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Friday 11 September 2020
Man Who Brandished Assault Rifle at Protest Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who brandished an assault rifle at a Black Lives Matter protest in Lubbock has pleaded guilty to making threats, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Emmanuel Quinones, a 25-year-old local, was charged via criminal complaint in early June and indicted a week later. He pleaded guilty to interstate threatening communications via videoteleconference Friday morning.
According to plea papers, Mr. Quinones admitted he brought a loaded Smith & Wesson .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle to a protest decrying the death of George Floyd.
In view of the protesters, Mr. Quinones held the rifle at “low ready,” in firing position with the muzzle pointed toward the ground, as panic rippled through the assembled crowd. He refused a Lubbock Police officer’s verbal commands to drop the rifle, and only did so when the officer drew his gun and a protestor moved to tackle him.
Prior to the protest, Mr. Quinones admitted, he posted threatening messages online:
In a May 28 Facebook post, he wrote, “While a race riot erupted in Minneapolis the President literally retweeted a video of one of his supporters saying the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat. These people are PUSHING for America to rip itself to shreds. Disgusting. I’ll tell you right now if you keep provoking regular people we’ll make sure you never cross that line ever again. I guarantee it. #MountUp.”
In another post later that same day, he intimated that he planned to obtain gun parts “to off racists and MAGA people.”
Mr. Quinonnes now faces up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing will be set before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix in Lubbock at a later date.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Field Office, Lubbock Resident Agency, the United States Secret Service, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives Dallas Field Division, and the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag is prosecuting the case.
Lawrence Man Arrested and Charged with Distributing Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with distributing fentanyl pills.
Ruben Mejia, 28, was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Following an initial appearance, Mejia was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 18, 2020.
According to charging documents, Mejia sold an estimated 500 fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone pills for $4,000 ($8 per pill) on Aug. 13, 2020. Mejia sold the pills, which he stored in a baby diaper, in five bags containing approximately 100 pills each. On Aug. 26, 2020, Mejia sold another estimated 500 fentanyl pills for another $4,000. Today, Mejia was arrested after he was found in possession of an estimated 5,000 fentanyl pills, which he planned to sell for $40,000.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Sept. 8 was:
Gregory Briar Schoenwald, 33, of Dillon, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schoenwald faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Schoenwald was detained pending further proceedings.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-20.
Andrew Leroy Moosman, 31, of Stevensville, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Moosman faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Moosman was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missoula Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-31.
Appearing on Sept. 10 was:
Ricardo Lopez Medina, 47, of Mexico, on charges of illegal reentry of a removed alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Medina faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Medina was detained pending further proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security's Enforcement and Removal Operations, Belgrade Police Department and Gallatin County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-26.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Sept. 9 was:
Jason Avery Mattson, 29, of Browning, on charges of second degree murder and kidnapping. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mattson faces life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Mattson was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-55.
Appearing on Sept. 9 was:
Jeffrey Robert Igoe, 60, a transient, on charges of possession of a stolen firearm, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment and unlawful taking of a firearm from a licensed dealer. If convicted of the most serious crime, Igoe faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Igoe was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Helena Police Department investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-8.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Sept. 8 was:
Laurie Ann Stookey, 56, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stookey faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Stookey was released pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the FBI's Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-100.
Appearing on Sept. 10 was:
Casey Conrad Nixon, 42, of Billings, on charges of false statement during a firearms transaction. If convicted of the most serious crime, Nixon faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Nixon was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-85.
Jamel Akeem Scott, 35, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Scott faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Scott was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-99.
Robert Lowell Takesenemy, Jr., 37, of Lame Deer, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Takesenemy faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Takesenemy was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-41.
Bernadine Joseph Lone Elk, Jr., 25, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lone Elk faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Lone Elk was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 20-95.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indictment: Cheney Man Threatened High School Student on Social MediaRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Gage H. Clausen, 20, Cheney, Kan., is charged with one count of making a threat via interstate communications. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 27, 2020, in Cheney, Kan.
Clausen is alleged to have used social media to send a threat to a 15-year-old student at Derby High School. The threat was couched in racist language and referred to the victim as a “filthy farm animal.”
If convicted, he could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
I.R.S. Enrolled Agent Indicted for Conspiracy to Defraud the I.R.S.Read the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Frank Kelly, age 63, of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 26, 2020, for conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. Kelly appeared before United State Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson on September 4, 2020, and pled not guilty to the charge. Trial is scheduled for November 2, 2020, before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Kelly was an enrolled agent with the I.R.S. which permitted him to represent clients who were being audited by the I.R.S. The indictment alleges that in 2014 Kelly conspired with a client to defraud the I.R.S. with respect to the client’s 2010, 2011, and 2012 tax returns which were under civil audit. Specifically, it is alleged that Kelly knowingly made false statements to the Revenue Agent who was conducting the audit that resulted in a lower amount of taxes being assessed against the client.
The case was investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division of the I.R.S. and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel for prosecution.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged 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 is 5 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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Grand Jury Indicts Buffalo Man for Brutally Beating, Raping, and Sex Trafficking Four VictimsRead 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 a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Michael McDonald, a/k/a George Jackson, a/k/a Rabbit, 41, of Buffalo, NY, with four counts of sex trafficking. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling that case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, in October 2017, the FBI began investigating the defendant for operating an illegal sex buying scheme by employing fraud, force and/or coercion. According to information in the complaint:
• McDonald recruited Victim 1 to “dance” and “strip” in Florida using Facebook, telling her she would not have to engage in prostitution. However, once Victim 1 traveled from Buffalo to Florida, the defendant raped her and forced her to in prostitution in both Florida and Buffalo. Victim continued to engage in sex acts for McDonald out of fear. The defendant also assaulted Victim 1 on numerous occasions.
• In January 2018, the Plantation, Florida Police Department responded to a residence after receiving a 911 call that an individual was being held against her will. Victim 2 was rescued from the house. Victim 2 told investigators that she met the defendant and flew from New York to Florida. Once in Florida, she said McDonald sexually assaulted her and forced her to perform sexual acts for money against her will. Victim 2 attempted to leave, but the defendant stopped her and threatened to beat her if she attempted to leave again.
• In January 2017, Victim 3 was recruited on Snapchat through an individual she knew in her teenage years. Initially, McDonald lied to Victim 3 stating he could help her fulfill her dreams of becoming a singer and obtain custody of her children. The defendant event stated that he knew Beyonce. Shortly after meeting McDonald, Victim 3 told investigators the defendant allowed another man to rape her and made her feel that all she could do was work as a prostitute for him. McDonald controlled every aspect of her and life and isolated Victim 3 from her friends and family. The defendant also routinely beat, choked, and raped Victim 3.The defendant is accused of trafficking a total of four victims.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Sliwinski.
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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Gilmer and Grant County residents indicted on methamphetamine and fentanyl chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Five West Virginia residents are facing charges involving methamphetamine and enough fentanyl to kill 20,000 people, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
The five were indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Elkins on August 18, 2020 on charges involving a drug distribution operation spanning Maryland and West Virginia. The object of the conspiracy was to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine and at least 40 grams of fentanyl. They are:
• Joshua Lee Rutherford, 32, of Linn, West Virginia
• Kevin Wayne Fultz, 31, of Maysville, West Virginia
• Betty Arlene Chapman, 42, of Cabins, West Virginia
• Joshua Aaron Roy, 35, of Maysville, West Virginia
• Kelsey Morgan Ault, 26, of Maysville, West VirginiaThe crimes are alleged to have occurred in Grant County and elsewhere from the fall of 2019 to January 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Gang Leader Sentenced to More Than 23 Years in Prison for Possessing A Gun and DrugsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Virginia M. Covington has sentenced Craigory Reeves (29, Tampa) to 23 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing approximately 13 grams of eutylone with the intent to distribute it and possessing a loaded 9-millimeter handgun. Reeves, a career offender and leader of the Money Power Respect (MPR) gang, had pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020.
According to information presented during Reeves’s sentencing hearing, MPR was formed in approximately 2007 within the Indian River (FL) Correctional Facility. MPR has since become one of the dominant and most violent gangs in the Tampa area. Reeves was one of the gang’s original seven leaders.
According to the plea agreement, on September 5, 2019, Reeves conducted a meeting of MPR members. After he left the meeting, law enforcement officers stopped the car he was riding in for a traffic infraction. Officers then smelled marijuana inside, removed Reeves from the car, and searched his pockets with his consent. Inside Reeves’s pockets, officers found approximately 13 grams of eutylone (a controlled substance that is similar to MDMA or “Ecstasy”) and three 9-millimeter bullets. Inside the car, officers found Reeves’s bag, which contained a loaded 9-millimeter pistol and additional 9-millimeter bullets, most of which matched the caliber and brand of the ammunition that had been found in Reeves’s pocket.
Reeves admitted that he had intended to distribute the eutylone and that he possessed the pistol and ammunition to protect himself, his drugs, and his money while engaging in criminal activity, including narcotics trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the MPR gang that has so far resulted in charges against four defendants. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.
This case was 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.
Fraud Alert: Scammers claiming to be with Department of Justice, Targeting ElderlyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public to get their personal information, U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox warned today.
According to the Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime, the scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information. This scam appears to be targeting the elderly.
“The Department of Justice works tirelessly to hold criminals accountable and protect victims. Behavior that exploits the trust the public has in our government, preying on society’s most vulnerable, is simply abhorrent, and our office will investigate and prosecute these scams to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox, adding, “never share personal or financial information in response to unsolicited phone calls.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime created the National Elder Fraud Hotline for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
Fraud Alert: Scammers Claiming to be with Department of Justice Preying on ElderlyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Department of Justice has received reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an impostor scam. The Department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the Department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“Especially with so much of the elderly population isolated at home by COVID, phone scams are an intrusive, calculated effort to target the vulnerable,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “This scam is especially obnoxious because the perpetrators pose as employees of the Justice Department, and so manipulate the public’s trust in the Department. Anyone who receives a potentially fraudulent call as part of this scam should report it immediately. My office would be happy to investigate and prosecute those involved.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
Former Chicago Public Schools Employee Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to FBI in Criminal ProbeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former Chicago Public Schools employee pleaded guilty in federal court today to making false statements to the FBI during a criminal investigation.
PEDRO SOTO admitted in a plea agreement that he intentionally misled the FBI while the agency was conducting a criminal investigation into Soto’s interactions with a lobbyist and the lobbyist’s colleague regarding the awarding of a custodial services contract valued at approximately $1 billion. Soto was a member of a CPS evaluation committee tasked in 2016 with recommending to the Chicago Board of Education which company or companies CPS should hire to perform the services, and the lobbyist and the lobbyist’s colleague were assisting one of the companies bidding for the contract. Soto admitted in the plea agreement that he repeatedly provided non-public information to the lobbyist’s colleague concerning the award of the contract, and that he had done so, in part, because the lobbyist’s colleague had promised to extend various benefits to Soto. Soto further admitted that in 2019 he intentionally made false statements to the FBI when he denied having provided the lobbyist’s colleague with inside information about the awarding of the contract.
Soto, 45, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to an agency of the United States. The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not immediately set a sentencing date. A status hearing was scheduled for Dec. 10, 2020, at 9:30 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Board of Education Inspector General’s Office provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kutcher and Michelle Kramer.
Former Baltimore City Employee Gary Brown Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracies to Commit Wire Fraud and to Defraud the United States Related to Former Mayor Catherine Pugh and for Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced former Baltimore City employee Gary Brown, Jr., age 38, of Baltimore, to 27 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and for filing a false tax return. Judge Chasanow also ordered Brown to pay restitution of $14,000.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
“As a public servant, Gary Brown should have placed the interests of Baltimore City residents above his own,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Instead, Brown conspired with the former Mayor and others to line their own pockets and to avoid paying their taxes. Baltimore City faces many pressing issues, and we need dedication and integrity from our public servants—not corruption—in order to solve them. Law enforcement will continue to be vigilant for evidence of fraud and corruption, to ensure that our citizens receive the honesty and professionalism they deserve from government officials.”
“Gary Brown displayed a flagrant abuse of power by deceiving and defrauding the public and the government for his own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Boone, of the FBI's Baltimore division. “We have no tolerance for public corruption and will continue to root out violations of the law. The sentence today is the result of a partnership with the IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor OIG and the Baltimore City Inspector General's Office.”
“Rather than setting an example for the citizens of Baltimore, Brown demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson. “Brown not only neglected to accurately report his income to the IRS but he also falsified tax documents on behalf of others, actions which erode the confidence in public officials as well as our tax system.”
According to Brown’s plea agreement, from approximately 2011 until December 2016, Gary Brown, Jr. worked as a legislative aide to then-Maryland State Senator Catherine Pugh. Brown actively campaigned for Pugh’s reelection to the State Senate in 2014 and served as her campaign aide during her 2016 mayoral election campaign. Following Pugh’s election and inauguration as mayor of Baltimore City in December 2016, Brown was hired as the Deputy Director of Special Events in the mayor’s office. In December 2016, Brown was nominated by the Maryland Democratic Central Committee to fill the vacancy in the Maryland House of Delegates created by Pugh’s mayoral victory. However, the Governor withdrew Brown’s nomination after he was indicted for election law violations in January 2017.
Brown was the sole owner and operator of Stricker Abstracting, LLC, and GB Abstracting, LLC, both Maryland companies that purported to be title-abstracting businesses, and GBJ Consulting, LLC, a Maryland consulting business. Brown ran all three companies from his residences in Baltimore. Brown also freelanced as a tax return preparer. Between March 2011 until March 2019, Brown helped Pugh promote and sell the Healthy Holly books. Brown oversaw the transportation and storage of the books, drafted invoices, and corresponded with purchasers. Much of Brown’s work on Healthy Holly occurred during work hours while serving as Pugh’s legislative aide and mayoral staff member. Brown was not an employee of Healthy Holly and received no salary or compensation until approximately mid-2016 when he started to get sales commissions. None of his companies received compensation for services purportedly provided to Healthy Holly.
Brown Wire Fraud Conspiracy
According to Gary Brown’s plea agreement, from November 2011 until March 2019, he conspired with Catherine Pugh to fraudulently sell and distribute tens of thousands of Healthy Holly books. Brown admitted that over that period they executed the scheme in three ways: by selling the books, keeping the money and not delivering the books; by providing books to purchasers, but later converting them to their own use at campaign events and government functions; and by reselling books that had previously been purchased and donated to the Baltimore City Public Schools.
Brown Conspiracy with Pugh to Defraud the United States
Further, as detailed in his plea agreement, Brown cashed checks Pugh wrote to him from the Healthy Holly account, then used the cash to fund money orders, debit cards, and personal checks in the names of straw donors, which were then submitted to the Committee to Elect Catherine Pugh. Brown also admitted that he cashed some of the Healthy Holly checks and gave the cash to Pugh. To conceal the straw-donation scheme and avoid paying taxes that might result from the scheme, Pugh and Brown provided false information to the IRS regarding the purpose of the Healthy Holly checks.
Brown and Wedington Conspiracy to Defraud the United States/Filing False Tax Returns
Brown and former Baltimore City employee Rosyln Wedington both admitted that they conspired to avoid tax withholdings from Wedington’s payroll checks while Wedington was the Executive Director of the Maryland Center for Adult Training (MCAT) and Brown was the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Specifically, in 2013, Wedington’s salary was garnished due to outstanding student loan debt and medical bills. In order to avoid further garnishments, Wedington asked Brown to take her “off payroll,” which meant that MCAT would no longer submit her name to the payroll service provider for the purpose of calculating taxes to be withheld from her salary. Brown agreed to the arrangement and had MCAT make electronic deposits into his personal bank account in an amount that exceeded the annual salary owed to Wedington, creating the pretense that he was doing work for MCAT as an independent contractor. Brown then wrote checks to Wedington and/or gave her cash equal to or greater than her salary, which was more than $80,000 per year. No taxes were withheld from the funds Brown paid to Wedington, nor did her salary go through Wedington’s bank account, where it could be garnished. In addition, Brown prepared fraudulent tax returns for Wedington for tax years 2013 through 2017, which did not report Wedington’s MCAT income and made a variety of false entries, resulting in refunds to which Wedington was not entitled and avoiding over $121,000 in total taxes due and owing. Brown also filed a false individual income tax return for tax year 2016 for himself, which falsely listed the $64,325 of Healthy Holly payments as business income. In addition, from 2016 through 2018, Brown worked part-time as a freelance tax preparer and charged a fee to prepare dozens of tax returns that he filed on behalf of his family, friends, and associates. Brown included false information in all of those tax returns in order to obtain larger refunds for his customers. The fraudulently obtained refunds totaled more than $100,000.
Judge Chasanow previously sentenced Catherine Elizabeth Pugh, age 69, of Baltimore, Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of tax evasion. Judge Chasanow also ordered Pugh to pay $411,948 in restitution and to forfeit $669,688 including property on Ellamont Road in Baltimore and $17,800 from the Committee to Re-elect Catherine Pugh.
Roslyn Wedington, age 50, of Rosedale, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to five counts of filing false tax returns. Wedington faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. Judge Chasanow has not yet scheduled sentencing for Wedington.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation for their work in the investigation and thanked the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations - Labor Racketeering and Fraud, the Maryland State Prosecutor’s Office, and the Baltimore City Office of Inspector General for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.
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First Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar Named Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – First Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar will serve as the Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, effective September 15, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. He is assuming the office under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C. § 3345.
Mr. Bubar will replace outgoing United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen, who resigned earlier this week after being confirmed by the United States Senate as a District Court Judge.
“Dan Bubar is a career federal prosecutor and an outstanding choice to serve as the chief federal law enforcement officer in western Virginia,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “As my first assistant, Dan has effectively managed the day-to-day operations of the office, and he has the full support of the dedicated civil servants who work here.”
“It is an honor to serve as acting U.S. Attorney, and we will continue the good work carried out by the office under the steady leadership of Thomas Cullen these last two and a half years,” Mr. Bubar said today. “While we are sad to see Thomas leave, we wish him the very best in his new role as district judge. Reducing gun violence and fighting the opioid epidemic with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners will remain our top priorities.”
Mr. Bubar has served the Department of Justice since 2010, working in both the Western District of Virginia and Eastern District of North Carolina. During his tenure, Mr. Bubar has served in both the criminal and civil divisions and handled some of the Western District of Virginia’s most complex matters, including health care fraud, narcotics, firearms, and national security prosecutions.
Prior to his federal employment, Mr. Bubar began his career in the Chicago office of McGuireWoods LLP from 2004-2010, representing clients in business and health care litigation across the country.
He earned his J.D. from the Notre Dame Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.
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Final Member of Kalamazoo Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced that Vance Lamont Hale (38) of Kalamazoo, Michigan was sentenced by United States District Judge Janet T. Neff to 15 years imprisonment. Hale was the final defendant to be sentenced in a five defendant, Kalamazoo-based methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. All defendants charged in the superseding indictment were convicted following guilty pleas; their sentences are listed below:
Name Age Sentence Tyshaun Derrell Robinson 26 180 Months Vance Lamont Hale 38 180 Months Damarcus Donta Hunter 41 60 Months Prince Elijah Johnson 28 27 Months Kenneth Shears 26 24 MonthsIn total, law enforcement seized over three pounds of highly pure methamphetamine from various locations in Kalamazoo in the course of investigating the conspiracy. Because of prior drug trafficking convictions, Defendants Robinson and Hale were subject to fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentences. Defendant Robinson was on federal supervised release at the time he was engaged in the conspiracy, having been released from prison on February 7, 2019, less than three months before he began selling drugs again.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Birge stated, “West Michigan has recently seen an increase in the distribution of methamphetamine, which is an extremely dangerous drug that destroys lives. Those who choose to sell methamphetamine are on notice that it will result in serious consequences -- including mandatory minimum sentences --, particularly where a person has a prior conviction for dealing drugs.”
The Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Vito S. Solitro prosecuted the case.
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Federal Complaint Filed Against Midland Men in Connection with an Oilfield Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
In Midland this week, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint charging 36-year-old Juan Carlos Rodriguez and 30-year-old Jose Leonardo Rodriguez-Angeles for a scheme to steal oil in the Andrews County area and transport it to various disposal locations, including one in New Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis Quesada, El Paso Field Office.
The complaint charges the defendants with one count of conspiracy; one count of theft of an interstate shipment; and, one count of transportation of stolen property. The complaint alleges that on May 28, 2020, the defendants stole over 500 barrels of oil from at least three production lease locations around Andrews and transported the stolen oil across state lines into New Mexico where it was disposed of at a location near Eunice, New Mexico. The complaint further alleges that on September 3, 2020, the defendants were responsible for stealing in excess of 100 additional barrels of oil from various production lease locations around Andrews and taking it to a disposal location in Odessa, TX. During the early morning hours of September 4, 2020, state authorities stopped the defendants following their return to Andrews County and arrested them while attempting to steal oil again from a previous (May 28th) victim company.
Both defendants remain in custody at this time. Upon conviction, the defendants face up to ten years in federal prison each for theft of an interstate shipment and interstate transportation of stolen property; and, up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy charge.
The FBI’s Permian Basin Oilfield Theft Task Force is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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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.
Farmington Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Sasha Rand, 34, of Farmington, pleaded guilty in federal court to fentanyl trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between late 2017 and December 18, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Hampshire State Police conducted an investigation of drug trafficking by Rand, and her husband, Derek Rand, who used New Hampshire-based drug couriers to obtain fentanyl in Massachusetts and bring it to New Hampshire for distribution. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized over one kilogram of fentanyl from members of this drug trafficking organization. Both Rands were arrested in December of 2018 as part of a DEA-led takedown of fentanyl traffickers in the Rochester, New Hampshire area.
Derek Rand was sentenced in December 2019 to serve 90 months in federal prison.
Sasha Rand is scheduled to be sentenced on December 21st 2020.
“Interstate fentanyl traffickers are causing tremendous damage to communities throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect public health and safety, we will continue to work closely with all of our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the drug traffickers who are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other dangerous substances in the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA, New Hampshire State Police, and the Dover, New Hampshire Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Davis.
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East St. Louis Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Al Stewart, Jr., 21, from East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced today to 51 months in federal
prison for unlawful possession of a firearm while being a user of a controlled substance. Stewart
pled guilty to the charges in June and has been in federal custody since his arrest last August. He
will serve a three-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment.Documents filed in the case establish that on Aug. 23, 2019, Stewart was living on the left side of
a duplex in East St. Louis, next door to Christopher R. Grant, when shots were fired through the
door of the right side of duplex, killing Illinois State Police Trooper Nicholas Hopkins. Hopkins
was on the front porch preparing to execute a state search warrant for evidence of drug
distribution and weapons possession at the house.During a subsequent search of both sides of the duplex, Illinois State Police crime scene
investigators recovered a total of nine firearms and several magazines of ammunition. On the left
side of the duplex where Stewart was living, investigators found a Glock .40 caliber handgun in a
kitchen cabinet. The gun was fully loaded with an extended magazine. In a post-arrest interview,
Stewart said that he had been sleeping in the left-side bedroom when he heard loud noises outside.
He admitted that he grabbed the gun and went to the front window but told investigators that he put
the gun back when he heard the officers announce “Illinois State Police.” Stewart also admitted
that he was a regular user of cannabis.Christopher R. Grant was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2020 in which it is alleged,
among other offenses, that Grant used a firearm to commit murder in relation to a drug trafficking
crime, causing the death of Trooper Nicholas Hopkins. Grant’s case is still pending, and he is
presumed innocent of the charges unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation was conducted by the Illinois State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Dominican National Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today for possession of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm.
Caonabo Cruz, 54, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 108 months in prison and five years of supervised release. On May 10, 2019, Cruz pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Aug. 14, 2018, federal agents conducted an investigation that concluded in the search of Cruz’s apartment and his arrest in Lawrence. In his apartment, agents found a drug processing room hidden behind a kitchen cabinet, which was only accessible using a remote control. In the hidden room agents seized approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and heroin, drug processing tools and materials and a .22 caliber rifle.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Detroit Resident Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Detroit resident Darrell Baker pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and money laundering arising out of a $590,000 Covid-19 fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Inspector General Hannibal Mike Ware of the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
Darrell Baker, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud arising from his effort to obtain some $590,000 by defrauding a Pennsylvania financial institution in the issuance of a Payroll Protection Program Loan. Baker also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, the result of financial transactions he engaged in with the fraudulently obtained funds.
United States Attorney Schneider stated, “My office and our law enforcement partners have no tolerance for frauds affecting programs designed to help our economy survive the Covid-19 pandemic. We will prosecute such cases aggressively, and today’s guilty plea is an example of our commitment to holding accountable anyone fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief funds to line their own pockets.”
“Mr. Baker's scheme exploited a fund designed specifically to support Americans during this financially challenging time,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Thanks to the hard work of the FBI and all of the agencies involved in this investigation, monies set aside for hard working Americans who are not able to work during this pandemic is secure and available for the people that need it most, not for the fraudsters like Mr. Baker."
According to the plea agreement, Baker applied for and obtained a $590,000 Payroll Protection Program Loan on behalf of a purported business that he owns, called “Motorcity Solar Energy, Inc.” The Payroll Protection Program is a program managed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provides loans to help businesses keep their workforces employed during the Covid-19 crisis. The SBA will forgive the loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. The Payroll Protection Act loans are funded from participating banks, in this case Customers Bank in Pennsylvania.
According to the plea documents, Baker submitted paperwork with his loan application representing that Motorcity Solar Energy Inc. had 68 employees and, in 2019 paid wages, tips, and other compensation totaling $2.8 million. All of these representations were in fact false. Motor City Solar Energy had no employees, no payroll expenses of any kind, and was not an operational business. Baker submitted these false statements as part of a scheme to intentionally defraud Customers Bank and the Payroll Protection Program.
The plea documents state that Baker managed to withdraw approximately $172,000 of the $590,000 loan he obtained before Baker’s own financial institution froze the remainder, which was ultimately returned to Customer’s Bank. Baker used the funds he did obtain to purchase four cashier’s checks, and used the four checks to purchase two Cadillac Escalades, a Dodge Charger, and a Hummer. The plea agreement requires Baker to forfeit these vehicles. As part of the plea agreement, Baker also agreed to the entry of a money judgment against him in the amount of $172,484.40, which represents the portion of the loan that Baker obtained before his fraud was uncovered and the balance of the loan frozen.
Sentencing is set for January 14, 2021, before United States District Judge Laurie J. Michaelson,
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John K. Neal. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI and the SBA-OIG. .
Department of Justice Announces Charges of North Korean and Malaysia Nationals for Bank Fraud, Money Laundering and North Korea Sanctions ViolationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced a criminal complaint charging Ri Jong Chol, Ri Yu Gyong, North Korean nationals, and Gan Chee Lim, a Malaysia national. The three were charged with conspiracy to violate North Korean Sanctions Regulations and bank fraud, and conspiracy to launder funds. The defendants allegedly established and utilized front companies that transmitted U.S. dollar wires through the United States to purchase commodities on behalf of North Korean customers.
“Violations of U.S. sanctions on North Korea enrich the regime and allow it to continue to fund the destabilizing activities that the sanctions are meant to prevent,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “These defendants allegedly violated U.S. sanctions by lying to international financial institutions in order to dupe them into processing transactions in U.S. dollars which they would not otherwise have cleared. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute violations of the North Korea sanctions so that one day that country may rejoin the community of nations.”
“The defendants knowingly and willfully circumvented sanctions designed to protect the U.S. financial system from abuse by individuals working on behalf of North Korea,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin. “We will continue to disrupt their actions and hold them accountable.”
“The FBI will not stand idle while North Koreans attempt to covertly access the U.S. financial system in violation of U.S. sanctions,” said Alan E. Kohler Jr, Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI will continue to protect the sanctity of the U.S. financial system.”
“Protecting our financial institutions from National Security focused money laundering is a top priority of our office,” said Michael F. Paul, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division. “Our agents, financial analysts and intelligence analysts worked tirelessly on this international investigation, and their hard work paid off.”
U.S. sanctions and banking regulations prevented correspondent banks in the United States from processing wire transfers on behalf of customers located in North Korea. According to court documents, beginning in at least August 2015 and continuing until at least August 2016, the defendants deceived banks in the U.S. into processing transactions for North Korean customers. The defendants and their co-conspirators utilized financial cutouts and front companies to conceal the North Korean nexus.
Court documents note that Ri Jong Chol was the Deputy Director of a company sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury, which referred to the company as a subordinate of North Korea’s Ministry of People’s Armed Forces. The defendants discussed new sanctions on North Korea and referenced several news articles detailing those sanctions published by U.S. and U.K. news organizations. They utilized shipping companies previously linked to the attempted sales of luxury goods to North Korea, and failed to seek the required licenses from the U.S. Government.
FBI’s Minneapolis field office is investigating the case. The case is being handled by the National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Assistant U.S Attorney Zia M. Faruqui and National Security Division Trial Attorneys David Recker and Alexandra Hughes are litigating the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Swienc and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick.
Department of Justice Announces Charges of North Korean and Malaysia Nationals for Bank Fraud, Money Laundering and North Korea Sanctions ViolationsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced a criminal complaint charging Ri Jong Chol, Ri Yu Gyong, North Korean nationals, and Gan Chee Lim, a Malaysia national. The three were charged with conspiracy to violate North Korean Sanctions Regulations and bank fraud, and conspiracy to launder funds. The defendants allegedly established and utilized front companies that transmitted U.S. dollar wires through the United States to purchase commodities on behalf of North Korean customers.
“Violations of U.S. sanctions on North Korea enrich the regime and allow it to continue to fund the destabilizing activities that the sanctions are meant to prevent,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “These defendants allegedly violated U.S. sanctions by lying to international financial institutions in order to dupe them into processing transactions in U.S. dollars which they would not otherwise have cleared. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute violations of the North Korea sanctions so that one day that country may rejoin the community of nations.”
“The defendants knowingly and willfully circumvented sanctions designed to protect the U.S. financial system from abuse by individuals working on behalf of North Korea,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sherwin. “We will continue to disrupt their actions and hold them accountable.”
“The FBI will not stand idle while North Koreans attempt to covertly access the U.S. financial system in violation of U.S. sanctions,” said Alan E. Kohler Jr, Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI will continue to protect the sanctity of the U.S. financial system.”
“Protecting our financial institutions from National Security focused money laundering is a top priority of our office,” said Michael F. Paul, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division. “Our agents, financial analysts and intelligence analysts worked tirelessly on this international investigation, and their hard work paid off.”
U.S. sanctions and banking regulations prevented correspondent banks in the United States from processing wire transfers on behalf of customers located in North Korea. According to court documents, beginning in at least August 2015 and continuing until at least August 2016, the defendants deceived banks in the U.S. into processing transactions for North Korean customers. The defendants and their co-conspirators utilized financial cutouts and front companies to conceal the North Korean nexus.
Court documents note that Ri Jong Chol was the Deputy Director of a company sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury, which referred to the company as a subordinate of North Korea’s Ministry of People’s Armed Forces. The defendants discussed new sanctions on North Korea and referenced several news articles detailing those sanctions published by U.S. and U.K. news organizations. They utilized shipping companies previously linked to the attempted sales of luxury goods to North Korea, and failed to seek the required licenses from the U.S. Government.
FBI’s Minneapolis field office is investigating the case. The case is being handled by the National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia Assistant U.S Attorney Zia M. Faruqui and National Security Division Trial Attorneys David Recker and Alexandra Hughes are litigating the case, with assistance from Financial Intelligence Analyst Charlotte Coolidge, Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Swienc and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick.
Defendant Charged in $25 Million Diamond Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI -- South Florida federal prosecutors have charged 51-year-old Jose Angel Aman, of Washington D.C., with wire fraud, for allegedly operating a fraudulent diamond investment scheme.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
According to the allegations of a criminal information, from May 2014 through May 2019, Aman and his partners solicited people throughout the United States and Canada to invest in diamond contracts. It is alleged that Aman and his partners promised investors that they would use their money to purchase rough colored diamonds, which Aman would cut, polish and resell at a profit. They reassured investors that their money was safe because it was secured by Aman’s inventory of diamonds (purportedly valued at $25 million). Aman and his partners presented the investment as a high return, no risk deal.
These promises and statements were false. According to the information, Aman rarely used investors’ money to purchase rough diamonds. He never cut, polished and resold rough diamonds. Nor did Aman have a $25 million diamond inventory. To conceal the fraud from investors, Aman allegedly made purported interest payments to investors by using new investors’ money to pay earlier ones. According to the charging document, at the end of the investment period, Aman and the partners would convince the investors to roll over their money by falsely claiming that the investors had the full value of their investments to put into new deals. They allegedly provided sham “Reinvestment Contracts” to the investors, a tactic they used to buy time until Aman could locate new investors and additional money.
It is alleged that when this scheme was about to collapse, Aman set up a new business, Argyle Coin, LLC, which was purportedly in the business of developing a cryptocurrency token backed by diamonds. Aman solicited new investors for Argyle, promising high rates of return with no risk. Aman allegedly used only a fraction of the money received from Argyle investors to develop a cryptocurrency token, instead using most of it to pay purported interest payments to the earlier investors and to benefit himself and his partners, according to the charging document.
During the course of the Ponzi scheme, Aman and his partners collected over $25 million from hundreds of investors. Aman allegedly used the money to make purported interest payments to investors, to pay business expenses, to pay commissions to the partners, and to support his own lavish lifestyle.
Aman made his initial appearance this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who sits in West Palm Beach. This matter was investigated by FBI West Palm Beach, with assistance from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. AUSA Adrienne Rabinowitz is prosecuting this case.
A criminal information is a charging document that makes allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty.
Related court documents and information appear on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 20-cr-80062.
DOJ Awards $1 Million in Grants to Improve School Safety in EDVARead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) announced nearly $50 million in school safety funding through its School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). SVPP provides up to 75 percent funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds. As part of this grant announcement, $500,000 was awarded to the Alexandria City Public Schools and $500,000 was awarded to the Chesterfield County Public Schools.
“These awarded grants will provide a necessary resource to schools during these unprecedented times,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Schools should be a welcoming place where students shouldn’t have to live in fear, and these grants will help to ensure that. I want to thank DOJ for their continued commitment to prioritize the safety of our communities, from our youngest children to our oldest citizens.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The 160 awards can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said Phil Keith, Director of the COPS Office. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
In addition to the school safety grants, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified ten essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation’s schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit cops.usdoj.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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded Gun on South Side of ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A convicted felon has been sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago.
CHAWAN LOWE, 31, of Chicago, illegally possessed the firearm in the 7800 block of South Sangamon Street on the evening of May 22, 2019. Lowe was observed on surveillance video discarding the gun in a dumpster in an alley moments after Chicago Police responded to a call of gunfire in the area. Lowe was not legally allowed to possess a firearm after previously being convicted of multiple narcotics offenses.
A federal jury in March convicted Lowe on one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo imposed the sentence Sept. 2, 2020, in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance and participated in the prosecution. The case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Daniel and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika Gilliam-Booker, who also serves as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney.
“The defendant unlawfully possessed a firearm in a city where gun violence has made headlines for years,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Daniel and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika Gilliam-Booker argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “This offense also conveys the defendant’s disregard for the law.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Clarksville Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Prison for Meth Conspiracy:Read the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Clarksville man was sentenced today for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy that involved members of a white supremacist gang. Skippy Sanders, 37, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today’s sentencing.
Sanders pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more, but less than 15 kilograms, of methamphetamine on October 23, 2019. In addition to the term of 262 months’ imprisonment, Judge Miller also sentenced Sanders to five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
In 2016, local and federal agencies initiated a joint investigation to identify, infiltrate, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations in Russellville. Agents identified multiple individuals who were trafficking methamphetamine in the Pope County area. The investigation revealed that Sanders obtained pound quantities of methamphetamine from known members of New Aryan Empire (NAE), a white supremacist organization that began as a prison gang, and later sold the methamphetamine.
“Today’s sentence in Operation ‘To The Dirt’ is an important step in pushing back against the turmoil brought about by gang activity in the River Valley,” said Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute methamphetamine distribution in this as well as other corrupt organizations.”
Sanders was charged on October 3, 2017, in a federal indictment that charged 44 people from the Pope County area with numerous gun and drug violations. The case is named “To The Dirt,” a reference to the NAE slogan referring to the rule that members must remain in the NAE until they die.
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on February 5, 2019, which named 11 additional defendants and added charges for the defendants’ involvement in acts involving attempted murder, kidnapping, maiming, and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Of the 55 total defendants charged in “Operation ‘To The Dirt,’” 26 defendants have pleaded guilty, and five of those defendants have already been sentenced to prison terms: Jared Dale, 84 months; Britanny Conner, 120 months; Keith Savage, 120 months; Joseph Pridmore, 150 months; Daniel Adame, 262 months. The remaining defendants are awaiting trial.
The investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Pope County Sheriff’s Office and the Russellville Police Department.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Burlington Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa—On September 10, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Lloyd Davenport, age 44, of Burlington, to 262 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Following his prison term, Davenport will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Davenport was a pound-level dealer of ice methamphetamine in the Burlington area, who admitted that he possessed a firearm in relation to his drug trafficking activities. Davenport’s criminal history includes convictions for armed robbery, a prior drug trafficking offense, and animal cruelty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, Burlington Police Department, and the Iowa State Patrol. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Carfentanil ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and carfentanil.
Rickey Depina, 32, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000.
From May 2019 through August 2019, Depina and co-defendants David Fernandes, Keanu Fernandes and Viviana Fontes conspired to distribute fentanyl and carfentanil in Brockton, Abington, Boston, Braintree, Easton, Fall River, Holbrook, Norton, Quincy, Raynham, South Easton, West Bridgewater and Whitman. During this time, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl and carfentanil on multiple occasions. On Oct. 1, 2018, law enforcement stopped a car in which Depina, David Fernandes and Viviana Fontes were traveling and recovered over 17 grams of fentanyl, approximately $1,750 and four cellular phones. They were arrested on state charges. In search warrants executed later that day, law enforcement recovered another $10,000.
Co-defendants Keanu Fernandes, 33, of Brockton, and Fontes, 30, of Brockton, previously pleaded guilty. Co-defendant David Fernandes, 33,of Braintree, is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 28, 2020.
Carfentanil is an analog of fentanyl and approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl. It is used commercially in tranquilizer darts for large mammals such as elk or elephants and can be lethal in a dose as small as 2 milligrams.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran and Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested today and charged with illegal firearm possession and failing to register as a sex offender.
Shane Brown, 35, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of failing to register as a sex offender. Brown made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today, and was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 16, 2020.
According to the indictment, on July 2, 2020, Brown possessed an SCCY Industries, model CPX-2, 9mm caliber pistol and seven 9mm Luger cartridges. Due to a previous conviction for a crime punishable by at least one year in prison, Brown is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Brown was also charged with failing to register as a sex offender between May 7, 2020 and July 2, 2020.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of failing to register as a sex offender carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to lifetime supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; U.S. Marshal John Gibbons for the District of Massachusetts; U.S. Marshal Thomas L. Foster of the Western District of Virginia; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Atlanta director and producer indicted for operating cryptocurrency-based investment schemes that cost victims over $2 million in lossesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Ryan Felton has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges arising out of two different cryptocurrency-based investment schemes.
“Initial coin offerings can be used to fund innovative and exciting projects that might not otherwise be able to come to life through traditional funding sources,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The defendant promised investors a stake in innovative ventures and allegedly spent investor funds lavishly on personal expenses.”
"This suspect misled investors to believe their money would fund two innovative ventures, but instead, every penny went to support the suspects lavish personal life style,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It is a sad reminder to investors to be very careful where they entrust their money, but also a reminder to anyone motivated by greed that the FBI and our federal partners are committed to holding them accountable for their actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: In 2017 and 2018, Felton promoted initial coin offerings (ICO) for two new entities—FLiK and CoinSpark. ICOs are fundraising events during which the issuers of a unique “token” or “coin” set an amount they want to raise, offer it to the public in a crowdsale, and receive cryptocurrency from investors in exchange.
Felton marketed FLiK as an entertainment streaming platform, and he founded CoinSpark as a new cryptocurrency trading exchange. In order to increase, or pump, the price of the coins, Felton made numerous false representations and material omissions before, during and after the ICOs. For example, Felton claimed that all investor funds would go towards the development, launch, and support of the platforms and that private investors made significant investments in the entities. Felton also posed as a potential investor, using fake names, on various internet forums and social media sites in order to further promote false information and build up excitement in CoinSpark. After the ICOs ended, Felton secretly sold thousands of coins on secondary cryptocurrency markets to take advantage of the artificially inflated coin prices based on his misrepresentations and eventually transferred the vast majority of investor funds into his personal financial accounts.
Felton used the vast majority of the investor proceeds to fund his extravagant lifestyle, including an all-cash purchase of a $1.5 million residence and an all-cash purchase of a $180,000 red 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fioran Coupe. The government is seeking to forfeit the proceeds of his schemes and previously filed a civil forfeiture action, which is stayed pending the resolution of the criminal prosecution.
Ryan Felton, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, was indicted on September 9, 2020. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. Office and the SEC New York Regional Office provided valuable contributions in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan P. Kitchens, Deputy Chief, Cyber and Intellectual Property Section, and Sekret T. Sneed, Deputy Chief, Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Ashland Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A former office manager for a state child support agency admitted in federal court on Friday that she defrauded a state agency, embezzling significant funds.
Mary Elizabeth Pickett, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, before U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning.
According to Pickett’s plea agreement, between January 4, 2013, and September 20, 2019, while she was the office manager of the Boyd County Child Support Enforcement Office (“BCCSEO”), Pickett misappropriated BCCSEO funds for her own personal use and benefit. As part of Pickett’s scheme to embezzle BCCSEO funds, she submitted false payroll documents to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, falsely reporting that an employee had worked 40 hours per week, when in fact the employee had only worked 14 hours. Pickett then wrote herself checks for the difference. In total, Pickett embezzled $126,313.90. In connection with the scheme, Pickett also admitted to knowingly forging the signature of her supervisor, the contracting official of the BCCSEO, without his knowledge or permission.
Pickett was charged by way of information, waiving her right to indictment by a federal grand jury.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Commissioner Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith.
Pickett is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2020, in Ashland. She faces up to 20 years in prison for the mail fraud, a minimum of two years for the identity theft, and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes.
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Armed Carjacker Sentenced to 104 months in PrisonRead the Press Release
St. Louis, Missouri – Daquan Sanders, 20, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 104 months in prison for his involvement in an armed carjacking committed in April 2019. In June 2020, Sanders pled guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Sanders appeared today before U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
According to court documents, on April 1, 2019, Sanders and co-defendant Terrance Brew approached two individuals in a park in St. Louis County. The victims were playing basketball within the park. Sanders and Brew, each armed with a firearm, approached the victims and demanded their belongings. One victim gave his cell phone and the other victim stated that he had nothing but his car keys.
While Sanders held the two victims at gunpoint, Brew reached into the victim’s pocket and removed his car keys. Sanders and Brew then fled the scene in the victim’s car.
Later that evening, St. Louis County Police located the carjacked vehicle. Brew was driving the vehicle, and Sanders was in the front passenger seat. Police tried to perform a traffic stop, but Brew failed to pull over which resulted in a fifteen-mile police chase through St. Louis City.
The vehicle chase ended when Brew crashed into concrete barriers that blocked off a residential street to vehicular travel. Brew and Sanders then fled on foot and both were apprehended.
Co-defendant Brew pled guilty on September 10 and will be sentenced in December.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dunkel handled this case for the United States Attorney’s Office.
Alexandria Man Convicted of Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal district court judge convicted an Alexandria man today on the charge of possession of child pornography.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Sean Michael McLaughlin, 32, was found after law enforcement downloaded videos containing child pornography from an internet protocol address assigned to the defendant’s home. These videos included prepubescent children engaging in sexual activity, with some children being sexually assaulted by adults or restrained with bondage. Law enforcement subsequently interviewed the defendant, and during his interview, McLaughlin admitted to repeatedly searching for, downloading, viewing, and possessing child pornography. A forensic examination of McLaughlin’s electronics revealed that he possessed child pornography from 2016 to 2018.
McLaughlin faces a maximum punishment of ten years in prison when sentenced on January 20, 2021. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga announced the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendelynn Bills are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-367.
$1,000,000 in Federal School Safety Grants Awarded to City of Americus, Mitchell CountyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The City of Americus and the Mitchell County Board of Education received $500,000 each from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP), announced Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“This much-needed federal funding will bolster the safety of students, teachers and staff in Americus and Mitchell County. We are grateful two school systems here in the Middle District of Georgia are recipients of these generous school safety grants,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler.
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The two awards announced this week can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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.
Thursday 10 September 2020
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 100 months in prison for his role in the receipt, possession, and distribution of child pornography. The man was also sentenced to a five year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, William Gene Kaleb Koch, 45, used an online conferencing and screen sharing application (“Application A”) to receive and share child pornography with other users in a virtual “room.” An undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) was able to gain access to the room and observed the user “NC Pig,” who was later identified as Koch, sharing child pornography and sexual exploitation material and engaging in chats with other users about the sexual exploitation of minors on at least 12 separate occasions.
Investigators tracked the NC Pig user to Koch’s residence in Wilmington, and obtained a federal search warrant that was executed by HSI agents and the Wilmington Police Department on August 9, 2018. Koch was present and agreed to a non-custodial interview in which he admitted to using Application A, as well as receiving and possessing child pornography. Later forensic review of Koch’s electronic devices revealed hundreds of videos and still images of child pornography (total image equivalent exceeding 14,000 images), the majority of which depicted children under 12 years of age, and some of which depicted infants and portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the assistance of the Wilmington Police Department and the United States Secret Service, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national initiative, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:19-CR-00143-BO.
Virginia Mental Health Agency Agrees to Pay $263,280 to Settle Civil False Claims Act LawsuitRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Victoria Transcultural Clinical Center, VTCC, LLC (“VTCC”), located in Fairfax, has agreed to pay $263,280 to settle a federal False Claims Act (“FCA”) case pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. VTCC provides mental health services and behavioral therapy to children and adolescents in northern Virginia who are Medicaid recipients.
On June 15, 2020, the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia filed a Complaint under the FCA and the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act alleging that VTCC engaged in a scheme to obtain payments from the Virginia Medicaid Program by inflating bills for services rendered, by billing for services not rendered, and by failing to take steps to repay overpayments within 60 days after VTCC identified these claims. According to the allegations in the Complaint, three Qualified Mental Health Professionals and VTCC’s Director of Operations knowingly inflated hours they spent providing services to children and adolescents in need of intensive in-home and behavioral therapy services, including by billing time for services provided while the minor patients were out of the country or no longer receiving treatment from VTCC. The Government also alleged that VTCC’s management was aware of a general breakdown of VTCC’s clinical supervision policy and protocols and of specific instances of billing for services not rendered, and that VTCC failed to take action to repay the Virginia Medicaid Program in a timely manner.
The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit originally filed under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA and the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act by a former employee of VTCC. A whistleblower suit or qui tam action under the FCA is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the local U.S. Attorney. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The FCA provides the whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of Medicare or Medicaid funds can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit within the Office of the Virginia Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilene Albala and Krista Anderson investigated the matter and prosecuted the case with Assistant Attorneys General Caitlyn Huffstutter, Megan Winfield, and Katherine Wright of the Virginia Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The civil claims settled by this FCA agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit are available on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cv-68. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Vicksburg Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements in an Attempt to Purchase a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Dvonte Amir King, 23, of Vicksburg, pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Tom S. Lee to making a false statement to a licensed firearms dealer and putting false information on an official form while attempting to purchase a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kirk Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in New Orleans.
On June 4, 2018, King attempted to purchase a firearm from a local Vicksburg retailer. King filled out and signed ATF Form 4473, the standard form for background checks. On the form, King marked that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, whereas in truth and in fact, he had been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Approximately six months prior, on November 28, 2017, King had pled guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault in the Municipal Court of the City of Vicksburg. Persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence are prohibited from purchasing firearms under federal law and it is a federal offense to put false information on the firearm form.
King will be sentenced on November 19, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. by Judge Lee. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
Van Zandt County Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 52-year-old Edgewood, Texas, man has been sentenced for federal drug trafficking crimes in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
Timothy Dwayne Henson pleaded guilty on Jan. 7, 2020, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.
According to information presented in court, on two separate occasions in July 2018, Henson sold methamphetamine during controlled purchases in Van Zandt County. On Sep. 9, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence in Van Zandt County and recovered methamphetamine. Henson admitted to being involved in a conspiracy to obtain and distribute methamphetamine, and that he was directly responsible for the distribution of at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Henson was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 8, 2018 and charged with federal drug trafficking crimes.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.
United States Assists Improved Border Control in NigeriaRead the Press Release
INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB)—has partnered with the U.S. Department of State and INTERPOL to dramatically improve Nigeria’s border security screening capacity. Under the U.S.-funded Project TERMINUS, on September 7th, Nigeria became the first African country to implement an automated system for uploading stolen and lost passport documents (SLTD) into the INTERPOL database that can be queried by all 194 INTERPOL member countries. This automation was made possible by implementing INTERPOL Washington’s SLTD Uploader software solution.
INTERPOL Washington’s Project TERMINUS, funded by the U.S. Department of State, executes solutions to upgrade INTERPOL member nations’ access to INTERPOL information sharing services. The goal of Project TERMINUS is to extend INTERPOL's I-24/7 secure global police communications system in high risk areas and select host nations. “INTERPOL Washington is pleased to continue our partnership with the U.S. Department of State to develop and deploy advanced tools and technology to assist our worldwide law enforcement partners in the fight against transnational crime and terrorism. By improving border security in Nigeria, we not only improve the safety of Nigerian citizens, we also strengthen the global chain of law enforcement tools linking together INTERPOL’s member countries,” said USNCB Director Uttam Dhillon.This initiative also helps member countries to meet their United Nations Security Council obligations to “… prevent the movement of terrorists and terrorist groups by effective border controls … and to “… improve international, regional, and sub-regional cooperation through increased sharing of information.” Due to any number of challenges, many countries, such as Nigeria, lacked access to INTERPOL’s 97-million-document SLTD database.
The SLTD Uploader software solution is a USNCB custom design which allows both the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja to connect directly to the INTERPOL database. Nigeria’s first document stream automatically uploaded approximately 150,000 SLTD records held in the Nigerian domestic SLTD database. This accomplishment culminated more than four months of active collaboration between the USNCB, the State Department, INTERPOL, and the Government of Nigeria, all of which was conducted virtually for the first time. “The completion of this project illustrates the ability of the USNCB to continue fulfilling its important around-the-clock mission in the midst of a worldwide pandemic,” said Dhillon.
The Nigeria project is the latest in a series of successful SLTD access improvement projects under the TERMINUS initiative, each building on prior lessons learned. Similar efforts have been executed in Malaysia and Indonesia, over the last three years.INTERPOL’s SLTD database is a critical tool for combatting terrorism by preventing Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) movements by identifying and interdicting FTFs and other transnational criminals using stolen, lost or revoked documents such as passports, visas and identity documents. By ensuring that law enforcement officers have access to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system, front line authorities can search and cross check traveler data in a matter of seconds and share sensitive or urgent police information with their counterparts around the globe in real time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice, INTERPOL Washington is co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As the designated representative to the International Criminal Police Organization on behalf of the Attorney General, INTERPOL Washington serves as the national point of contact for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the United States.
Union Leader Sentenced for Embezzling Union FundsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Brian Arnold, 49, of Pine City, NY, who was convicted of embezzlement of union funds, was sentenced, by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., to serve two years’ probation, to include six months home confinement. The defendant was also ordered to pay $33,224.15 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that the defendant served as Financial Secretary with Steelworkers Local Union 104M, which represents approximately 75 workers at Anchor Glass Container Corporation, from September 2015 to August 2018. As financial secretary, Arnold was responsible for collecting dues checks, recording all receipts, maintaining receipts and disbursement records, writing and signing checks, and preparing an accurate account of all money received and paid out to report monthly to the union membership.
Between April 2016 and August 2018, Arnold embezzled $33,224.15 in union funds. The defendant made unauthorized purchases with the union’s debit card; made unauthorized ATM withdrawals from the union’s checking account; and wrote unauthorized checks to himself from the union’s checking account.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the US Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) Buffalo Office, under the direction of the Boston-Buffalo District Office, District Director Jonathan Russo.
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United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester Announces $481,097 Award to Tahlequah Public Schools to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – U.S. Attorney Brian J. Kuester of the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tahlequah Public Schools received $481,097 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “School safety is a priority for school administrators, law enforcement agencies, and the community in general. Taking proactive measures to increase school security is a costly endeavor. This award to the Tahlequah Public Schools will relieve the financial burden of ensuring the safest possible environment for the children to learn and the teachers to educate them.”
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The award announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.*******
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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’s Office recovers $4.25 million from asphalt contractorRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today a civil settlement with Dave O’Mara Contractor, Inc. (“DOCI”), an asphalt contractor based in Southern Indiana. The settlement will result in a total payment of $4.25 million to the United States of America.
“The safety and security of the citizens of Indiana are paramount to this office.” Minkler stated. To risk the safety of the motoring public for the sake of saving money cannot be tolerated. This recovery sends the message that contractors must comply with various applicable state and federal regulations when billing the United States Government, or they will face the consequences of their choices.”
The settlement resolves allegations that DOCI misrepresented the materials that it used to pave a number of roads and highways throughout Central and Southern Indiana, which were funded in part by the Federal Highway Administration. Specifically, the government alleges that DOCI represented that it was including steel slag in its asphalt mixture when it was not. According to the government, this created the false impression that the roads that DOCI provided contained enough binder, or “glue,” to ensure that they would not prematurely deteriorate.
“It is important to ensure that taxpayers get what they pay for so that the quality of products used in highway transportation projects is not compromised,” stated Andrea M. Kropf, Regional Special Agent-In-Charge, United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “Today’s settlement sends a message that putting the safety of the traveling public at risk for personal gain is an unacceptable way of conducting business.”
According to Rachana Fischer, the Assistant United States Attorney assigned to the matter, the settlement followed a multi-year investigation by the United States Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.. The Indiana Department of Transportation provided substantial assistance to the United States in its investigation.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This investigation demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to enforce the collection of criminal and civil debts owed to the United States to maximize recoveries to the United States Treasury and to victims of crime. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Section 6.4.
U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen Announces DepartureRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. – U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today that he is resigning from the Department of Justice, effective Tuesday, September 15, at 12:00 p.m. Cullen, 43, who has served as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia since March 30, 2018, made this announcement following his Senate confirmation to become a U.S. District Judge in the Western District of Virginia.
“U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen has served the Department of Justice and the citizens of the Western District of Virginia with honor and distinction,” U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr said today. “During his tenure, the office made meaningful strides towards reducing violent crime, mitigating the opioid epidemic, and increasing cooperation among federal, state, and local law-enforcement agencies. As he moves into his new role as a federal district judge, I am confident that he will remain steadfast in his commitment to equal justice and the rule of law.”
“Serving as U.S. Attorney has been the highlight of my career,” Cullen stated today. “I am enormously proud of the dedicated public servants in this office and the work that they—along with our many brave law-enforcement partners—do to protect the public.”
Under Cullen’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on implementing the Attorney General’s priorities of combatting violent crime and the opioid epidemic. He also personally directed the federal civil rights prosecutions stemming from the August 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville.
As part of the national Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, Cullen and the prosecutors in his office have worked closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement in the Roanoke Valley, the Danville-Pittsylvania County region, and the greater Lynchburg area to identify individuals and groups responsible for committing violent, firearms, gang-related, and serious drug offenses and prosecute them in federal court. These coordinated efforts led to a significant increase in the number of defendants prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, from 267 in fiscal year 2018, to 410 in 2019 (a 54 percent increase overall), and contributed to a substantial decrease in the rate of violent crime in Danville over a similar time period.
U.S. Attorney Cullen also directed a multifaceted federal response to the opioid epidemic that has ravaged the region over the past several years. His prosecutors have obtained convictions of over a dozen physicians and other health-care providers for the unlawful distribution of controlled substances and related criminal conduct. The office also has secured convictions and civil settlements against numerous corporate entities engaged in the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. In recognition of this hard work and the office’s long track record of success in prosecuting corrupt medical providers, Attorney General William P. Barr, in April 2019, announced that he would expand DOJ’s Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO) to the Western District of Virginia. The ARPO Strike Force is composed of prosecutors and data analysts from DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Unit who deploy to participating districts to support the prosecution of individuals and organizations engaged in the unlawful distribution of opioids. With these additional investigative resources, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been able to increase the number of prosecutions in this critical area.
In addition to its enforcement efforts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under Cullen’s leadership, has productively collaborated with local community groups and treatment advocates on effective opioid prevention and recovery initiatives. In late 2018, U.S. Attorney Cullen convened a meeting with leaders from Carilion Clinic in Roanoke and public-health officials from Buffalo, NY, to discuss “Buffalo Matters,” a community-based program designed to aid patients with opioid-use disorder through rapid referrals from emergency rooms to community-based clinics upon discharge. As a result of this meeting and Carilion’s commitment to implementing the Buffalo Matters model, Roanoke Memorial Hospital has made significant progress in directing opioid-use disorder patients to treatment programs and, in turn, significantly reducing the number of ER visits. The office also recently announced the formation of a Heroin Education Action Team (HEAT), a partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s office and families who have lost love ones to opioid overdose. Once in-person classroom instruction resumes, the HEAT team will deploy to school districts around the region and speak to students and their families about the dangers and tragedies associated with opioid use. Cullen was also proud to partner with Chief U.S. District Judge Michael F. Urbanski and the federal public defender to launch a federal drug-treatment court, one of only a handful of federal drug courts nationwide.
Cullen also devoted a significant amount of his time to the “Unite the Right” prosecutions. In July 2019, his prosecution team obtained a life sentence for James Fields Jr., who perpetrated an act of domestic terrorism in Charlottesville that killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer and seriously injured over 30 peaceful protestors. They also successfully prosecuted several members of the militant white-supremacist group the Rise Above Movement (RAM), who traveled from California and committed numerous acts of violence. He and his team also convicted an avowed white supremacist on civil rights and cyberstalking charges for threatening a prospective candidate for the Charlottesville City Council and the minor autistic daughter of a community activist. Cullen, who served on DOJ’s Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee while U.S. Attorney, was particularly outspoken about the alarming rise of violence by white supremacists in the United States.
In addition to these successful prosecutions, the office’s civil division has significantly increased its efforts in the areas of civil fraud enforcement and federal debt collection. In April 2020, the division announced a landmark $5 million settlement with a group of 24 coal companies owned and operated by the family of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice for unpaid violations of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act. The division’s newly reconstituted affirmative civil enforcement (ACE) group has also successfully assessed monetary penalties against medical professionals, hospitals, and pharmacies for violations of the Controlled Substances Act and health-care fraud.
As U.S. Attorney, Cullen widely traveled the district to meet with his federal, state, and local law-enforcement counterparts. He visited over 50 local commonwealth’s attorneys’ offices during his tenure and met with scores of local sheriffs, police chiefs, and other community officials. Several of his key law-enforcement partners reacted to today’s announcement:
“Over the last several years, Thomas Cullen and the office he runs have provided the type of law enforcement leadership that has made Americans in general, and Virginians in particular, safer,” said David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “Mr. Cullen is a true partner to the FBI and a professional. He is aggressive though not a zealot, he seeks just outcomes, and he executes his authority with humility. Each of these qualities will continue to serve our country and our Commonwealth well from the Bench.”
“I congratulate U.S. Attorney Cullen on his appointment to the Federal bench and thank him for his steadfast support to both myself and the ATF Washington Field Division,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division. “Working together, we successfully coordinated the investigation and prosecution of an ever-increasing number of criminal cases within the Western District of Virginia – a testament to our mutual commitment to public safety and the rule of law. I wish Thomas all the best as he continues his distinguished career in public service.”
“In 2016 and 2017, the City of Danville, Virginia, was experiencing an extreme surge in violent crime, specifically gang related violent crime. Homicides and shootings were becoming a regular occurrence, and our community was suffering. In 2018, working with the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, under the leadership of Thomas Cullen, we were able to effectively prosecute several high-ranking gang members for these violent crimes, as a result, our community is now a much safer place,” said Danville Police Chief Scott C. Booth. “In 2019, our community experienced a 31 percent reduction in homicides, a 42 percent reduction in aggravated assaults, and a 63 percent reduction in robberies. Danville is a much safer place now because of Thomas Cullen and his leadership. Danville Police Department’s efforts including the implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods have resulted in drops in every violent crime category from 2018 to 2019.”
“I would like to offer my congratulations to Mr. Cullen on his confirmation as a federal judge. During his time as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Cullen has worked closely with local law enforcement to ensure that those people who victimize our citizens are brought to justice,” said Roanoke County Police Chief Howard B. Hall. “His contributions to our regional efforts have led to the successful conclusion of numerous significant investigations. He has been a great partner. While we will miss him locally, I am confident that he will make great contributions to our criminal justice system as a judge.”
“My staff and I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Cullen in his capacity as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. Our region, like many other communities in the country, has been plagued by heroin trafficking and the devastation that it has on families,” said Shenandoah County Sheriff Timothy Carter. “As the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Cullen has been extremely sensitive to this devastation, and has worked hard to bring federal resources to bear, making a local impact in both enforcement for traffickers, and treatment for those addicted. Mr. Cullen is straight-forward, honest, and practical. He has a temperament and organizational skills to be a solid member of the federal judiciary. He makes sound and lawful decisions.”
“It has been a true pleasure working with U. S. Attorney Thomas Cullen these past 2 years. He was highly responsive and open to discuss partnerships that furthered community safety in Lynchburg,” said Bethany Harrison, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Lynchburg. “It is no surprise to me that he was confirmed for a Federal Judgeship. We will miss him terribly and wish him the best in his new endeavor.”
Attorney General Barr will announce Cullen’s replacement in the coming days.
U.S. Attorney Terwilliger Honored by ATF with Director’s AwardRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger was recently honored at the 24th Annual Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Awards ceremony with the Director’s Award, the ATF’s most prestigious award.
“It is my distinct privilege to present this award to U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger,” said ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “The core of ATF’s mission is reducing gun violence in our communities. Committed partners, like U.S. Attorney Terwilliger, are essential to leading change in our neighborhoods and across the nation. U.S. Attorney Terwilliger is an indispensable member of ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board, and a steadfast partner with our Washington Field Division in prosecuting cases in the Eastern District of Virginia. In addition, U.S. Attorney Terwilliger was instrumental in crafting nationwide policy for Project Guardian and promoting the use of crime gun intelligence in enforcing federal firearms laws and coordinating prosecution. It gives me great pleasure to thank him for his stalwart efforts in protecting the public and those we serve.”
The Director’s Award recognizes outstanding and exceptionally significant service in the public interest. To be eligible to receive the Director’s Award, one must have demonstrated leadership, skill or ability in administration or in the performance of duty that was of great value to ATF’s mission; and/or provided ATF with outstanding assistance and/or cooperation through advisory services or the allocation of human or material resources that effectively assisted in accomplishing ATF’s mission.
“The women and men of ATF were some of the first law enforcement agents with whom I ever had the pleasure of working with as a team to investigate and prosecute criminal activity,” said Terwilliger. “As my career evolved, one constant has been a close working relationship with ATF. From my time as a line prosecutor, judiciary committee staffer, Associate Deputy Attorney General, NIBIN board member, and now U.S. Attorney, I can state with certainty that ATF lives its mantra of “Being no Better Partner.” At each of those positions, it just so happened that I worked closely with ATF at a variety of levels. Further, it is ironic and telling that the first friend I made when moving back to Washington, D.C. at the age of 10, and remains one of my closest friends to this day, was the son of an ATF Assistant Director at the time and is currently an ATF Supervisory Special Agent. Finally, for at least the past 40 months, here in the Eastern District and across the United States, ATF has answered the call each and every time they have been asked to provide critical support to combat violent crime around the nation. Having literally grown up personally and professionally with the brave and dedicated men and women of ATF, I am incredibly humbled and proud to receive this award.”
Most recently, Terwilliger joined Ashan Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, in announcing the establishment of a new ATF satellite office in Newport News. The new office gives ATF a permanent presence on the Hampton Roads Peninsula, where drugs, gangs, and guns are a very serious problem. In addition to ATF Special Agents, the Newport News facility will house a task force consisting of officers from the Newport News Police Department, the Hampton Police Division, and the Newport News Sheriff’s Office.
In April 2019, Terwilliger joined law enforcement leaders from around the country on ATF’s National Crime Gun Intelligence Board. Established in 2016, the board uses the collective experience of federal, state, and local experts in the fields of forensics, law enforcement, and criminal law to ensure ATF receives valuable input on national programs related to Crime Gun Intelligence. Members of the 23-member board serve 3-year terms and are eligible for re-appointment. It meets biannually in different cities across the United States.
Terwilliger made acquiring National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) machines here in the Eastern District a high priority immediately after taking the reigns as U.S. Attorney in May 2018. Law enforcement in the Eastern District currently has access to three NIBIN machines: one in Beltsville, Maryland, that services law enforcement in Northern Virginia; one in Newport News that is shared by the Newport News Police Department and the Hampton Police Department; and one in the City of Richmond.
“The ATF’s NIBIN technology is a game-changer,” said Terwilliger. “Not only does it help us solve shootings, but it also offers a deterrent effect in that criminals will know every time they fire a gun during a crime of violence, we will use this technology to assist us in matching the casing, tracking the gun, and hunting down the trigger-puller. The ATF’s leadership on this program and commitment to providing law enforcement officers around the country with the tools they need to solve firearms crimes is beyond impressive.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
U.S. Attorney Schroder Announces $323,702 Award to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
September 10, 2020 – U.S. Attorney Schroder of Alaska announced that Ketchikan Police Department received $248,702 and Nenana City School District received $75,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“As our children return to school in the next few weeks or months, the Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS) want to help communities keep their students safe.” Said U.S. Attorney Schroder.
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The two awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
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The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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 $100,000 Award to the Johnston County School System to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. of Eastern District of North Carolina announced that the Johnston County School System received $100,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“Protecting the safety and security of our children is critical as they learn and develop. School safety is of paramount importance as we work to ensure children are secure,” said Mr. Higdon.
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The 160 awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
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The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer Announces $415,000 Award to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
COPS Office Public Affairs (202) 514-9079 or [email protected]
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 10, 2020
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer of the Southern District of California announced today that the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District received $415,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).
Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75 percent funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“These grants will help the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and many others across the country keep our children out of harm’s way,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “There is nothing more important than safeguarding our children and schools.”
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The [x number] award[s] announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
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The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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 Nicholas A. Trutanich Announces $500,000 Award to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada announced today that the Clark County School District Police Department received $500,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“On behalf of our communities, we appreciate this grant from the COPS Office to help the Clark County School District safeguard our children and schools,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “These funds are a significant step towards keeping children in Clark County and across the country out of harm’s way.”
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The award announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
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The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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 Maria Chapa Lopez Announces More Than $1.3 Million in Awards to Improve School Safety in the Middle District of FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that four school districts in the Middle District of Florida (MDFL) have received a total of $1,316,375 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
MDFL recipients include the School Board of Orange County ($499,321); Seminole County Public Schools ($168,000); the Hernando County School Board ($499,054); and the School District of DeSoto County ($150,000).
“Guaranteeing a safe and secure environment in which to learn – free from violence – is critically important for our students,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “These funds will assist our partners in creating and enhancing systems and procedures to reduce threats and violence in our schools.”
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The four awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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 J. Douglas Overbey Announces $1,391,296 Million Award to Address School Violence Prevention in East TennesseeRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – United States Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee announced today, the City of Knoxville, Bradley County School District, and Monroe County Schools received $1,391,296 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“As schools reopen for in-person and on-line, it is imperative we adjust to meet the unique needs and circumstances of our communities. These funds will provide essential resources to help mitigate the impact of on-line learning and provide necessary protection in keeping all students safe. Additionally, these grant funds will help provide vital services to ensure a safe and productive school year for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney Overbey.
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The three awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.
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U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald Announces More Than Half A Million Dollars in Awards to Improve School SafetyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a total of $598,538 in school safety grant funding awarded to the Shakopee Police Department, the Austin Independent School District – 492, and the Wayzata Independent School District – 284. The funding was awarded by the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.
“When all children are able to return to the classroom, their focus should be on learning,” said United States Attorney Erica MacDonald “This grant funding can be used to support a wide range of measures to support the physical safety of our children while they are in school.”
“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”
Grantee
Amount Awarded
Shakopee Police Department
$69,960
Austin Independent School District – 492
$460,958
Wayzata Independent School District – 284
$67,620
The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The grant awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security. The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600