveillance, investigators observed Butler arrive at approximately 6:15 p.m. in a vehicle driven by defendant Huggins. Shortly thereafter, two Hispanic males exited the Aloft Hotel and approached Butler in the vehicle. The three men engaged in a brief conversation before Butler, Huggins, and the two Hispanic males all entered the hotel together. Butler was carrying a purple luggage bag. Approximately 15 minutes later, Butler and Huggins left the hotel, with Butler still carrying the purple bag. The two defendants were arrested by law enforcement officers at the scene.
Following their arrests, investigators searched the purple luggage bag and recovered five pressed powder cocaine bricks wrapped in cellophane and duct tape, weighing approximately 5.6 kilograms.
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer, Butler was detained, while Huggins was released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Sliwinski, and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Twelve Individuals Charged with Scheme to Steal Checks and Defraud BanksRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Twelve people have been charged for their participation in a scheme to steal and alter checks from the mail and engage in bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Aaron Llody Northern, a/k/a “Bossdon Butta,” 28, of Reisterstown, Maryland; Corey Bond, a/k/a “Teddy Brown,” 27, of New York, New York; Tyrell Baker, 23, of the Bronx, New York; Andre Tyrone Wallace, 31, of the Bronx, New York; Michellian Thompson, 34, of the Bronx, New York; Achiel Morgan, a/k/a “Ace Skrap,” 22, of the Bronx, New York; Quinton Sessions, a/k/a “Q Doggy Widda Hoddie,” 27, of the Bronx, New York; Brian Adjavon, a/k/a “CarlosSlimm,” a/k/a “sasuforever,” 30, of the Bronx, New York; Dashawn Danforth, a/k/a “Shawn Moneyy Marley,” 31, of Staten Island, New York; Simone Cordero, 29, of the Bronx, New York; Stephanie Lee Sanchez, 25, of New York, New York; and Hans Pierre, a/k/a “hustlehans,” 32, of Brooklyn, New York; were each charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy (Count One), one count of conspiracy to receive and possess stolen mail (Count Two); and one count of conspiracy to possess and receive interstate altered securities (Count Three).
Northern, Sessions, Adjavon, Danforth, and Pierre were also charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy (Count Four), and Northern and Cordero were additionally charged with one count of aggravated identity theft (Count Five).
Baker, Thompson, Morgan, Adjavon, Danforth, Sanchez, Cordero, and Wallace were arrested today and are scheduled to appear by videoconference before the U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III this afternoon. Northern was arrested this morning in Maryland and is scheduled to appear in the District of Maryland on Oct. 23, 2020. Bond, Sessions, and Pierre have not yet been arrested.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In 2018 and 2019, the defendants and others conspired to steal checks from the mail, alter the payee and/or amount written on the stolen checks, possess and transport the stolen and altered checks outside of, or into, New Jersey, through interstate commerce, and deposit the checks into bank accounts to take money that did not belong to them. Some of the defendants then laundered the stolen money by concealing it through different financial accounts.
Surveillance footage shows certain defendants and others stealing mail from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in Newark. After stealing checks from the mail, defendants and others, including Adjavon and Cordero, altered and deposited the checks into other people’s bank accounts. The stolen money was then transferred to another account or withdrawn as cash. The victims include the New Jersey branch of a non-profit network of public charter schools, which experienced fraudulent activity on its bank accounts after placing checks in the mail.
Count One carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. Counts Two and Three each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greater. Count Four carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Count Five carries a mandatory term of two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, along with a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice to pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; the U.S Postal Inspection Service New York Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Phil Bartlett; the U.S. Secret Service Long Island Resident Office, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Steven Choma; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Peter Rendina; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, the Co-Op City Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Chief Joseph R. Riley; and the New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Dermot Shea; with the investigation and arrests.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie L. Hoxie of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint against the defendants are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Tyrell Baker: Michael V. Calabro Esq., Newark
Andre Tyrone Wallace: Geoffrey St. Andrew Stewart Esq., New York
Michellian Thompson: James A. Plaisted Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey
Achiel Morgan: Blair R. Zwillman Esq., Morristown, New Jersey
Brian Adjavon: Gary Mizzone Esq., Little Falls, New Jersey
Dashawn Danforth: Adalgiza A. Nunez Esq., Newark
Simone Cordero: Jacqueline E. Cistaro Esq., Red Bank, New Jersey
Stephanie Lee Sanchez: Joseph Rubino Esq., Union, New Jersey
Trio Named in Indictment Alleging International Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly by Posing as Federal Agents Threatening ArrestRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – Two Riverside County men were arrested today on an indictment alleging they participated in an international conspiracy that deceived elderly victims into sending more than $500,000 in cash by pretending to be federal agents threatening them with arrest on bogus warrants.
The federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges a total of three Lake Elsinore residents with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud:
- Anuj Mahendrabhai Patel, 30, a.k.a. “Mike” and “Indio”;
- Elmer Miranda Barrios, 35, whose aliases include “Welbin Raul Mejia” and “Joe Rodriguez”; and
- William Margarito Barrios, 36, Elmer Barrios’s cousin, who faces an additional charge of being an illegal alien who re-entered the United States following deportation.
Elmer and William Barrios were taken into federal custody today and are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. Patel’s arraignment is expected in the coming weeks.
According to court documents, from April 2019 until March 2020, other members of the conspiracy, some of whom are believed to be in India, telephoned victims and pretended to be government employees or law enforcement officers. Using a number of false pretenses – including phony badge numbers and using spoofed government telephone numbers – the co-conspirators convinced the victims, most of whom were over the age of 55, that their identities or assets were in trouble.
For example, some victims were told that their Social Security numbers had been linked to crimes and that there were warrants issued by courts authorizing the victims’ arrests. The co-conspirators further told the victims that in order to clear the warrants, they should withdraw their savings and send cash by mail to other members of the scheme.
The victims were ordered to send the parcels through shipping companies that allowed parcel recipients to pick up parcel so long as the recipients had identification matching the names listed on the parcel as the addressees. The addresses the defendants gave primarily were at locations in Riverside County, but also in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
Patel allegedly used tracking numbers to monitor the victims’ parcels, and communicated with couriers – Elmer and William Barrios – who used fraudulent identification documents matching the names listed on the parcels as addresses.
For example, in February 2020, Patel allegedly received a UPS parcel containing $10,000 from an 82-year-old victim that was addressed to “Victor Efrain DePaz” in Hemet.
The total loss alleged in this case is approximately $541,420 and the defendants allegedly conspired to receive more than 50 parcels sent by the scheme’s victims.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Patel and Elmer Barrios would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while William Barrios’s maximum penalty would be 22 years in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; the Social Security Administration; the United States Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; the Murrieta Police Department; the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Huntington Beach Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Stanislaus County (California) Sheriff’s Department; the Seattle Police Department; the Brownsville (Texas) Police Department; the St. James Parish (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office; the Cook County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office; the Addison (Illinois) Police Department; the Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police; the Northwest Lancaster County (Pennsylvania) Regional Police Department; the Edison Township (New Jersey) Police Department; and the St. Petersburg (Florida) Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted Assistant United States Attorney Peter Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is one of six offices participating in the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort that brings together the resources and expertise of federal law enforcement and non-governmental organizations to combat international fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors.
Texan pleads guilty in CARES Act unemployment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 28-year-old Corpus Christi man has admitted to devising a scheme to fraudulently misappropriate $278,433 in unemployment benefits meant for those suffering financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
William Cleveland Peck admitted to misappropriating personally identifiable information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth, related to various individuals. Peck then used that information to file multiple false and fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and general unemployment benefits between May and July 2020.
As part of his guilty plea, Peck admitted to committing mail fraud by using a misappropriated identity to file a false and fraudulent claim with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), causing them to mail a debit card to a P.O. Box Peck utilized. Peck then used the fraudulently-obtained debit card to withdraw cash and make purchases. The individual under whose identity Peck filed the false claim was not a resident of Texas, not eligible for benefits through TWC and did not authorize Peck to file such a claim.
PUA benefits were made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act - a federal law enacted March 29 which provides emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales accepted the plea today and set sentencing for Jan. 25, 2021. At that time, Peck faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and TWC conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Asha Natarajan are prosecuting the case.
Tampa Felon Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Zachary A. Jones (22, Tampa) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Jones to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense.
Jones had pleaded guilty on August 11, 2020.
According to court documents, on February 18, 2019, officers from the Tampa Police Department were looking for Jones, who had active warrants for his arrest. As officers approached Jones, he fled. While running from the officers, Jones discarded a loaded firearm. Officers later arrested Jones and recovered the firearm.
Jones has multiple prior convictions for narcotics-related felonies and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. At the time of this offense, Jones was on community control in the state of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Callan Albritton.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Suboxone Manufacturer Indivior's Former Chief Executive Officer Sentenced to Jail Time in Connection with Drug Safety ClaimsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – Shaun Thaxter, the former chief executive officer of Indivior PLC, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to 6 months in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $100,000 and forfeit $500,000. Thaxter pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information on June 30, 2020 for his role in causing the introduction into interstate commerce of misbranded shipments of the opioid drug Suboxone Film, a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced the sentence today.
Thaxter served as Indivior’s top executive from 2009 until shortly before his guilty plea. This includes the time period prior to December 2014 when Indivior was known as Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals. When Indivior was known as Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, it was a subsidiary of British conglomerate Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB Group). RB Group paid $1.4 billion in 2019 to resolve its liability to the United States related to the marketing of Suboxone. On July 24, 2020, an Indivior subsidiary called Indivior Solutions pleaded guilty to a one-count felony information for false statements related to health care matters, and together with Indivior, agreed to pay an additional $600 million to resolve liability to the United States related to the marketing of Suboxone. On August 26, 2020, Indivior’s former medical director, Timothy Baxter, pleaded guilty to a one-count misdemeanor information for a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act related to the marketing of Suboxone. Indivior Solutions and Baxter have not yet been sentenced.
Suboxone Film is a drug product approved for use by recovering opioid addicts to avoid or reduce withdrawal symptoms while they undergo treatment. Suboxone’s active ingredient, buprenorphine, is a powerful and addictive opioid. Thaxter was charged in connection with Indivior’s misrepresentations regarding the safety of Suboxone Film.
“While Thaxter served for years as Indivior’s chief executive, he was in a position to ensure that doctors, patients, and insurers were dealt with honestly,” Acting United States Attorney Bubar said today. “Instead, Thaxter failed to prevent efforts to build profits through misleading safety claims, which led to millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains for Indivior. As the Court recognized today, this sentence should serve as a deterrence to other pharmaceutical executives. Today’s sentencing is also the product of years of work and could not have happened without the close federal and state law enforcement partnerships, for which we are grateful.”
“Families and communities across the Commonwealth continue to feel the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic,” said Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. “Opioid manufacturers and their executive leadership must be held accountable for taking advantage of this country’s opioid crisis and putting profits over people. I want to thank my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their terrific work on this case as well as our local, state, and federal partners for their continued partnership on these cases.”
“Misrepresentations made about the drug, while Thaxter ran the company, misled MassHealth about the potential risk of accidental opioid exposure. It is inexcusable to willfully disregard requirements that treatment medications be prescribed carefully in order to protect patient health and safety,” said Elton Malone, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations with the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue investigating and bringing to justice those placing profits over patients in government healthcare programs.”
“Opioid addiction is a significant public health crisis and addressing opioid abuse continues to be one of FDA’s top priorities. Misleading information about relative product benefits undermines efforts to provide affordable treatment to those suffering from opioid addiction,” said Judy McMeekin, Pharm.D., Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those whose schemes jeopardize public health and put Americans at risk.”
“The U.S. Postal Service spends billions of dollars per year in workers compensation and health care-related costs, most of which are legitimate,” said Kenneth Cleevely, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “However, when medical providers or companies choose to flout the rules and profit illegally, special agents with the USPS OIG will work with our law enforcement partners to hold them responsible. To report fraud or other criminal activity involving the Postal Service, contact USPS OIG special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”
According to court documents, Thaxter had authority over Indivior’s marketing and sales of Suboxone Film which, along with other Suboxone products, generated nearly all the company’s revenue. In 2012, Thaxter oversaw and encouraged Indivior’s efforts to secure formulary coverage for Suboxone Film from the Massachusetts Medicaid agency called MassHealth. Thaxter asked Indivior employees under his direction to devise a strategy to win preferred drug status for Suboxone Film and counteract a non-opioid competitor MassHealth was considering for opioid-addiction treatment. Certain Indivior employees subsequently shared false and misleading safety information with MassHealth officials about Suboxone Film’s risk of accidental pediatric exposure. Two months after receiving that false and misleading information, MassHealth announced it would provide access to Suboxone Film for Medicaid patients with children under the age of six.
The criminal cases against Thaxter, Indivior, and Baxter are being prosecuted by attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, including Albert P. Mayer, Randy Ramseyer, Kristin L. Gray, Joseph S. Hall, Janine M. Myatt, Garth W. Huston, Carol Wallack, Charles J. Biro, and Matthew J. Lash. The criminal investigation of Thaxter was handled by the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations; United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – The United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that on October 21, 2020, Judge Robert Molloy sentenced Collin Gomes, 27, of St. Croix, to 78 months in prison for possession of child pornography and five years of supervised release. Gomes was also ordered to pay special assessments in the amounts of $100 and $5,000, respectively. The Court also ordered $3,000 restitution to each of the three victims.
According to court documents, on or about August 16, 2018, September 6, 2018 and October 22, 2018, a Grand Prairie, Texas police detective was conducting an online investigation on the BitTorrent network for offenders sharing child pornography. BitTorrent is a communication system for peer-to-peer file sharing that enables users to distribute data and electronic files over the Internet in a decentralized manner. Files are shared on the BitTorrent network via use of “torrents,” which provide addresses identifying computers that can send portions of a requested file. With the assistance of a torrent file, the user can download small portions of the original file.
As a result of information collected by Grand Prairie, Texas law enforcement, officers initiated an investigation for a device on the IP address used by the defendant, because it was associated with a torrent with a particular infohash (an SHA-1 hash value of the data describing the files within the torrent). The torrent files referenced a number of files, at least one of which was identified as child pornography. On each of the dates referenced above, a download of files was successfully completed from the device that the defendant’s IP address was making available. Officers confirmed that each download contained child pornography.
On December 14, 2018, HSI executed a search warrant on the defendant’s residence on St. Croix. Agents explained to the defendant what they were searching for and advised him of his rights. The defendant waived his rights and agreed to speak to the agents. They asked if he viewed, downloaded and made available for download any files containing images or videos depicting child pornography and the defendant said “yes.” The defendant also told the agents he had an HP computer on which he had child pornography and that he had been downloading child pornography since 2011 and collected thousands of images and videos. He stated that there was approximately one and a half Terabytes of material. HIS agents located thousands of child pornography images and videos on the defendant’s computer and external hard drives.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
St. Charles corporate executive pleads guilty to fraudulently using company’s credit cardRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge E. Richard Webber accepted a plea today from Tara Sabatini. The 45-year-old St. Charles, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to the plea agreement and Indictment, Sabatini was employed as the “Senior Director of Sales” by a company located in St. Louis, Missouri that sold wholesale amounts of food to various commercial customers, typically grocery store chains. The company provided Ms. Sabatini with a company-funded corporate credit card, and authorized her to use the credit card for official business, including work travel and some client expenses.
During 2017-18, Sabatini used her corporate credit card to fund personal expenses, including but not limited to purchasing luxury ticket packages from a Major League Baseball team located in New York. She frequently engaged in electronic communications with New York employees of the team for ticket purchase and delivery purposes. After receiving these tickets, Sabatini attended some of the baseball games and also gave some of the tickets to her friends and family. Sabatini further sold some of the baseball tickets through an Internet service and spent the proceeds of the ticket sales on her personal expenses.
The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of no more than 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
Judge Webber has set sentencing for January 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
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South Jersey Member of Philadelphia Crime Family Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Selling Illegal DrugsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cape May, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for distributing approximately 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine and thousands of pills containing heroin and/or fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Joseph Servidio, a/k/a “Joey Electric,” 60, of Marmora, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement sources have identified Servidio as a member of La Cosa Nostra (LCN), the Mafia. Servidio distributed pills that contained heroin and/or fentanyl along with conspirator Carl Chianese. The pills they distributed were stamped with markings that made them look similar to prescription opioid pills (Oxycodone or Percocet). Servidio and Chianese were also involved in the distribution of multiple-ounce quantities of crystal methamphetamine. Servidio and Chianese sold the pills and crystal methamphetamine on multiple occasions to an FBI undercover agent in exchange for cash payments. In total, Servidio was responsible for the distribution of over 200 grams of fentanyl and heroin and approximately 300 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Chianese, 80, was sentenced by Judge Kugler in March 2020 to 10 years in prison and ordered to forfeit the firearm and United States currency, as part of the sentence imposed. Salvatore Piccolo, 68, another member of the Philadelphia LCN who sold crystal methamphetamine to the FBI undercover agent, was sentenced by Judge Kugler in November 2019 to 150 months in prison.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Servidio to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch, Jr., Newark Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Camden Office.
South Carolina man admits to “crystal” meth and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Todd Michael Hensley, of Anderson, South Carolina, has admitted to drug and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hensley, age 48, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.”
On January 23, 2020, officers conducted a traffic stop of Hensley’s vehicle in Marshall County and found him to be in possession of approximately 2.73 pounds of “crystal” methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” a loaded 9mm Glock pistol, four loaded 10-round Glock firearm magazines, a loaded 15-round Glock firearm magazine, and three loaded 31-round Glock firearm magazines. Following the traffic stop, a search warrant was executed at Hensley’s home in Anderson, South Carolina, where officers seized an additional 14 firearms, including three AK47s, approximately 300 rounds of ammunition, 50 grams of “ice,” and $9,000 in cash.
Hensley faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug charge. He faces a mandatory five years of incarceration for the firearm charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Anderson County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Department assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
South Carolina Man Admits Running $900,000 Foreign Currency Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A South Carolina man today admitted defrauding at least 20 individuals by soliciting investments in what he claimed were highly successful, algorithm-based trading pools in foreign currency derivatives (“forex”) and other financial instruments, and then using the bulk of the money for personal expenditures and to pay off other victims, Attorney for the United States Rachael Honig announced.
Thomas Lanzana, 51, of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and formerly of New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez Count 1 of the indictment returned against him in August 2019, charging him with wire fraud.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Lanzana fraudulently solicited approximately $900,000 from at least 20 customers to invest in forex pools beginning as early as 2013. Lanzana misrepresented to prospective customers that he was a successful forex trader when, in fact, he was not. To keep his customers’ trust, Lanzana, among other things, (1) sent false account statements to his customers, (2) posted false monthly account statements to his companies’ websites showing balances and trading activity for forex trading accounts that did not exist, and (3) generated and sent false tax documents to customers reporting earnings that did not exist. Lanzana misappropriated approximately $350,000 in customer funds, using some to repay earlier investors in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and to pay for his personal expenses, including purchases on Amazon.com, payments to a luxury car dealer and a jewelry retailer, and golf expenses.
The count of wire fraud to which Lanzana pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2021.
Attorney for the United States Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr., and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Michael Montanez, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement for its role in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime Unit.
Six Members of Salinas-Based “Murder Squad” Indicted on Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted six Salinas-based street gang members, charging them with racketeering conspiracy, use of a firearm causing murder, and related crimes, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The charges were announced in a press conference attended by U.S. Attorney Anderson and Special Agent in Charge King, as well as Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni and Salinas Police Department (SPD) Chief Adele Fresé.
The defendants are Siaki Tavale, 24, Andrew Alvarado, 29, John Magat, 33, Anthony Valdez, 23, Mark Anthony Garcia, 29, and Anelu Tavale, 24. According to the Second Superseding Indictment filed October 15, 2020, and unsealed today, the defendants were members of a violent hit crew also referred to as the “murder squad.” The indictment describes how the murder squad orchestrated seven shootings, killing eight people and injuring several others. According to the indictment, seven of the eight homicide victims had no known gang affiliation.
“The indictment alleges a pattern of horrific violence,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “This violence destroys lives. This violence holds our community hostage. In announcing today’s charges, we reaffirm the importance of professional law enforcement. We need professional law enforcement to protect the community where we live and work and raise our families.”
“The family and friends of the men murdered by this heinous criminal enterprise have suffered profound loss. The inability for these men to live out their lives is extremely disturbing to a law abiding community, all of whom have a fundamental right to be safe in their homes,” said Special Agent in Charge King. “Working together in a collaborative effort with the U.S. Attorney, Northern District, the Salinas Police Department, the FBI, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office ensured that these criminals are afforded the most expeditious justice and will help protect the community from their wrath of terror.”
“Over the past three years, the FBI San Francisco Division has worked to link this murder squad with the Nuestra Familia and Norteno street gangs,” said Special Agent in Charge Bennett. “I would like to recognize the work of the members of the FBI throughout this investigation. This case is another example of how strong collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement is so effective in keeping our communities safe."
“Violent crimes committed by gang members continue to plague our community,” said DA Pacioni. “Awareness that innocent members of our community may be targeted affects the quality of all of our lives. That is why our office works hand-in-hand with the esteemed members of our law enforcement community to investigate such cases aggressively and bring justice to victims of such crimes.”
The indictment explains that a violent group of Norteno street gang members and others coordinated and executed missions to hunt and kill rival Sureno street gang members – or those the group perceived to be Surenos – in the neighborhoods of Salinas, Calif. The indictment describes murder squad’s use of multi-vehicle caravans that often included one vehicle with designated shooters and at least one spotter or security vehicle to help spot victims and avoid law enforcement detection. The indictment describes that the murder squad identified victims by characteristics they associated with rival Surenos – for example, Hispanic males, persons with shaved heads, and/or persons wearing blue. Once a victim was targeted, the shooters would allegedly fire until their firearms’ magazines were emptied. The indictment alleges that some shooters “hit up” their victims – or, confirmed their gang status – before shooting them, but that members of the murder squad did not always do this, and did not always wait for an answer, before shooting. The indictment alleges that this practice led to the shooting and killing of victims who were not, in fact, gang members. The indictment further alleges that the more “bodies” accumulated by a murder squad member, the higher status conferred on that member.
The indictment specifically provides descriptions of seven hunts in Salinas that culminated in injury and death between January 2017 and November 2018:
- On January 12, 2017, Siaki Tavale, Alvarado, Garcia, and others went hunting for rival gang members to kill. Their hunt led them to Sunrise Street and to a group of Hispanic men outside a house party. The shooters opened fire at the group. Four victims were shot, two were killed. There was no evidence the victims were actually gang members. After the shooting, the shooters led police officers on a high speed chase, crashed and abandoned their vehicle, and fled on foot.
- On February 11, 2017, Siaki Tavale, Alvarado, and others again went hunting in Salinas. This time, the defendants encountered a small group of Hispanic men outside the Hebbron Heights Community Center. The shooters fired at least 18 shots at the men, striking one victim in the head and killing him. The shooters were driving in a stolen SUV that had been doused in gasoline earlier that day, as a precaution in case it needed to be set on fire.
- The next day, on February 12, 2017, Siaki Tavale and Alvarado were joined by Anelu Tavale and others as they again hunted for rival Sureno gang members to kill. The group was driving in the same stolen SUV as the day before when they encountered two Hispanic men in another vehicle. The defendants perceived the men in the other vehicle to be rival Sureno gang members, and followed the vehicle to a residence on Orchard Avenue. After the vehicle pulled into the driveway, the shooters opened fire. The shooters fired at least 20 shots at the two victims. The victims survived, but suffered gunshot wounds to the neck, torso, and upper back.
- On March 25, 2017, Alvarado, Magat, Garcia, and others again went hunting for rival gang members to kill. This hunt was organized to retaliate for the recent killing of a fellow Norteno gang member. While driving on Dennis Avenue, the hunters happened upon two Hispanic men in the driveway of a residence. The shooters fired at least 32 shots at these men, killing them. One victim was killed in the driveway, while the other was chased to the backyard of the residence. There was no evidence either of the victims was actually a gang member.
- On May 13, 2017, Alvarado, Magat, and others again went hunting for rival gang members to kill. When they reached Paloma Avenue in Salinas, they spotted a young Hispanic man standing on the front porch of a residence. The shooters fired at least 15 shots at the victim, hitting him in the head and killing him. There was no evidence the victim was a gang member.
- On June 11, 2018, Magat, Valdez, Anelu Tavale, and others again went hunting for rival gang members to kill. The group spotted a man walking down Center Street, fired at least 19 shots, and killed him. As before, there was no evidence the victim was a member of a rival gang.
- On November 3, 2018, Valdez, Anelu Tavale, and others again went hunting for rival Sureno gang members to kill. This time, the purpose of the hunt was to commemorate the birthday of a deceased gang member. The shooters spotted a man walking on North Hebbron Avenue, and fired at least 35 shots at him. The victim was shot in the head and killed. Again, there was no evidence that this victim was actually a gang member.
In sum, the defendants are charged with the following crimes and, if convicted of all charged offenses, face the below-listed maximum penalties:
Defendant
Charges
Maximum Statutory Penalty
Siaki Tavale aka “Shocky” aka “Gunner”
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) – Conspiracy to Murder in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-1
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-2
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murders of Victim-3 and Victim-4
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-5
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murder of Victim-6
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murders of Victim-7 and Victim-8
Death or life imprisonment
Andrew Alvarado aka “Oso” aka “Banger”
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) – Conspiracy to Murder in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-1
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-2
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murders of Victim-3 and Victim-4
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-5
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murder of Victim 6
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murders of Victim-7 and Victim-8
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-9
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-10
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-11
Death or life imprisonment
John Magat aka “Romeo”
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) – Conspiracy to Murder in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-9
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-10
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder of Victim-11
Death or life imprisonment
Anthony Valdez aka “Hitter” aka “Tony Boronda”
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) – Conspiracy to Murder in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(1) and 2 – Murder in Aid of Racketeering of Victim-13
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and 2 – Use of a Firearm Causing Murder
Death or life imprisonment
Mark Anthony Garcia aka “Tony from Santa Rita”
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) – Conspiracy to Murder in Aid of Racketeering
Life imprisonment
Anelu Tavale aka “Angel”
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) – Racketeering Conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) – Conspiracy to Murder in Aid of Racketeering
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2 – Possession/Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of and During and in Relation to Crime of Violence re: Attempted Murders of Victim-7 and Victim-8
Life imprisonment
However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
An indictment contains allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
All the defendants are in custody. Mark Anthony Garcia and Anelu Tavale are scheduled for initial appearances on October 22, 2020, at 10:30 a.m., before the Honorable Nathanael Cousins, United States Magistrate Judge.
The case is being prosecuted by the Organized Crime Strike Force of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. The investigation of this case was conducted by the Salinas Police Department, together with the Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Seattle Software Developer pleads guilty to wire fraud for covid-relief fraud schemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Seattle man pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud for carrying out a scheme to defraud several COVID-19 relief programs.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran of the Western District of Washington, Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General’s (SBA-OIG) Western Region, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) J. Russell George, and Special Agent in Charge Raymond Duda of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
Baoke Zhang, 35, of Issaquah, Washington, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian A. Tsuchida of the Western District of Washington.
As part of his guilty plea, Zhang admitted that he carried out a scheme to defraud several different government and private COVID-19 relief programs intended to assist those facing financial difficulties due to the ongoing pandemic.
Zhang admitted that he submitted four fraudulent applications to three different lenders for forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a SBA program that provided payroll assistance to small businesses. To support the loan applications, Zhang used fake entities for which he created fake payroll and tax records. Two of the fraudulent loan applications sought $600,000 each, a third application sought $325,000, and a fourth sought approximately $41,000. Zhang also submitted a fraudulent application to the SBA for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) in the name of one of the fake entities for which he also had applied for PPP loans. The SBA paid Zhang a $10,000 EIDL advance before his fraud was detected.
Zhang further admitted that he submitted fraudulent applications to two non-profit organizations providing grants to restaurant workers suffering economic hardship due to the pandemic. Zhang submitted the various applications in the names of Zhang, his wife, and his parents, falsely claiming that each were restaurant workers who had either lost their jobs or lost wages due to COVID-19. To support the applications, Zhang created fake letters from purported restaurant owners regarding employment and fake payroll records. In fact, neither Zhang nor his wife or parents worked in restaurants. Zhang obtained $1,500 from one of the non-profits before his fraud was detected.
Zhang also admitted that he submitted a fraudulent application to a multinational technology company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that was providing grants to qualifying small businesses in the Seattle area. Zhang falsely claimed in his application that he ran a small business in a local shopping center that had suffered economically due to the pandemic. In fact, Zhang did not own any businesses. Zhang obtained $5,000 from the relief program before his fraud was detected.
In total, Zhang admitted to attempting to defraud the various COVID-19 relief programs of more than $550,000.
This case was investigated by the SBA-OIG, the TIGTA, and the FBI. Trial Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Werner of the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Seattle Software Developer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for COVID-Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Seattle man pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud for carrying out a scheme to defraud several COVID-19 relief programs.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran of the Western District of Washington, Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General’s (SBA-OIG) Western Region, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) J. Russell George, and Special Agent in Charge Raymond Duda of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
Baoke Zhang, 35, of Issaquah, Washington, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian A. Tsuchida of the Western District of Washington.
As part of his guilty plea, Zhang admitted that he carried out a scheme to defraud several different government and private COVID-19 relief programs intended to assist those facing financial difficulties due to the ongoing pandemic.
Zhang admitted that he submitted four fraudulent applications to three different lenders for forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a SBA program that provided payroll assistance to small businesses. To support the loan applications, Zhang used fake entities for which he created fake payroll and tax records. Two of the fraudulent loan applications sought $600,000 each, a third application sought $325,000, and a fourth sought approximately $41,000. Zhang also submitted a fraudulent application to the SBA for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) in the name of one of the fake entities for which he also had applied for PPP loans. The SBA paid Zhang a $10,000 EIDL advance before his fraud was detected.
Zhang further admitted that he submitted fraudulent applications to two non-profit organizations providing grants to restaurant workers suffering economic hardship due to the pandemic. Zhang submitted the various applications in the names of Zhang, his wife, and his parents, falsely claiming that each were restaurant workers who had either lost their jobs or lost wages due to COVID-19. To support the applications, Zhang created fake letters from purported restaurant owners regarding employment and fake payroll records. In fact, neither Zhang nor his wife or parents worked in restaurants. Zhang obtained $1,500 from one of the non-profits before his fraud was detected.
Zhang also admitted that he submitted a fraudulent application to a multinational technology company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that was providing grants to qualifying small businesses in the Seattle area. Zhang falsely claimed in his application that he ran a small business in a local shopping center that had suffered economically due to the pandemic. In fact, Zhang did not own any businesses. Zhang obtained $5,000 from the relief program before his fraud was detected.
In total, Zhang admitted to attempting to defraud the various COVID-19 relief programs of more than $550,000.
This case was investigated by the SBA-OIG, the TIGTA, and the FBI. Trial Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Werner of the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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.
Schenectady Man Indicted on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rhamel G. Pate, age 39, of Schenectady, New York, was charged today by a superseding indictment alleging three drug trafficking offenses and two gun possession charges.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Pate was first indicted on March 21, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and one count of distribution of crack cocaine. The superseding indictment additionally charges Pate with one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pate faces a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years, for the drug conspiracy and possession charges, and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the drug distribution charge. For the charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Pate faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, to be served after any other term of imprisonment is complete. For being a felon in possession of firearms, Pate faces a maximum sentence of 10 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 FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily C. Powers.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jayson Fernandez Butay, 25, of Sacramento, charging him with production and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Butay produced child pornography with a minor victim on Sept. 28, 2019, and possessed prepubescent images of child pornography.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya B. Syed is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the production of child pornography count, Butay faces minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the possession of child pornography charge, Butay faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years 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.
Richland Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison and 40 Years of Supervision for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Beau Thomas Upton, age 30, of Richland, Washington, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to production of child pornography. United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr., sentenced Upton to 21 years in federal prison, to be followed by 40 years of court supervision after he is released. Judge Mendoza also required Upton to register as a sex offender upon completion of his prison sentence. As part of the resolution of the case, Upton has also agreed to plead guilty to two counts of Third Degree Rape of a Child in Benton County Superior Court.
The investigation began when officers and detectives with the Richland and Kennewick Police Departments joined agents from the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) to investigate a ring of adult men who were drugging teenage boys in the Tri-Cities, engaging in illicit sexual activity with them, and recording the sexual abuse. Judge Mendoza has previously sentenced Defendants Zayne Barbre (28 years) and Ryan Alexander (25 years) to lengthy federal terms, each to be followed by a lifetime of supervision.
In March 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Barbre’s residence in Richland, Washington, where they learned that Barbre had been harboring a 14-year-old victim whom he had been drugging, prostituting, and sexually abusing. Officers discovered a makeshift child pornography production studio, with a MacBook computer propped up on a wooden box, positioned so its web camera could record sexual abuse on a bed on the floor in front of the computer. On a desk was a small digital camera taped to another wooden box, pointed into the room.
One minor victim reported that he had been introduced to Barbre by Upton, and that in 2016, Barbre and Upton had begun drugging and sexually abusing him, sometimes alone and sometimes together, and sometimes while recording the abuse in the makeshift child production studio in Barbre’s house.
When officers forensically examined the digital devices recovered from Barbre’s house, they found numerous videos depicting Barbre and Upton having sexual intercourse with males appearing to be younger than themselves, from 2015 through 2016. One such video depicted Barbre adjusting the recording device while Upton looked on, prior to recording a sexual act with a young male. Officers also recovered text messages between Barbre and Upton that corroborated that they had engaged in group sex on more than one occasion with at least one 14-year-old victim and another male.
In a related investigation, officers learned that Ryan Alexander had been grooming boys online, teaching them how to use and sell marijuana, and then sexually assaulting them while obtaining pornographic images of them. Alexander also obtained child pornography images of one minor, and then pretended to be that minor to induce a different minor to take and send child pornography of himself to Alexander. When the Richland Police Department conducted a sophisticated forensic examination of Alexander’s digital devices, they recovered hundreds of images of child pornography, including sexual images of children that depicted violence, sadomasochism, toddlers, and infants.
United States Attorney William D. Hyslop said “Today’s sentencing hearing brings to a close the investigations into three individuals who engaged in truly heinous sexual abuse of minors. I hope that the victims and their families are able to gain a sense of resolution as they move forward with their lives. There is no greater priority than the protection of children and teenagers from sexual harm. The sentences imposed in these three cases are a clear message to anyone in Eastern Washington who has the criminal audacity not only to abuse minors, but to record their hideous conduct: if you do something terrible like this, we will find you, we will prosecute the case, and you should expect that a multi-decade sentence in federal prison awaits you. The United States Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with law enforcement and victim services professionals from around the region to prevent and deter these kinds of crimes. I commend HSI and the Richland and Kennewick Police Departments, the Southeast Regional ICAC Task Force, and the Support, Advocacy, and Resource Center (“SARC”) in the Tri-Cities for their sensitive and professional approach to these three cases, and I thank them for their tireless work in combating child exploitation.”
Chief John Bruce of the Richland Police Department said “The crimes which exploit children are some of the worst we encounter and have lasting impacts on the victims and their families. We will continue to collaborate with our partners in the WA-ICAC Task Force and support our local Southeast Regional ICAC Task Force in their pursuit of those who prey upon the vulnerable.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood (“PSC”), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local law enforcement work together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The PSC Initiative has five major components:
· Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
· Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
· Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
· Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
· Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case was investigated by the Richland and Kennewick Police Departments and Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force, which is located in Richland, Washington. Victim services were provided by the Support, Advocacy, and Resource Center (“SARC”) in the Tri-Cities. The case was prosecuted by David M. Herzog, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Registered sex offender pleads guilty to distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Corpus Christi man has admitting to sending photos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Authorities had linked Daniel Ellsworth Janssen to an e-mail and IP address that was accessing child pornography. Law enforcement conducted a search, at which time they seized multiple electronic devices from Janssen’s Corpus Christi residence. A forensic examination later revealed images and videos of child pornography, some of which he had distributed using his cell phone. The majority of the images and videos located on Janssen’s devices depicted the sexual exploitation of children under the age of 10.
At the time of his arrest, Janssen was a registered sex offender following his conviction for attempted indecency with a child.
Sentencing has been set before U.S. District Judge David S. Morales Jan, 25, 2021. At that time, Janssen faces a mandatory minimum of 15 and up to 40 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Corpus Christi Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Popejoy is prosecuting the case which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Previously Convicted Felon Admits Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man today admitted to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jakim Stradford, 27, of Neptune City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an indictment charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 26, 2020, officers from the Neptune City Police Department responded to the home of a local resident who reported trespassers in her patio. Officers found Stradford – a convicted felon prohibited from possessing a firearm – and another man in the enclosed patio of an apartment. The officers ordered the men to stop, but Stradford attempted to run. Officers arrested and searched Stradford, finding marijuana, pills and a Hi-Point 9mm caliber pistol. Examination of the pistol revealed that the serial number had been obliterated.
The felon in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2021.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensured that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, Newark Field Division, Trenton Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, and the Neptune City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Matthew Quagliato for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Matthews of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
Parolee-Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Emmanuel John, 25, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to 290 months in the Bureau of Prisons after being found guilty by a jury in July of six counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Between July 2018 and August 2018, John illegally sold eight guns to a confidential informant during six separate controlled buys. Four of the firearms were reported as stolen. At the time of the sales, John, a Trip Set gang member, was out on parole for two robbery convictions. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm. It had been just 65 days from John’s release on parole until he committed the first of the six offenses of which he was convicted. Following his arrest on the federal case, John’s parole was revoked and he was sent back to the Nebraska Department of Corrections. He came into federal custody on March 24, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Omaha Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhood. Project Safe Neighborhood is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. John’s arrest was also part of Operation South Sudan Soldiers which targeted members of the Trip Set and African Pride street gangs.
Owner of Mexican Seafood Restaurants Pleads Guilty to Charges of Obstructing Investigation into Wage Violations and Federal Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The owner of a chain of Mexican seafood restaurants pleaded guilty this afternoon to criminal charges for obstructing a federal investigation into his failure to pay minimum wage and overtime to his employees.
Victor Hugo Guzman, 49, of La Habra, pleaded guilty this afternoon to one count of obstruction of a federal investigation and one count of filing a false tax return.
Guzman was the owner and operator of the Ostioneria Colima restaurant chain, which had locations in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Guzman admitted in a plea agreement that he failed to pay overtime wages to employees. For some employees, Guzman also paid them less than the minimum wage.
Guzman admitted that, from 2011 through 2014, some employees worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, but he only paid them a flat weekly salary of $320 – or only $4.44 per hour, well below California’s then-minimum wage of $8 per hour.
According to the plea agreement, when federal investigators began to probe suspected overtime wage violations and violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Guzman obstructed that investigation by hiring someone who fabricated records and by instructing employees to lie to the federal investigators about the number of hours they had worked. Guzman caused fabricated timecards to be submitted to the Department of Labor, which showed that employees had worked a maximum of only 40 hours per week, when in fact, those employees had been working 60 to 72 hours per week.
In addition to obstructing the Labor Department’s investigation, Guzman admitted he caused the filing of false payroll tax returns with the IRS for several years. Those filings underreported the amount of wages he was paying his employees, which resulted in the underpayment of federal payroll taxes. Guzman admitted that the tax loss from those false tax returns was approximately $79,000.
In addition to agreeing to pay back taxes to the IRS, Guzman agreed in his plea agreement to pay more than $200,000 in back wages to employees.
United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a sentencing hearing on April 23, 2021, at which time Guzman will face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation. The U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, provided substantial assistance.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Office for Victims of Crime Awards Nearly $4 Million to Support Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner ProgramsRead the Press Release
The Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) announced that it has awarded almost $4 million to support the establishment or expansion of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs that offer medical forensic care, advocacy and other victim services to sexual assault survivors on campuses of higher education. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a roundtable discussion with U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Scott W. Brady, OVC Director Jessica E. Hart, Dean of Duquesne University School of Nursing Mary Ellen Glasgow, and law enforcement leaders from Pittsburgh and surrounding jurisdictions.
“Victims of sexual assault deserve the best of care, including expert medical forensic attention that can help close out cases and bring perpetrators to justice,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sullivan. “These grants will build a cadre of skilled medical professionals capable of responding immediately and holistically to the needs of sexual assault survivors. Making SANE Nurse positions available on college campus will help ensure survivors receive the trauma informed care they deserve and vital forensic evidence will be collected to ensure perpetrators are held accountable.”
“Nurses serving on the front lines of our communities are often the first to respond to and treat victims of sexual assault,” said U.S. Attorney Brady. “Far too many victims endure the physical and emotional trauma of a sexual assault only to wait long hours and have forensic exams conducted by personnel who lack the appropriate training and experience in forensic evidence collection. These SANE grants will allow our universities to create a pipeline of highly-skilled registered nurses to support victims of sexual assault and hold offenders accountable.”
This program will develop, expand or strengthen SANE services to improve the delivery of post-assault medical and advocacy services. Campuses will collaborate with victim service providers in the communities in which the institutions are located. If victim services programs are not available in the community or are not accessible to students, the institution will provide a victim services program on campus in collaboration with a community-based organization.
“Sexual assault is an appalling crime and an obscene violation of personal security and interpersonal trust,” said Director Hart. “The resources we are making available today will help institutions of higher learning bring comfort and relief to victims while widening the possibility for securing justice.”
OVC awarded $3,836,877 to eight institutions, listed below. Funds will help raise awareness and expand outreach about the SANE program and will provide more SANE services to survivors. Operational costs (including salaries and benefits for program staff), training and mentoring for aspiring and current SANEs and advocates, and equipment costs can be supported under this program. This program aims to respond to and empower sexual assault survivors while increasing perpetrator accountability.
- University of South Alabama, Alabama
- Total Awarded $493,244
- Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona, Arizona
- Total Awarded $499,382
- Duquesne University, Pennsylvania
- Total Awarded $499,391
- The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania
- Total Awarded $500,000
- The Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation, South Carolina
- Total Awarded $345,926
- Tennessee Technological University, Tennessee
- Total Awarded $500,000
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas
- Total Awarded $499,948
- The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Wisconsin
- Total Awarded $498,986
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The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
- University of South Alabama, Alabama
North Carolina Man Is Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Steal Millions from MedicaidRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. sentenced Jerry Lewis Taylor, 55, of Wingate, N.C., to five years in prison followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiring to steal millions from Medicaid and committing tax evasion, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Jerry Taylor was also ordered to pay more than $6.1 to North Carolina Medicaid and over $346,000 to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as restitution.
On Tuesday, October 20, 2020, Jerry Taylor’s co-conspirator, Ameera Ali, 41, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and one year of supervised release, for her role in the scheme. In July 2020, the leader of the scheme, Tony Garrett Taylor, 40, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was sentenced to 96 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, Robert W. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), and Attorney General Josh Stein, who oversees the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division (MID), join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from June 2015 to December 2017, Jerry Taylor and his brother, Tony Taylor, orchestrated a scheme to defraud Medicaid of more than $9.4 million by submitting false and fraudulent reimbursement claims for patient services that were either non-existent or mischaracterized to Medicaid. The brothers submitted the fraudulent claims through several companies they owned and/or operated, including Taylor Behavioral Health Center, LLC and Options Driven LLC, both located in Monroe, N.C.; Design for Change LLC located in Raleigh and elsewhere; and SHG Consultants, located in Gastonia, N.C. and elsewhere (collectively, the “the entities”). These entities specialized in providing outpatient behavioral health services to at-risk youth throughout North Carolina.
Court records show that, during the relevant time period, Jerry Taylor was responsible for overseeing certain aspects of the business operations of the entities, including managing the preparation and submission of fraudulent claims through the entities’ third-party billing company owned by Ameera Ali. According to court records, in addition to providing billing services for the conspiracy, Ameera Ali furnished Tony Taylor with prospective patient lists containing identifying information for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries. The beneficiary information obtained from Ali and others were used, in turn, to file fraudulent reimbursement claims for services that were never provided. To the extent that services were actually provided, the conspirators submitted to Medicaid fraudulent reimbursement claims that misrepresented the services rendered so as to obtain a higher reimbursement rate, a practice known as “upcoding.”
According to court documents, Tony Taylor also recruited Devon Rambert-Hairston, a licensed nurse practitioner and the director of one of the entities operated by the brothers, to review and sign-off on fictitious patient progress notes. Court records show that Rambert-Hairston never provided any behavioral health or medical services to the Medicaid beneficiaries or rarely interacted with them at all. To the extent that the beneficiaries received any treatment, those services were provided by an individual identified in court documents as J.B., who was not credentialed to provide those types of services.
Jerry Taylor and Tony Taylor also conspired with Christine Yvette Knight, who operated Connect and Move Staffing LLC in Florida. Knight’s role in the conspiracy was to create fraudulent treatment notes for the beneficiaries, and to prepare fake billing spreadsheets which were used by the brothers to further perpetuate the fraud.
During the course of the fraudulent scheme, Jerry and Tony Taylor caused hundreds of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicaid for false and fraudulent services. As a result, more than $9.4 million in fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicaid, resulting in approximately $6.1 million in fraudulent payments from Medicaid.
In addition to health care fraud, Jerry Taylor also committed tax evasion, by failing to file timely and/or accurate U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns for tax years 2016 and 2017, and failing to report more than $1.6 million in fraudulent receipts from Medicaid that were diverted to nominee entities and individuals. Jerry Taylor used the fraudulent proceeds for personal expenditure using business accounts, including to pay for medical expenses, personal travel, and to make large cash withdrawals, among other things.
In announcing Jerry Taylor’s sentence, Judge Conrad described the fraud as sophisticated and said the defendants preyed upon government institutions and taxpayers.
Devon Rambert-Hairston was previously sentenced to a year and a day in prison and a year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $813,726 in restitution. Christine Yvette Knight has pleaded guilty to making a false statement relating to health care matters and is currently awaiting sentencing.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the USPIS, the FBI the IRS, and North Carolina’s MID for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Savage and William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Charlotte Office are prosecuting the case.
If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud please report it by phone at 1-800-447-8477 (1-800-HHS-TIPS), or E-Mail at [email protected].
Niagara Falls Man Going to Prison for More Than 11 Years on Cocaine Conspiracy and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Rhyan O. Stewart, 47, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a weapon, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who handled the case, stated that in December 2016, co-conspirator John L. Maye arranged for the delivery of a U.S. Postal Service parcel to a residence on North Avenue in Niagara Falls, NY. The parcel contained a quantity of cocaine from a California source of supply that Maye intended to distribute in the Niagara Falls and Buffalo areas. Defendant Stewart and Maye offered to pay another individual to take delivery and safeguard the parcel.
Unbeknownst to Stewart, Maye, and the third individual, the parcel was intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service and was searched prior to its delivery. Five separately wrapped kilogram-sized bricks of cocaine were discovered inside. Sham material was substituted for the cocaine and controlled delivery of the package was conducted on December 27, 2016, at the North Avenue residence.
As instructed by Stewart, the third individual received the package, signed for it, and brought it inside the residence. During the delivery, Stewart and Maye conducted counter-surveillance, and observing the presence of law enforcement, the two instructed the individual to leave the residence without the package. The individual left the residence, and the parcel containing the sham material was recovered from within the residence shortly thereafter. Subsequently, on October 13, 2017, the Niagara Falls Police Department received a citizen complaint alleging that Stewart had stored a quantity of controlled substances in the basement of his residence on LaSalle Avenue in Niagara Falls. During a search of the residence, officers recovered two firearms, including one that was reported stolen, and a quantity of cocaine. Stewart was previously convicted on three different occasions in Niagara County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
John Maye was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division; the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
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Navajo man sentenced to three years in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Derwin Williams, 44, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced on Oct. 21 in federal court in Albuquerque to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
Williams pleaded guilty on June 5. In his plea, Williams admitted to committing the assault on April 23, 2017, on the Navajo Nation. According to a grand jury indictment, Williams and two defendants, Marty Manuelito, 45, and Joelson Talk, 44, who are also members of the Navajo Nation, allegedly went to the victim’s home to retrieve a firearm when they began hitting and kicking the victim, resulting in multiple cuts to his body and face, a broken tooth, fractures to his nose and spine and a concussion.
Talk pleaded guilty on July 24 and his sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18. Manuelito entered a plea of not guilty on Aug. 8, 2019, and is awaiting trial.
The FBI and Navajo Nation Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall prosecuted the case.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Is SaturdayRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – DEA is holding its 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24 at locations across the country, including several within the Middle District of Georgia, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement. People can find a collection site by visiting www.deatakeback.com and searching under their zip code or city. According to the website, several communities currently have collection locations in the Middle District of Georgia, including those operated by Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Camilla Police Department, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe Police Department, Perry Police Department, Royston Police Department and Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. New collection sites are being added daily.
“DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day offers citizens a great opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted medicines and prevent those drugs from being stolen and abused. Prescription drug abuse is a blight on our country. We can all do our part to curtail this epidemic by simply cleaning out our medicine cabinets and securely disposing of prescription drugs at a take-back location this Saturday, no questions asked,” said U.S. Attorney Peeler. “I want to thank the many law enforcement agencies in the Middle District of Georgia for participating in DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It’s a great service to our state.”
“The initiative – now in its tenth year – addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” said DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Together with our partners, we are not only holding National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, but offering other ways to dispose of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications.”
“Even in the midst of the pandemic, DEA’s nineteenth take-back event will allow Americans to safely and properly dispose of their unwanted/unused prescription medications,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement. DEA will work hand-in-hand with a number of law enforcement, Tribal and community partners, all in effort to stem the tide of prescription drug abuse.”
Georgians participating in the DEA’s last (18th) take back event, which was held on Saturday, October 26, 2019 turned in 5,900 pounds of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at sites set up throughout the state. During this year’s event, given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year. For more information, visit www.deatakeback.com and click on “”Year-Round Drug Disposal” to locate disposal sites. DEA also encourages the public to reach out to their local law enforcement to find out if they have any permanent drug disposal locations throughout their local community.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
For more information on DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and to find a collection site near you, visit www.deatakeback.com. 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.
Muskogee Man Pleads Guilty to Use, Carry and Discharge of A Firearm During and in Relation to A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Neil Dunn, a/k/a David Neil Dunn, Jr, age 20, of Muskogee, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Use, Carry, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(iii), punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about October 9, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly use, carry, and discharge a firearm, during and in relation to a crime of violence for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Multi-pound meth trafficker in Billings sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who admitted trafficking methamphetamine after investigators found more than 30 pounds of the drug and $11,380 cash in his vehicle and residence was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jerry Ray Schuster, 57, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Schuster was allowed to self surrender.
The prosecution said in court records that an investigation into meth trafficking led to Schuster and a co-defendant, Byrne Martin Mestas. Mestas, 63, of Billings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in August for conviction on a conspiracy charge in the case.
Law enforcement served a search warrant at Schuster’s and Mestas’ trailer on May 3, 2019. In the residence, agents found one pound of meth, three rifles, drug paraphernalia and receipts corroborating trips to California. A pound of meth is the equivalent of about 3,624 doses.
Agents executed a second search warrant three days later on four vehicles located at the residence. Investigators found 30 pounds of meth in three backpacks, $11,380 in cash and receipts documenting a trip to California in a Suzuki Swift registered to Schuster. Thirty pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 108,720 doses. In the other three vehicles, agents found another pound of meth, 100 pills, cash and other items.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI Task Force and 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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Monongalia County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrew Douglas Packard, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Packard, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm.” Packard, who is prohibited from having firearms, admitted to having a 9mm Glock pistol, a multi-caliber pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, a 410-gauge shotgun, and a rifle in April 2018 n Monongalia County.
Packard faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Morgantown Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Methamphetamine Distributors Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Nicholas Paul Mattox (50, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, and Keith Wallace Williams (61, Middleburg) to 5 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. In addition, a total of $32,200 was forfeited, which is traceable to proceeds of the offenses.
Mattox had pleaded guilty on April 6, 2020, and Williams had pleaded guilty on July 13, 2020.
According to court documents, in May 2019, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Mattox, who was distributing ounce to kilogram quantities of crystal methamphetamine in Duval and Clay counties. Agents used a confidential source to make a series of controlled purchases from Mattox, who is accountable for more than 600 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation revealed that Williams had purchased methamphetamine from Mattox. As a result, DEA and Clay County Sheriff’s Office continued the investigation jointly. On October 31, 2019, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Williams’s home. The officers found more than 200 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside a rubber duck chlorine tablet holder on Williams’s porch. Williams is accountable for more than 200 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Jacksonville District Office and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Beatriz Gonzalez.