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8 September 2020
Prince George’s County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Donnell Duane Berry, age 44, of Forestville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal bank robbery charge. Berry also admitted that he committed this crime while on supervised release for a previous federal conviction.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on September 4, 2019, Berry and two other individuals committed the robbery of a bank in Lanham, Maryland. Berry, who had previously committed a robbery at this same location, wrote the demand note and provided it to his co-defendant, who entered the bank and provided the demand note to the teller, while Berry and the third individual waited in the getaway car. In fear for her life, the victim teller gave the co-defendant over $4,000 in cash along with a GPS tracker. The co-defendant took the cash and fled the bank, getting into the waiting getaway car.
As detailed in the plea agreement, a short time later police located the getaway car, which was disabled in an intersection approximately five miles from the bank. Berry and the other robbers attempted to run away from police, but were all subsequently apprehended. Officers recovered the following items from a bin underneath the deck of a house near the intersection: the hat worn by the co-defendant during the robbery; the co-defendant’s wallet; and $3,050 in cash, which still had the bank’s GPS tracker in it. Near the wood line several yards east of the intersection officers also recovered a black and gray backpack with Berry’s identification and credit cards in it.
Berry and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Berry will be sentenced to between 144 and 204 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin B. Pulice and Dwight Draughon, who are prosecuting the case.
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Possession of Cocaine and Firearm Sends Shreveport Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Kentrell Demarcia Turner, 28, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced today in federal court, Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. Turner was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 87 months (7 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On February 23, 2018, a Shreveport Police Department officer observed a vehicle in a parking lot with smoke plumes exiting an open window that resembled the smell of marijuana. When the officer approached the vehicle, the driver, Kentrell Demarcia Turner, exited and stood near the open driver side door. The law enforcement officer observed a large plastic baggie containing marijuana and a black semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s side floorboard. Turner was taken into custody and admitted that the marijuana belonged to him. While inventorying the vehicle, officers also located a bag containing 33.09 net grams of cocaine in the vehicle and found that the handgun on the driver’s side floorboard was loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition.
While at the Shreveport City Jail, law enforcement officers searched Turner and removed 200.8 gross grams of powder cocaine from a body cavity. The suspected cocaine was examined by the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory and tested positive as cocaine.
Turner has previous felony convictions for possession of Schedule II narcotics in 2011 and 2012. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
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Operation X-Nation: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A New York man pled guilty today for his participation in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Mercer County, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Walker, 43, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, oxymorphone, oxycodone and hydromorphone. Walker was charged as a result of a long-term, multi-state investigation known as Operation X-Nation. As part of the plea agreement, Walker also agreed to forfeit $150,000, which represents proceeds generated from his drug trafficking activity.
“The diversion of prescription opioids has devastated our southernmost counties,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are holding pill pushers like Walker accountable through criminal prosecution and forfeiture of illegal proceeds.”
Walker admitted that between August 2017 and August 31, 2019, he participated in a DTO operating in Mercer County. During this time, Walker worked with other members of the DTO to distribute prescription pills and cocaine in and around Mercer County. More specifically, Walker admitted to facilitating drug transactions with people he now knows were working with law enforcement as confidential informants, who would call him to purchase drugs. Walker would then direct the informant to one of several trailers he owned in different trailer parks in Mercer County. Once the informants arrived at the trailer park, Walker would then direct them to meet with a particular member of the DTO to purchase the drugs. Walker and other members of the DTO also had telephone calls intercepted by law enforcement. In these calls Walker and others were discussing drug transactions including the pricing and quantities of different substances. Walker further admitted that he was arrested in New York after having calls intercepted by law enforcement. At the time of his arrest, Walker was in possession of approximately 1,500 prescription pills that he intended to distribute. He also was arrested in Princeton on January 10, 2020. At that time Walker was driving a car that had a hidden mechanical trap that he admitted was used to transport controlled substances.
Walker faces up to 20 years in federal prison and $1 million fine, to be followed by at least three years of supervised release, when he is sentenced on December 14, 2020.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which is composed of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Princeton Police Department and the Bluefield Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-00307.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Operation Legend: Case of the DayRead the Press Release
Tennessee: Memphis Man Charged with Federal Firearms Offense
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Western District of Tennessee. Operation Legend launched in Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates.
United States vs. DeQuan Johnson
"Prohibited persons in possession of firearms or ammunition, such as convicted felons, persons with histories of domestic violence, and unlawful users of illegal narcotics present a known and immediate risk of violence to the community at large,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “Operation Legend is leveraging our collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, and is already making a difference in our collective fight against violent crime in Memphis by interrupting the shooting cycle and holding trigger-pullers accountable. As long as this indiscriminate and senseless violence rules the streets, we will use the resources of Operation Legend and the authority of federal charges to incapacitate these community predators, reduce violent crime rates, and ultimately save lives."
DeQuan Johnson, of Memphis, was charged on Aug. 25, 2020, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a drug user.
According to the charging document, in January 2020, the ATF assisted the U.S. Marshals Service(USMS) with the arrest of Johnson, who was wanted by police for reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault stemming from a shooting incident that occurred on Nov. 24, 2019.
It is alleged that on Nov. 24, 2019, Memphis Police Department officers responded to a shooting in which victims reported that two men approached the back porch of their residence and began firing shots into their home, which was filled with 12 people. One of the victims reported hearing approximately 15 gunshots coming from the back of the residence, and local police subsequently collected 15 spent cartridge casings from the scene. The investigation led to Johnson, who was positively identified by one of the victims.
On Jan. 22, 2020, members of the USMS Fugitive Task Force made contact with Johnson at his residence in Memphis. During a protective search of Johnson’s home, law enforcement located a loaded Smith & Wesson, Model SD40 VE, .40 caliber pistol; an extended magazine containing 20 .40 caliber rounds of ammunition; and marijuana. Because Johnson had active warrants out for his arrest, he was taken into custody.
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.
Background on Operation Legend
President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis. Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 2000 local, state, and federal arrests, with approximately 476 defendants charged with federal crimes.
Operation Legend: Case of the DayRead the Press Release
Each weekday, the Department of Justice will highlight a case that has resulted from Operation Legend. Today’s case is out of the Western District of Tennessee. Operation Legend launched in Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020, in response to the city facing increased homicide and non-fatal shooting rates.
United States vs. DeQuan Johnson
"Prohibited persons in possession of firearms or ammunition, such as convicted felons, persons with histories of domestic violence, and unlawful users of illegal narcotics present a known and immediate risk of violence to the community at large,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “Operation Legend is leveraging our collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, and is already making a difference in our collective fight against violent crime in Memphis by interrupting the shooting cycle and holding trigger-pullers accountable. As long as this indiscriminate and senseless violence rules the streets, we will use the resources of Operation Legend and the authority of federal charges to incapacitate these community predators, reduce violent crime rates, and ultimately save lives."
DeQuan Johnson, of Memphis, was charged on Aug. 25, 2020, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a drug user.
According to the charging document, in January 2020, the ATF assisted the U.S. Marshals Service(USMS) with the arrest of Johnson, who was wanted by police for reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault stemming from a shooting incident that occurred on Nov. 24, 2019.
It is alleged that on Nov. 24, 2019, Memphis Police Department officers responded to a shooting in which victims reported that two men approached the back porch of their residence and began firing shots into their home, which was filled with 12 people. One of the victims reported hearing approximately 15 gunshots coming from the back of the residence, and local police subsequently collected 15 spent cartridge casings from the scene. The investigation led to Johnson, who was positively identified by one of the victims.
On Jan. 22, 2020, members of the USMS Fugitive Task Force made contact with Johnson at his residence in Memphis. During a protective search of Johnson’s home, law enforcement located a loaded Smith & Wesson, Model SD40 VE, .40 caliber pistol; an extended magazine containing 20 .40 caliber rounds of ammunition; and marijuana. Because Johnson had active warrants out for his arrest, he was taken into custody.
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.
Background on Operation Legend
President Trump promised to assist America’s cities that have been plagued by violence. In July, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Operation Legend, a sustained, systematic and coordinated law enforcement initiative across all federal law enforcement agencies working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime in cities across America that were experiencing an uptick in violence. Operation Legend is named after four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed on June 29th in Kansas City, Missouri, while asleep in his home.
Operation Legend was launched in Kansas City, Mo., on July 8, 2020, and expanded to Chicago and Albuquerque on July 22, 2020; to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee on July 29, 2020; to St. Louis and Memphis on Aug. 6, 2020; and to Indianapolis on Aug. 14, 2020. As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime. The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis. Since its inception, Operation Legend has yielded more than 2000 local, state, and federal arrests, with approximately 476 defendants charged with federal crimes.
johnson_daquan_memphis_complaint_.pdf
New Bern Medical Doctor Sentenced for Unlawfully Distributing Oxycodone, Money Laundering and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A New Bern physician, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for unlawful distribution of oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, concealment money laundering, and income tax evasion. The Court ordered that Kumar be placed on a three-year term of supervised release at the conclusion of his term of imprisonment. The Court further order Kumar to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $471,758.40 and a criminal fine in the amount of $50,000.
According to court documents and other public information, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, 54, was a physiatrist who operated a small medical office in New Bern, North Carolina, known as “New Bern Medicine and Sports Rehabilitation.” From 2004 through 2011, Kumar treated chronic pain patients with a wide variety of modalities and interventions, including physical therapy, massage, electrical stimulation (TENS), and non-narcotic prescription medications. Kumar was adamantly opposed to the use of opioid narcotics for the treatment of chronic pain and rarely prescribed them to his patients during this period, although he acknowledged that if he began prescribing opioid narcotics indiscriminately, he would have a “line out the door” of individuals “willing to pay him $200 to $300 cash” for a 30-day supply.
In the summer of 2011, Kumar’s business was on the brink of financial collapse after Blue Cross Blue Shield—Kumar’s primary source of insurance reimbursements—terminated his provider contract after discovering excessive billing irregularities. At that point, Kumar began to transition his therapy-based practice into an opioid-based pill mill through which opioid narcotics (primarily oxycodone) were prescribed indiscriminately and indifferently to patients at their first visits, regardless of their etiology and diagnosis, in exchange for $200 cash. By 2012, Kumar had terminated all of his staff and shifted his hours of operation so that his “clinic” was operating from the late afternoon into the evening. Kumar’s prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances (e.g., oxycodone) skyrocketed. For example, in 2011, Kumar wrote approximately 100 prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances. Prior to his arrest, between 2013 and 2016, Kumar was writing thousands of narcotic prescriptions year after year. During the offense period, Kumar prescribed in excess of 1.2 million oxycodone pills alone.
After complaints were raised by a number of local pharmacies about Kumar’s prescribing patterns, a multi-agency task force, consisting of local, state, and federal law enforcement, was formed in 2014 to conduct an investigation. Among other things, agents observed patients lining up at Kumar’s office door before he opened for business and then leaving in large groups at the same time. Kumar would often leave at the same time as patients, following them, while others remained back at the office waiting. A pole camera recording device was installed nearby, only to be obstructed at Kumar’s direction by patients in exchange for “free visits” that concluded with narcotics prescriptions. At trial, former patients testified that Kumar would accept cash as the only form of payment, each visit costing $200. Every patient received a prescription for oxycodone or controlled substances from Kumar at every visit. Patients were put on a “monthly maintenance program” requiring them to come back to Kumar for additional refills. The prescriptions were issued regardless of their history of prior medications, prior treatment, and medical diagnoses. During these visits, Kumar was often observed wearing a handgun.
On June 21, 2016, Kumar was arrested and search warrants were executed at both his residence and business. At the time of his arrest, officers recovered a loaded handgun and three full magazines of ammunition from Kumar. He was also in possession of over $145,000 in United States currency. At his house, law enforcement recovered 35 additional firearms, many loaded with high-capacity magazines, and over 40,000 rounds of ammunition. Investigators also discovered five large duct-taped PVC tubes containing nearly $450,000 in United States currency.
Based on a review of the medical records seized from Kumar’s medical practice, over 97% of the approximately 600 patients who came to Kumar for treatment after June 2011 received a prescription for an opioid narcotic at their first visit. In a typical scenario, the narcotic prescription was given to the patient whether or not they had used or abused opioids in the past, before medical records were obtained or reviewed from prior providers, without the use of a urine drug screen, and without any attempt to provide any alternative forms of treatment.
The financial investigation revealed that in 2013, Kumar stopped keeping financial books and records. Between 2013 and 2016, Kumar made 121 separate cash deposits into a dozen different bank accounts, totaling over $439,000. Kumar would often go to multiple banks, one after another-making deposits, each deposit being less than the required amount to trigger the financial institutions reporting requirement to the United States Department of the Treasury. In addition to his cash deposits, from 2013 to 2016, Kumar used his ill-gotten gains to spend over $175,000 on four vehicles, $70,000 in purchases from Best Buy, $60,000 on real property, and hundreds of thousands in purchases from Amazon. Investigation into Kumar’s federal income tax filings revealed that he had filed fraudulent personal and corporate tax returns for his medical practice during the offense period. Despite having thousands of patient visits per year, during which he charged $200 in cash on average, Kumar reported losses on his returns.
Mr. Higdon commented, “In the summer of 2011 and from that point until now, Dr. Kumar turned his back on the medical profession and on the values of ethics and the principles of human care and decency that govern the behavior of medical professionals. Put more directly, he moved from being a doctor to being a common, ordinary and dangerous drug trafficker.”
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the New Bern Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation Diversion and Environmental Crime Unit, and the Craven County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam F. Hulbig and Nick J. Miller prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
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. 4:17-CR-5-FL.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Following a Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported two times was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison.
Omar Acosta-Ruiz, age 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on June 29, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for a felony.
At the guilty plea, Acosta-Ruiz admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Acosta-Ruiz was first deported in August 2009. He was also deported in March 2017 following a conviction in the Northern District of Iowa for illegal reentry, a felony.
On May 29, 2020, Acosta-Ruiz was convicted in Tama County, Iowa, of false imprisonment and assault causing bodily injury. He also has Iowa convictions for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in 2008 and operating a motor vehicle while barred in 2015. Acosta-Ruiz also illegally used the Social Security number of U.S. citizens when he completed employment forms in September 2010 at a business in Sibley, Iowa, and in December 2018 at a business in Malcom, Iowa. Acosta-Ruiz illegally worked at the business in Malcom until his arrest on April 25, 2020, in Tama County, Iowa, on the false imprisonment and assault causing bodily injury charges.
Acosta-Ruiz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Acosta-Ruiz was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Acosta-Ruiz is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-42.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Madison County Nurse Pactitioner Pleads Guilty to Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
Jami L. Mayhew of Glen Carbon, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to a single-count felony information charging her with healthcare fraud. Facts elicited at the plea hearing established that, from May
30 to June 26, 2017, the 41-year old nurse practitioner knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud Medicare by performing medically unnecessary visits in nursing homes located in St. Clair and Madison counties.Mayhew carried out the fraudulent scheme by seeing nursing home residents multiple times, examining them for only a few minutes at a time, generating progress notes she knew contained misrepresentations and materially false statements about the services she had performed, and falsely reporting that her visits met the billing requirements for complex subsequent nursing home encounters, when in fact they had not.
As part of her guilty plea, Mayhew admitted that she knowingly caused 251 false claims to be submitted to Medicare during the charged timeframe. Medicare paid her employer, General Medicine, P.C., over $23,000 for those visits. Mayhew, herself, received $27 from the company for each of the false claims she caused to be submitted, for a total of $6,777.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2020. Healthcare fraud is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Members of the public who believe they may have information related to this or any similar schemes involving healthcare fraud in nursing homes are encouraged to contact law enforcement by calling the HHS fraud hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1- 800-447-8477) or by going online at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/.
The investigation of this case was a collaborative effort conducted by the Department of Health and
Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control
Bureau, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor
– Employee Benefits and Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United
States Postal Inspection Service, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan D. Stump.Lyon County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - A Lyon County man pleaded guilty today to possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Jimmy Dwayne Leger, 26, who used to live in Allen, Kan., and now lives in Kuntz, Texas, pleaded guilty in federal court in Topeka. The investigation began when law enforcement officers used a file sharing program to download child pornography from an IP address in Allen, Kan. They served a search warrant at a house in Allen where they seized electronic devices from Leger’s bedroom. An examiner found 100 videos and 1,200 images of child pornography on an external hard drive.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 15. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Local man charged with making threat during university Zoom lectureRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 19-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Richmond is set to appear in federal court on allegations he made a bomb threat against University of Houston (UH), announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick.
Ibraheem Ahmed Al Bayati is charged with making threats or conveying false information to destroy by means of fire or explosives and making a threat over interstate commerce. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon today at 2 p.m.
Federal authorities took him into custody late Friday, Sept. 4, upon the filing of a criminal complaint. According to those charges, Al Bayati identified himself as Abu Qital al Jihadi al Mansur and joined a UH student lecture via Zoom on Sept. 2. Shortly thereafter, he allegedly interrupted and said “what does any of this have to do with the fact that UH is about to get bombed in a few days?
According to the criminal complaint, he then uttered an Arabic a phrase that means the “Islamic State will remain.” Al Bayati then allegedly held up his index finger and repeated the phrase. He left the call to the gasps of students, according to the charges.
The complaint further states that Al Bayati’s discussion about the “Islamic State” is a reference to a certain foreign terrorist organization also known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham).
In addition, Al Bayati allegedly sought out ISIS supporters online, helped an individual make a “pledge” and, according to Al Bayati, was known as an ISIS recruiter.
If convicted of making threats or conveying false information to destroy by means of fire or explosives, Al Bayati faces up to 10 years in federal prison in addition to a maximum of five years for making a threat over interstate commerce.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alamdar Hamdani and Steven Schammel of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe in the Department of Justice’s counterterrorism section.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Kyle Man Indicted for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Verlin Old Horse, age 19, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum term of 30 years in federal prison up to life, and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Old Horse engaging in sexual acts with a female, who had not attained the age of 12 years, between October 12, 2019, and December 9, 2019, at Kyle.
The charges are merely accusations and Old Horse is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case.
Old Horse was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Justice Department Files Friend-of-The-Court Brief in Indiana Supreme Court Supporting Catholic Archdiocese’s First Amendment Rights in Former High School Teacher’s LawsuitRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Indiana Supreme Court explaining that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives the Roman Catholic Archdiocese the right to decide for itself who should personify its beliefs, inculcate its teachings, and instruct students at religious high schools affiliated with the Archdiocese. In its brief, the United States explains that three separate aspects of the First Amendment prevent a former Catholic high school teacher from suing the Archdiocese over his termination: the church-autonomy doctrine, the Archdiocese’s right to expressive association, and the ministerial exception — a doctrine recently reaffirmed and clarified by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 7-2 decision two months ago in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru.
In September 2019, the United States filed a statement of interest in Indiana state trial court arguing that the First Amendment required this lawsuit to be dismissed. The trial court, in May 2020, declined to dismiss the case, instead ordering discovery into Catholic doctrine and its application and into whether the Archbishop is the highest ecclesiastical authority on the matters at issue. The Archdiocese is now asking the Indiana Supreme Court to intervene and dismiss the case.
“Our ancestors arrived on our shores to establish a country where the people would be secure to practice their faiths and to gather freely with their religious communities. To that end, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of religious institutions and people to decide what their beliefs are, to associate with others who share their beliefs, and to determine who will teach the faithful in their religious schools,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Let there be no doubt: the Department of Justice will continue to defend the First Amendment rights to believe, worship and associate in a manner that respects the dignity and choice of all individuals.”
“There is no more fundamental constitutional principle on the proper relationship between church and state than that the government must leave religious decisions to religious organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler for the Southern District of Indiana.
This case stems from a directive issued by the Archdiocese to Cathedral High School, a Catholic school in Indianapolis. The Archdiocese told Cathedral that the school’s continued employment of a teacher in a public, same-sex marriage in contradiction to Catholic teachings on marriage would result in Cathedral’s forfeiture of its Catholic identity. After much deliberation, the school terminated the teacher. The teacher then filed suit against the Archdiocese, claiming the directive to Cathedral interfered with his employment and his contractual relationship with the school.
The United States explains in its brief that the First Amendment prevents courts from impairing the constitutional rights of religious institutions. The former teacher’s lawsuit attempts to penalize the Archbishop for determining that schools within the Archdiocese cannot employ teachers in public, same-sex marriages, and simultaneously identify as Catholic. U.S. Supreme Court precedent makes clear that the First Amendment protects the Archdiocese’s right to this form of expressive association, just as it protects a wide array of non-religious expressive association from membership in the NAACP to the Boy Scouts, and courts cannot interfere with that right.
The brief also makes clear that, under the church-autonomy doctrine, courts cannot second-guess how religious institutions interpret and apply their own religious laws. U.S. Supreme Court precedent has long held that the “First Amendment requires civil courts to refrain from interfering in matters of church discipline, faith, practice and religious law.”
Additionally, as the brief explains, the ministerial exception grounded in the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment and elaborated on by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Our Lady of Guadalupe School, shields from judicial review the Archdiocese’s direction to Cathedral (or else lose its Catholic affiliation) to terminate the employment of a high-school teacher such as Payne-Elliott, who has an important role in fulfilling the Church’s mission to pass on its faith to the next generation.
The United States takes no position on the other issues raised by the Archdiocese on appeal.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together Department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty litigation and policy, and to implement the Attorney General’s 2017 Religious Liberty Guidance.
Judge sentences Florissant man for distribution of fentanyl causing deathRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Raymond L. Young, today, to 216 months in prison. The 35-year-old Florissant, Missouri resident, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
In December 2018, Florissant Police responded to the 2300 block of Palomino and found a person, J.S., unresponsive. Police took J.S. to a hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. After a medical examiner’s investigation, the medical examiner determined J.S. died as a result of ‘fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl intoxication.’ Police also learned that another individual, L.M., had been with J.S. that same evening, and that L.M. was involved in an automobile crash after leaving J.S. L.M. was determined to be overdosing and, after officers administered Narcan, he was taken to a hospital where his blood work revealed the presence of fentanyl and acetyl-fentanyl. Through their subsequent investigation, police learned that J.S. and L.M. had used what they thought was cocaine that evening after a friend had purchased it from Raymond Young.
On February 6, 2019, officers executed a search warrant at Raymond Young’s residence in the 3600 block of Browning. Officers located Raymond Young in the residence, and recovered a drug ledger, marijuana, $124,538.00 in currency and approximately one ounce of heroin. Young subsequently admitted to selling the controlled substance which both J.S. and L.M. ingested, causing J.S.’ death and L.M.’s serious illness.
The Florissant Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sirena Wissler handled this case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jacksonville Elementary School Teacher Arrested and Charged with Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Thomas Lester Hazouri, Jr. (40, Jacksonville Beach) has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with distributing child pornography. Hazouri faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a potential life term of supervised release. Hazouri has been detained pending a hearing scheduled for September 11, 2020.
According to the
complaint , MediaLab, the company that hosts the Kik online messaging application (“app”), notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of its users, identified by user name “mybfsgaynotme,” had uploaded suspected child sexual abuse videos on March 26, 2020, using an account whose subscriber information included the email address “[email protected].” Further investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office revealed the internet protocol address used to distribute these videos on Kik resolved to the residence of Thomas Lester Hazouri, Jr. in Jacksonville Beach. JSO determined that Hazouri was a second grade teacher assigned to Mayport Elementary School in Jacksonville.A search warrant was issued for the Kik account for user “mybfsgaynotme,” and this account contained 19 images and 45 videos that depicted child sexual abuse. On August 6, 2020, JSO detectives and other personnel executed a search warrant at Hazouri’s residence and seized an Apple iPhone XR, as well as two laptop computers. Forensic examination of the iPhone revealed that it contained 123 images and three videos depicting child sexual abuse, including depictions of very young children. The email address “[email protected]” originally reported to NCMEC in March 2020 was the email address used for the Gmail, Tinder, and Uber accounts on this iPhone. JSO detectives observed a tattoo on Hazouri’s wrist that matched the tattoo shown in a photo of a male masturbating that was recovered from the Kik account for user “mybfsgaynotme.” JSO also confirmed that a particular rug pictured in a photo recovered in this same Kik account matched an actual rug in Hazouri’s classroom at Mayport Elementary School. On August 19, 2020, JSO officers arrested Hazouri in Jacksonville.
On August 27, 2020, JSO and the FBI confirmed that on March 26, 2020, the Kik user of the “mybfsgaynotme” account distributed at least four videos depicting child sex abuse to several other Kik users.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Duval County School Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact the FBI Jacksonville office at 904.248.7000.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Following a Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.
Marcos Guico-Macario, age 43, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 15, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.
In a plea agreement, Guico-Macario admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Guico-Macario was deported in February 2003 following a May 2001 conviction in the District Court for Finney County, Kansas, for attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child, an aggravated felony. Guico-Macario also admitted he illegally used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen when he completed employment forms in September 2018 at a business in Tama, Iowa. Guico-Macario illegally worked at the business using the alias until his arrest on May 24, 2020, in Tama County, Iowa, for providing false identification information.
Guico-Macario was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Guico-Macario was sentenced to 96 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Guico-Macario is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-41.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.
Victor Sajcap-Agreda, age 40, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Allamakee County, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 15, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Sajcap-Agreda admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Sajcap-Agreda was deported in March 2014 following a misdemeanor conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. Sajcap-Agreda most recently came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest on May 31, 2020, in Allamakee County, Iowa, for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. These charges are still pending.
Sajcap-Agreda was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Sajcap-Agreda was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sajcap-Agreda is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-1017.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Grand jury indicts Pevely man for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Timothy Lloyd Blaney for production of child pornography. The 57-year old is a resident of Pevely.
According to court documents, between October 1, 2019 and August 14, 2020, Blaney sexually abused a four-year old child and produced visual depictions of that abuse. Blaney was an acquaintance of the child’s family.
Upon conviction, Blaney faces 15 years to life imprisonment and/or a fine of no more than $250,000. Blaney is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Law enforcement is requesting community assistance in identifying further victims. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the St. Louis Federal Bureau of Investigation at 314-589-2500.
"The majority of child sex abuse is perpetrated by individuals known to the victim or the victim's family," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. "In this instance, the young victim fortunately knew to tell her parents what happened. This highlights the importance of parents engaging early with their children about appropriate boundaries."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pevely Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling the case.
Fultondale Doctor Sentenced for Unlawful Drug Distribution and Heath Care Fraud and Demopolis Pharmacist Sentenced for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Fultondale doctor to six years in prison for prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and engaging in health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
U.S. District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced PAUL ROBERTS, M.D., 48, of Fultondale, Ala., a physician and former co-owner of Southeast Urgent Care (“SEUC”) in Fultondale, following a guilty plea he entered to 16 counts stemming from a June 2019 Second Superseding Indictment. Roberts pled guilty to 12 counts of prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose, including allowing unqualified staff such as an X-ray technician, to prescribe controlled substances to patients using prescriptions that Roberts pre-signed. He also prescribed controlled substances to two women, in exchange for, or in an attempt to obtain sexual favors from them. Roberts also pled guilty to a conspiracy and scheme to fraudulently bill Blue Cross Blue Shield for office visits. In addition, he pled guilty to a conspiracy and scheme to fraudulently bill health insurance companies for up to $2.2 million worth of medically unnecessary compounded drugs in exchange for kickbacks. Roberts was also ordered to pay restitution of $2.2 million, a fine of $100,000, and 12 years of supervision following his release from prison. The U.S. Marshals took Roberts into custody at sentencing. As part of the plea agreement, Roberts agreed to relinquish all his medical licenses, including his Alabama medical license.
In a related case, STANLEY REEVES, 62, of Demopolis, Ala., a pharmacist and owner of F&F Drugs in Demopolis, was sentenced to 38 months for one count of conspiring to fraudulent bill health insurance companies for $10.5 million worth of medically unnecessary compounded drugs. Of the $10.5 million, $2.2 million was for compounded drugs prescribed by Roberts. Reeves was also ordered to pay restitution of $10.5 million, pay forfeiture of $900,000, and a fine of $100,000. Reeves paid $400,000 of those amounts at sentencing. As part of the plea agreement, Reeves agreed to surrender his pharmacist license to the Alabama Board of Pharmacy.
“In blatant disregard for the law, these defendants chose greed over patients’ welfare,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “This kind of criminal conduct endangers lives in our communities and impacts healthcare costs, and we will continue to prioritize these cases.”
“DEA is committed to bringing to justice those who engage in the dispensing of prescription drugs outside the course of a legitimate medical purpose,” Morris said. “The sentences handed down are a direct result of the hard work put forth by all law enforcement agencies involved. Today justice has been served.”
“Today’s sentence sends a message to all those in the medical field that neither their medical license nor their white lab coats will protect them from the consequences of illegal drug distribution and medical fraud,” Sharp said. “Roberts and Reeves violated both our laws and their solemn oaths as medical professionals and they will now pay for those violations. It is sad to know that while many individuals continue to struggle with serious opiate addiction, this case reveals that such powerful narcotics can sometimes become available for abuse because of the illegal actions of those in the medical community.”
BRETT TAFT, 46, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., is listed as a co-defendant in the compounding drug health care fraud conspiracy and scheme described in the June 2019 Second Superseding Indictment. A trial date has not yet been set.
FBI and DEA investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chinelo Dike-Minor, Austin Shutt, Kristen Osborne, and Lloyd C. Peeples are prosecuting the case.
Fraud Alert: Scammers claiming to be with DOJ, preying on elderlyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — The Department of Justice is advising the public of an imposter scam in which persons claiming to represent the department are calling individuals and appear to be targeting the elderly.
The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports of the imposter scam, and the DOJ strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
"Exploiting the elderly for financial gain through such scams is a crime, and posing as DOJ employees makes it even more despicable because it undermines the public's trust in the department. I urge everyone to independently verify the identity of a caller before giving any personal information. An investigating agent will never request financial information," U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization. The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported,” said OVC Director Jessica Hart.
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877)382-4357.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses.
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Fraud Alert: Scammers Claiming to be with Department of Justice and Preying on ElderlyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Justice Department are calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam. Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate that scammers falsely represent themselves as DOJ investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the Department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization. The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly,” said Jessica Hart, Director of the Office for Victims of Crime (“OVC”), which monitors reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline. “As if this were not despicable enough, the scammers do so posing as employees of the Justice Department, usurping public trust in the agency that serves as a bastion of fairness and lawfulness while these scams exploit the elderly for financial gain. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) via their website or by calling 877-FTC-HELP (877-38204357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2-3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open 7 days a week. For more information about the hotline please visit: https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
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Fraud Alert: Scammers Claiming to be with DOJ, Preying on ElderlyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an imposter scam. The department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization. The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly,” said OVC Director Jessica Hart. “As if this were not despicable enough, the scammers do so posing as employees of the Justice Department, usurping public trust in the agency that serves as a bastion of fairness and lawfulness while these scams exploit the elderly for financial gain. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported.”
“In a time of a national pandemic it is unconscionable for these scammers to prey upon our nation’s most vulnerable victims by pretending to be associated with the United States Department of Justice,” commented United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. “Your Department of Justice does not do business this way and does not seek your personal identifying information over the telephone. We don’t make threats over the phone; we don’t cut deals over the phone and we don’t use investigators who do it for us.”
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Former USPS Employee Admits Stealing Cash and Gift Cards from MailRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELIZABETH URBANI, 42, of West Haven, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to theft of mail by a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Urbani was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and most recently was a mail carrier assigned to the New Haven Post Office. Beginning in December 2019, some USPS customers along Urbani’s mail route submitted complaints that their mail was missing or had been stolen. Subsequent investigation revealed that, in January and February 2020, Urbani opened approximately 125 pieces of mail and stole cash and gift cards contained within several of those mail pieces.
Judge Thompson scheduled sentencing for December 1, 2020, at which time Urbani faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Urbani is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of mail theft may file a complaint by calling 888-USPS-OIG or by visiting www.uspsoig.gov/form/new-complaint-form
Former Head of Enfield Community Development Corp Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DARRIN LAMORE, 49, of Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson to five months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing government funds. Judge Thompson also ordered Lamore to serve the first five months of supervised release in home confinement with electronic monitoring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lamore was the executive director of the Enfield Community Development Corporation (“ECDC”), a non-profit corporation that oversees economic development projects in Enfield, primarily in the Thompsonville section of the town. The ECDC is responsible for administering federal grant money allocated to Enfield by the State of Connecticut, including grants to provide assistance to low and middle income home buyers, small business assistance, and the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties. From June 2012 to October 2015, Lamore funded his salary with those federal grants well in excess of the portion of the grants that was allowed to be used for salary. He also obtained additional funds to pay his salary by falsifying invoices from vendors, and by submitting vendor invoices to the state for reimbursement when, in fact, he had never paid the invoices.
Through this scheme, Lamore took $97,854.34. Judge Thompson ordered Lamore to pay full restitution to the Town of Enfield and the State Department of Economic and Community Development.
Lamore was arrested on a criminal complaint on February 16, 2018. On March 16, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft from a program receiving federal funds.
Lamore, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 5, 2021.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Enfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Following Charges of Fraud, Raleigh Real Estate Developer Charged with Obstruction of Justice and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging a Sanford man with Fraud, Money Laundering, Obstruction of Justice and firearms offenses. The charges were announced in federal court today during an initial appearance.
According to the first section of the superseding indictment, Joshua Matthew Houchins, 36, operated a number of real estate development companies in Raleigh between 2014 and 2018, including Rossshire Development LLC, Greenstone Ventures LLC, and Modern South Development LLC. The indictment charges that Houchins used these entities to carry out a fraud upon his real estate development investors.
According to the indictment, Houchins solicited investment monies by telling victims that their money would be “put to work” on a specific property, and further represented that the investments would be secured by deeds of trust filed with the county register of deeds. In fact, Houchins did not put all of the investor funds to work on the property on which the investor was solicited to invest, and instead, regularly used investor funds on other properties, or on personal expenses. Likewise, the investor promissory notes were not secured by a deed of trust as promised. In some instances, Houchins did not even own the property that was the subject of the investment, and as such, could not truthfully grant a deed of trust to the investor.
The indictment alleges that after Houchins diverted investor money away from the property on which the funds were supposed to be spent, Houchins failed to develop and sell the properties, as he represented he would. Houchins then defaulted on the notes by failing to pay investors their promised returns. The investors were unable to foreclose upon the investment properties because Houchins had not secured the promissory notes with a deed of trust filed, thereby resulting in losses to the investors.
According to the second part of the superseding indictment, the grand jury began to investigate Houchins in 2018 concerning the aforementioned offenses. Following the issuance of subpoenas to his attorney and to his various real estate companies, Houchins only produced a small number of documents to the grand jury. Instead, the indictment alleges that Houchins admitted in a February 2020 letter that he had “destroyed all of the evidence.”
The superseding indictment also alleges that Houchins, who had recently separated from his wife, began to send her harassing messages. The indictment alleges that Houchins’ wife obtained a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) barring Houchins from contacting, threatening or harassing his wife. While Houchins was already prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his status as a convicted felon, the DVPO further prohibited Houchins from possessing a firearm.
The superseding indictment then alleges that in March of 2020, Houchins communicated to friends of his wife that she had “run to the police” and that Houchins has “no mercy on a lying rat.” Around one month later, the superseding indictment alleges that Houchins sent threatening communications to friends and family of his wife, including photographs of Houchins wearing a mask and tactical vest.
The superseding indictment then charges that, following his internet searches for “killing your wife over love,” Houchins was arrested. At the time of his arrest, Houchins was in possession of a Ruger AR-15, 4 magazines, a double canister magazine containing 100 rounds of ammunition, two boxes of .223-caliber ammunition, and a tactical vest.
Houchins is charged with nine counts of Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, each of which carry a punishment of up to 20 years in prison. Houchins is charged with three counts of Conducting Monetary Transactions in Criminally Derived Property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, each of which carry a punishment of up to 10 years in prison. Count 13 of the Superseding Indictment charges Obstruction of Justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(c)(1), which carries a maximum punishment of up to 20 years in prison. Lastly, Houchins is charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Possession of Firearm by Person Subject with a DVPO, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and (g)(8). Both of these offenses carry a maximum punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
Houchins detention hearing hearing is scheduled for September 11, 2020.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Secretary of State are investigating the case. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Apex Police Department, and Sanford Police Department, also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Erie Man Facing Federal Charges for Actions during May 30, 2020 Erie ProtestRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and possession of an unregistered firearm/destructive device, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
"Throwing Molotov cocktails at Erie police officers is not the protected First Amendment activity of a peaceful protest; it is a criminal act that violates federal law," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "Make no mistake: if you attack police officers or commit violent crime under the guise of a protest, you will be indicted federally. We will not tolerate these acts in western Pennsylvania."
The two-count Indictment named Tyvarh Nicholson, 29, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, Nicholson threw objects and projectiles at Erie police officers during a civil disorder that occurred in downtown Erie on May 30, 2020, causing the obstruction of law enforcement officers engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties. The indictment further alleges that on the same date, Nicholson possessed destructive devices that were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The government intends to seek the defendant’s detention pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dominican National Sentenced for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national previously residing in Lawrence was sentenced today in connection with distributing fentanyl.
Angel Rivera-Valle, a/k/a Jose Antonio Serrano, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 64 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In April 2020, Rivera-Valle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Rivera-Valle will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence.
Rivera-Valle has been in custody since his arrest with co-defendant, Andi Guerrero-Lara, a/k/a “Manny Sierra,” in October 2019; he and Guerrero-Lara were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2019.
According to court documents, the defendants were members of a drug trafficking organization that regularly sold large quantities of fentanyl and operated in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts. Between September and October 2019, an undercover federal agent purchased fentanyl from the defendants on six separate dates.
This case is part of a coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley called “Devil’s Highway.” The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Doctor Indicted for Unlawful Distribution of Opioid MedicationsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A Las Vegas doctor made his initial appearance in federal court today for the unlawful distribution of opioid pain medications, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Dr. William Alvear, 65, of Las Vegas, was charged by indictment with three counts of distribution of a controlled substance – Hydrocodone, and five counts of distribution of a controlled substance – Alprazolam. A jury trial is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on November 17, 2020.
According to allegations in the indictment, from March to May 2020, Alvear unlawfully distributed Hydrocodone and Alprazolam without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice. Hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, has a high potential for abuse and can lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Alprazolam, common brand Xanax, is a Schedule IV controlled substance that also has the potential for abuse and can lead to limited psychological or physical dependence.
If convicted, Alvear faces a statutory maximum sentence is 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Levitt is prosecuting the case.
If you have a tip or information about illegal sales or distribution of prescription opioids by doctors and pharmacies, please call the Drug Enforcement Administration at 1-877-Rx-Abuse (877-792-2873).
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Department of Justice Announces Funding to Promote Law Enforcement Mental Health and WellnessRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced $4.5 million in grants for the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program. These program funds are used 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.
“As a law enforcement professional with over 50 years of experience, I know firsthand the pressures that accompany this most noble profession,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “This Department of Justice is committed to protecting the health and wellness of a police department’s most valuable asset – the men and women that leave their homes every day with a mission to protect and serve. The grants announced today will provide departments with key mental health and wellness services.”
Good mental and psychological health is just as essential as good physical health for law enforcement officers to be effective in keeping our communities safe from crime and violence. As part of the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017, Congress authorized the COPS Office to establish peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies. The 41 awards announced today meet the goals of the 2017 Act and support the Department of Justice and the Administration’s commitment to law enforcement. The full list of awards is available here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/lemhwa/Award_List.pdf.
In addition to the grants announced today, the COPS Office recently published two reports regarding officer mental health and wellness. Those reports are available here:
- Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Report to Congress
- Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For more information, please visit: https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
Conroe man hit with huge 60-year sentenceRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child as well as distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
James Glenn Fulcher pleaded guilty Sept. 16, 2019.
At a hearing that concluded late today, the court heard evidence demonstrating a pattern of abuse which rendered Fulcher a repeat and dangerous sex offender. Two of the victim’s family members spoke at the hearing, each explaining their anger at what Fulcher did to their family and/or the betrayal they felt.
U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes then ordered Fulcher to serve 360 months for producing child pornography aka sexual exploitation of a child. He also received 240 and 120 months for the distribution and possession convictions, respectively. All sentences were ordered to be served consecutively for a total of 720 months in federal prison. Fulcher must also pay $12,000 in restitution.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities to a particular social media site with a user suspected of uploading dozens of images containing child exploitation material. The investigation led to the identification of Fulcher using that account.
Law enforcement later conducted a search of his email account where they found multiple images and videos of child pornography. Some depicted bondage and prepubescent children. There were also images of an adult appearing to be Fulcher with a minor relative. Images showed his penis exposed and pointed at the back of the minor’s head.
Another video depicted an adult male with a distinctively tattooed forearm who is manipulating a minor male’s genital area both outside and inside the pants. At one point, the adult removes the child’s penis from his pants so as to display it to the camera.
Law enforcement secured a federal search warrant for the location where Fulcher had been residing. At that time, they spoke with one of his relatives who identified the minor male victim in the video as well as Fulcher’s forearm and tattoo.
Authorities later obtained and executed a search warrant at Fulcher’s new residence where they seized a cell phone and two hard drives. Forensic examination resulted in the discovery of 1,035 images and 261 videos of young children engaged in sexually-explicit conduct.
Fulcher has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood(PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Columbia Man Sentenced to More than Three Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Person Adjudicated Mental DefectiveRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., announced today that Javares Montel Watkins, 19, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution.
Evidence presented in court established that on May 2, 2019, law enforcement officers became aware that Watkins was live streaming on Instagram what appeared to the possession of a firearm and narcotics. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the City of Columbia Police Department responded to conduct surveillance. When ATF observed Watkins travelling on foot, they identified themselves and directed Watkins to stop. He responded, “No, last time you put me in jail,” and fled on foot. K-9 units tracked Watkins to a nearby residence, where he barricaded himself for approximately 50 minutes. After Watkins ended the barricade, a search of Watkins’ residence revealed a Tippmann Arms M4-22 .22LR caliber rifle, and a forensic extraction of Watkins’ phone revealed he was in possession of that rifle on numerous occasions in April 2019.
Watkins had previously been found guilty of Assault and Battery of a High an Aggravated Nature in an incident in which he shot a juvenile in the leg. He had also been involved in other violent criminal conduct and firearm-related criminal conduct, including unlawful firearm possessions, pointing and presenting a firearm while threatening a victim, and armed robberies. Evidence presented in court also indicated that he had nine outstanding state charges and that he was a validated gang member. The Court also found that from 2017 through 2019, Watkins had been in possession of seven different firearms, two of which were stolen, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Watkins had also attempted to influence a witness.
Federal law prohibits Watkins from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon a prior order that Watkins be involuntarily committed to an institution. In 2019, however, Watson was found competent in the state and federal systems, including in the instant case.
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Watkins to 41 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the City of Columbia Police Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempting to Entice a Minor for Illicit SexRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to entice a minor, who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer, to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Jeffrey Charles Johnson, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Johnson to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Jan. 21, 2020, Johnson pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor for illicit sex. Johnson admitted that he responded to a post on a website frequented by prostitutes, asking another person to help him find a juvenile female for a sexual encounter. A detective with the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department then assumed the identity of a single mother who was willing to allow Johnson to have sex with her 13-year-old daughter.
Johnson communicated with undercover law enforcement officers on several occasions and arranged to meet the mother and daughter at a Columbia, Mo., motel on Aug. 7, 2019. Johnson was arrested when he arrived at the motel.
According to court documents, Johnson has previously engaged in this type of conduct. In September 2012, Johnson’s former wife discovered a bag containing numerous VCR tapes. On two of the tapes, Johnson discusses his desire to have sexual relations with a minor. On one of the tapes, Johnson states he would pay $500 to have sexual relations with a 15-to-16-year-old child. On another tape, Johnson speaks with a woman who tells him she has a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old child in mind and could get him a child as young as 10. Johnson tells the woman 10 years old is too young, and he would prefer a child 12-to-13 years old. The woman and Johnson discuss a price of $800 for the children. It is unknown whether Johnson followed through with the commercial sex transaction in 2012.
As part of this investigation, images depicting child pornography were located on a tower computer hard drive with file names suggesting they were downloaded using peer-to-peer file-sharing software.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.- A Cincinnati, Oh., man, Sammie Green, 25, pleaded guilty Friday, before U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning, to carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to his plea agreement, Green admitted that, on August 15, 2019, he got into a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, during which a pizza delivery driver arrived. The girlfriend and her children fled from Green and asked the delivery driver to call the police. Green further admitted that, as the delivery driver called the police, he fired multiple shots from a handgun. Green then approached the delivery driver, pointed the gun at him, and demanded the keys of his vehicle. When the delivery driver complied, Green admitted to fleeing in the stolen vehicle.
Green was indicted in February 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Boone County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow and Tony Bracke.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2020. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the carjacking charge and a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for the discharging of a firearm charge. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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Chicopee Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition, Including Machine GunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, including a machine gun.
Hector Gomez, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2020, Gomez pleaded guilty to being a felon in firearms and ammunition and to possession of an unregistered firearm. Gomez was also sentenced to an additional consecutive sentence of 20 months for violating the terms of his supervised release.
On May 18, 2019 in Chicopee, Gomez was in possession of a Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle, an Arsenal 7.62 mm rifle, 14 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 28 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition and 60 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. Gomez is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior conviction punishable by at least one year incarceration.
At the time he possessed the firearms and ammunition, Gomez was on supervised release for a 2015 conviction in federal court for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Chicopee Police Chief William R. Jebb made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Lelling’s Springfield Office prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced for Federal Methamphetamine CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy that involved large quantities of methamphetamine transported from Akron and sold in West Virginia, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Charles Vincent Hively, Jr., 46, previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Another great effort. This man is going to prison and another meth dealer in the world of drug trafficking has been removed,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Hively admitted that on June 7, 2019, officers came to his residence at 1195 Livingston Ave. in Charleston to execute a warrant that had been issued for his arrest. When officers knocked on the door, they saw Hively look out the window and run to the rear of the residence. Hively then threw a cigarette box from a rear window. When officers recovered the box, they discovered that it contained approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine. Officers also recovered additional methamphetamine from inside the residence and Hively admitted that he intended to distribute the drugs. As part of his plea, Hively admitted that he was responsible for distributing up to 200 grams of methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.
The joint investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other investigative agencies included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
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. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-00245.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Brownsville Felon Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing and Selling Explosive MaterialRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of KENNETH RAY MILLER, 58, for manufacturing and dealing in explosive material. MILLER entered his guilty plea today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. MILLER’s sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to MILLER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, in the spring of 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was notified of a Popular Science magazine article about MILLER manufacturing pyrotechnics on his property in Brownsville, Minnesota. MILLER, having previous felony convictions, is prohibited from possessing firearms and manufacturing and dealing in explosive material.
According to MILLER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, from 2013 to March 3, 2020, he manufactured and sold smoke generating devices containing electric igniters (also known as electric matches) and a chlorate explosive mixture to customers across the country. MILLER admitted that he did not have a license, permit, exemption or other authorization from the ATF to possess or use the electric matches or chlorate explosive mixtures.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Paul Police Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (State Fire Marshal).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
KENNETH RAY MILLER, 58
Brownsville, Minn.
Convicted:
- Manufacturing and dealing explosive materials, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Boston Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A career criminal was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking and firearm charges.
Damien Bynoe, 44, of Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 210 months in prison and six years of supervised release. In January 2020, Bynoe pleaded guilty to one count each of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
“This sentence will ensure that the defendant will not continue to ravage the Roxbury community and the lives of its residents,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “The defendant’s actions, time and again, prove his disregard for the law and for human life.”
“Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to our community and in this case, the defendant was an armed career criminal who continued to possess a firearm despite his prior violent felony conviction history. Byone has spent his life as a career criminal and that prior history has finally caught up with him. This sentence rightly removes him from our streets for 17 and half years and will improve public safety for the citizens of Boston,” said Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division.
On Jan. 19, 2019, police officers executed a search warrant and seized a firearm, 68 rounds of ammunition, $6,000 in cash, heroin and cocaine from an apartment in Roxbury tied to Bynoe. Additional amounts of heroin, cocaine and cash were also seized from Bynoe himself.
According to court documents, Bynoe was convicted in 2009 in federal court of distribution of cocaine base within 1000 feet of a school and was sentenced to six years in prison and six years of supervised release. While on supervised release, he was arrested on the gun and drugs charges he was sentenced for today.
Bynoe’s criminal record also includes a 2007 conviction for assault with a firearm; a 2001 conviction for distribution of cocaine in a school zone, for which he served five years in prison; and a 1991 juvenile delinquency adjudication for murder, in which Bynoe shot and killed two boys – aged 15 and 11 – in Roxbury.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, ATF SAC Brady and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Hussein Al Hasani, 22, of Boise, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Al Hasani was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on August 13, 2019. Sentencing is set for December 7, 2020, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Boise.
According to court records, on June 15, 2019, Al Hasani was in an altercation with individuals outside of a hookah bar in Nampa. During the altercation, Al Hasani discharged a firearm. Police later arrested Al Hasani and found him in possession of a .40 caliber, semi-automatic handgun. Al Hasani has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Boise Police Department; and Nampa Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
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Attleboro Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal grand jury in Boston indicted an Attleboro man today on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.
Garry Bienvenue, 58, of Attleboro, was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. On March 12, 2020, Bienvenue was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and has been detained since that time.
According to charging documents, law enforcement learned that an internet user at Bienvenue’s Attleboro home had solicited and received child pornography from children over the internet using the Snapchat messaging application. A search of the home resulted in the seizure of Bienvenue’s smartphone, which was found to contain child pornography videos, including one depicting the rape of a child as young as 3-5 years old.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Each charge also provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Attleboro Police Chief Kyle P. Heagney made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for In-Custody Assault in Hatfield Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Kelvin Valentino McDuffie, 34, of Supai, Arizona, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and one year of supervised release today for assaulting an in-custody defendant in the Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Portland.
According to court documents, on July 26, 2019, Deputy U.S. Marshals escorted McDuffie, an adult female victim, and other male and female inmates into a prisoner elevator inside the federal courthouse. The male and female inmates were separated by a metal chain-link screen and McDuffie was restrained with handcuffs and a belly chain.
As the elevator arrived at a floor, McDuffie reached his fingers through the chain-link screen and touched the victim’s inner thigh and buttocks through her clothing with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, and degrade the victim and arouse and gratify his own sexual desire.
McDuffie was in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after being arrested in the District of Oregon for an alleged violation of the supervised release that had been imposed following a conviction for assaulting a federal officer in the District of Arizona.
On November 21, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging McDuffie with assault and abusive sexual contact. On April 21, 2020, he pleaded guilty to assault.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to enforcing the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). PREA requires the development and promulgation of “national standards for the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape.” These standards, like the law mandating them, are intended to address a serious public safety, public health, and human rights problem—the incidence of sexual violence in our nation’s confinement facilities. To learn more about PREA, please visit: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/prison-rape-elimination-act-prea/overview.
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced TRACY REIGHARD, 62, of Cheyenne, Wyoming on August 25, 2020 for mail fraud. Reighard was arrested in Laramie County. He received six months of imprisonment, to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,000.00 and a $100.00 special assessment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced SPENCER JAMES BARBOUR, 47, of Gillette, Wyoming on August 31, 2020 for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Barbour was arrested in Buffalo, Wyoming. He received one hundred twenty months of imprisonment, to be followed by sixty months of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $500.00 and a $100.00 special assessment. The Buffalo Police Department and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated this case.
Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced WILLIAM RONALD BAKER, 58, of Phoenix, Arizona on September 2, 2020 for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Baker was arrested in Evanston, Wyoming. He received one hundred twenty months of imprisonment, to be followed by sixty months of supervised release, and ordered to pay community restitution in the amount of $400.00 and a $100.00 special assessment. The U.S. Secret Service investigated this case.
5 September 2020
U.S. Attorney Wrigley Announces the Arrest of a Twin Buttes, ND, Man for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
BISMARCK — United States Attorney Drew Wrigley announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Christopher Lewis Gillette, age 34, Twin Buttes, ND, for felony Second Degree Murder; Assault with Dangerous Weapon; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder; Assault with Dangerous Weapon; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury; and Use of Firearm in Relation to Felony Crime of Violence. The Indictment alleges that on August 14, 2020, Christopher Gillette shot two individuals at a residence located on the Fort Berthold Reservation, killing one adult male and critically wounding the other.
Grand jury Indictments are allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, with Assistant United States Attorney Eric Lunberg assigned to the case.
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4 September 2020
Winston-Salem Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Middle-Man Role in Online Fraud Scheme ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Winston-Salem man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on September 4, 2020, for his role in multiple Internet-based schemes, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, James Ragland, age 29, acted in at least eight different schemes to obtain funds by wire belonging to victims primarily in the United States and then launder the proceeds.
Those schemes included:
• Business Email Compromise (“BEC”), a sophisticated scam targeting companies through email to send funds by wire transfer. After the fraudulent wire transfers are completed, co-conspirators rapidly drain the bank accounts and launder the criminal proceeds, in order to obtain money before the fraudulent transactions are detected and potentially reversed.
• “Romance scams,” in which victims on online dating websites are convinced to send financial assistance by fraudsters posing as paramours in need.
• Account takeover schemes, which involve means such as computer intrusion to gain control of a victim’s financial account. Those funds are then wire-transferred into accounts held by conspirators within the scheme.
Ragland was not alleged to be the person conducting the BEC, romance scams, or account takeover schemes, but he is alleged to have conspired with those who conducted the schemes, likely located in West Africa. Ragland received criminal proceeds into bank accounts he controlled, and would then cash out and launder those proceeds, directly and by recruiting others into the activity.
Ragland’s accounts received funds from victims of fraud, including:
• $56,593.90 from a single mother in California, intended for the purchase of a home;
• A Missouri woman’s life savings of $40,000, lost in romance fraud;
• $151,330.17 from a BEC real estate closing fraud in Florida;
• $59,985.00 in an unauthorized wire transfer from a Canadian business;
• $10,000 from the account takeover scheme involving a New Jersey couple; and
• $96,584.76 in a BEC real estate closing fraud in California.
Ragland pleaded guilty on November 18, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to launder money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h); one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; and ten counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., ordered Ragland to serve a 3-year term of supervised release and pay $312,014.18 in restitution to the victims of the schemes. Ragland is also subject to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $369,464.35.
“We are going after those who use the Internet to scam people, especially our elders. This defendant was a critical player in a large fraud conspiracy. He moved money through bank accounts to avoid fraud controls and get it overseas, handsomely profiting in the process,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “Fraudsters who imagine themselves safe behind their computers should take notice—the Department of Justice is focused on you.”
“It is appalling to think anyone would purposely swindle innocent people to steal money in an instant, the victims worked their entire lives to make. The internet can be a dangerous place, always make sure you know exactly who you are communicating with and never send money to someone you have not met in person. Sadly, there are people who make a living preying off those who are too trusting or who don't always take those extra steps online to make sure they are safe,” said John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Squad, and prosecuted by Anand Ramaswamy, Cybercrime Prosecutor for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Additional information about common scams and online safety may be found on the FBI’s website.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at http://www.justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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U.S. DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance Awards $265,930 for Local Project Safe Neighborhoods Prevention ProgramsRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 3, 2020
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $265,930 to local non-profit organizations to lead programs that will break the cycle of crime and keep youth and reentering adults from being involved in gangs and crime, enabling them to reach their full potential. This is the first in a series of awards under DOJ’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) for the Southern District of California (SDCA). The awardees in this grant cycle are the Boys and Girls Club of Oceanside, El Centro Police Athletic League, the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Reality Changers, STAR Police Athletic League, and Youth Empowerment. The grant funding will help these non-profits deter crime, provide support and expand mentoring programs within our community.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is designed to create and foster safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in violent crime, including, but not limited to, addressing criminal gangs and the felonious possession and use of firearms. The program’s effectiveness depends upon the ongoing coordination, cooperation, and partnerships of local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies – and the communities they serve – engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney in all 94 districts.
“Reducing violent crime requires a collaborative, multi-layered strategy that includes prevention as well as enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Many are recruited into gang life at a young age because they lack role models and mentors. These awardees are effectively reaching at risk youth and reentering adults by building trusting relationships and showing the path toward a fulfilling life that does not involve gangs and criminal behavior. The end result? Brighter futures and safer neighborhoods.”
The nonprofit recipients will help deter gang involvement, prevent criminal activity and provide resources to local communities. The Kroc Institute of Peace and Justice award will conduct research into PSN program outcomes, helping to ensure an evidence-based, data-driven approach to local prevention efforts. The Children’s Initiative, which works to ensure that San Diego’s low-income and under-served children and families reach their full potential, is serving as the fiscal agent to all awardees in this grant cycle and all forthcoming grant cycles.
- The Boy and Girls Club of Oceanside (BCGO) works to inspire, develop and enrich young people aged 5-18 so they can reach their full potential as confident, responsible, caring members of society. The PSN grant will assist the Oceanside Youth Partnership (OYP), a collaborative program of BCGO and the Oceanside Police Department. OYP is a character building and mentoring program designed to deter gang involvement and prevent and reduce juvenile arrests. “We are so grateful to receive a PSN grant. These funds will allow us to continue to work collaboratively with the Oceanside Police Department to deliver the Oceanside Youth Partnership program. Together, we will be able to reach out to more at-risk youth and work to keep them on the right path and out of the juvenile justice system,” said Jodi Diamond, BCGO Chief Executive Officer.
- Reality Changers is a non-profit that provides youth from disadvantaged backgrounds with academic support, financial assistance and leadership training. Reality Changers will use the award to enhance its 8th grade College Town Program, which prepares low-income, struggling 8th -11th graders to be college-ready by 12th grade. Through workshops, tutoring, social and emotional development programs, Reality Changers helps to keep youth on a positive path, away from gangs and violent crime.
- The STAR Police Athletic League (STAR/PAL) is a non-profit that aims to empower underserved youth and build a safer community by engaging with law enforcement and collaborative partners. PSN funding will assist with STAR Pal leadership development, mentoring, crime prevention education, life skills and positive sports team activities.
- Youth Empowerment (YE) is a non-profit that provides services for justice involved youth and adults living in the communities of City Heights and Southeast San Diego. YE focuses on mentoring youth and adults from the reentry population to aide them in successfully transitioning back into their communities and not recidivate. PSN funding will further support their efforts and provide more services to the community they serve. “Youth Empowerment helps support and transform communities and builds public safety through community mentoring, systems engagement, and advocacy,” said President/CEO Arthur Soriano. “All our staff have experience in the justice system and this experience is going to have an impact in the communities we serve. Investing in grassroots efforts encourages and promotes civic engagement and restoration with solution based approaches."
- El Centro Police Athletic League (PAL) is a non-profit that provides youth aged 5 – 17 with recreational and educational programs as alternatives to criminal delinquency, drugs and gangs. The award will help build closer relationships between youth and law enforcement, reduce juvenile crimes and decrease the lure of gangs and drug use through soccer, boxing, martial arts, golf, mentoring program, youth leadership program, after school tutoring, and summer camp.
In addition to the considerable financial support announced today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDCA will continue to build relationship with community partners and use all resources available to help deter crime and make our communities safer for everyone.
The SDCA’s PSN grants were competitively awarded based on the recommendations of U.S. Attorney Brewer’s PSN Executive Committee, which includes former Police Chiefs David Bejarano and Shelley Zimmerman and retired Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Paul Cook. The grants announced today are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The U.S. Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
- The Boy and Girls Club of Oceanside (BCGO) works to inspire, develop and enrich young people aged 5-18 so they can reach their full potential as confident, responsible, caring members of society. The PSN grant will assist the Oceanside Youth Partnership (OYP), a collaborative program of BCGO and the Oceanside Police Department. OYP is a character building and mentoring program designed to deter gang involvement and prevent and reduce juvenile arrests. “We are so grateful to receive a PSN grant. These funds will allow us to continue to work collaboratively with the Oceanside Police Department to deliver the Oceanside Youth Partnership program. Together, we will be able to reach out to more at-risk youth and work to keep them on the right path and out of the juvenile justice system,” said Jodi Diamond, BCGO Chief Executive Officer.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo announce Operation Red-Zone ahead of Labor Day weekendRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo announced today the launch of Operation Red-Zone in the city of Canton over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Joining the U.S. Attorney and the Canton Police Chief in the announcement were representatives from the ATF, DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals, Stark County Prosecutor and Stark County Sherriff’s office.
“We are here today ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend to announce the launch of Operation Red-Zone in the city of Canton,” said U.S. Attorney Herdman. “What this means is that if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law, either because you have a prior felony conviction, a prior misdemeanor conviction, or some other disqualifying condition, then you are in the Red-Zone. If you possess a firearm this weekend while in the Red-Zone, we are going to stop you and prosecute you in federal court.”
“The Canton Police Department would like to thank the US Attorney's office for its commitment to Canton,” said Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo. “Like most other cities, we have been dealing with increased gun violence and illegal possession of firearms all summer. I am sure with the assistance of our federal law enforcement partners, during Operation Red Zone, we will be able to see significant efforts in enforcement.
“ATF is here with our law enforcement partners to encourage everyone to take a step back from the violence and enjoy a peaceful Labor Day weekend,” stated Roland Herndon, ATF’s Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “But be aware, if you choose to use firearms to commit crimes, ATF and our law enforcement partners will be there, working to hold you accountable for those acts.”
U.S. Attorney Herdman announced that the Northern District will pursue federal charges, where applicable, against individuals who are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms, or who otherwise use firearms in a violent crime or drug trafficking offense. In addition, the U.S. Attorney announced that law enforcement agents with ATF, DEA, FBI and U.S. Marshals will be out in full force over the holiday weekend.
“The people of the city of Canton deserve peace and days and nights free from anxiety and fears caused by violent criminals, said U.S. Attorney Herdman. "We will stop at nothing to ensure that people who are causing this violence are put in federal prison.”
Two Self-Described “Boogaloo Bois” Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to HamasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a federal criminal complaint charging Michael Robert Solomon, 30, and Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 22, with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas).
Solomon and Teeter, who were taken into custody yesterday evening, made their initial appearances earlier today before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The defendants were ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.
“This case can only be understood as a disturbing example of the old adage, ‘The enemy of your enemy is your friend,’” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the National Security Division. “As alleged in the complaint, these defendants sought to use violence against the police, other government officials and government property as part of their desire to overthrow the government. While planning these activities, the defendants met individuals whom they believed to be members of the foreign terrorist group Hamas. Thinking that they shared the same desire to harm the United States, they sought to join forces and provide support, including in the form of weapons accessories, to Hamas. They failed. No matter what witch’s brew of ideological motivations inspire those who seek to engage in terrorist activity and harm our country and our fellow citizens, the National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding them accountable. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case and ensuring that these defendants could not carry out their deadly plans.”
“Michael Solomon and Benjamin Teeter proclaim themselves to be members of the Boogaloo Bois, a group that espouses a violent ideology and an objective to overthrow the government. The defendants believed their anti-U.S. government views aligned with those of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, and actively developed plans to carry out violence in Minnesota and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “Whenever extremist ideologies, regardless of their roots, move into the realm of violence, the FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Force stands at the ready to prevent potentially deadly and destructive plots.”
"The FBI is committed to stopping acts of violence against law enforcement officers or anyone else in our communities. According to the criminal complaint, the defendants in this case were willing to work with Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, in order to get money for potential acts of violence here in the U.S.," said Jill Sanborn, Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. "The FBI's Minneapolis Field Office demonstrated that we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to detect and stop such activity and protect public safety."
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, in late May of 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into Solomon and Teeter, two members of the “Boogaloo Bois,” and a sub-group called the “Boojahideen.” The Boogaloo Bois are a loosely- connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references a supposedly impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, during the civil unrest in the Twin Cities following the death of George Floyd, according to a witness, Solomon was openly carrying firearms in a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis. Solomon and Teeter interacted with the witness over the course of several days. The witness told FBI agents that Solomon and Teeter possessed firearms and substantial quantities of ammunition and that Solomon, Teeter, and other members of the Boogaloo Bois and Boojahideen discussed committing acts of violence against police officers and other targets in furtherance of the Boojahideen’s stated goal of overthrowing the government and replacing its police forces.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, in early June, the FBI received information about Solomon, Teeter, and other members of the Boogaloo Bois and the Boojahideen through a confidential human source (“CHS”), whom the defendants believed to be a member of Hamas. In audio-recorded conversations, Solomon and Teeter expressed that Hamas shares anti-U.S. government views that align with their own views. Solomon and Teeter also expressed their desire to employ themselves as “mercenaries” for Hamas as a means to generate cash for the Boogaloo Bois/Boojahideen movement, including funding for recruitment and purchasing land for a training compound.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, Solomon and Teeter shared with the CHS, and another individual whom they believed to be a more senior member of Hamas (and who was actually an undercover employee of the FBI), their ideas about destroying government monuments, raiding the headquarters of a white supremacist organization in North Carolina, and targeting politicians and members of the media.
Solomon and Teeter also expressed their ability to manufacture unmarked parts for guns and create unregistered and untraceable weapons, including suppressors. On July 30, Solomon and Teeter delivered to the individual they believed to be a senior member of Hamas five suppressors and expressed their desire to manufacture additional suppressors and fully-automatic weapons for Hamas. Solomon and Teeter later negotiated with the individual a price of $1,800 for five additional suppressors. Solomon and Teeter also delivered to the individual a “drop in auto sear” (“DIAS”), a part designed and intended for use in converting a weapon to shoot automatically. Solomon and Teeter believed the suppressors and the DIAS would be used by Hamas overseas to attack Israeli and U.S soldiers.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Trial Attorneys George Kraehe and Phil Viti of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
This case falls with the purview of the Attorney General’s Task Force to Combat Violent Anti-Government Extremism. Launched in June 2020, the Task Force is dedicated to supporting the investigation and prosecution of any person or group who commits violence in the name of an anarchist ideology.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
Michael Robert Solomon, 30
New Brighton, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas)
Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 22
Hampstead, N.C.
Charges:
- Conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas)
Two Self-Described “Boogaloo Bois” Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to HamasRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a federal criminal complaint charging Michael Robert Solomon, 30, and Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 22, with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas).
SOLOMON and TEETER, who were taken into custody yesterday evening, made their initial appearances earlier today before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The defendants were ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, 2020.
“This case can only be understood as a disturbing example of the old adage, ‘The enemy of your enemy is your friend,’” said Assistant Attorney General John C Demers. “As alleged in the complaint, these defendants sought to use violence against the police, other government officials and government property as part of their desire to overthrow the government. While planning these activities, the defendants met individuals whom they believed to be members of the foreign terrorist group Hamas. Thinking that they shared the same desire to harm the United States, they sought to join forces and provide support, including in the form of weapons accessories, to Hamas. They failed. No matter what witch’s brew of ideological motivations inspire those who seek to engage in terrorist activity and harm our country and our fellow citizens, the National Security Division is committed to identifying and holding them accountable. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case and ensuring that these defendants could not carry out their deadly plans.”
“Michael Solomon and Benjamin Teeter proclaim themselves to be members of the Boogaloo Bois, a group that espouses a violent ideology and an objective to overthrow the government. The defendants believed their anti-U.S. government views aligned with those of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, and actively developed plans to carry out violence in Minnesota and elsewhere,” said United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “Whenever extremist ideologies, regardless of their roots, move into the realm of violence, the FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Force stands at the ready to prevent potentially deadly and destructive plots.”
“The FBI is committed to stopping acts of violence against law enforcement officers or anyone else in our communities. According to the criminal complaint, the defendants in this case were willing to work with Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization, in order to get money for potential acts of violence here in the U.S.,” said Jill Sanborn, Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. "The FBI's Minneapolis Field Office demonstrated that we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to detect and stop such activity and protect public safety.”
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, in late May of 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into SOLOMON and TEETER, two members of the “Boogaloo Bois,” and a sub-group called the “Boojahideen.” The Boogaloo Bois are a loosely- connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references an impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, during the civil unrest in the Twin Cities following the death of George Floyd, according to a witness, SOLOMON was openly carrying a firearm in a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis. SOLOMON and TEETER interacted with the witness over the course of several days. The witness told FBI agents that SOLOMON and TEETER possessed firearms and substantial quantities of ammunition and that SOLOMON, TEETER, and other members of the Boogaloo Bois and Boojahideen discussed committing acts of violence against police officers and other targets in furtherance of the Boojahideen’s stated goal of overthrowing the government and replacing its police forces.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, in early June, the FBI received information about SOLOMON, TEETER, and other members of the Boogaloo Bois and the Boojahideen through a confidential human source (“CHS”), whom the defendants believed to be a member of Hamas. In audio-recorded conversations, SOLOMON and TEETER expressed that Hamas shares anti-U.S. government views that align with their own views. SOLOMON and TEETER also expressed their desire to employ themselves as “mercenaries” for Hamas as a means to generate cash for the Boogaloo Bois/Boojahideen movement, including funding for recruitment and purchasing land for a training compound.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, SOLOMON and TEETER shared with the CHS, and another individual whom they believed to be a more senior member of Hamas (and who was actually an undercover employee of the FBI), their ideas about destroying government monuments, raiding the headquarters of a white supremacist organization in North Carolina, and targeting politicians and members of the media.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, SOLOMON and TEETER also expressed their ability to manufacture unmarked parts for guns and create unregistered and untraceable weapons, including suppressors. On July 30, SOLOMON and TEETER delivered to the individual they believed to be a senior member of Hamas five suppressors and expressed their desire to manufacture additional suppressors and fully-automatic weapons for Hamas. SOLOMON and TEETER later negotiated with the individual a price of $1,800 for five additional suppressors. SOLOMON and TEETER also delivered to the individual a “drop in auto sear” (“DIAS”), a part designed and intended for use in converting a weapon to shoot automatically. SOLOMON and TEETER believed the suppressors and the DIAS would be used by Hamas overseas to attack Israeli and U.S soldiers.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Trial Attorneys George Kraehe and Phil Viti of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
This case falls with the purview of the Attorney General’s Task Force to Combat Violent Anti-Government Extremism. Launched in June 2020, the Task Force is dedicated to supporting the investigation and prosecution of any person or group who commits violence in the name of an anarchist ideology.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL ROBERT SOLOMON, 30
New Brighton, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas), 1 count
BENJAMIN RYAN TEETER, 22
Hampstead, N.C.
Charges:
- Conspiring to provide and attempting provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas), 1 count
###
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Texas U.S. Attorneys Announce $18 Million in Domestic Violence Funding from DOJ’s Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) will direct more than $18 million in grant funding to Texas to support efforts to curb domestic violence throughout the state, announced U.S. Attorneys Erin Nealy Cox, Ryan K. Patrick, John F. Bash, and Stephen J. Cox.
As the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports indicate that many cities – including Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio – may be experiencing surges in domestic violence. Because of the virus, many domestic violence victims feel they’re safest inside their homes, but that may or may not be the case.
Research shows that intimate partner homicides are troublingly common. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. Tragically, Texas accounts for 10 percent of the nation’s domestic violence homicides. Armed abusers are especially dangerous. Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have access to a firearm.
Given these troubling statistics, in June 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr formed a Domestic Violence Working Group in order to encourage prosecution of armed domestic violence offenders. (Federal law bars domestic violence offenders – those subject to certain protective orders or convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or felonies – from possessing firearms.)
Districts across the nation, including all four districts in Texas, have prioritized their own initiatives designed to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. In the 18 months since the first federal domestic violence initiative kicked off in Dallas, federal prosecutors in Texas have charged dozens of armed abusers with gun crimes.
However, the federal government is just one in a host of stakeholders determined to end the scourge of domestic violence – and only a portion of domestic violence cases fall within federal jurisdiction. The OVW grants announced today will provide resources to local prosecutors, victim service providers, healthcare professionals, training organizations, and academic researchers, including several with national scope.
“Putting an end to domestic violence requires effort from everyone in a community and OVW is proud to support the work being done in Texas,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “Our funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors and brings people together to work for a common cause. These strong partnerships lead to creative solutions to prevent violence.”
“The feds are committed to prosecuting armed abusers, but we don’t have jurisdiction in every domestic violence case, and we know we’re only a piece of the puzzle when it comes to ending the scourge of domestic violence. Local prosecutors, police departments, and nonprofits do a lot of the heavy lifting,” U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, who chairs the Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Working Group, said on a press call Friday morning.
Among the $18 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in Texas are:- More than $11.8 million in formula funds to the state to support law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and courts in working collaboratively to respond to domestic and sexual violence.
- $1.76 million to cities and counties across Texas to improve the criminal justice response to domestic and sexual violence: $1,000,000 to the City of Austin, $400,000 to Webb County, and $355,573 to Bastrop County.
- $2.85 million to domestic violence organizations to provide legal service to victims: $600,000 to SafeHaven of Tarrant County, $600,000 to the Women’s Center of Tarrant County, $600,000 to the Houston Area Women’s Center, $650,000 to the SAFE Alliance in Austin, and $404,486 to the Bastrop County Women’s Shelter.
- $1.54 million to advocacy groups to help underserved populations, including disabled victims and minority victims of domestic violence: $588,297 to Saheli, Inc., $500,000 to Brownsville Friendship of Women, Inc., $450,000 to the SAFE Alliance in Austin.
- More than half a million to domestic violence shelters to provide transitional housing and therapy services: $515,000 to SafeHaven of Tarrant County.
- $152,345 to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault plus $91,274 to the Texas Council on Family Violence, two statewide organizations working to address violence against women.
New projects to provide critical training and technical assistance throughout the country include:- The $5 million new National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium, a project with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, in Florida, that will deliver training on investigating and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
- $675,000 to continue the work of the San Diego-based Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute for Strangulation Prevention, which provides education on investigating and prosecuting nonfatal strangulation in domestic violence cases.
- $400,000 to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, headquartered in Maryland, to develop a national protocol to guide medical-forensic care for domestic violence victims who seek treatment for their injuries.
For more information on the Northern District of Texas’ Domestic Violence Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/USAO-NDTX/DV. For more information on the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw.
Texas U.S. Attorneys Announce $18 Million in Domestic Violence Funding from DOJ’s Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) will direct more than $18 million in grant funding to Texas to support efforts to curb domestic violence throughout the state, announced U.S. Attorneys John F. Bash, Erin Nealy Cox, Ryan K. Patrick, and Stephen J. Cox.
“Today’s announcement is a huge win for Texas in the fight against domestic violence. I am proud to be a part of a department that prioritizes this issue,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.
As the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports indicate that many cities – including Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio – may be experiencing surges in domestic violence. Because of the virus, many domestic violence victims feel they’re safest inside their homes, but that may or may not be the case.
Research shows that intimate partner homicides are troublingly common, and often come with collateral fatalities. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. Tragically, Texas accounts for 10 percent of the nation’s domestic violence homicides. Armed abusers are especially dangerous. Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have access to a firearm.
Given these troubling statistics, in June 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr formed a Domestic Violence Working Group in order to encourage prosecution of armed domestic violence offenders. (Federal law bars domestic violence offenders – those subject to certain protective orders or convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or felonies – from possessing firearms.)
District across the nation, including all four districts in Texas, have prioritized their own initiatives designed to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. In the 18 months since the first federal domestic violence initiative kicked off in Dallas, federal prosecutors in Texas have charged dozens of armed abusers with gun crimes.
However, the federal government is just one in a host of stakeholders determined to end the scourge of domestic violence – and only a portion of domestic violence cases fall within federal jurisdiction. The OVW grants announced today will provide resources to local prosecutors, victim service providers, healthcare professionals, training organizations, and academic researchers, including several with national scope.
“Putting an end to domestic violence requires effort from everyone in a community and OVW is proud to support the work being done in Texas,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “Our funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors and brings people together to work for a common cause. These strong partnerships lead to creative solutions to prevent violence.”
Among the $18 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in Texas are:
• More than $11.8 million in formula funds to the state to support law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and courts in working collaboratively to respond to domestic and sexual violence.
• $1.76 million to cities and counties across Texas to improve the criminal justice response to domestic and sexual violence: $1,000,000 to the City of Austin, $400,000 to Webb County, and $355,573 to Bastrop County.
• $2.85 million to domestic violence organizations to provide legal service to victims: $600,000 to SafeHaven of Tarrant County, $600,000 to the Women’s Center of Tarrant County, $600,000 to the Houston Area Women’s Center, $650,0000 to the SAFE Alliance in Austin, and $404,486 to the Bastrop County Women’s Shelter.
• $1.54 million to advocacy groups to help underserved populations, including disabled victims and minority victims of domestic violence: $588,297 to Saheli, Inc., $500,000 to Brownsville Friendship of Women, Inc., $450,000 to the SAFE Alliance in Austin.
• More than half a million to domestic violence shelters to provide transitional housing and therapy services: $515,000 to SafeHaven of Tarrant County.
• $152,345 to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault plus $91,274 to the Texas Council on Family Violence, two statewide organizations working to address violence against women.
New projects to provide critical training and technical assistance throughout the country include:
• The $5 million new National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium, a project with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, in Florida, that will deliver training on investigating and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
• $675,000 to continue the work of the San Diego-based Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute for Strangulation Prevention, which provides education on investigating and prosecuting nonfatal strangulation in domestic violence cases.
• $400,000 to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, headquartered in Maryland, to develop a national protocol to guide medical-forensic care for domestic violence victims who seek treatment for their injuries.
For more information on the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw.
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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
Texas U.S. Attorneys Announce $18 Million in Domestic Violence Funding from DOJ’s Office on Violence Against WomenRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas - The Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) will direct more than $18 million in grant funding to Texas to support efforts to curb domestic violence throughout the state, announced U.S. Attorneys Stephen J. Cox, Erin Nealy Cox, Ryan K. Patrick, and John F. Bash.
As the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports indicate that many cities – including Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio – may be experiencing surges in domestic violence. Because of the virus, many domestic violence victims feel they’re safest inside their homes, but that may or may not be the case.
Research shows that intimate partner homicides are troublingly common, and often come with collateral fatalities. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. Tragically, Texas accounts for 10 percent of the nation’s domestic violence homicides. Armed abusers are especially dangerous. Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have access to a firearm.
Given these troubling statistics, in June 2019, Attorney General William P. Barr formed a Domestic Violence Working Group in order to encourage prosecution of armed domestic violence offenders. (Federal law bars domestic violence offenders – those subject to certain protective orders or convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or felonies – from possessing firearms.)
District across the nation, including all four districts in Texas, have prioritized their own initiatives designed to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. In the 18 months since the first federal domestic violence initiative kicked off in Dallas, federal prosecutors in Texas have charged dozens of armed abusers with gun crimes.
However, the federal government is just one in a host of stakeholders determined to end the scourge of domestic violence – and only a portion of domestic violence cases fall within federal jurisdiction. The OVW grants announced today will provide resources to local prosecutors, victim service providers, healthcare professionals, training organizations, and academic researchers, including several with national scope.
“Having worked closely with the Office on Violence Against Women over the past few years, I know how critical OVW’s funding for law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim services is in fighting violence against women,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. “We are particularly glad to see this assistance in Texas, as it will undoubtedly improve criminal justice and collaboration in responding to domestic and sexual violence—and hopefully encourage victims to come forward to take advantage of these resources.”
“Putting an end to domestic violence requires effort from everyone in a community and OVW is proud to support the work being done in Texas,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Laura L. Rogers. “Our funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors and brings people together to work for a common cause. These strong partnerships lead to creative solutions to prevent violence.”
“The feds are committed to prosecuting armed abusers, but we don’t have jurisdiction in every domestic violence case, and we know we’re only a piece of the puzzle when it comes to ending the scourge domestic violence. Local prosecutors, police departments, and nonprofits do a lot of the heavy lifting,” U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, who chairs the Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Working Group.Among the $18 million in awards that will be issued to organizations and government agencies in Texas are:
- More than $11.8 million in formula funds to the state to support law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and courts in working collaboratively to respond to domestic and sexual violence.
- $1.76 million to cities and counties across Texas to improve the criminal justice response to domestic and sexual violence: $1,000,000 to the City of Austin, $400,000 to Webb County, and $355,573 to Bastrop County.
- $2.85 million to domestic violence organizations to provide legal service to victims: $600,000 to SafeHaven of Tarrant County, $600,000 to the Women’s Center of Tarrant County, $600,000 to the Houston Area Women’s Center, $650,000 to the SAFE Alliance in Austin, and $404,486 to the Bastrop County Women’s Shelter.
- $1.54 million to advocacy groups to help underserved populations, including disabled victims and minority victims of domestic violence: $588,297 to Saheli, Inc., $500,000 to Brownsville Friendship of Women, Inc., $450,000 to the SAFE Alliance in Austin.
- More than half a million to domestic violence shelters to provide transitional housing and therapy services: $515,000 to SafeHaven of Tarrant County.
- $152,345 to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault plus $91,274 to the Texas Council on Family Violence, two statewide organizations working to address violence against women.
New projects to provide critical training and technical assistance throughout the country include:
- The $5 million new National Violence Against Women Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Consortium, a project with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, in Florida, that will deliver training on investigating and responding to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
- $675,000 to continue the work of the San Diego-based Alliance for HOPE’s Training Institute for Strangulation Prevention, which provides education on investigating and prosecuting nonfatal strangulation in domestic violence cases.
- $400,000 to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, headquartered in Maryland, to develop a national protocol to guide medical-forensic care for domestic violence victims who seek treatment for their injuries.
For more information on the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw.
Texas National Guardsman Sentenced in Government Credit Card Theft RingRead the Press Release
A Texas National Guardsman was sentenced to two years in federal prison and order to repay a $75,000 fine for theft of government money, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Emmanuel Alvarado, 35, is the third of three conspirators to be sentenced for participating in a scheme to use stolen government fuel credit cards ("fleet cards") to purchase fuel for themselves and others. In September 2019, Mr. Alvarado pled guilty to one count of theft of government money.
According to information provided in court, Mr. Alvarado, along with Carlos Espinola, 48, and Don Wright, 41, knew each other through service in the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG).
In their positions with the TXARNG, Mr. Espinola and Mr. Wright had access to General Services Administration and Department of Defense "fleet cards" used to purchase fuel and maintenance for government vehicles. Mr. Espinola and Mr. Wright stole fleet cards from the TXARNG and shared them with Mr. Alvarado. Mr. Espinola also obtained a "skimming" device, which he used to replicate stolen fleet cards.
Mr. Alvarado owned automotive businesses in the Fort Worth area, which, among other things, offered towing services. Mr. Alvarado used the fleet cards to fuel his tow trucks, as well as other vehicles. In exchange for the fleet cards, Mr. Alvarado paid Mr. Espinola a fee. The conspirators' thefts caused a loss exceeding $100,000 to the United States.
In September 2019, Mr. Alvarado pled guilty to one count of theft of government money. Mr. Espinola and Mr. Wright earlier pled guilty to conspiracy charges. Mr. Espinola was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison. Mr. Wright was sentenced to 3 months of confinement. The defendants were each ordered to pay restitution to the government.
The U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Boudreau prosecuted the case.