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20 October 2020
Hudson Woman Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Consumer Products and Unlawfully Obtaining Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Kristina Coleman, 40, of Hudson, pleaded guilty in federal court to tampering with consumer products and unlawfully obtaining controlled substances, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Coleman worked as a pharmacy technician for a retail pharmacy chain in Nashua. In January 2019, she agreed to deliver two prescriptions to an elderly patient, which was not part of her ordinary job responsibilities. After the delivery, the patient checked her bottles and discovered several pills were missing from her oxycodone prescription. Further, some of the pills in the bottle were larger and had a different imprint than the others, and were later determined to be baclofen, a non-scheduled drug indicated as a muscle relaxant and anti-spasmodic agent. Coleman admitted to law enforcement officers that she replaced some of the oxycodone in the prescription bottle with the baclofen and gave the stolen oxycodone to a friend to sell, for which she received $80.
Additional investigation revealed that Coleman had been stealing Suboxone from the pharmacy for her personal use. Coleman admitted that she had stolen a strip a day for approximately one year.
Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2021.
“Drug diversion and tampering with consumer products are serious crimes that can endanger the lives of patients,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “When criminals steal controlled substances and replace them with other drugs, patients are not only deprived of needed medicine but also may take a drug that they should not be taking. In some circumstances, this can create serious medical risks. In order to protect the health and safety of our citizens, we will not hesitate to pursue federal charges against health care workers who steal drugs from innocent victims.”
This matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Division, and the Nashua Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Honduran Man Pleads Guilty After Third Illegal Entry into USRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran with multiple previous convictions and removals pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents, Erasmo Alberto-Echeverria, 43, illegally reentered the United States after having been removed on two different occasions. In 2009, Alberto-Echeverria was convicted of misdemeanor hit and run and driving while under the influence of alcohol in Fairfax County. He was removed from the United States by federal immigration authorities in 2010. Thereafter, he illegally reentered the country and was arrested in 2015 on an outstanding warrant for his misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance before he was removed. After being convicted of that narcotics offense in Fairfax County, the defendant was removed from the United States for the second time. He illegally reentered the country for a third time and was most recently discovered by immigration authorities after his arrest in Fairfax County in 2020 for the misdemeanors unlawful entry and destruction of property.
Alberto-Echeverria faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew Munroe, Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William I. Friedman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raizza K. Ty 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. 1:20-cr-221.
Henderson & Sons Funeral Home agrees to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has reached a settlement agreement with Henderson & Sons Funeral Home (Henderson), a funeral service operator in Rome, Georgia, to resolve an investigation into allegations that it violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
“Funeral homes have an obligation under the ADA to ensure that people who are deaf and hard of hearing receive the same benefits of their service as those without disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Anyone who has lost a loved one understands the value of the services provided by funeral homes, and a failure to provide effective communication to family members who are deaf or hard of hearing robs them of that experience.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that Henderson failed to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services when necessary to ensure effective communication. The complainant, who is deaf and relies on American Sign Language as her primary means of communication, alleged she requested a sign language interpreter for her family member's funeral, but no interpreter or other auxiliary aid or service was provided. As a result, the complainant attended her loved one’s funeral without the ability to understand what was being said during the service. And while several friends and family members spoke affectionately about their memories of the deceased, the complainant was forced to grieve without the benefit of sharing in those memories.
Under the settlement agreement, Henderson agreed to ensure effective communication to its customers who are deaf or hard of hearing, including providing qualified interpreters at no cost. Among other things, Henderson has agreed to develop an effective communication policy, provide training to all of its personnel on effective communication and relay calls, and provide a report to the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding its compliance with the settlement agreement. A copy of the settlement agreement can be found
here.
The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by funeral homes. Under the ADA, funeral homes are required to provide effective communication to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Depending on the needs of the customer and the sensitivity of the information needed to be conveyed, a qualified sign language interpreter may be required to ensure effective communication with the person who is deaf or hard of hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Johnson represented the United States in this matter.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.
Guild Mortgage Company to Pay Almost $25 Million to Resolve Allegations It Knowingly Caused False Claims to Federal Housing AdministrationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Guild Mortgage Company has agreed to pay the United States $24.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the common law by knowingly breaching material program requirements when it originated and underwrote mortgages insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department of Justice announced today. Guild Mortgage Company is headquartered in San Diego, California, with branches across the United States.
“Ensuring the integrity of federal lending programs is important to keeping those programs financially sound,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Together, with our partners at HUD, we have worked hard to hold accountable FHA lenders that knowingly and materially violate program requirements that help Americans achieve the dream of home ownership.”
“The United States is committed to providing Americans opportunities to own their own homes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael R. Sherwin. “This settlement reflects the diligent work of officials from the Department of Justice and HUD to ensure that the programs that provide those opportunities are operated with integrity and in accordance with requirements established by law.”
“As this settlement demonstrates, we are committed to holding mortgage lenders accountable when they choose to abuse the integrity of vital government programs that are designed to assist homeownership,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer for the Southern District of California. “We also commend the whistleblower for coming forward, exposing these wrongs, and working with the government investigative team.”
“The Federal Housing Administration insurance program is a critical tool that helps hardworking Americans achieve their dream of homeownership. Any abuse of that program is unacceptable and the bad actors will be held accountable,” said Rae Oliver Davis, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Inspector General. “This case highlights the effectiveness and the importance of whistleblower programs.”
Participants in the FHA mortgage insurance program, like Guild Mortgage Company, can originate and underwrite mortgages without first having the government review the loans for compliance with the agency’s underwriting and origination requirements. If an FHA-insured loan defaults, the holder of the loan can then recover from the United States for certain losses. Lenders must follow FHA rules designed to ensure that only mortgages that meet key credit and underwriting criteria are insured by the government.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Guild Mortgage Company knowingly approved ineligible loans that later defaulted and resulted in claims to FHA for mortgage insurance, failed to comply with material program rules that require lenders to maintain quality control programs to prevent and correct underwriting deficiencies, and failed to self-report materially deficient loans that it identified.
The agreement resolves allegations brought by the former head of quality control at Guild Mortgage Company, Kevin Dougherty, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene in such a lawsuit, as it did in part here. Dougherty will receive $4,980,000 as his share of the government’s recovery.
The investigation, litigation, and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Columbia and the Southern District of California, HUD, and HUD-OIG.
The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Dougherty v. Guild Mortgage Company, Civ. A. No. 16-2909 (S.D. Cal.).
The claims asserted against the defendant are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Fostoria man with prior drug trafficking conviction indicted for intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin and illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced today that a federal grand jury sitting in Toledo has returned a five-count indictment charging Jesus Alejandro Degollado, 29, of Fostoria with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and as a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, On August 13, 2020, Toledo police observed the defendant driving a vehicle with multiple felony arrest warrants issued in Lucas County. Police stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as Degollado. The defendant was then arrested due to the outstanding warrants. The indictment alleges that during a search of the vehicle, officers located approximately 96 grams of fentanyl, 128 grams of heroin, a loaded semi-automatic handgun with 14 rounds of ammunition and drug trafficking supplies.
Degollado is prohibited from possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of trafficking heroin on January 15, 2015, in the Seneca County Common Pleas Court. Due to the defendant’s prior felony drug trafficking conviction, an enhanced penalty has been charged in the indictment.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Deyana Unis and Alissa M. Sterling.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 188 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE-Maurice Sewell, age 39, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Holly A. Brady after his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Sewell was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in November 2016, Sewell possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Sewell also possessed three firearms after having prior felony convictions in the Allen County Superior Court. Sewell had been previously convicted of dealing cocaine or a narcotic drug in both 2001 and 2012. He also had a prior felony conviction for a 2007 residential entry and strangulation.
“As the Court indicated today, Sewell’s long criminal history and recent conduct of illegally possessing firearms and illegal drugs led to the lengthy jail sentence the Court imposed today,” said United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. “My Office has always aggressively prosecuted felons who possess firearms and will continue to work with federal, state and local law enforcement partners in these type of cases.”
“I commend the United States Attorney’s Office and Fort Wayne Police Department for their partnership in investigating and prosecuting this individual,” commented ATF Special Agent in Charge Kristen de Tineo of the Chicago Field Division. “Holding those who illegally possess firearms accountable is important to the safety of the whole community.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
Former employee of medical packaging company sentenced to federal prison for disrupting PPE shipmentsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Christopher Dobbins has been sentenced to federal prison for hacking his former employer and sabotaging their electronic shipping records, causing more than $200,000 in damage and delaying the shipment of personal protective equipment (“PPE”) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As businesses worked to get PPE into the hands of those most in need of it, Dobbins chose to hack his former employer and maliciously interrupt that process,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “His actions caused delays in the delivery of desperately needed equipment in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.”
“During the height of a world-wide pandemic this defendant disrupted the distribution of critical medical supplies to health care workers on the front lines of the battle,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This swift and efficient result sends a message that anyone who puts the lives of American citizens at risk will be pursued and punished for their egregious behavior.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: In early March 2020, Dobbins was terminated from his employment at a medical device packaging company. While employed at the company, Dobbins had administrator access to the computer systems containing the company’s shipping information. When his employment was terminated, he also lost his access to the company’s computer systems.
On March 26, Dobbins received his final paycheck from the company. Three days later, on March 29, 2020, he used a fake user account that he had previously created while still employed at the company to log into the company’s computer systems. He then conducted a computer intrusion that disrupted and delayed the medical device packaging company’s shipments of PPEs.
While logged in through the fake user account, Dobbins created a second fake user account and then used that second account to edit approximately 115,581 records and delete approximately 2,371 records. After taking these actions, Dobbins deactivated both fake user accounts and logged out of the system. The edits and deletions to the company’s records disrupted the company’s shipping processes, causing delays in the delivery of much-needed PPEs to healthcare providers.
Christopher Dobbins, 41, of Duluth, Georgia, has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $221,200. Dobbins was convicted on these charges on July 10, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Georgia’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fraud Task Force, aimed at better protecting the citizens of Georgia from criminal fraud arising from the pandemic. Formed by Georgia’s leading state and federal prosecutors, the task force serves to open channels of communication between partner agencies and more rapidly share information about COVID-19 fraud, while ensuring each fraud complaint is reported to the appropriate prosecuting agency. The task force member agencies include the Office of the Governor of Georgia, the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia (PAC). Georgia’s three U.S. Attorneys, the Attorney General of Georgia, the Executive Counsel for the Governor’s Office and the PAC Executive Director serve on the task force. If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.
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.
Former Hardeman County Correctional Officer Sentenced to 5 Years for Distributing Narcotics in the Whiteville Correctional FacilityRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Shontavis Rivers, 21, a resident of Bolivar, Tennessee has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute in excess of 50 grams of actual methamphetamine within the Whiteville Correctional Facility. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on September 25, 2019, a criminal complaint was filed against Rivers for attempting to smuggle narcotics into the Whiteville Correctional Facility. Rivers, a correctional officer, began removing his personal items to pass through the security checkpoint when a K-9 dog barked. Rivers quickly turned and left the building. Correctional employees followed Rivers as he attempted to leave. When approached by employees he stated that he had forgotten his identification. Rivers was informed that he would have to pass through security screening before he could retrieve his identification.
Whiteville Police Department officers were called to the scene and questioned Rivers who admitted that he had several packages concealed on his person. Each package contained approximately 77 grams of actual methamphetamine at 98% purity and 6.82 grams of cocaine. Rivers admitted to bringing packages of narcotics into the facility on two prior occasions.
On October 16, 2020, Chief United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Rivers to 60 months in federal prison followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Official misconduct by public officers in positions of trust and authority undermines the foundational integrity of our government institutions and the security of correctional facilities. We will root out, expose, and hold accountable those officials who violate their oath for personal gain by introducing illegal narcotics into jails and prisons."
The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), Whiteville Police Department, and the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Former Department Head at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Maryland for Accepting GratuitiesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – David Laufer, age 63, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to acceptance of gratuities by a public official.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from 2009 until May 2019, Laufer worked as the Chief of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the largest joint military medical center in the United States. Walter Reed is located in Bethesda and provides medical services, including orthotic and prosthetic services to U.S. service members and their dependents, including wounded soldiers. Person B lived in Montgomery County and owned, operated, and controlled Company B, located in Germantown, Maryland. Company B provided prosthetics and orthotics materials to Walter Reed in return for payments from the government. According to the plea agreement, Person B regularly interacted with Laufer about Company B’s business with Walter Reed.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from 2010 until May 2019, the Walter Reed Prosthetics and Orthotics department used Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) to order and purchase prosthetics and orthotics materials. This allowed the department to obligate funds to purchase materials so that employees could order materials without charging a credit card each time or engaging in a formal contract for each purchase of materials. Company B was awarded multiple BPAs by Walter Reed, which the Prosthetics and Orthotics department used to order and purchase prosthetics and orthotics materials from Company B. Company B purchased prosthetics and orthotics materials from other manufacturers and distributors, then resold the materials to the Prosthetics and Orthotics department at Walter Reed at a higher price.
Laufer admitted that he restricted the availability of BPAs to some of the manufacturers and distributors from whom Company B purchased products, thereby inhibiting those companies from doing business directly with Walter Reed, and actively encouraged and directed those companies to sell to Walter Reed through Company B, knowing that it would result in a higher price to the government. At the same time that he was funneling business through Company B, Laufer was personally involved in ordering materials and causing materials to be ordered from Company B, as well as taking official acts that impacted Company B. From 2011 to May 2019, Laufer and the Prosthetics and Orthotics department at Walter Reed caused Company B to be paid more than $25 million for prosthetics and orthotics materials. Laufer further admitted that in exchange for his official acts benefitting Company B, he received financial benefits from Company B, including money, travel, and sporting event tickets.
According to the plea agreement, Laufer’s job required him to complete annual Confidential Financial Disclosure forms which required him to report: all sources of outside income greater than $200; any business outside the U.S. Government in which Laufer or his spouse was an employee or consultant, whether or not compensated; any agreements or arrangements concerning past, current, and future employment; and travel-related reimbursement or other gifts totaling more than $350 from any one source during the reporting period. Laufer’s financial disclosure filings from 2014 to 2019 failed to disclose the financial benefits received from Company B.
Furthermore, when interviewed by federal agents as part of a corruption investigation at Walter Reed, Laufer denied receiving any financial benefits from Company B. Laufer also was interviewed by federal agents several times between 2017 and 2019 concerning unexplained cash deposits. On each occasion, Laufer lied to the agents, initially stating that he earned extra money from the purchase and sale of bicycles and small collectibles at swap meets, then falsely stating that he earned cash by working for Person C and Company C, and finally stating that the unexplained cash came from moonshine and liquor sales.
Laufer faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison for accepting a bribe. 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. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for February 2, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DCIS, HHS OIG, and the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, DOD Cyber Crimes Center Defense Cyber Forensics Laboratory, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Dana Brusca, who are prosecuting the case.
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Five Alleged MS-13 Members Charged Federally for Their Participation in a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Eight Murders and Four Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an eleventh superseding indictment yesterday, charging five men in connection with a conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The eleventh superseding indictment adds a new defendant charged with a racketeering conspiracy related to his membership in MS-13, including a double homicide and drug trafficking.
Charged in the 10-count superseding indictment are Junior Noe Alvarado-Requeno, a/k/a “Insolente” and “Trankilo,” age 23, of Landover, Maryland; Luis Arnoldo Flores-Reyes, a/k/a “Maloso” and “Lobo,” age 39, of Arlington, Virginia; Miguel Angel Corea Diaz, a/k/a “Reaper,” age 38, of Long Branch, New Jersey; Jairo Arnaldo Jacome, a/k/a “Abuelo,” age 38, of Langley Park, Maryland; and Brayan Alexander Contreras-Avalos, a/k/a “Anonimo,” “Malia,” and “Humilde,” age 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
The 11th superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Field Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Amal Awad of the City of Hyattsville Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations, and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
The 11th superseding indictment alleges that from prior to 2015 through at least January 2018, the defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, engaged in a racketeering conspiracy that included extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. Jacome was a member and associate of the Langley Park Salvatrucha Clique of MS-13. All other defendants were members and associates of the Sailors Clique of MS-13.
All the defendants except Contreras-Avalos were charged in previous indictments with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise for their involvement in a variety of violent acts committed by the Sailors Clique of MS-13, including multiple murders.
The 11th superseding indictment adds Contreras-Avalos as a new defendant and references his alleged involvement in the 2016 murders of two victims who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang.
Specifically, the 11th superseding indictment charges that in June 2016, Alvarado-Requeno and other high-ranking MS-13 members planned with and directed other members and associates of MS-13 to search for and murder gang rivals known as “chavalas” in and around Hyattsville, Maryland. On June 8, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno directed Contreras-Avalos and lower-ranking members of MS-13 to murder two individuals who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang. Pursuant to this plan and as directed by Alvarado-Requeno, Contreras-Avalos, and other MS-13 members and associates stabbed the two victims to death.
Alvarado-Requeno and Jacome also are charged in the 2016 murder of a victim in Germantown, Maryland. On Dec. 4, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno, Jacome, and other members and associates of MS-13 traveled to Germantown with a machete and other weapons with the purpose of murdering an individual as punishment for his infractions against the gang. They allegedly stabbed the victim to death, then fled the area leaving the victim’s body near a creek. The next day, Jacome and other members and associates of MS-13 returned to Germantown to bury the victim’s body.
Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz also are charged in the 2017 murder of a victim in Lynchburg, Virginia. On March 27, 2017, Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz arranged for members and associates of the Sailors Clique to travel from Maryland to Lynchburg for the purpose of murdering an individual in the Lynchburg area. Flores-Reyes provided the vehicle in which the members and associates drove and called them to provide encouragement to murder the victim. The victim was murdered that same day in Bedford County, Virginia. On March 27 and March 28, 2017, multiple individuals were arrested in connection with the murder. Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz made phone calls on those dates trying to locate the individuals who had traveled to Virginia to commit the murder. Two of the participants in the murder escaped from Bedford County and were hidden in Maryland by members and associates of the Sailors Clique.
If convicted, the defendants all face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy. Alvarado-Requeno, Jacome, Corea Diaz, Flores-Reyes also face a maximum of life in federal prison for each count of murder in aid of racketeering and a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. Alvarado-Requeno, Corea Diaz, Flores-Reyes, and Contreras-Avalos face a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and Corea Diaz also faces 40 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Finally, Flores-Reyes and Jacome face a maximum of 20 years in prison for an extortion conspiracy. All defendants are in custody.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt thanked the FBI Washington and Baltimore Field Offices, HSI Baltimore, the DEA Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s State’s Attorney’s Office, the Hyattsville Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Hur and Mr. Rabbitt commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Catherine K. Dick and Trial Attorney Julie A. Finocchiaro of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Five Alleged MS-13 Members Charged Federally for Their Participation in a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy Including Eight Murders and Four Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an eleventh superseding indictment Monday, charging five men in connection with a conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The eleventh superseding indictment adds a new defendant charged with a racketeering conspiracy related to his membership in MS-13, including a double homicide and drug trafficking.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Field Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Amal Awad of the City of Hyattsville Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy made the announcement.
Charged in the 10-count superseding indictment are Junior Noe Alvarado-Requeno, aka “Insolente,” aka “Trankilo,” 23, of Landover, Maryland; Luis Arnoldo Flores-Reyes, aka “Maloso,” aka “Lobo,” 39, of Arlington, Virginia; Miguel Angel Corea Diaz, aka “Reaper,” 40, of Long Branch, New Jersey; Jairo Arnaldo Jacome, aka “Abuelo,” 38, of Langley Park, Maryland; and Brayan Alexander Contreras-Avalos, aka “Anonimo,” aka “Malia,” and aka “Humilde,” 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Maryland, including in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
At all times during the conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations, and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
The eleventh superseding indictment alleges that from prior to 2015 through at least January 2018, the defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, engaged in a racketeering conspiracy that included extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. Jacome is an alleged member and associate of the Langley Park Salvatrucha Clique of MS-13. All other defendants are alleged members and associates of the Sailors Clique of MS-13.
All the defendants except Contreras-Avalos were charged in previous indictments with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to their involvement in a variety of violent acts committed by the Sailors Clique of MS-13, including multiple murders.
The eleventh superseding indictment adds Contreras-Avalos as an additional defendant and references his alleged involvement in the 2016 murders of two victims who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang.
Specifically, the eleventh superseding indictment charges that in June 2016, Alvarado-Requeno and other high-ranking MS-13 members planned with and directed other members and associates of MS-13 to search for and murder gang rivals known as “chavalas” in and around Hyattsville, Maryland. On June 8, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno allegedly directed Contreras-Avalos and lower-ranking members of MS-13 to murder two individuals who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang. Pursuant to this plan and as directed by Alvarado-Requeno, Contreras-Avalos and other MS-13 members and associates allegedly stabbed the two victims to death.
Alvarado-Requeno and Jacome also are charged in the 2016 murder of a victim in Germantown, Maryland. On Dec. 4, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno, Jacome, and other members and associates of MS-13 allegedly traveled to Germantown with a machete and other weapons for the purpose of murdering an individual as punishment for his infractions against the gang. They allegedly stabbed the victim to death, then fled the area leaving the victim’s body near a creek. The next day, Jacome and other members and associates of MS-13 allegedly returned to Germantown to bury the victim’s body.
Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz also are charged in the 2017 murder of a victim in Lynchburg, Virginia. On March 27, 2017, Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz allegedly arranged for members and associates of the Sailors Clique to travel from Maryland to Lynchburg for the purpose of murdering an individual in the Lynchburg area. Flores-Reyes allegedly provided the vehicle in which the members and associates drove and called them to provide encouragement to murder the victim. The victim was murdered that same day in Bedford County, Virginia. On March 27 and March 28, 2017, multiple individuals were arrested in connection with the murder. Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz made phone calls on those dates trying to locate the individuals who had traveled to Virginia to commit the murder. Two of the participants in the murder escaped from Bedford County and were hidden in Maryland by members and associates of the Sailors Clique.
All defendants are in custody.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Justice Department thanked the FBI’s Washington and Baltimore Field Offices, HSI Baltimore, the DEA Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s State’s Attorney’s Office, the Hyattsville Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Trial Attorney Julie A. Finocchiaro of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Catherine K. Dick are prosecuting this case.
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.
Final defendant sentenced in coastal Georgia investigation that shut down gang-related methamphetamine traffickersRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An admitted gang member who was a major supplier for a methamphetamine-trafficking operation in the coastal Georgia area has been sentenced to federal prison.
Daniel Jeffers, a/k/a “Dirty,” 31, of Savannah, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker to 110 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute More Than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Jeffers must serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“With the final sentence in an operation that saw every single defendant plead guilty, our courageous law enforcement partners conducted a solid investigation that shut down an organization of violent, gang-related and cartel-supplied meth traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We’re proud to punctuate these prosecutions with prison sentences that remove every one of these poison-pushers from our community.”
The investigation, dubbed Operation Who’s Laughing Now, is an offshoot of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an Organized Crime Drug Trafficking Task Forces investigation that targeted major trafficking of methamphetamine and other drugs into the coastal Georgia area by criminals associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent, prison-based white supremacist gang.
As described in court documents and testimony, Jeffers, an admitted member of the Ghost Face Gangsters, was a major supplier of methamphetamine to the other 17 co-defendants in Operation Who’s Laughing Now, frequently delivering kilogram amounts of meth supplied by Mexican cartels by way of Atlanta.
A 20-count indictment in May 2019 charged the defendants with a wide-ranging conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine and marijuana and with gun possession violations. The defendants were arrested during the operation conducted by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with other local law enforcement agencies in a 20-county area of eastern Georgia. In addition to quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana, investigators also seized 14 firearms – including two unregistered sawed-off shotguns – and a large amount of ammunition and magazines.
All 18 defendants pled guilty to subsequent federal charges and have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging up to 135 months.
“South Georgia residents can sleep better tonight knowing that the final defendant of this white supremacist street gang has been sentenced,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Atlanta Field Division. “This case demonstrates how DEA and its law enforcement partners work together to destroy drug distribution networks.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its local and federal partners to target, investigate, and eliminate the perpetrators of violent crime,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the ATF. “This sentence, along with the previous sentences, will ensure the incarceration of dangerous criminals and contribute to the restoration of order and peace in the Southern District of Georgia.”
Operation Who’s Laughing Now was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela Mateo, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Pennington.
Fifteen Individuals Charged with Fentanyl and Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Fifteen people have been charged in federal court in Boston in connection with fentanyl and cocaine possession and distribution charges. The investigation, which began in March 2017 and intercepted communications on at least 11 cellphones, revealed that the defendants actively distributed fentanyl and cocaine and that their drug trafficking activities extended throughout southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
The following individuals were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and/or possess with intent to distribute 400 grams of more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine:
- Donald V. Alfonso a/k/a Moolie, 39, of Fall River, Mass.;
- Mark W. Alfonso a/k/a Chamaquito, 31, of Fall River, Mass.;
- Bryant N. Baez a/k/a Mandarria, 42, of Fall River, Mass.;
- Josdani M. Calderon, 32, of Providence, R.I.;
- Gabriela O. Dasilva a/k/a Karrie, 45, of New Bedford, Mass.;
- Kyle M. Dupras a/k/a Zee, 29, of Fall River, Mass.;
- Alvin Javier a/k/a Sopha, 26, a Dominican national illegally residing in Lawrence, Mass.;
- Angel L. Landrau-Marrero a/k/a Chi-Chi, 31, of New Bedford, Mass.;
- Jeison M. Marinez-Matos, 28, a Dominican national illegally residing in Bridgeport, Conn.;
- Hanlet D. Mejia-Alvarez a/k/a Nephew, 32, a Dominican national illegally residing in Cranston, R.I.;
- Luis Adolfo Mejia-Diaz, a/k/a El Bello, 52, a Dominican national illegally residing in Providence, R.I.;
- Jose A. Ortega a/k/a “Amorol,” 43, of Cranston, R.I.;
- Jesus Rivera, age unknown, a Dominican national illegally residing in Providence, R.I.;
- Wilkie O. Sanz, 30, of Dorchester, Mass.; and
- Ramon Encarnacion Frias, 34, a Dominican national illegally residing in Providence, R.I.
According to the criminal complaint, the first phase of the investigation revealed that Rivera and Javier were involved in the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine. El Bello, Baez and others were cocaine sources of supply for Rivera and, at times, Rivera was a cocaine source of supply for Baez. Javier worked for Rivera by regularly delivering fentanyl and cocaine to narcotics customers.
The second phase of the investigation allegedly revealed that Baez, Rivera, Landrau-Marrero, Donald Alfonso, Mark Alfonso, Dasilva and Dupras participated in the distribution of cocaine and fentanyl. Specifically, Baez was an active fentanyl and cocaine distributor; Dupras, Dasilva, Landrau-Marrer and Rivera were narcotics customers of Baez, who each further distributed narcotics; Donald Alfonso was a fentanyl and cocaine source of supply for Baez; Donald Alfonso also worked with his nephew Mark Alfonso to distribute narcotics; and Rivera and Baez distributed narcotics to one another.
Finally, the third phase of the investigation revealed that El Bello, Calderon, Ortega, Marinez-Matos, Mejia-Alvarez and Sanz allegedly distributed fentanyl and cocaine. El Bello was allegedly a large-scale fentanyl and cocaine distributor; Ortega, Mejia-Alvarez and Calderon assisted El Bello in the distribution of narcotics; Sanz was a fentanyl customer and redistributor; and Marinez-Matos was a source of supply for the organization. Cellphone interceptions revealed that El Bello distributed multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and in March 21, 2020, investigators seized nearly one kilogram of fentanyl from Marinez-Matos.
Today, agents seized three handguns; loaded magazines and ammunition, including a high capacity magazine; two vehicles; approximately four kilos of fentanyl, heroin and/or cocaine; approximately five pounds of marijuana; 38 bottles of liquid THC; approximately $140,000 in cash; and kilo presses, scales and other drug packaging materials.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years 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; Fall River Police Chief Jeffrey Cardoza; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Westport Police Chief Keith Pelletier; and Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements Jr. made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Taylor and Katherine Ferguson of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Buffalo Man of Selling Dangerous Fentanyl Analogue Which Resulted in the Death of an IndividualRead 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 following a two week trial, a federal jury has convicted Jawayne Watkins, 32, aka Weezy, of Buffalo, NY, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing heroin and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing heroin and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, causing serious bodily injury to, and the death an individual. Watkins faces a mandatory penalty of life in prison.
“While this Office has charged numerous individuals with distributing deadly opiates that resulted in the death of another individual, Watkins is only the second defendant so-charged to choose to exercise his constitutional right to a jury trial,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Both Watkins and his predecessor, Dontrell Wise, were convicted at trial, and both, having previously been convicted of drug offenses, face mandatory life sentences as a result. The message should be clear. If you peddle this poison and someone dies from the drugs you provide, then your cost of doing business will be to have to spend at least 20 years—if not the rest of your life—in jail. That you may not have intended to kill or even hurt anyone won’t entitle you to any discounts.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Meghan E. Leydecker, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that Watkins sold heroin and 4 fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl. 4 fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl is a rare and extremely dangerous fentanyl analogue.
On at least two occasions, in July 2017, and on November 9, 2017, Homeland Security Investigations made controlled purchases from the defendant. The substances purchased from Watkins later tested positive for heroin and 4 fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl. On November 10, 2017, an individual identified as A.C. died after taking a substance received from Watkins. Toxicology reports following the victim’s death indicated she had heroin and 4 fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl in her system. During the investigation, law enforcement officers also made other seizures of the deadly substance from the defendant.
Watkins was on New York State parole and living in a halfway house at the time of his arrest in November 2017.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 29, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara who presided over the trial of the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Armed Career Criminal for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Birmingham, Ala. – A federal jury today convicted a Birmingham man of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Toby Taylor.
The jury returned its guilty verdict against Terran Marteze Gilbert, 28, after two days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke.
“Felons who possess a firearm pose a threat to the safety and security of our community,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We are committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to find these criminals and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. We especially want to thank the jurors for their time and service.”
Acting ATF Special Agent in Charge, Toby Taylor stated, “ATF is committed to enhancing a positive community environment combined with directed enforcement of the federal firearms laws as part of the Project Guardian initiative to reduce gun related crimes.”
Evidence at trial proved that on April 3, 2019, members of the United States Marshals Service-Gulf Coast Regional Task Force (GCRTF) went to Gilbert’s residence to execute an active felony warrant. Upon contact with Gilbert, GCRTF conducted a protective sweep of the residence and located a Colt .38 caliber revolver in plain view inside an open closet in the hallway area of the living room. Gilbert has prior felony convictions for Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, First Degree, Robbery, Third Degree, and Assault, First Degree.
Gilbert qualifies as an armed career criminal and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Royster and Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.
Ex-President of Ohio Healthcare Management Company Pleads Guilty in $59 Million Check Kiting Scheme Targeting S&T BankRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – The former president of an Ohio healthcare management company waived indictment and pleaded guilty today to bank fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Harold Sosna, age 67, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
"Sosna perpetrated a $59 million check kiting scheme that exploited banks throughout western Pennsylvania and Ohio," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "His greed and callousness caused significant financial harm to these community banks. Now he will be held accountable for these crimes. Together, with our law enforcement partners, we stand committed to protecting financial institutions from fraud."
"There is no question about it, this was a game for Mr. Sosna," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman. "He tried to game the system by floating money around to make it look like his accounts had millions of dollars in them. Instead, he committed large-scale fraud. One of the goals of the FBI is to safeguard the financial industry, which in turn protects the broader economy. We will investigate those who seek to defraud this system."
According to information provided to the Court, Sosna engaged in what is commonly known as "check kiting" scheme. The term "check kiting" refers to a form of check fraud which involves taking advantage of the float – the time between presentment of a check and the actual receipt of funds – to make use of non-existent funds in a checking or other bank account. The purpose of check kiting is to falsely inflate the balance of a checking account in order to allow written checks that would otherwise bounce to clear.
The court was advised that during the time of the check kite, Sosna was the president of Premier Healthcare Management (Premier), located in Blue Ash, Ohio. It owned and operated nine nursing care facilities in southern and central Ohio. Premiere provided in-facility, post-acute, and long-term care for individuals recovering from medical procedures, as well as assisted living services through various corporate entities. Each entity had a subsidiary relationship with Premier and operated individual bank accounts at various banks to include S&T Bank, headquartered in Indiana Pennsylvania, and First Financial Bank, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
According to information provided during the plea hearing, Sosna wrote checks between various S&T Bank and First Financial Bank accounts under his control and associated with Premier, in increasing dollar amounts. This was done to manipulate the numerical balance in the accounts and thereby create the false and fraudulent appearance that the defendant had sufficient legitimate available funds in various accounts, and to trick the banks into honoring checks drawn against accounts with insufficient funds. Between May 15, 2020, and May 18, 2020, by writing and negotiating checks, Sosna, sent more than $118,000,000.00 through S&T Bank and First Financial Bank, which were unfunded amounts and were the equivalent of obtaining money from the banks without actual properly secured loans. A total of 203 checks were negotiated in execution of his scheme. S&T Bank incurred a loss of $59,240,000.00.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for February 18, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Cessar and Jeffrey R. Bengel are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Sosna.
Eufaula Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Possession, Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody James Cooper, age 27, of Eufaula, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both; and to Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 5 and not more than 40 years imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged on or about August 18, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, firearms which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The Indictment further alleged that on or about August 18, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable John F. Heil III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton represented the United States at the plea hearing.
Elementary School Educator Gets 60 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - James Verne Russell, 50, a former Michigan teacher and principal, was sentenced to serve 720 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for sexual exploitation of two minors. U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff also imposed lifetime-supervised release should it be necessary. Russell was also sentenced on October 8, 2020 by Muskegon County Circuit Court Judge Annette R. Smedley to 20 to 95 years in the related sexual assault case.
In sentencing Russell to serve 60 years in prison, Judge Neff stated the offense “is about as serious as it gets” because of the extended length of time and “circumstances in which you took advantage of children.” Judge Neff commented that in her thirty-two years as a judge “you think you’ve seen it all” and then “something like this happens.” “You come face-to-face with a human being whose behavior you just can’t understand.” “How you can take a little boy from an awful situation” and “take what little he has away from him.” “There are very few cases that will stick out to me after all these years, but yours will. I promise you.”
Russell was in education for twenty-two years. He was an elementary school teacher for sixteen years and an elementary school principal for six years in the Ravenna and North Muskegon School Districts. In June 2018, a teacher filed a complaint about Russell’s unusual interest in two students. Russell was suspended by the school district and later resigned. He then moved to Las Vegas and joined the Clark County School District as a fourth grade teacher. Russell came to the attention of law enforcement, in March 2019, when the FBI Las Vegas Child Exploitation Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a recent upload of dozens of images, some depicting child pornography. When confronted by investigators from the FBI Las Vegas and Henderson Police Department, Russell confessed to possessing the pictures. Norton Shores Police and FBI Grand Rapids located and interviewed the victim in Michigan. The victim, identified as Victim 1 in the charges, confirmed that he was the child depicted and that Russell had sexually molested him for years. A search of Russell’s cell phone and computers disclosed numerous other images of child pornography, many of which Russell had produced himself. Further investigation disclosed another boy, identified as Victim 2, who was victimized in 2017, and a third individual who had been sexually abused by Russell beginning in 1996.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office brought federal charges against Russell for the production, transportation, and possession of child pornography. The Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office charged Russell for the sexual assaults of Victim 1. As part of a joint resolution, Russell pleaded guilty to a sexual assault charge in Muskegon County, and pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography in federal court.
Russell started his career in education in 1996. That same year, he began grooming and sexually assaulting his first victim. Russell volunteered to work with children in many capacities, including as a long-term guardian, babysitter, elementary and middle school basketball coach, lifeguard, camp counselor, and youth ministries assistant at various churches. In its sentencing memorandum, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, “Russell’s conduct is not one of opportunity or an isolated aberration. His was a deliberate and dedicated career of manipulation and sexual abuse.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge stated, “Russell’s conduct is an abomination. He worked and volunteered his way into the lives of our children, not as a service to our community, but as a means to identify, target, and sexually exploit vulnerable children. Those who are in a position of trust and sexually abuse children will be held accountable. There is no parole in the federal system. Russell will spend the rest of his life in prison and will never have the chance to molest another child.”
“The FBI is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect children from being exploited by people like Mr. Russell,” said David G. Nanz, Acting Special Agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan. “He used positions of trust to gain access to vulnerable children, abuse them and record the abuse for his own perverse pleasure. His actions were reprehensible and represent the worst betrayal of innocence and trust imaginable.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Mekaru and Austin Hakes, in cooperation with the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office, and investigated by Henderson (Nevada) Police Department, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Norton Shores Police Department, FBI in Las Vegas, and WEBCHEX – “West Michigan Based Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force,” a partnership of FBI, Michigan State Police, and local agencies dedicated to investigating offenses against children.
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Department of Justice is Combatting COVID-19 Fraud but Reminds the Public to Remain VigilantRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – The Department of Justice is reminding members of the public to be vigilant against fraudsters who are using the COVID-19 pandemic to exploit American consumers and organizations and to cheat disaster relief programs, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. In particular, the department is warning the public about scams perpetrated through websites, social media, emails, robocalls, and other means that peddle fake COVID-19 vaccines, tests, treatments, and protective equipment, and also about criminals that fabricate businesses and steal identities in order to defraud federal relief programs and state unemployment programs.
At the direction of Attorney General William Barr on March 16, 2020, the Department of Justice mobilized to safeguard Americans from coronavirus-related fraud and other illegal activity. On March 18, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen instructed the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) to take coronavirus-related complaints from the public and facilitate information sharing among law enforcement partners and regulators, like the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Drug Administration. The Deputy Attorney General tasked U.S. Attorneys to appoint Coronavirus Fraud Coordinators in each judicial district, including the Western District of Louisiana, who has done that very thing. Our office, along with many other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, have also established a regional task force to improve federal, state, and local law enforcement coordination and these members are working diligently to track down any and all complaints that are received in connection with these type of crimes. On March 24, following the President’s invocation of his authorities under the Defense Production Act, the Attorney General formed the DOJ Hoarding & Price Gouging Task Force, which is a nationwide effort to deter, detect, and prosecute hoarding and profiteering in the sale of health and medical resources essential to combatting the spread of COVID-19. Memoranda from the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General prescribing these measures may be found at www.usdoj.gov/coronavirus/DOJresponse.
To date, the NCDF has received more than 76,000 tips concerning COVID-19-related wrongdoing. Similarly, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has also received more than 20,000 tips regarding suspicious websites and media postings. These tips, as well as reports made directly to the offices of U.S. Attorneys, FBI field offices, and other law enforcement agencies, have led to federal law enforcement opening hundreds of investigations.
The department charged its first COVID-19-related fraud case on March 25, and since then, the department has filed criminal charges in 33 cases across the country involving scam vaccines, treatments, or testing or price gouging in the sale of scarce medical supplies. Additionally, the department has initiated civil actions in 11 cases to enjoin fraudulent coronavirus schemes targeting consumers, including cases against defendants marketing ozone gas, silver-ion solution, and bleach-based solution as treatments.
The department has also focused on prosecuting bad actors who have exploited federal relief programs enacted on March 27 under the CARES Act that are intended to assist hard-hit Americans and businesses. In particular, the department has charged 65 defendants in 50 separate cases to date that relate to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The total intended loss to the PPP in those cases is more than $227 million. The defendants in these cases include those brazen enough to submit PPP loan applications for fabricated businesses named after “Game of Thrones” characters and to spend PPP loan proceeds on exotic cars, boats, and expensive jewelry.
The department has coordinated closely with the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) and various other federal law enforcement agencies to stand up the U.S. Department of Justice National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. (See https://www.justice.gov/file/1319301/download.) This task force is charged with investigating numerous fraud schemes targeting the unemployment insurance programs of state workforce agencies, which have been distributing additional Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds provided for under the CARES Act. To date, the department has charged fraud or money laundering in 12 cases relating to unemployment insurance, and has also been supporting DOL-OIG’s efforts to mitigate the threats that transnational criminal organizations and other identity thieves continue to pose to the important benefits programs on which unemployed Americans rely. The department’s leadership has been crucial in organizing and focusing the whole of federal law enforcement on this important issue, including by leveraging the capabilities and resources of the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center and by hiring additional prosecutors to investigate and charge these schemes.
Moving forward, the department also is concerned about, and will aim to deter and prevent, attempts by wrongdoers to prey upon potential victims by leveraging news about anticipated approval of a COVID-19 vaccine or about the potential enactment of new disaster relief bills that extend or expand upon CARES Act relief.
The department encourages the public to continue to report wrongdoing relating to the pandemic to the NCDF and to remain vigilant against bad actors looking to exploit this national emergency. To report a scam relating to COVID-19, or if you have information on hoarding or price gouging of critical supplies necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home by calling the NCDF Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form, available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. You can also contact the local U.S. Attorney’s Office in Shreveport at 318-676-3600 or in Lafayette at 337-262-6618 to report any wrongdoing relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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.
Department of Justice Issues Annual Report to Congress on its Work to Combat Elder Fraud and AbuseRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Department of Justice issued its Annual Report to Congress on Department of Justice Activities to Combat Elder Fraud and Abuse. The report summarizes the department’s extensive efforts from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
“The Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to protecting our nation’s seniors from fraud and abuse is clearly illustrated in this year’s report to Congress,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “I appreciate the men and women of the department, our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, and those in the private sector who support our mission. Their hard work and dedication is to credit for our mutual and ongoing efforts to end elder fraud and abuse.”
This year’s report details the department’s incredible successes, despite the challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic. The report notes that while the pandemic presented numerous barriers to investigating and advancing cases, the department nonetheless charged almost 300 cases involving a wide variety of fraud targeting or affecting the elderly. Examples of these cases include government imposter scams, computer tech scams, romance scams, investment scams and lottery scams, among others. The report also describes the department’s extraordinary efforts to end transnational criminal organizations from committing fraud on seniors, including by obtaining court orders to prevent robocalls from overseas organizations and by prioritizing the annual Money Mule Initiative to disrupt the flow of fraud proceeds to perpetrators, particularly those who are overseas.
The report additionally describes the department’s significant outreach efforts — including over 575 events around the country, reaching over 165,500 participants, including seniors and other community members, financial and business partners, and state, local, and tribal governments and law enforcement partners. The report also details the department’s many grants to our partners around the country.
The report features the department’s Elder Fraud Sweep — the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, with over 400 defendants charged for causing more than $1 billion in losses — and the launch of the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline, managed by the department’s Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by trained caseworkers, and to date has received thousands of calls, providing help to seniors and generating leads for further investigation. The department’s National Nursing Home Initiative is also highlighted in the report — launched earlier this year, the Nursing Home Initiative is designed to coordinate and enhance civil and criminal efforts to investigate and prosecute nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care to their residents.
In addition to these historic achievements, the department urges Congress to enact legislation that would strengthen our response to fraud and other crimes that have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have disproportionately impacted seniors.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s work on Elder Justice, please visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Department of Justice Awards More Than $4 Million to Public and Private Entities in Northern Illinois to Advance Forensic ScienceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that governmental and private entities in northern Illinois will receive more than $4 million in Department of Justice grants to advance forensic science.
The grants, administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of $192 million in nationwide awards to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons.
“These substantial federal funds will provide crucial resources to northern Illinois agencies working to advance the important area of forensic science,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “The Justice Department is committed to helping state and local law enforcement improve its crime-fighting technology.”
“Developments in forensic science have given investigators an extraordinary array of tools that can be enlisted to solve crimes and bring answers to victims and survivors, often after many years and even decades,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP. “These investments will help identify and convict perpetrators, ensure justice for innocent victims, and keep communities safe by deterring future criminal activity.”
Three types of grants were awarded to recipients in northern Illinois:
DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program. These funds assist with increasing the capacity for DNA analysis and the number of DNA samples, while decreasing the backlog and turnaround time for DNA analysis. Recipients may use funding to upgrade laboratories and purchase equipment and supplies, such as DNA sample collection kits. The recipients and awards in northern Illinois are as follows:
- Illinois State Police: $2,384,863
- DuPage County Sheriff’s Office: $340,696
- Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Laboratory: $340,696
Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program. These funds help improve forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services, including services provided by laboratories operated by states and units of local government. Funds may be used to eliminate a backlog in the analysis of forensic evidence and to train and employ forensic laboratory personnel. The recipients and awards in northern Illinois are as follows:
- Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority: $683,465
- Cook County: $190,500
Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes. These funds advance basic and applied research and development that lead toward more accurate, reliable, and cost-effective methods of analyzing physical evidence. The recipients will address the current needs of the forensic science community while adding to the existing body of knowledge. The recipient and award in northern Illinois are as follows:
- Cadre Research Labs: $199,615
For the full list of awards across the country, view the OJP fact sheet.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. For more information about OJP and its components, visit the OJP website.
Department of Justice's COPS Office Invests More Than $536.7 Million in Grants to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Crime, and Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) awarded more than $536.7 million in Fiscal Year 2020 to increase law enforcement hiring and to improve school safety, combat opioids and methamphetamine, advance community policing efforts, provide training to the law enforcement field, and protect the health of our nation’s officers and deputies. A total of $4,695,126 was awarded within Florida’s Northern District, according to Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Community Oriented Policing Services grants are critical to our District’s ability to continue protecting the health and safety of our citizens and our law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “These programs provide support for a wide variety of initiatives such as school violence prevention, anti-narcotics programs, law enforcement mental health and wellness, and community policing development, just to name a few. It has been my pleasure to announce over $4.5 million in awards to North Florida recipients throughout fiscal year 2020.”
COPS Office awards within Florida’s Northern District in fiscal year 2020 include:
COPS Hiring Program (CHP): Nearly $400 million in CHP grant funding was awarded to 605 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which will allow those agencies to hire 2,761 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. CHP provides funding for the hiring and rehiring of entry-level career law enforcement officers in an effort to create and preserve jobs and increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
Recipients in the Northern District of Florida:
- Fort Walton Beach Police Department: $329,595
- Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office: $118,838
- Walton County Sheriff’s Office: $1,500,000
School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP): Through SVPP, nearly $49 million was awarded to 160 states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds. Awards included funding for coordination with local law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self; placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures providing significant improvements in security.
Washington County School District received $500,000.
Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program: More than $29.7 million in AHTF grant funding was awarded to 14 state law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement received $2,208,052.
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA): Through LEMHWA, 41 awards were announced totaling $4.5 million to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, implementation of promising practices related to peer mentoring mental health and wellness, and suicide prevention programs.
The City of Gainesville received $38,641.
“Building on the successes in reducing violent crime in 2017, 2018, and 2019, these Department of Justice grants for 2020 help to fight violent crime and deadly narcotics, to improve public safety, and to support the officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “Strong partnerships of federal, state, and local law enforcement can produce better results for the public we all serve.”
“Supporting the men and women of law enforcement as they serve their communities is of paramount importance to the COPS Office,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Now more than ever, it is critical that we continue to provide state, local and tribal agencies the resources they desperately need to continue to advance public safety, which they are so committed to doing. We are all the beneficiaries of that work.”
Full lists of all announced COPS Office awards are available here.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Press Release - COPS Grants FY20Department of Justice Announces National Response Center and Offer to Bring Assistance to Minneapolis Police Department to Support Law Enforcement and Safe Communities Through Fair PolicingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, in an announcement by Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric S. Dreiband, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Katharine T. Sullivan, and U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald, unveiled a new National Response Center Initiative and offered the assistance to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) to support law enforcement, and review, enhance and reform policies and practices to prevent the use of excessive force. The BJA Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Response Center will be a national resource for all state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
“I have heard, loud and clear, from Minneapolis faith, community, and business leaders the call for safety and protection in our community,” said United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald. “Today we announce a new initiative between the Department of Justice and the Minneapolis Police Department, offering federal resources to assist MPD in their reform efforts to better serve the City of Minneapolis.”
“As Chief of Police I’m grateful for the opportunity to partner with our U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald to launch the DOJ Response Center Program to improve law enforcement and community protection here in Minneapolis,” said Chief Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis Police Department. “In creating a new MPD, I want to utilize all available tools and resources to support the hardworking and professional men and women of the MPD. We have an obligation and duty to be guardians of our communities and enhance our level of service and this program seeks to do just that. I want to thank our U.S. Attorney for her leadership and assistance in this endeavor.”
“Our goal with this new policing initiative and offer of assistance to the Minneapolis Police Department to keep everyone safe and secure through Constitutional and otherwise lawful police practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Chief Medaria Arradondo and the Minneapolis Police Department to protect the people of Minneapolis and support law enforcement. We seek to ensure public safety and eliminate excessive force by the police. We also seek to enforce the rule of law to protect the people of Minneapolis and because doing so is necessary to all civilized societies.”
“The Department of Justice maintains a long-standing commitment to public safety, and inherent in that commitment is the desire for highly skilled, highly trained professionals capable of protecting their communities while promoting the principles of equity and fairness that form the foundation of law and order,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “This initiative will help law enforcement officers adapt to the wide range of challenges they face every day, from violent gangs, illegal guns, and lethal drugs to civil unrest, decisions about use of force, and the complex social problems like addiction and mental illness that they are so often called on to resolve.”
Following the announcement of the Program, various representatives of the Civil Rights Division, Office of Justice Program, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota will meet with a diverse group of faith, business and community leaders in roundtable events to hear from these stakeholders about important issues related to safe policing and safe communities.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available at www.justice.gov/crt. More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components, please visit at www.ojp.gov.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Denison Woman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Embezzlement of nearly $1.5 Million from a Local Credit UnionRead the Press Release
Brenda Jensen, age 53, from Denison, Iowa, was convicted of credit union embezzlement. Jensen pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City to embezzling nearly $1.5 million over several years.
In a plea agreement, Jensen admitted that from at least May 2012 to March 2018, she embezzled money from Consumer Credit Union (CCU) in Denison, Iowa while working there as an employee. CCU serviced Crawford, Carrol, Shelby, Ida, Monona, Sac, and Harrison counties.
Jensen and at least one other employee embezzled a total of nearly $1.5 million. Jensen, the credit union’s head teller, was responsible for all cash and cash counts at CCU during the relevant timeframe. Jensen successfully concealed her crime from auditors and CCU for years. Jensen was able to conceal the crime in numerous ways, including overstating the change fund in the credit union’s general ledger balance, and participating with at least one other employee in issuing and depositing fraudulent checks to cover up their ongoing theft. Jensen further concealed the embezzlement by creating fictitious deposits into her personal accounts at CCU. After years of embezzling, the employees changed their methods of concealment and developed another concealment scheme. The new scheme caused CCU an additional $539,000 in losses. CCU’s total cash loss caused an insolvency resulting in a forced merger with SAC Federal Credit Union. CCU was insolvent with negative equity of approximately $481,206, and the value of its assets had decreased by over a million dollars. The million dollar decrease was a direct loss from fraudulent activity.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jensen remains free on bond pending sentencing. Jensen faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4083.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted felon admits guilt in statewide series of robberiesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Columbus man who criss-crossed Georgia while committing a series of robberies has entered guilty pleas to multiple federal charges.
Lawrence Dominique Franklin, 36, of Columbus, Ga., pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Savannah to Armed Bank Robbery, Bank Robbery, and Interference with Commerce by Robbery, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Taken together, the charges carry a possible penalty of up to 65 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Lawrence Franklin chose to commit violent robberies across Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Thanks to the cooperative effort by state and federal law enforcement, Franklin will trade his freedom for a prison cell.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Franklin began a violent crime spree last November, even though he had multiple prior armed robbery and firearm convictions. On November 25, 2019, he entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Columbus, Ga. wearing a construction worker-style vest, retrieved what appeared to be a gun from underneath his shirt, pointed it at a bank employee, and announced a robbery. Three days later, again wearing a construction vest, he robbed a Dollar General store in Savannah, forced an employee to open the store safe, and fled with more than $6,000 cash. The next day, he robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Newnan, Georgia by revealing a gun from underneath a construction worker vest and threatening to shoot.
Franklin later was taken into custody in Atlanta, and the charges in all of the cases were consolidated for plea and sentencing in the Southern District of Georgia.
“Within a matter of days, the defendant terrorized employees and customers in three communities across the state, causing havoc and instilling fear in hardworking Georgians. It’s a choice that will cost him years in a federal prison, where there is no parole,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “Violent crime will not be tolerated in Georgia. I want to commend our law enforcement partners for helping us hold violent criminals accountable.”
“Franklin terrorized innocent victims, who by chance, were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Working together with several law enforcement agencies across the state and the U.S. Attorney's Office, we were able to put an end to his reign of terror so those victims can take comfort in the fact that he won't be able to traumatize any more innocent citizens."
The case was investigated by the FBI, Savannah Police Department, Columbus Police Department, Newnan Police Department, and Atlanta Police Department. It is being prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia; by Northern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg; and by Middle District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Williams.
Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Escaping Custody of Federal Bureau of PrisonsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announces that today, Richard R. Cephas, of Wilmington, Delaware, was sentenced to 18 months consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving for escaping from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in Butner, North Carolina on or about April 1, 2020.
In June 2017, Cephas was sentenced by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware to a term of 66 months in federal prison – for his violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 (a)(l) and (b)(l)(A) and 846, Conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine. The conviction and sentence resulted from a long-term High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) federal wiretap investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Drug Trafficking Task Force in Delaware. More about that investigation here.
As alleged in the publicly filed affidavit attached to the Criminal Complaint, Cephas had been serving the remainder of his prison sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Butner, NC. On April 2, 2020, Cephas was placed in an escape status by the BOP following his absence from a bed count conducted by staff at the Butner facility. At the time of his absence, Cephas was not authorized to be away from the Federal Prison Camp. On April 20, 2020, Cephas was returned to custody.
“Several months ago, as the Coronavirus pandemic began, Richard Cephas, a convicted drug trafficker serving a federal prison sentence, tried to take advantage of the situation by using the threat of the pandemic as a way to avoid paying the price of his criminal activity,” said United States Attorney Higdon. “No one was fooled. And today the U. S. District Court sent that message loud and clear by adding 18 more months - the maximum allowed under the Federal Sentencing rules - to his drug sentence. This sends a powerful message to Mr. Cephas and to anyone else who would try to use the virus or any other similar situation as an opportunity to escape justice.”
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00209-D-1.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Columbus man admits to selling cocaineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Deontre Christian Johnson, of Columbus, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Johnson, also known as “Day Day,” age 20, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Johnson admitted to selling cocaine near Jensen Playground on Wheeling Island in December 2019.
Johnson faces at least one and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Colombian Foreign National Extradited to Pensacola to Face Federal Charges for His Role in an International Cocaine Importation ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Gustavo Adolfo Pareja, 26, of Cali, Colombia, was extradited by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida last week as a result of an extensive investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pareja is charged with two federal drug trafficking conspiracy charges involving large amounts of cocaine that are alleged to have been imported into northern Florida. He made his initial appearance today at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola. The extradition and charges were announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This extradition clearly demonstrates that North Florida law enforcers stand united against drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Keefe. “We have strong partnerships with our local, state and federal partners, and together we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those that prey on our communities. If you are trafficking drugs in our District, you will be held accountable.”
It has been alleged that between January and August 2018, in the Northern District of Florida and in the country of Colombia, former Master Sergeant Daniel Gould of the United States Army and Henry Royer, formerly of the United States Army and Army National Guard, conspired to distribute large amounts of cocaine, knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States.
Pareja is alleged to be the source of supply of the cocaine in Bogota, Colombia. He has been awaiting international extradition proceedings for over a year. Last week, the United States Marshals Service flew from northern Florida to Bogota, wherein the Colombian authorities relinquished Pareja to American law enforcement in order for him to stand trial in Pensacola, Florida.
The conspiracy is alleged to have begun in early 2018 when Gould and Royer initially imported 10 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Royer traveled to Colombia with U.S. currency to use as payment. Gould placed the cocaine in a gutted punching bag and had the package transported to Bogota to be placed on a United States military aircraft. A few days later, the cocaine-filled punching bag arrived at Duke Field, which is an auxiliary airfield of Eglin Air Force Base. Gould and Royer distributed the 10 kilograms of cocaine in Northwest Florida.
Gould and Royer then reinvested the money from the first load of cocaine into a second load of 40 kilograms of cocaine. Gould placed approximately $65,000 in cash on a United States military cargo aircraft destined for Colombia as funds for the next purchase.
In early August 2018, Gould and Royer returned to Colombia and provided money for the 40 kilograms to Pareja, their alleged cocaine supplier. Gould and Royer received the cocaine, loaded the 40 kilograms into two gutted punching bags, and coordinated transport to the embassy before flying back to the United States. Suspicion was aroused at the embassy when packages were x-rayed, revealing cocaine within gutted out punching bags.
On August 13, 2018, when the cocaine was seized at the embassy, Gould had already returned home and was awaiting its arrival. The 40 kilograms of cocaine would have an estimated value in excess of $1 million in the Northern District of Florida. Gould and Royer have pled guilty to their involvement in the criminal activity and are serving sentences in federal prison.
“An apparent source of supply for cocaine into Pensacola has been knocked out,” said DEA Miami Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis. “Pareja is alleged to have participated in a highly brazen criminal scheme to open a pipeline into Northern Florida for illicit distribution that was shut down. Now, like others he conspired with, he will face serious federal narcotics trafficking charges as a result of his actions.”
If convicted, Pareja faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison. A trial date will be set before Senior United States District Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Press Release - Pareja ExtraditionCalifornia University to Pay $225,000 for Allegedly Violating Ban on Incentive CompensationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – San Diego Christian College (SDCC), based in Santee, California, will pay $225,000 to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act for submitting false claims to the U.S. Department of Education in violation of the federal ban on incentive-based compensation, the Justice Department announced today.
Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) prohibits any institution of higher education that receives federal student aid from compensating student recruiters with a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based on the recruiters’ success in securing student enrollment. The incentive compensation ban protects students against admissions and recruitment practices that serve the financial interests of the recruiter rather than the educational needs of the student.
“Higher education enrollment decisions should put students first,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Offering recruiters financial incentives to enroll students undermines students’ ability to make educational decisions in their own best interests.”
“Colleges should be places for students to learn and grow, not places to be taken advantage of by recruiters watching out for the own financial interests,” said U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr. for the District of South Carolina. “This office will continue its efforts to protect students against illegal recruiting practices.”
“Today’s settlement is a result of the hard work and effort of the Office of Inspector General and the Department of Justice to protect and maintain the integrity of the Federal student aid programs,” said Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southern Regional Office. “We will continue to work together to ensure that Federal student aid funds are used as required by law. America’s taxpayers and students deserve nothing less.”
The settlement, which was based on SDCC’s ability to pay, resolves allegations that between 2014 and 2016, SDCC hired Joined, Inc., a California-based student recruiting company, to recruit students to SDCC. The United States contended that SDCC compensated Joined with a share of the tuition that SDCC received from the enrollment of recruited students, in violation of the prohibition on incentive compensation.
The allegations resolved by the settlement were brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by Maurice Shoe, the co-owner of Joined. The Act permits private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive $33,750.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch. Investigative assistance was provided by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Shoe v. San Diego Christian College, No. 6:16-cv-01570 (D.S.C.).
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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.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Hailang Xie, age 25, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today to possessing and intending to distribute 131 pounds of marijuana in Clinton County.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division
As part of his guilty plea, Xie admitted that on July 23, 2019, he transported four hockey bags containing 131 pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute the drugs in the Northern District of New York. Xie admitted that he was heading south on Interstate 87 near Plattsburgh, New York, when he was pulled over by police. Xie admitted that he had the hockey bags in the vehicle’s rear seat; the bags were full of multiple vacuum-sealed plastic bags of marijuana, totaling 131 pounds.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2021.
Xie faces up to 20 years in prison and will be subject to at least 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Anderson.
Boston Man Arrested for Misuse of IdentityRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was arrested today and charged in connection with his use of multiple identities. The defendant allegedly used false identities to obtain government benefits.
Angelito Concepcion Soto, 31, a Dominican national residing in Boston, was charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Concepcion Soto will make an initial appearance remotely in U.S. District Court in Boston.
According to charging documents, Concepcion Soto was arrested on state charges in July 2020 and found to be in possession of a fraudulent driver’s license and Social Security card in the name of a U.S. citizen. That citizen’s identity had also been used to obtain MassHealth coverage and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020. A fingerprint match revealed the true identity of Concepcion Soto, who had been removed from the United States in October 2016 and had subsequently re-entered without permission. Prior to his removal, Concepcion Soto had been arrested on a heroin-related offense under yet a different identity.
Concepcion Soto faces a sentence of up to two years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Chief of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. The DBFTF investigates suspected aliens who are believed to have obtained stolen identities of U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico. The DBFTF has investigated individuals who have used stolen identities to obtain public benefits that they otherwise would not be eligible to receive, including Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles identity documents, Social Security numbers, MassHealth benefits, public housing benefits and/or unemployment benefits.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Al Qaeda-Trained Jihadist Who Recruited Other Inmates to Join ISIS Sentenced to 300 MonthsRead the Press Release
A 46-year-old international terrorist convicted of additional terrorist activity that he committed while an inmate of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has been sentenced in the Eastern District of Texas, announced the Department of Justice.
Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, an Ethiopian national born in Eretria, was found guilty by a jury in December 2019, of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) and making a false statement to the FBI. Ahmed was sentenced to an additional 300 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
“While in prison for a prior terrorism conviction, Ahmed continued to engage in terrorist activity by recruiting fellow inmates to join ISIS and training them in preparation for future attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “As long as terrorists keep offending, the Department will continue to bring them to justice. We have done so in this case.”
“This terrorist’s original prison sentence did not diminish his support of ISIS or its ugly ideology,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. “Fortunately, his efforts to radicalize and train others to commit acts of violence against civilians were thwarted by the quick actions of our law enforcement partners. Our office is committed to pursuing terrorists wherever they hide, including within our federal prison system.”
“As terrorists have grown more determined to inflict violence on populations and use any tool or method at their disposal to do so, law enforcement has become more agile in disrupting their plots,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Division Perrye K. Turner. “Despite serving a sentence for terrorism charges, Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed had unwavering intent to continue on his quest for terror, and used his access to incarcerated individuals to further his recruiting efforts for ISIS. Today's sentence not only demonstrates the persistence terrorists and terrorist organizations have but also, reinforces the persistence of FBI agents in the Beaumont Resident Agency to protect the homeland."
According to information presented in court, in 2013 Ahmed was convicted in the Southern District of New York of conspiring to provide material support to and receive military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization. Ahmed had attended an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan in 1996 and was a member of the Brandbergen Mosque network, which financially and logistically supported other terrorist groups. A federal judge in New York sentenced Ahmed to 111 months in federal prison and he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Beaumont, Texas to serve his sentence.
Ahmed continued his terrorist activities while serving his sentence at FCI-Beaumont. He recruited at least five inmates to join ISIS and to conduct terrorist acts in the United States after their release from federal custody, telling them that he was aligned with ISIS and supported al Shabaab and al Qaeda. From prison, he celebrated the Ariana Grande concert bombing and other acts of terror in the news, telling an inmate, “They kill kids, we gonna kill kids.” Ahmed wanted the inmates he was recruiting to either travel abroad to join ISIS, or create “sleeper cells” within the United States to carry out attacks.
Ahmed provided would-be recruits with a training manual on how to carry out violent jihad, including topics such as “how to carry out guerilla war,” “selection of human targets,” and “how to carry out assassinations.” He even held physical training exercises with other inmates in the prison yard to get them in shape to carry out the acts of terror he was plotting. Ahmed also discussed a plot with fellow inmates to bomb the Federal Detention Center in New York City as a revenge for his prosecution there.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Beaumont Resident Agency, out of the Houston Division, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice and Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook and Katie Sweeten of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Rapp participated in the sentencing hearing.
ATF & LMPD Investigators Honored with U.S. Attorney’s Award for Work in Fighting Violent Crime in LouisvilleRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman is pleased to announce the latest recipients of the U.S. Attorney’s Award For Excellence in Law Enforcement are Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) Detectives Holly Hogan, Tyrell Barner, and Jordan Settle, along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agents Andrew Bledsoe and Dan Volk.
“These ATF and LMPD colleagues demonstrated a level of mission-focus and willingness to collaborate across agency barriers for a unitary purpose: the safety of Louisville families,” said United States Attorney Russell Coleman. “Individuals and families across our city are safer for it.”
The Award commendation presented by U.S. Attorney Coleman to LMPD Detectives Hogan, Barner, and Settle, and ATF Special Agents Bledsoe and Volk recognizes the recipients’ extraordinary service on behalf of the citizens of the Western District of Kentucky for their work during the investigation and prosecution of Marcus Bishop. The agents and detectives broke down the silos that historically exist between law enforcement agencies and worked collaboratively to build a drug conspiracy case that included a number of other open LMPD cases – most notably the shooting of a female victim.
As a result of the award recipients’ investigative efforts, Bishop was convicted of the use of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime and three counts of possession with the intent to distribute heroin. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison - where there is no parole.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky is honoring the extraordinary efforts of its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the District. Additional awards will be presented during the coming months.
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19 October 2020
United States Attorney Mike Stuart Recognizes Two in Wood County for Excellence in Pursuit of JusticeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart recognized Agent Cody McClung with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Pat Lefebure today for their outstanding work in partnership with his office.
McClung and Lefebure were presented with the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Justice for their roles in the case of United States v. Benjamin Lee Parsons. The work of both McClung and Lefebure were critical to the case’s successful conclusion. Law enforcement officers with the Parkersburg Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also involved in the investigation of Parsons.
“It was truly a pleasure for me to honor the outstanding work of Agent McClung and Prosecutor Lefebure today. It is through strong partnerships with law enforcement and state prosecutors that we achieve our greatest, most meaningful successes,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The investigation and prosecution of the Parsons case was important for public safety as well as the safety of our police officers. As U.S. Attorney, one of my greatest honors is to work alongside the men and women of law enforcement. I thank them for what they do each day to keep us safe and for their unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice.”
The investigation of Benjamin Lee Parsons, 31, of Mineral Wells, began in 2016 for making threats against police and others and claiming to have interest in terrorist organizations. In December 2015, Parsons had worn a mask to a church service in Mineral Wells. In January 2017, Parsons told several witnesses at a church in Parkersburg that he was armed, that he had recently thought about shooting police, that he had been watching violent terrorist videos, and that he had communicated with foreign terrorists and discussed several “soft targets” in Wood County. The Wood County Sheriff’s Department responded and seized numerous firearms from his residence. Agent Cody McClung was the lead investigator for the Sheriff’s Department and he worked closely with members of the Parkersburg Police Department, and ATF and FBI special agents throughout the investigation. Due to the efforts of Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure, Parsons was involuntarily committed to a mental hospital in February 2017. That adjudication prohibited Parsons from possessing firearms under both state and federal law.
In October 2018, investigators learned that Parsons had acquired additional firearms including a high-capacity semiautomatic FNH model M249S 5.56 caliber assault rifle. The rifle is the semiautomatic civilian version of the Squad Assault Weapon (SAW) used by the United States military. Investigators further learned that Parsons had obtained the weapon from another individual who told investigators that he had purchased it for Parsons from a licensed firearms dealer in Marietta, Ohio. Police arrested Parsons on October 31, 2018 on a federal charge of conspiracy to provide false information to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the acquisition of a firearm. On November 2, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at a wooded area in Mineral Wells where Parsons had been living. When investigators executed the search warrant, they recovered the FNH assault rifle and a Molot 5.45x39mm rifle from a locked case Parsons kept at his campsite on the property. The FNH was loaded with approximately 190 rounds of belted ammunition in a drum magazine. Investigators also located and seized 12 magazines for the Molot loaded with 164 rounds of ammunition, 32 additional unloaded magazines, and approximately 640 rounds of 9mm and other rifle ammunition.
As a result of this investigation, in May 2019, Parsons pled guilty in federal court to possessing the SAW and Molot 5.45x39 rifle after being committed to a mental institution. Parsons was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for his crime. Upon release from prison, Parsons will serve three years of federal supervised release, during which he will receive mental health treatment.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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United States Attorney Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Peter Deegan announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Daniel Tvedt will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Tvedt has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Iowa, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Deegan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice, where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Deegan stated that AUSA/DEO Tvedt will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at telephone number 319-363-6333.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 402-493-8688.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
United States Attorney Deegan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Update on Federal Prosecutions and Strategies to Combat Violent Crime in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today provided an update on federal prosecutions and strategies to combat violent crime in Chicago and the surrounding area.
The centerpiece of the federal fight against violent crime continues to be the revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods, as well as Project Guardian, which focuses on firearms prosecutions, and Operation Legend, the Department of Justice’s recent initiative to address violent crime in several U.S. cities, including Chicago, which has been facing a significant increase in homicides and shootings. These initiatives have enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to sustain significant levels of federal prosecutions of violent offenders despite the recent unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Despite a global health crisis that continues to impact the criminal justice system, our office has maintained or exceeded its recent levels of prosecutions of violent criminals, including trigger-pullers, carjackers, and those who illegally use and possess firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We are using every available federal law enforcement tool to reduce violent crime in Chicago and hold violent offenders accountable.”
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms.”
According to preliminary data for the 2020 Fiscal Year, which ended Sept. 30, 2020, 262 defendants were charged with a firearm offense in the Northern District of Illinois. This number is higher than 14 of the previous 15 years, with the lone exception being 2019, which had 8% more firearm defendants. The number of firearm defendants in FY20 was 33% higher than 2018, and 48% higher than 2017, according to preliminary data. These increases were particularly significant considering that, prior to 2019, the 2018 and 2017 fiscal years stood as the two highest years of federal firearm defendants in more than a decade.
The sustained focus on federal prosecution of firearm offenses in the Northern District of Illinois was enhanced by Operation Legend, which launched in Chicago in July. Under Operation Legend, approximately 176 defendants have been charged with federal offenses impacting violent crime in Chicago, including 130 charged with firearms-related offenses, 40 charged with narcotics-related offenses, and 6 charged with other violent crimes. Approximately 1,057 defendants have been charged throughout the country under Operation Legend, including 568 with firearms-related offenses, 411 with narcotics-related offenses, and 78 with other violent crimes.
“The number of violent crimes in Chicago remains stubbornly high, including homicides, shootings, and carjackings, and we have seen troubling increases in these areas in 2020,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our goal as federal prosecutors is not simply to bring more cases against more defendants, but rather to reduce violent crime, and one way to do that is by continuing to bring quality, impactful cases. As federal prosecutors, we endeavor to disrupt violent crime by seeking pre-trial detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community, employing federal resources to enhance law enforcement’s efforts to build strong cases, and pursuing appropriate sentences in federal prison to deter dangerous individuals from continuing to wreak havoc in our neighborhoods.”
Nationally, the Department of Justice announced last week that more than 14,200 defendants were charged in federal courts across the country with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year 2020.
“Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners,” said Attorney General Barr.
Through enforcement actions, prosecutions, and community partnerships, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer.
Enforcement Actions and Prosecution Activity
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including ATF, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to investigate and prosecute a variety of violent crimes. State and local partners in this effort include the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Rockford Police Department, and other local departments throughout northern Illinois.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Gun Crimes Prosecution Team continues to enhance the prosecution of illegal firearm possession in certain police districts in Chicago. Working collaboratively with federal and local law enforcement, the team focuses on charging Chicago’s most dangerous criminals quickly after arrest, endeavoring to disrupt the cycle of violence in the neighborhoods most in need.
“Our Gun Crimes Prosecution Team has had tremendous success investigating and prosecuting firearms cases from those Chicago neighborhoods suffering from the most violent crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our partnerships with CPD and other state and local law enforcement have never been better.”
Firearm and violent crime investigations in Chicago have also been bolstered by an important tool from ATF: the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. Federal, state and local law enforcement in Chicago have used NIBIN extensively to help solve violent crimes and prosecute trigger-pullers and other gun offenders.
Following up on the activities our office reported in October of last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains active in fighting violent crime through various enforcement actions, prosecutions, and sentencings, as illustrated below:
Gang-Related Prosecutions
“Combating the unacceptable level of gang violence in Chicago has been and will continue to be a top priority in our office,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- ALONZO G. HORTA, a member of the violent Latin Kings street gang, was sentenced last month to 27 years in prison for engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder. Horta fatally shot Alfonso Calderon on the Southeast Side of Chicago in 2017 because Horta suspected Calderon was a member of a rival gang. Horta was named with more than 30 other alleged members of the Latin Kings in an indictment that charged numerous other murders, attempted murders, and arsons. The case was investigated by FBI, CPD, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hammond, Ind., Police Department.
- DARNELL MCMILLER, the alleged leader of the Black Disciples street gang in Chicago, was among 23 individuals charged in July as part of a federal investigation into drug and gun trafficking on the city’s South Side. Several other alleged high-ranking members of the Black Disciples were also charged, including the leader of the gang’s “Dog Pound” faction. Law enforcement seized 24 firearms and more than 13 kilograms of cocaine during the probe, which was led by FBI, CPD, ATF, DEA, and IRS-CI.
- “Operation Full Circle” and “Operation Wicked Stones” targeted two street gangs responsible for firearms offenses, narcotics trafficking, and violence on the West Side of Chicago. During the probe, 24 defendants were charged, and law enforcement seized 34 firearms, more than six kilograms of heroin, more than 17 kilograms of cocaine, more than a kilogram of fentanyl, and more than $1.3 million in cash and jewelry. The multi-year investigation was led by ATF, DEA, IRS-CI, HIDTA, and CPD, with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), and assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
- Racketeering charges were unsealed in March against ten alleged members of the LAFA street gang for allegedly participating in a criminal organization that murdered its rivals and violently protected drug-dealing territories on the South Side of Chicago. The charges accuse five alleged LAFA members of committing murder in furtherance of the gang’s activities. The indictment also charged attempted murders and several firearm offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office worked closely in the investigation with FBI and CPD, with support from OCDETF.
- JASON BROWN, also known as “Abdul Ja’Me,” the alleged leader of the AHK street gang, which is based in the Chicago suburb of Bellwood and comprised of former members of other gangs, including the Black P Stones, Gangster Disciples, and Four Corner Hustlers, was charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Six other alleged AHK members or associates were charged separately with federal drug offenses. The case was investigated by the National Security Division of the Department of Justice, CPD, IRS-CI, ISP, USPIS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, HSI, Lombard, Ill., Police Department, and Addison, Ill., Police Department.
Firearm Trafficking and Firearm Theft Prosecutions
“Straw purchasers and firearms traffickers enable unlawful possession of guns and the violence that may follow,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, including our colleagues in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana, to hold accountable those who engage in illicit firearm transactions.”
- Earlier this month, WAYNE ADAM TUCKER, of Albion, Ind., was charged with illegally selling 39 handguns and assault rifles in the Chicago area. In setting up the deals with an individual who was confidentially working on behalf of law enforcement, Tucker explained that he obtained the guns from people who purchased them at gun shows in Indiana. The probe was led by FBI and CPD.
- Last month, BRIAN HAYWOOD, of Hammond, Ind., was charged with “straw purchasing” guns in Indiana on behalf of a convicted felon in Chicago. On three occasions this summer, Haywood allegedly purchased the guns and falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer. The investigation was led by the FBI.
- A suburban Chicago man was sentenced in January to eight years in prison for stealing guns from a licensed firearms dealer. KEVIN CULPS, of Dolton, stole or attempted to steal guns from firearms dealers in Manteno, Loves Park, and Tinley Park. Two co-defendants were also convicted and sentenced to prison terms. ATF led the investigation, with assistance from the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, CPD, and Police Departments of Loves Park, Manteno, Tinley Park, and Lombard.
- OMRAN ISMAIL, of Burbank, was sentenced in December to a year and a half in prison for conspiring to straw purchase handguns on behalf of a woman who allegedly tried to smuggle the firearms into Egypt. The guns were discovered in the woman’s checked luggage at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago as she attempted to board a flight to Cairo, via London. The investigation was conducted by HSI, CBP, and CPD.
Carjacking and Robbery Prosecutions
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement to prosecute violent crimes, such as carjacking, that violate federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- ELIAS QUINONES-FIGUEROA, of Chicago, was charged last month with carjacking a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe sport-utility vehicle from a victim in the city’s West Town neighborhood in May. Quinones-Figueroa allegedly brandished a handgun during the carjacking. The probe was led by FBI and CPD, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- In August, MICHAEL C. PEARSON, of Chicago, was charged with carjacking a 2006 Buick Lucerne from two victims in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. Pearson allegedly discharged a handgun during the carjacking, but fortunately neither victim was wounded. The case was investigated by FBI and CPD, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- DARIUS D. YOUNG, of Berwyn, was arrested on a federal criminal charge for allegedly robbing a United Parcel Service delivery truck in Oak Park in August. The driver was ordered to lay face down in the street while Young and two others allegedly removed boxes from the truck and drove off. FBI and the Oak Park Police Department participated in the investigation.
- A federal jury in November convicted IVAN PARKER, of Chicago, of robbing an ATM technician at gunpoint in the city’s Little Village neighborhood. Parker pointed a handgun at the technician’s head and used pepper spray on him before grabbing a bag containing $106,335. Parker is awaiting sentencing. FBI led the probe.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Prosecutions
“If you are a felon and thinking about picking up a gun in Chicago, you should expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and face the possibility of going to federal prison for a long time,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
- CHAWAN LOWE, of Chicago, was sentenced last month to seven and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun in the city’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. As a convicted felon, Lowe was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. The case was investigated by ATF and CPD, with assistance from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
- In July, convicted felon ANTOINE JACKSON, of Chicago, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded gun in the city’s Avalon Park neighborhood. The semiautomatic handgun had a 16-round magazine and was capable of accepting an even larger capacity magazine. ATF and CPD conducted the probe.
- In the first federal prosecutions in Chicago under Operation Legend, three individuals were charged in July with illegally possessing guns or ammunition in various parts of the city this summer. One of the firearms was a machinegun. ATF and CPD led the investigation.
- Several individuals were charged with federal firearm offenses for allegedly illegally possessing guns during periods of civil unrest in Chicago this summer. The federal defendants include ADAM WALTON, of Chicago, who was arrested in June after Chicago Police officers observed him exiting a store through a broken window while in possession of a loaded semiautomatic handgun and a case of .22-caliber long-rifle ammunition; and JAVONTE T. WILLIAMS, of Chicago, who allegedly possessed a loaded gun while looting a store in downtown Chicago in August.
- A Chicago man who allegedly pointed a loaded semiautomatic handgun at a federal agent in June was charged with a federal firearm offense. The agent had approached JOSEPH HAMMOND in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood while investigating a report of a man holding a gun and a toddler. ATF and CPD led the probe.
- Two roommates were charged in federal court with illegally possessing handguns and trafficking cocaine out of their apartment in Oak Park. Law enforcement searched the apartment of ISAIAH INGRAM and KEVIN HAGER and discovered five semiautomatic handguns, all of which were loaded. The case was worked by FBI, CPD, and the Oak Park Police Department.
- A suburban drug dealer was sentenced in December to 12 years in prison for illegally possessing narcotics and a loaded semiautomatic handgun. EFREN GUTIERREZ illegally possessed the firearm and narcotics in Burbank in 2017. The gun was loaded and had a .45-caliber magazine attached to it. FBI and CPD led the probe.
- A federal jury in December convicted RAMONE SHAFFERS, of Chicago, of illegally possessing a loaded handgun with an extended magazine in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The jury also found Shaffers guilty of obstructing justice for offering to pay witnesses to lie on his behalf. ATF and CPD led the investigation. Shaffers is awaiting sentencing.
- A convicted felon was sentenced in December to nearly seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun and 61 rounds of ammunition in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. ANTONIO BROWN, of Chicago, was previously convicted in state court of the attempted armed robbery of a nail salon. He was released from state prison seven months before the illegal gun possession that led to the federal charge. The probe was led by FBI and CPD.
- A federal judge in December sentenced a Chicago man to more than 16 years in prison for shooting an ATF agent. ERNESTO GODINEZ shot the agent in 2018 in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago. The agent was wounded in the head but survived. ATF led the investigation, with assistance CPD, FBI, USMS, HSI, DEA, and ISP.
Opioid Prosecutions
Opioids are a class of highly addictive drugs that includes heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone. Public safety is being threatened by unprecedented levels of opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose. The Department of Justice is committed to using every available tool to enforce federal drug laws and combat the opioid epidemic.
In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed a strategy of aggressive investigations and prosecutions of those who are most responsible for this epidemic. This includes prosecuting the leaders of traditional drug trafficking organizations, as well as rogue healthcare providers, pharmacists, pharmacist technicians, and others who contribute to the supply and overuse of opioids.
“The current opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. "We are actively attacking this crisis from all investigative and prosecutorial angles.”
- WILLIAM TOWNSEND was charged last month with selling wholesale quantities of heroin and fentanyl in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago. During the investigation, which was led by the FBI, law enforcement seized approximately $469,000 in cash and approximately a kilogram of suspected heroin.
- Eighteen individuals were charged this summer as part of “Operation Monticello’s Revenge” with conspiring to sell heroin or fentanyl-laced heroin. Law enforcement during the DEA-led probe shut down a busy open-air drug market in the 1000 block of North Monticello Avenue in Chicago.
- CHARLES KINDRED, of Chicago, was charged in May with selling fentanyl-laced heroin in a store parking lot in Chicago’s Ashburn neighborhood. Unbeknownst to Kindred, the buyer was cooperating with law enforcement. DEA led the investigation, with assistance from the Oak Lawn Police Department.
- A federal grand jury in May indicted MITCHELL DWAYNE SIMMONS, of Chicago, for allegedly trafficking fentanyl-laced heroin and illegally possessing a loaded assault rifle while on parole from a previous drug conviction. The investigation was conducted by ATF and CPD.
Other Significant Drug Trafficking Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office targets traffickers who bring illegal drugs into Illinois from other states or countries, with a focus on organizations or individuals who use guns, violence and threats of violence to protect and promote their illegal businesses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works directly with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure that individuals trafficking drugs are charged with appropriate offenses in either federal or state court.
- In “Operation Dirty Ice,” 13 defendants were charged this summer with participating in a drug trafficking operation that distributed at least 25 kilograms of heroin to customers in Chicago. The street-level sales allegedly occurred at two open-air drug markets in the city’s Austin neighborhood. The investigation was conducted by FBI, IRS-CI, and CPD.
- In July, five individuals were charged as part of an FBI and CPD investigation into cocaine trafficking in the West Ridge neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side.
- FELIPE CABRERA SARABIA, a former high-ranking member of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was extradited to Chicago from Mexico in June to face federal drug charges. Cabrera Sarabia is accused of conspiring with other Sinaloa Cartel members to transport multi-ton quantities of illegal drugs into the U.S. DEA and IRS-CI conducted the probe.
- Ten defendants were charged in May as part of a DEA-led investigation that disrupted a Mexico-to-Chicago cocaine pipeline. The alleged drug sales occurred in the South Loop and Streeterville neighborhoods of Chicago, as well as suburban locations.
- A federal jury in March convicted a Chinese national of laundering illegal narcotics proceeds on behalf of drug traffickers in Mexico. XIANBING GAN schemed to have $534,206 in narcotics proceeds picked up in Chicago and transferred to various bank accounts in China, in order for the money to ultimately be remitted to the Mexican traffickers. Gan is awaiting sentencing. HSI and IRS-CI conducted the probe.
- A suburban man was sentenced in November to 15 years in prison for his role in transporting various narcotics into the United States from China and selling it on the streets of Chicago. NESTOR BURGOS, of River Grove, also possessed two handguns and a silencer in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. HSI and USPIS conducted the probe.
Community Partnerships
The revitalized PSN program continues to invest resources in violence-prevention initiatives. Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office have participated in offender notification meetings and youth outreach forums. Even during the current COVID-19 pandemic, these meetings and forums are still being held, including in a virtual environment, to maintain the outreach to former offenders.
Offender notification meetings provide an opportunity for individuals who have been convicted of a state or federal offense to make an informed choice not to engage in further criminal activity. Researchers at Arizona State University found that the forums have a positive influence on the offenders’ perception of police and help create an understanding that criminal activity results in a higher risk to return to prison. Researchers at Yale University found that ex-offenders who attend an offender notification meeting in Chicago are 30% less likely to commit a new offense than those who did not attend a meeting.
The quarterly youth forums assist children aged 13-17 to identify a path other than gang membership. The youth forums are conducted in partnership with CPD, the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, and the University of Chicago Crime Lab, which tracks the progress of the children to assess results.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges 3 with COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Local Tax Business Alleged to be Responsible for $1.1 Million in Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 Related Economic Injury Disaster Loans
Memphis, TN – Brandy D. Scaife, 42, Janisha L. Jones, 22, and Sharika L. Carpenter, 42, of Better Days Tax Service, have been charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the unsealing of the federal criminal complaint today.
According to information presented in the complaint, between April 2020 and June 2020, Scaife, Jones and Carpenter, participated in a fraud scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funds from the Small Business Administration in excess of $1 million. Further, the scheme resulted in 401 fraudulently filed applications seeking Economic Injury Disaster loans made available to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Numerous applications were submitted using false information for the purpose of facilitating the fraudulent activity. Evidence revealed approved loan applications netted approximately $1.1 million in fraudulently obtained funds.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 30 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Protection of the United States Treasury is a top priority for the Department of Justice, and our office is absolutely committed to bringing to justice those who would seek to take unfair advantage of critical government resources through fraud during this challenging and uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I commend the outstanding investigation by our federal law enforcement partners in this brazen and disturbing case."
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop illegal COVID-19-related activity, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster- complaint-form.
The Western District of Tennessee Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and convicted through due process of law.
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U.S. Attorney: Do Not Let COVID-19 Distract from Keeping Children Safe on the InternetRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister is reminding educators and parents in Kansas not to let COVID-19 distract from keeping students and children safe on the Internet.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives in so many ways,” McAllister said. “We should not forget, however, that young people still face more online threats than ever.”
“In this new environment,” he continued, “I want to remind parents, educators, caregivers and children about the dangers of online sexual exploitation. I urge adults to watch for signs of such exploitation and abuse and to report to and engage federal and state law enforcement authorities when exploitation and abuse are suspected or discovered.”
McAllister said children sometimes are too trusting online and befriend people they do not know. Predators take advantage of this and target children, often between the ages of 10 and 17, typically through social media. Children across all demographics and genders can be targeted and exploited. Sexual exploitation, even when there is never any physical contact, causes very real harm and has a lasting impact. Images and videos do not disappear from the Internet, and the long term effects can be devastating.
Online sexual exploitation can come in many forms. Sextortion occurs when a predator entices a victim into providing sexually explicit images or videos—usually by falsely pretending to be a teen, someone much younger and different than their real identity—and then threatens to share the images publicly if the victim fails to comply with the predator’s demands for increasingly explicit and degrading images and videos.
“In order for such victimization to stop, children need adult intervention and assistance,” McAllister said. “They have to come forward to someone they trust — a parent, teacher, friend, or caregiver—who can then cut off the communications and report the situation to us, which will permit law enforcement to go after the predator.”
McAllister urged parents to review the resources regarding child exploitation and other crimes related to COVID-19 at https://www.fbi.gov/coronavirus. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact the FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, or your local law enforcement agency and report it. Such exploitation is a serious federal crime carrying severe federal penalties.
You can call the FBI office in Kansas City at (816) 512-8200 or make a report online at https://www.ic3.gov/ .
“Federal law enforcement has taken an aggressive approach toward the investigation and prosecution of COVID-19 related crimes such as fraud, price-gouging and hoarding of essential medical supplies,” McAllister said. “But we stand ready to act just as aggressively against those who might seek to take advantage of this situation to exploit our children.”
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Nearly $2.5 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced awards of $2,463,568 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of Nevada. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
“During the pandemic and corresponding restrictions, Nevada has seen an increase in drug overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “By providing these additional grants, the Department of Justice is reinforcing its commitment to end opioid abuse and addiction. We are grateful to the Office of Justice Programs for its support in the fight to end the opioid epidemic, both in Nevada and across the country.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- Reno Municipal Court received $899,839
- Justice Court, Las Vegas Township received $180,450
- Nevada State Board of Pharmacy received $781,761
- Nevada Department of Public Safety received $339,089
- Reno Municipal Court Community Court received $183,042
- Justice Court, Las Vegas Township received $79,387
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
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U.S. Attorney welcomes new Assistant U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Bill Powell has hired four new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Christopher L. Bauer, Eleanor F. Hurney, Maximilian F. Nogay, and Clayton J. Reid were sworn in over the past few months.
“A position as an Assistant United States Attorney is a coveted one. We receive dozens of applications for every one opening, and many of the applicants are highly qualified. Ultimately, we hire the best person for the position, and we have done so again. I am very proud of our team in this district, and I am confident that our new Assistant United States Attorneys will continue the great work our district is recognized for,” said Powell.
Christopher L. Bauer received his undergrad degree in legal studies and political science, and a minor in philosophy, from William Paterson University in New Jersey. Chris then received his JD/MBA from West Virginia University, where he served on the West Virginia Law Review and the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. From 2016 to 2017, he worked as a litigation associate in the Bridgeport, West Virginia office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. From 2017 to 2018, Chris served as a term law clerk for the Honorable Robert W. Trumble, United States Magistrate Judge. From 2018-2020, he served as a term law clerk for the Honorable Irene M. Keeley, Senior United States District Judge. Chris is working in the criminal division in the District’s Clarksburg office.
Eleanor F. Hurney is a 2017 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. After graduating from WVU in May 2017, she clerked for U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey in Wheeling, for Judge Stephanie D. Thacker with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and, most recently with Judge Frank W. Volk while he was the Chief U. S. Bankruptcy Judge in Southern West Virginia and as a U. S. District Judge in Charleston. Eleanor is working in the criminal division in the Martinsburg office.
Maximilian F. Nogay is a 2018 graduate of WVU College of Law. After graduation, Max joined the law firm of Sellitti, Nogay & Nogay in Weirton, WV. He handled a variety of civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts throughout West Virginia and Pennsylvania as the firm’s primary associate attorney. While in law school, Max won the Lugar Cup, WVU’s annual in-house trial competition, and competed in the National Moot Court Competition held at the U. S. Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit. Max was also a four-year varsity athlete for the West Virginia University baseball team. Max is working in the District’s Wheeling office in the civil division.
Clayon J. Reid is a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia. He received his Bachelor of Science in American Legal Studies from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 2009. Following graduation from West Point, C.J. served in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer until 2014, including one tour in Afghanistan. C.J. received his J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2017, where he was a member of the West Virginia Law Review, Veterans Advocacy Clinic, and Order of the Coif. Following graduation from law school, C.J. served as a term law clerk for the Honorable John Preston Bailey until joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia this year. C.J. works in the District’s Wheeling office in the criminal division.
U.S. Attorney Shappert Announces Election Day Program to Oversee Any Complaints of Election Fraud of Voting Rights ConcernsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Alphonso Andrews will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Andrews has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Virgin Islands District and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Shappert said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination. Every vote must be counted in accordance with the law. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
“The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through Election Day.”
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their consent or without their approval. Federal law also provides protections for the rights of voters, and ensures that citizens can vote without intimidation or harassment. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal election law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The voting franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt the franchise are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Shappert stated that AUSA/DEO Alphonso Andrews will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (340) 773-3920 or (340) 344-0503.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office will have agents on St. Thomas and St. Croix available to respond and who can be reached by the public at (340) 777-3363.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at (800) 253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately, before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
United States Attorney Shappert said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
U.S. Attorney Schroder Announces over $3 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction Crisis in AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage – U.S. Attorney Schroder announced awards of $3,204,331 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in Alaska. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Authorized by the 2016 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program encourages and supports the development of comprehensive, locally driven responses to the opioid and stimulant epidemics that expand access to supervision, treatment and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for non-violent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by the opioid and stimulant epidemics. All projects are expected to involve multiple agencies and partners.
The following organizations received funding:
- Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian tribes was awarded $599,673
- Koyukuk Native Village was awarded $312, 953
Drug courts have been demonstrated to reduce recidivism and substance abuse among high-risk, high-need participants and increase their likelihood of successful rehabilitation. These courts integrate evidence-based substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in judicially supervised court settings. BJA’s Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program provides financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government and tribal governments to develop, implement and enhance drug courts and veterans treatment courts.
The following organizations received funding:- Alaska Court System was awarded $736,129
- Tanana Chiefs Conference was awarded $400,000
BJA awarded $28 million to support the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program, which helps states develop and implement residential substance abuse treatment programs within state and local correctional facilities.
The following organizations received funding:- The Alaska Department of Corrections was awarded $141,718
In addition, BJA awarded $28.1 million to 17 states to fund the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which enhances the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database administered by an authorized agency. Prescription drug monitoring programs help state and local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutically controlled substances such as opioids and other prescription drugs.
The following organizations received funding:- State of Alaska Division of Public Health was awarded $1,013,858
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
U.S. Attorney Schroder Announces over $1.7 Million Awarded to Alaska Department of Public Safety for Advancement of Forensic Science in AlaskaRead the Press Release
Anchorage – U.S. Attorney Schroder announced $1,736,924 in Department of Justice grants to Alaska to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $45 million in funding to support the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) and an additional $192 million in funding to advance forensic science nationwide.
“Far too many people endure the physical and emotional trauma of a sexual assault only to have evidence of the crime remain unanalyzed,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. “These grants will help investigators get these kits to labs, where they can be tested, used to solve crimes and ultimately bring justice to victims.”
Department of Justice grants help law enforcement agencies and crime labs process sexual assault evidence and increase the number of sexual assault kits submitted to crime labs in order to solve more crimes, including cold cases, in Alaska. The Alaska Department of Public Safety was awarded $998,791 in grant funding through the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence –Inventory, Tracking and Reporting (SAFE-ITR) Program in support of law enforcement and prosecutorial activities related to the testing and use of evidence obtained in a sexual assault investigation.
“This funding represents the continued commitment of the Department of Justice in addressing violent crime in Alaska.” said U.S. Attorney Schroder, “Each processed rape kit is step closer to justice for the victims.”
Since 2004, the Office of Justice Programs has received an annual appropriation for DNA and other forensic science activities. The funding, administered through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Institute of Justice, supports DNA analysis, laboratory capacity enhancement and forensic science research that provides knowledge and tools to improve the quality and practice of forensic science. The Alaska Department of Public Safety received $473,435 under the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program.
The Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program helps improve forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services, including services provided by laboratories operated by states and units of local government. Funds may be used to eliminate a backlog in the analysis of forensic evidence and to train and employ forensic laboratory personnel. The Alaska Department of Public Safety was awarded $264,698 under this program.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts, and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., Appoints Election Officer for the Eastern District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.– United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., announced on Thursday that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ken Taylor will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election.
AUSA Ken Taylor has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Kentucky and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Duncan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Duncan stated that AUSA/DEO Taylor will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 859-685-4874 (office); 859-338-9509 (cell).
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. For all Kentucky based complaints, FBI personnel can be reached by the public at 1-844-596-6721 or [email protected].
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
United States Attorney Duncan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $622,000 to Support Mental Health Programs for Juveniles in Contact with Justice Systems in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $622,883 in Department of Justice grants to the Maryland Office of the Public Defender to support juvenile justice initiatives to reduce crime and recidivism associated with mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
“These grant funds will assist youth offenders with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Hopefully, linking these juveniles with treatment will prevent them from re-offending.”
“More and more people with mental illness are coming into contact with the criminal justice system, straining law enforcement resources and placing exceptional demands on our jails and prisons,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “By supporting partnerships between justice system professionals and treatment providers, we are making substantial investments in addressing the link between mental health and public safety.”
Provided through the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, the funding supports efforts that establish collaborative anti-recidivism comprehensive care before, during and after incarceration for persons with serious mental illness. The funding also supports training and technical assistance to law enforcement, other criminal justice agencies and their partner mental health and substance abuse authorities to improve outcomes for youth with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
The following organization in Maryland received funding:
- The Maryland Office of the Public Defender will receive $622,883 from the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
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- The Maryland Office of the Public Defender will receive $622,883 from the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $2.9 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction Crisis in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $2,905,629 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of Maryland. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
“We must do everything we can to combat opioid addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “These grants from the Department of Justice will help prevent opioid addiction through prescription drug monitoring programs, provide treatment to drug-addicted prisoners, and help prosecute drug dealers by enhancing our ability to evaluate evidence. These efforts are crucial to the fight to stop drug abuse and dangerous overdoses.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- The Maryland Department of Health has received $1,930,382 to enhance the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database. Prescription drug monitoring programs help state and local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutically controlled substances such as opioids and other prescription drugs.
- The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services has received $427,047 for residential substance abuse for state prisoners.
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology is receiving a total of $548,200 for research and development in forensic science for criminal justice purposes; and for research and evaluation for the testing and interpretation of physical evidence in publicly funded forensic labs.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
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U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces Almost $10.2 Million in Federal Grants to Support Wellness and Safety of Law Enforcement Officers in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $10,199,380 in Department of Justice grants to benefit law enforcement officers in the District of Maryland. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $54 million in funding nationwide to provide services that protect officers and improve overall public safety. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded grants to law enforcement departments, local jurisdictions, and training and technical assistance organizations throughout the United States.
The FBI’s official crime data for 2019, the most recent available, reflects a decrease in the number of law enforcement officers killed feloniously between 2018 and 2019, from 43 to 32 killed as of September 30, 2019. The number of law enforcement officers reported accidentally killed in 2019 decreased slightly from 33 to 29 in the same reporting period. Additionally, officers experienced nearly 59,000 assaults against them in 2018.
“We simply cannot close our eyes to the unique risks facing law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “It is critically important to support our law enforcement officers and these grants will help provide the tools needed to keep them safe and healthy.”
“The Office of Justice Programs stands proudly with the Attorney General and the President in our commitment to the health and safety of 700,000 sworn law enforcement professionals who selflessly place their lives in jeopardy to keep us all safe,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Bulletproof vests, body-worn cameras, professional training on wellness and safety—these resources, equipment and strategies will help officers do their jobs effectively, keep them safe from harm and protect their health.”
Nationwide, more than $19 million will support the training and implementation of law enforcement agencies’ body-worn camera programs. Another $23.6 million will reimburse jurisdictions for up to 50 percent of the cost of body-armor vests, while nearly $11 million will support law enforcement safety and wellness programs, research and services.
The following organizations in Maryland received funding:
- Morgan State University received $139, 380 under the Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to enable it to improve the capacity to gather evidence and protect the safety of law enforcement officers and citizens.
- Towson University received $60,000 under the same program.
- Justice and Security Strategies received $10 million under the Supporting Small and Rural Agency Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to provide funding and program development to assist small agencies nationwide.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Overbey Announces $899,488 in Justice Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey announced today $899,488 in Department of Justice grants to Cocke County to fight drug abuse and addiction in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
"The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction."
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
"If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction," said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. "These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm."
"Many of our rural communities in the Eastern District of Tennessee are confronted daily with the challenges of dealing with drug abuse and addiction. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for communities struggling to address the drug epidemic, these federal funds will help provide treatment-related resources and support services through the Tennessee Recovery Oriented Compliance Strategy (TN-ROCS)," said U.S. Attorney Overbey. "TN-ROCS has proved its effectiveness, and I’m pleased OJP has made this award to such a worthy project."
The TN ROCS project serves Tennessee’s 4th Judicial District, which includes Cocke, Sevier, Jefferson, and Grainger Counties, and its purpose is to increase the capacity of this innovative court-based intervention program to link individuals at high risk of overdose to appropriate, evidence based behavioral health treatment and recovery support services.
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts to be awarded and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit here and here.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Appoints Election Officer for the District of ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. - United States Attorney Michael Bailey announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Sean Lokey will lead the efforts of his office related to the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the general election on November 3.
As the District Election Officer (DEO) for Arizona, AUSA Lokey is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election fraud complaints and voting rights concerns in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington, DC.
“The integrity of the voting process is vital to our democracy,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “My office stands ready, alongside our law enforcement partners and the entire Department of Justice, to ensure that integrity is protected and preserved. It is imperative that citizens report any concerns promptly so that we can address them fully and effectively.”
The Justice Department has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. Actions designed to interrupt or intimidate a voter at a polling place by questioning, challenging, filming, or photographing the voter under the pretext of trying to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice if needed.
Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt the process are brought to justice.
AUSA Lokey will be on duty in Arizona on Election Day to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns. AUSA Lokey can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 602-514-7516 or 602-361-6516.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will also have agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The FBI in Arizona can be reached by phone at 623-466-1999 or online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-087_District Election Officer
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey Announces over $3.5 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Michael Bailey today announced awards of over $3.5 million in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in Arizona. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations in Arizona received funding:
- County of Yuma - $262,164
- Gila River Indian Community - $500,000
- Superior Court in Pima County - $499,524
- Judiciary Courts of the State of Arizona - $750,000
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission - $817,487
- Arizona Youth Partnership - $690,553
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2020-088_Opioid Grants
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.- County of Yuma - $262,164