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Tuesday 2 June 2020
New Haven Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JERMAINE FOSTER, 49, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to 20 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury and Naugatuck Police Departments into a heroin and cocaine trafficking operation headed by Keith Jordan of Waterbury. The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Jordan was receiving large quantities of heroin from various suppliers, including Brian Hanna, of Brooklyn, New York; Pedro Santos, of Waterbury, and Domingo Alves, of Waterbury, and selling to drug to other distributors and street-level customers. Jordan also purchased and distributed cocaine.
During the investigation, a wiretap identified Larry Hall, of Naugatuck, as Santos’ heroin supplier. Foster was intercepted on the wiretap purchasing bulk quantities of heroin that he sold at a profit to street-level dealers.
On March 13, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Foster, Jordan, Hanna, Santos, Hall and 24 other individuals with various offenses related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine.
Foster and several codefendants were arrested on March 20, 2019. In association with the arrests, investigators seized approximately 3,000 bags of heroin, 400 grams of cocaine, 350 grams of fentanyl/heroin mixed, 400 grams of heroin, 10 grams of crack, 20 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl patches, a one-kilogram press, four handguns, approximately $120,000 in cash and four vehicles.
On November 6, 2019, Foster pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 100 grams or more of heroin.
Foster, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 14, 2020.
Jordan, Hanna, Santos and Hall pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, Waterbury Police Department and Naugatuck Police Department, with the critical assistance of the U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Nebraska Man Admits Stealing and Selling His Employer’s Confidential InformationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Nebraska man today admitted engaging in fraudulent activity that exposed his employer’s confidential information, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Timothy Young, 50, of Moorefield, Nebraska, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Young was employed at a data analytics and risk assessment firm based in New Jersey. The company serves customers worldwide, including entities providing insurance and financial services as well as government entities. The company maintains a network that houses, among other things, significant amounts of personally identifiable information.
Without the firm’s approval, Young obtained confidential, non-public information that belonged to the firm. The information included names, logon names, passwords, email addresses, and telephone numbers for some of the company’s clients. Young then attempted to sell the information.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Young or twice the gross loss suffered by the victim.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski in Newark, and task force officers from the N.J. State Police, Jersey City Police Department, Ocean City Police Department, and Federal Protective Service, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the FBI’s Omaha Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kristi Koons Johnson, for its role in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Mississippi Department of Health Services Agrees to Pay $5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability in Connection with SNAP Quality ControlRead the Press Release
The Mississippi Department of Health Services (MDHS) has agreed to pay the United States $5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act in its administration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Department of Justice announced today. Until 2008, SNAP was known as the Food Stamp Program.
“SNAP is an important vehicle for helping families in need,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “This settlement is another example of the Department’s commitment to protecting taxpayer funds and the vital programs that they support.”
“Although it is appalling that these actions occurred within a state agency entrusted with assisting vulnerable and needy residents, I am heartened that MDHS has resolved its liability and cooperated with our investigation,” said U.S. Attorney William D. Hyslop for the Eastern District of Washington. “Together with our partners in the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the USDA, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who misuse and wrongfully obtain SNAP funding.”
“We appreciate the commitment and investigative assistance provided by our partners at the Department of Justice’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office throughout this multi-state investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG). “We also wish to note the technical assistance provided by our colleagues in the Office of Audit at OIG. During the investigation, conducted by OIG’s Northeast Regional Office, we worked together to address the concerns of employees of multiple states and others who alleged that the integrity of the SNAP quality control process was weakened by third-party consultants. These concerned individuals reported that cases were not being treated in a consistent manner, and that certain advice from consultants resulted in identified errors being diminished rather than used to improve eligibility determinations. The settlements reached to date send a strong message regarding the government’s commitment to work across agency lines to protect the integrity of SNAP.”
Under SNAP, USDA provides eligible low-income individuals and families with financial assistance to buy nutritious food. Since 2010, SNAP has served on average more than 45 million Americans per month, and provided more than $71 billion annually.
Although the federal government funds SNAP benefits, it relies on the states to determine whether applicants are eligible for benefits, to administer those benefits, and to perform quality control to ensure that eligibility decisions are accurate. The USDA requires that the states’ quality control processes ensure that benefits are correctly awarded, are free from bias, and accurately report states’ error rates in making eligibility decisions.
The USDA reimburses states for a portion of their administrative expenses in administering SNAP, including expenses for providing quality control. It also pays performance bonuses to states that report the lowest and the most improved error rates each year, and can impose monetary sanctions on states with high error rates that do not show improvement.
The settlement resolves allegations that beginning in 2012, MDHS contracted with a consultant known as Julie Osnes Consulting, LLC (Osnes Consulting) to provide advice and recommendations designed to lower its SNAP quality control error rate. The United States alleged that Osnes Consulting’s recommendations, as implemented by MDHS, injected bias into MDHS’s quality control process and resulted in MDHS submitting false quality control data and information to USDA, for which it received undeserved performance bonuses for fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
This is the seventh settlement in this matter, and the sixth settlement with a state agency for manipulating its SNAP quality control findings. The United States has reached previous settlements with state agencies in Virginia, Wisconsin, Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, as well as with Osnes Consulting and its owner, Julie Osnes. Including this settlement, the United States has now recovered over $41 million in connection with this investigation.
The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, and the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch. The investigation arose out of a nationwide audit of SNAP Quality Control processes by the USDA-OIG. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Middlesex County Man Arrested for Attempting to Set Fire to Trenton Police VehicleRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was arrested today for attempting to set fire to a marked police vehicle in Trenton after a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Justin Spry, 21, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, was arrested by special agents of the FBI and is charged by complaint with one count of attempting to damage or destroy by fire a vehicle owned or possessed by an institution receiving federal financial assistance, and one count of attempting to damage or destroy by fire a vehicle used in and affecting interstate commerce. Spry will make his initial appearance June 3, 2020, by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni.
“The conduct described in the criminal complaint demonstrates a deliberate effort to destroy a police vehicle during a demonstration,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Our office will not hesitate to bring to justice anyone who engages in this kind of destruction. We will work with our law enforcement partners to find these violent perpetrators and charge them appropriately.”
According to the complaint:
On May 31, 2020, large-scale protests were held throughout the United States, including in Trenton, in response to the death of Floyd on May 25, 2020, while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department. Although the May 31 protest in Trenton began peacefully, violence erupted later in the day. A group of individuals proceeded along East State Street in downtown Trenton and began to smash store fronts, loot businesses, and attack marked Trenton Police Department vehicles parked along East State Street.
A street camera recorded Spry and another individual attempt to stuff a piece of cloth into the gas tank of a marked police vehicle and ignite it. Law enforcement officers on scene observed Spry as he attempted to ignite the vehicle. Spry noticed the officers and attempted to flee, but was arrested.
Both counts charged in the criminal complaint carry a statutory mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Newark, as well as special agents of the FBI’s Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Sheilah Coley; troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; and officers of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Marcus O. Hicks, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Michelle Gasparian of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Matthew Dean Lail, 35, of Valdese, N.C., was sentenced to 168 months in prison and five years of supervised release on federal drug charges. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presided over the sentencing.
According to information in filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in June 2018, Lail was on supervised release on state criminal charges. On June 28, 2018, a probation officer with the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, accompanied by a deputy with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Lail at his residence in Valdese, on outstanding warrants for probation violations. Law enforcement conducted a subsequent search of the residence and recovered more than 110 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a firearm and ammunition, and $426 in drug proceeds.
On October 28, 2019, Lail pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Lail is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for their coordination and partnerships throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney John Pritchard, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
Meds2Go Express Pharmacy, Inc. Sentenced for Role in Drug Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
Pharmacy Shut Down and Ordered to Pay $250,000 in Community Restitution and Forfeiture
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Meds2Go Express Pharmacy, Inc. (Meds2Go), a pharmacy located in Alum Creek in Lincoln County, was sentenced for money laundering, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. The money laundering conviction arose out of a conspiracy between the pharmacy and Hope Clinic, a pain clinic operating as a pill mill, to dispense compound opioids for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the bounds of professional medical practice. As part of the plea agreement in December 2019, Meds2Go was shut down and has now been ordered to pay $250,000 toward community restitution and forfeiture. The community restitution will be paid for the costs associated with drug abuse treatment in West Virginia to redress the harm caused by illicit opioid usage stemming from the sale of prescription opioids. The West Virginia Crime Victim's Compensation Fund will receive 65% of the community restitution amount, and 35% will be paid to West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities.
“Meds2Go betrayed the trust of the communities it served and our citizens. The pharmacy put profits above safety and aided the growth of the opioid crisis in West Virginia,” United States Attorney Mike Stuart said. “We have taken on the opiate crisis and we are making tremendous progress. We will continue to hold those that place greed above their solemn obligation to serve the best health of our citizens.”
Meds2Go previously admitted that in 2014 and 2015 it filled prescriptions written by physicians employed by Hope Clinic, despite its knowledge that there was no legitimate medical purpose for the prescriptions and that they were prescribed outside the usual course of medical practice. In order to maximize corporate profits, the pharmacy ignored numerous red flags that should have prevented them from dispensing the prescription medications written by Hope Clinic, such as: (1) an abnormally high amount of prescriptions for widely-abused, highly-addictive controlled substances such as oxycodone; (2) prescribed controlled substances to patients for long periods of time; (3) permitted refills before prior prescriptions should have run out; (4) ignored obvious signs that patients were drug addicts; (5) patients travelled long distances and from out of state; (6) multiple Hope Clinic physicians issued prescriptions to the same patient; (7) numerous family members who were all patients of Hope Clinic, came to the pharmacy at the same time; (8) insurance companies refused to pay for prescriptions from Hope Clinic; and (9) cash-only transactions.
Meds2Go further admitted that it engaged in illegal manufacturing of its own supply of oxycodone and methadone due to supply and demand by compounding pills in mass quantities at its locations in Alum Creek and Charleston. Due to the excessive amount of prescriptions for controlled substances written by Hope Clinic, the pharmacy could not obtain enough of a supply of oxycodone and methadone from its distributors. In order to keep up with the demand, the pharmacy bypassed purchase restrictions from the distributor by setting up and purchasing compounding equipment, training its employees to compound pills on a mass scale, purchasing powders and other raw materials, and manufacturing pills containing oxycodone and methadone. The compounded pills were then sold to cash-paying customers who had prescriptions written by Hope Clinic. The pharmacy used the proceeds from the illegal manufacturing and dispensing to carry on the operations of business.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG). Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Tessman and Steven I. Loew handled the prosecution.
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Man admits to “spoof” email fraud scheme and moreRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 64-year-old man has admitted to conspiring to commit money laundering for his role in a complex email fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Kenenty Kim aka Myung Kim engaged in a business email compromise scheme using “spoof” email addresses which have similar names to legitimate email accounts that Kim hacked. He would then use the addresses to create fictitious transactions or to hijack legitimate transactions to convince a victim company or individual to send funds to a bank account Kim actually controlled.
For example, Kim created a spoof email account for a Pinehurst-based construction company. He then used that account to convince another company, based in Huntsville, to send over $200,000 to them. In reality, the account where they sent the funds was actually an account Kim controlled. He then took that money and moved it through several different bank accounts before placing it in an offshore account.
Kim also engaged in the same conduct against the parent company of several major appliance companies. Kim created a spoof account of one of its vendors and used it to convince the company to send more than $300,000 to what it thought was a vendor. The account was actually set up for a different shell company Kim created with a similar name. Again, Kim took that money and eventually placed it in an offshore account.
At a previous hearing, the court also heard about Kim’s numerous credit card fraud schemes. In those, Kim created a system to process credit card payments. He would then obtain a victim’s personal identifying information and charge over $10,000 on their credit cards. Kim also had 36 different credit cards in a variety of names, four different Social Security numbers, two dates of birth, 11 different overlapping addresses and a prior real estate license suspension for engaging in fraud.
In his plea agreement, Kim acknowledged he gained over $700,000 from his various fraud schemes.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks accepted the plea today and has set sentencing for Aug. 19. At that time, Kim, of Firecrest, Washington, faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $500,000 fine or twice the amount he intended to obtain as a result of the criminal offense.
Kim has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman is prosecuting the case.
Man Who Brandished Assault Rifle at Protest Charged with Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
A man who brandished an assault rifle at a Black Lives Matter protest in Lubbock on Saturday has been charged with making interstate threats, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Emmanuel Quinones, a 25-year-old local, allegedly brought a loaded Smith & Wesson .223 caliber semi-automatic to a protest decrying the death of George Floyd, a black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis police last month.
In view of the protesters, Mr. Quinones held the rifle at “low ready,” in firing position with the muzzle pointed toward the ground, as panic rippled through the assembled crowd. (Although Texas is an open-carry state, the Texas Penal Code makes it illegal to display a firearm in a public place “in a manner calculated to alarm.”)
Mr. Quinones allegedly refused a Lubbock Police officer’s verbal commands to drop the rifle, and only did so when the officer drew his gun. A protester then tackled Mr. Quinones, who allegedly shouted, “this is a revolution” and “President Trump must die” as he was taken into custody.
During an interview, Mr. Quinones admitted that he previously made social media posts designed to “intimidate” the President and “MAGA instigators.” One such post, shared on Facebook on May 28, intimated that he planned to obtain gun parts “to off racists and MAGA people.”
In the interview, the defendant stated he attended the protest to protect demonstrators from these so-called MAGA (Make America Great Again) instigators, who he planned to shoot on sight. He claimed the police would not have been able to identify these counter-protestors, but that he could have.
“Instead of respecting citizens’ rights to respectfully voice their feelings, this defendant incited panic, putting everyone present – including those he claimed to support – in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “We will not tolerate attempts to instill terror or encourage violence at otherwise peaceful protests.”
“The FBI respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. In this case, the defendant threatened multiple lives including the President of the United States and that will not be tolerated,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “We will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners to apprehend and charge violent instigators who are exploiting legitimate, peaceful protests and engaging in violations of federal law.”
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of unlawful conduct, not evidence. Mr. Quinones is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
He made his initial appearance Tuesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant. If convicted, the defendant could face up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Field Office, Lubbock Resident Agency, the United States Secret Service, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, and the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag is prosecuting the case.
Ludington Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing from the Lake Michigan Carferry and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Paul Patrick Piper stole between $550,000.00 and $3,500,000.00 from Lake Michigan Carferry and failed to pay federal income taxes of $363,000
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Paul Patrick Piper, 58, of Ludington, Michigan, pled guilty today to a felony information dated February 21, 2020, setting forth criminal charges of bank fraud and federal income tax offenses. Piper’s guilty plea hearing took place in the United States District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker.
According to the felony information and plea agreement, Piper served for many years as the financial controller for Lake Michigan Carferry, the company operating the SS Badger ferry between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Piper defrauded various financial institutions and Lake Michigan Carferry in an amount between $550,000.00 and $3,500,000.00, by overriding normal accounting systems and writing checks directly to himself and to two of his affiliated businesses, Piper Tax & Accounting and Piper Group. Piper either forged the signatures of company owners on these checks or used a signature stamp without the authorization of the owners. Piper hid these transactions in the accounting system by booking these checks to an insurance expense code and by otherwise making false entries to balance company accounts. Additionally, Piper filed false personal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service because he knowingly failed to include the income he stole from the Carferry, and other income earned from his tax business, on his federal income tax returns. As part of his plea agreement, Piper agrees to pay to the IRS $363,926.00 in past-due taxes, plus penalties and interest.
A sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been scheduled for August 11, 2020, at 3 p.m. before Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker. At that time, Piper faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years for the bank fraud offense and a maximum term of imprisonment of 3 years for filing a false tax return. Piper will also be ordered to pay restitution to his victims and to forfeit certain assets obtained with the proceeds of his criminal offenses. Piper previously forfeited a 2018 Ram Truck, a 2008 Glacier Bay 5th Wheel Recreational Vehicle, and cash in lieu of forfeiture of other assets.
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Louisiana U.S. Attorneys Working with Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Partners to Ensure Peaceful ProtestsRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Brandon J. Fremin, Middle District of Louisiana, David C. Joseph, Western District of Louisiana, and Peter G. Strasser, Eastern District of Louisiana, jointly announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Louisiana are joining federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to preserve Louisiana citizens’ rights to free speech and assembly while protecting our communities from violence and destruction.
In a statement on Sunday, May 31, U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr noted that federal law enforcement resources would be available to assist state and local leaders in their efforts to ensure peaceful protests and to reestablish law and order. Attorney General Barr said that federal resources will be directed at apprehending and charging the violent radical agitators who have taken over peaceful protests and are engaging in violations of federal law.
According to U.S. Attorneys Fremin, Joseph, and Strasser, joint federal, state, and local coordination is designed to use available federal assets to assist state and local partners in maintaining order and allowing people to peacefully assemble, while protecting against violence and destruction.
Specifically, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices are also working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to identify criminal organizers and instigators, and seek federal prosecutions where applicable. The FBI’s JTTFs are the nation’s front line of defense against terrorism, both international and domestic. Today there are about 200 task forces around the country, including one in the FBI’s New Orleans field office, which supports the state of Louisiana through its local FBI branch offices in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles, and Monroe. The New Orleans JTTF includes state, local and federal agencies.
The tragic events leading to Mr. Floyd’s death in Minnesota are being addressed through our criminal justice system, which is moving quickly. The Minnesota state prosecutor has brought charges against a former Minneapolis police officer and the Department of Justice is also conducting an independent investigation.
“Our Constitutional right to peacefully protest is a time-honored bedrock principle upon which our great nation was founded, and it should be protected,” said U.S. Attorney Fremin. “Also to be protected is innocent life and property often injured by criminals who hijack otherwise peaceful demonstrations in favor of advancing an alternative agenda.” Fremin added, “In recent days, we have seen peaceful demonstrations by well-meaning Louisianans. We appreciate their respect for the rule of law and we support their right to assemble, but make no mistake – criminal behavior will not be tolerated. The responsibility of law enforcement at every level is to maintain law and order in our communities, and we are working around the clock with local, state and federal officials to do just that.”
“The demonstrations in Louisiana have been peaceful and I applaud Louisianians for exercising their First Amendment rights in a non-violent manner,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “However, if anyone uses these peaceful demonstrations to promote violence or property destruction, prosecutors in my office stand ready to use all available resources to assist our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to enforce the law and protect our communities from acts of violence and lawlessness.”
“Our office remains dedicated to protecting our citizens and upholding their Constitutional rights,” said U.S. Attorney Strasser. “The First Amendment gives every citizen the right to assemble and protest peacefully. Nevertheless, when a few people instigate violence and damage property, we must and will enforce the law. Violence and chaos that disrupts our precious First Amendment Constitutional right shall not be tolerated. Through the collaborative efforts of our local, state, federal and community partners, we will continue both to ensure our citizen’s lawful right of self-expression and work with our first responders to maintain civility.”
Attorney General Barr’s statement is available here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barrs-statement-riots-and-domestic-terrorism.
For more information on the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, or JTTFs, go to: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism/joint-terrorism-task-forces.
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
London Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.- A London, Ky., man, Ronnie Bowling, 56, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday to 180 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intention to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to Bowling’s plea agreement, between February 20, 2019 and February 22, 2019, Bowling engaged in multiple conversations with a distributor, in which they arranged for Bowling to obtain two pounds of methamphetamine. Bowling admitted meeting the distributor at a prearranged meeting location with $15,476.00 in cash to purchase more than 500 grams of methamphetamine that he intended to distribute in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Bowling pleaded guilty in January 2020.
Under federal law, Bowling must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff John Root, Laurel County Sheriff’s Department jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the DEA and Laurel County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Leader of South Baltimore Drug Shop Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Crack Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, today sentenced Ceasar Vaughan, age 27, of Baltimore, to 63 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to get guns out of the hands of drug dealers and off of our streets, in order to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. If you use a gun, you could face federal time, where there is no parole—ever. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”
According to Vaughan’s plea agreement, from February to August 2019, Vaughan was one of the leaders of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine base through a drug shop that operated in the 400 block of Furrow Street in South Baltimore. The members of the conspiracy affiliated themselves with the name, “Never Stop Grinding” or “NSG.”
Vaughan and his co-conspirators either sold narcotics directly to customers or assisted each other in the transactions. Vaughan was a leader of the drug shop. During the investigation, between April 24, 2019 and June 20, 2019, Vaughan participated in at least eight sales of crack cocaine during which Vaughan sold crack cocaine himself, corralled other drug shop members to complete sales, entered the stash house to get drugs to facilitate sales, or ordered others to complete sales.
Members of the drug shop also possessed firearms. In music videos posted online, co-conspirators are seen possessing what appear to be firearms, displaying them in their waistbands or pointing them directly at the camera. Several people in the videos are seen wearing “Never Stop Grinding” or “NSG” clothing or jewelry. In addition, on April 1, 2019, members of the Baltimore Police Department arrested a juvenile member of the drug shop with a loaded firearm on the 400 block of Furrow Street, where the drug shop operated. A co-conspirator was with the juvenile at the time of the arrest. During a search warrant executed at the residence of a co-conspirator on August 7, 2019, investigators found a loaded firearm and more than 70 rounds of ammunition.
Vaughan agrees that he conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine with his co-conspirators. He further agrees that he was a leader of the conspiracy and that it was reasonably foreseeable that he and the other members of the conspiracy would distribute over 28 grams or more of cocaine base between February 2019 and August 2019.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Moore and Clinton Fuchs, who prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Iowa City Community School District, Iowa, to Ensure Accessible PlaygroundsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it reached a settlement agreement with the Iowa City Community School District (School District), Iowa, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement resolves a complaint filed by parents of children with disabilities alleging that playgrounds in the school district are not accessible to children who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Based on the complaint, the Justice Department surveyed playgrounds at twelve school district elementary schools and identified elements of those playgrounds that did not meet the applicable ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
Under the agreement, the school district will ensure that its playgrounds comply with Title II of the ADA and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The school district will remedy violations related to play components; play area amenities, such as benches and picnic tables; accessible routes to play areas; and routes connecting play components.
“Nearly thirty years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, no child with a disability should be prevented from accessing a playground because it has been constructed in violation of the ADA,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement agreement will ensure that children with disabilities can access their school’s playground and play alongside their classmates. We commend the Iowa City Community School District for its ongoing cooperation with this matter, as well as the significant steps it has already taken to ensure that its playgrounds are accessible.”
2020 marks the ADA’s 30th anniversary. The Justice Department continues to advance the nation's goal of equal opportunity, integration, full participation, inclusion, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Through its enforcement and technical assistance tools, the Justice Department strives to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
To read the settlement agreement, please click http://www.ada.gov/iccsd_sa.html. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information about the ADA, please call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County, Missouri.
Kevin L. Kivett Sr., 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 1, 2019, Kivett pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County from March 8, 2016, through Oct. 3, 2017. Kivett also pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Kivett is the fourth defendant in this case to be sentenced. Co-defendant Melissa R. Kivett, 42, of Pomona, California, has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Illinois State Police, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Duquesne, Mo., Police Department, the Pomona, Calif., Police Department, and the Ontario, Calif., Police Department.OCDETF
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.Jackson Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years in Prison under Project EJECT for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Corey Deonte Collins, 29, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves to 70 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Collins was indicted following a drug trafficking investigation in the Jackson area. On February 19, 2019, and again on March 1, 2019, Collins sold approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine to an individual. Subsequent analysis by the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory revealed the methamphetamine was 99% pure.
Subsequently, Collins pled guilty before Judge Reeves on March 2, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
Illinois Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Philip A. Rice, 44, of Dolton, Illinois was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon upon his plea of guilty to production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Mr. Rice was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 5 years supervised release.
According to documents in the case, the defendant induced a minor female to engage in sexually explicit activity online via Facebook Messenger on multiple occasions when the female was between the ages of 10 to 12 years old. Law enforcement learned about the incident when a concerned citizen found the defendant’s abandoned mobile phone at a strip club in Indiana and reported it to police after finding disturbing images of child pornography on the device. Further forensic investigation revealed that the defendant possessed over 200 images of child pornography.
“Mr. Rice received a long prison sentence today for preying on children to satisfy his devious urges,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. “We have always been very active in arresting and prosecuting those who commit crimes against children and this will continue.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations with the assistance of the Indiana State Police and Lake Station Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Molly Kelley and Abizer Zanzi.
Guatemalan indicted for assaulting federal officerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 22-year-old citizen of Guatemala has been charged with forcibly assaulting a Border Patrol (BP) agent, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Josue Edilmar Ramirez-Pimentel. He is expected to appear for his arraignment next week before a U.S. magistrate judge in Laredo.
The criminal complaint alleges that on March 11, authorities responded to call that six people were attempting to make illegal entry into the United States near Richter’s Ranch in Laredo. As they attempted to apprehend the group, several individuals ran back towards the river, according to the allegations.
Ramirez-Pimentel, however, allegedly ran towards an agent. The agent then shined his flashlight at Ramirez-Pimentel and gave him commands in Spanish to stop and lay down, according to the charges. Ramirez-Pimentel allegedly did not comply and collided with the agent, causing him to hit his head on the ground.
Ramirez-Pimentel continued to struggle and struck the agent’s face with his forearm, according to the charges. The charges allege that as additional authorities arrived, they were eventually able to restrain and place Ramirez-Pimentel under arrest.
If convicted, Ramirez-Pimentel faces up to eight years in prison.
The FBI and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.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 almost three months in federal prison.
Orlando Quinonez-Revolorio, age 39, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea today to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea portion of the hearing, Quinonez-Revolorio admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in August 2009 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. In November 2019, Quinonez-Revolorio’s illegal presence in the United States came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest in Black Hawk County, Iowa, on state criminal charges.
Quinonez-Revolorio was then sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Quinonez-Revolorio was sentenced to 82 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.
Quinonez-Revolorio 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-2015. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Glens Falls Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nelson L. Gouge, age 47, of Glens Falls, New York, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for bank robbery.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Warren County Sheriff Jim LaFarr.
Gouge pled guilty on October 7, 2019 as his trial was set to begin. As part of his plea, Gouge admitted that on January 12, 2018, at approximately 1 p.m., he walked into the Trustco Bank branch on Route 9L in Lake George, New York, after attempting to conceal his face by use of a neck warmer. Gouge went to a line where a bank employee was standing, put a hard, black case on the counter and handed the employee a note that read, “I Have a weapon this is a robbery Just put all the money in the bag think about you and your employees + friends.” The bank employee did not have a drawer of money at her station, so she went to another station and took money out of the drawer. The employee turned back to her station where Gouge was holding a bag. The employee put money in the bag and Gouge left with $4,301.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department quickly identified Gouge as a suspect and arrested him that night in South Glens Falls, New York.
U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Gouge to serve a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after his term of imprisonment, and ordered Gouge to pay $2,587 in restitution, representing the amount of money not recovered by police.
This case was investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, New York State Police, Warren County District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
Ft. Pierre Woman Sentenced for Federal Program TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Pierre, South Dakota, woman convicted of Theft from a Program Receiving Federal Funds was sentenced on June 1, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Pamela Duncan, age 53, was sentenced to 1 year of probation, restitution in the amount of $4,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Duncan was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 17, 2019. She pled guilty on February 27, 2020.
Between January 2017 and August 2018, in the District of South Dakota, while employed as an agent of the United Sioux Tribes of South Dakota Development Corporation (USTDC), Duncan, not the rightful owner, did embezzle, steal, obtain by fraud, and intentionally misapply property worth at least $5,000, from USTDC, an organization receiving Federal funds. Duncan removed property and applied funds for personal use, such as laptop computers, gym memberships, attorney services, payroll advances, and travel reimbursement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of The Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Four agencies in the Western District of Texas received 2020 COPS Grants totalling over $6 million for 50 new positionsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Former USPS Employee Admits Stealing Nearly $40,000 in Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEITH SANFORD, 33, of Litchfield, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez to one count of theft of government property stemming from his embezzlement of nearly $40,000 in postal money orders while working for the U.S. Postal Service.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2017 and December 2018, Sanford was employed by the U.S. Postal Service and worked on a rotating basis at the Granby, West Granby and East Hartland Post Offices. Between April and December 2018, Sanford issued 139 postal money orders totaling $39,937.02 to himself and, in certain instances, his associates, without remitting payment for them. Sanford received all of the proceeds from this scheme.
Sanford is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on September 9, 2020, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.
Former Memphis Attorney Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud ClientsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Former Memphis attorney Michael Constantine Skouteris, age 50, entered a guilty plea to a charge of bank fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud clients. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Skouteris in August 2019, alleging that between 2011 and January 2016, Skouteris engaged in a scheme to defraud his clients by settling cases without notifying his clients and forging their endorsements on the settlement checks made jointly payable to him and the client. The indictment alleged that Skouteris then deposited the checks to bank accounts he maintained at Suntrust Bank and First Tennessee Bank. According to the indictment, Skouteris fraudulently obtained in excess of $600,000 during the course of the scheme.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Licensed attorneys who steal from their clients betray the trust of that fiduciary relationship, and are a threat to the public. This guilty plea holds Skouteris accountable for that breach of trust, and will hopefully achieve justice by recovering restitution for the victims and reminding the legal community of the high standards of their profession."
A sentencing hearing is currently set for September 24, 2020, before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris. Skouteris faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and five years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Former Harrison County Constable Convicted of Using a Minor to Produce Sexually Explicit Images and VideosRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Cynthiana, Kentucky, man was convicted on Tuesday, by a federal jury sitting in Lexington for using a minor to produce sexually-explicit images and videos.
After one hour of deliberation, following a day and half trial, the jury convicted 37-year-old William Michael Fields Jr., of two counts of employing, using, persuading, enticing, or coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of making a visual depiction of that conduct.
According to testimony at trial, Fields used a 17-year-old minor to produce sexually explicit images in the back of an ambulance in Bourbon County, on March 17, 2019. The evidence also revealed that the Defendant used the same minor to produce five videos and two images of sexually explicit conduct at the Emergency Medical Training Facility in Bourbon County, on March 23, 2019.
Fields, a former Harrison County Constable and Paris Fire Department firefighter, was indicted in October 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry C Templet Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Daniel J. Cameron, Kentucky Attorney General, and Chief E. Douglas Robinson, Cynthiana Police Department; and jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by ICE and the Cynthiana Police Department with assistance from the Kentucky OAG Cyber Crimes Branch. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Roth and Mary Melton.
Fields will appear for sentencing on September 4. He faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 60 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Former Groton Postmaster Sentenced for Stealing Government FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former United States Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing approximately $7,000 in government money.
Adam Lavertue, 37, of Dracut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to two years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution to the USPS. In March 2020, Lavertue pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records.
Lavertue began working the USPS in April 2008 and became Postmaster of the Groton Post Office in June 2015. In this role, Lavertue performed a variety of managerial and administrative tasks to facilitate the daily operations of the Post Office, including maintaining the facility’s operational functions, handling customer transactions and managing mail clerks and delivery staff. In February 2017, Lavertue began using the purchase charge card issued to the Groton Post Office to make over $500 in personal purchases, including food, beverages and tobacco products. Additionally, Lavertue used Post Office Voyager cards, which are used by USPS mail couriers to fuel the official USPS delivery vehicles, to fuel his personally owned vehicle, charging over $5,000 in fuel. Lavertue also stole over $1,000 in cash from his assigned cash register drawer and reserve at the Groton Post Office. Lavertue’s scheme cost the USPS approximately $7,000.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Inspector General; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Arlington Pastor Sentenced to More Than 24 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
A former Arlington pastor was sentenced today to 293 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
39-year-old Brett Jarad Monroe, former associate pastor at Heritage Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, pleaded guilty in January to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.
"No child should ever have to endure the pain of sexual exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “The allegations in this case are particularly disturbing due to the defendant’s employment at the time of the offense as a pastor in a position of trust. The United States Attorney’s Office along with law enforcement partners will use every available tool to identify, arrest, and hold child predators accountable.”
“This individual’s actions were revolting, and the harm he caused to innocent children is devastating and forever lasting. His conduct was particularly disturbing because he was a trusted member of the community,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. “Protecting the most innocent members of our society is a top priority for HSI and we will never relent in our efforts to put monsters in disguise, like Monroe, where they belong - behind bars!”
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Monroe’s residence on December 11, 2019. Monroe admitted to agents that he used his cellphone to create secret recordings of a minor female victim while she showered at his Arlington, Texas home. According to court documents, Monroe converted the video into still images which he saved in an online storage account.
At sentencing, an agent testified that Monroe admitted to sending, receiving, and trading child pornography online for years to fuel his pornography addiction. He also confessed to surreptitiously recording multiple other minor victims showering in his residence.
This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Arlington Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, and Texas DPS. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem is prosecuting this case. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor handed down the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Former Administrator of Texarkana Assisted Living Facility Sentenced for Federal ViolationsRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 43-year-old Little Rock, AR man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox today.
Antonio Otero pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2019 to charges of equity skimming and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III. Otero was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2 million to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
According to information presented in court, from before 2011 until October 2015, Otero was the administrator of the Magnolia Alzheimer’s Assisted Living facility in Texarkana, Texas, and was instrumental in the founding and operation of the facility. In order to secure millions of dollars in necessary funding, Otero obtained a loan that was insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD.) The HUD insured loan provided a favorable interest rate and did not require the owners of the Magnolia to take personal responsibility for the loan in the event of a default. Instead, HUD would suffer the financial loss in the event that the Magnolia defaulted on the loan. As a condition of this federal benefit, Otero and the owners of the Magnolia agreed to be bound by a regulatory agreement with HUD that prohibited them from removing equity from the Magnolia unless the loan was being paid and the Magnolia had surplus cash.
Instead of paying the HUD insured loan, Otero engaged in a scheme to skim equity from the Magnolia. For example, Otero took money from the Magnolia to pay for $3,952 of camera equipment, a $3,247 watch, $2,520 in landscaping for his personal residence, a $27,408 personal mortgage payment, a $12,750 down payment on a personal vehicle, and $1,540 tickets to a Dallas Cowboys football game. Additionally, he took money from the Magnolia and gave it to other individuals, including $13,000 for cosmetic surgery, $5,500 for a loan repayment, and $30,000 in equity distributions. In total, Otero took personal responsibility for causing a loss to the United States in the amount of $2 million.
This case was investigated by the Fort Worth Office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.
Florida Man Sentenced to 4½ Years in Prison for Fraudulent Acquisition of Valuable Artworks Using Stolen IdentitiesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTONIO DIMARCO was sentenced in Manhattan federal court today to 54 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, based on his attempt to fraudulently acquire millions of dollars’ worth of artworks from art galleries, auction houses, and private collectors from around the world. U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni presided over the defendant’s sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Antonio DiMarco was a serial conman and deceiver who stole people’s identities, placed winning bids on renowned artworks he couldn’t afford, and defrauded lenders and insurers with false claims of ownership. As the Court noted today, DiMarco would lie to anyone if it suited his interests. DiMarco received a prison sentence commensurate with the severity of his crimes.”
As alleged in the underlying Complaint, Indictment, public filings, and statements made in open court:
From at least as early as November 2017 through and including October 2018, DIMARCO and a co-conspirator attempted to acquire millions of dollars’ worth of artworks from around the world using a variety of methods, including through appropriating the identity and financial information of a particular victim, and creating and presenting a slew of fraudulent documents.
For example, in November 2017, DIMARCO attempted to purchase artworks by Mark Rothko and Ad Reinhardt at an auction house located in New York, New York. DIMARCO obtained access to the auction through the use of an elderly victim’s identity documents, including her passport, and bank account information showing that the victim held liquid assets in excess of $7 million. DIMARCO and his co-conspirator further presented false information indicating that the victim had authorized DIMARCO to bid on her behalf, when in reality, the victim knew nothing about DIMARCO’s plan to purchase artworks in her name. DIMARCO won the auction, bidding close to $6.5 million for the Rothko work, and $1,155,000 for the Reinhardt work. As DIMARCO in fact lacked funds to pay for the art, however, the auction house suffered a loss of close to $1.4 million.
Continuing throughout late 2017 through at least May 2018, DIMARCO and his co-conspirator attempted to purchase artworks from approximately 20 galleries and collectors throughout the world. Indeed, DIMARCO and his co-conspirator entered into completed sales agreements for more than 60 artworks totaling in excess of $150 million. Among other works, DIMARCO entered into a contract for a $16.5 million Matisse painting. None of these works was ever paid for, yet to entice the galleries and collectors to continue to hold the artwork for DIMARCO and his co-conspirator, they passed strings of false excuses for non-payment. This also caused galleries and collectors to suffer monetary losses.
Having failed to obtain valuable artworks that he had contracted to buy but never paid for, DIMARCO then began to seek out ways to monetize artworks that he had not acquired, by creating a series of false documents designed to deceive financiers and insurers into believing that in fact he owned the artworks. DIMARCO did this in hopes of obtaining funds based on the value of those artworks. DIMARCO was arrested in the course of executing this scheme, after having arranged a showing of high-value artwork he convinced others that he owned.
DIMARCO further orchestrated two additional frauds conducted in the midst of the art scheme: a ploy to deprive a victim of hundreds of thousands of dollars through false representations concerning the purposes for providing the funds, and a scheme to purchase a high-end property in Manhattan using a fraudulently altered bank statement.
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In addition to his prison term, DIMARCO was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,384,050.00 in restitution.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team and encourages anyone with information relating to theft, looting, or fraud in the art market to contact the FBI’s Art Crime Team in New York at (212) 384-1000.
These cases are being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Tara M. La Morte and Abigail S. Kurland are in charge of the prosecution.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Federal Supervision for Falsely Claiming to Represent the Village People BandRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Florida man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to federal supervised release today for falsely claiming to represent The Village People band and swindling $12,500 from The Mill Casino in North Bend, Oregon, announced U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams.
Howard Harlib, 67, was sentenced to time served in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Harlib has been in state custody in Florida since 2016 after being convicted of unrelated charges.
According to court documents, in August 2015, The Mill Casino, owned and operated by the Coquille Indian Tribe, received a flier from Harlib advertising the opportunity to book The Village People for a show at the casino. Casino employees contacted Harlib, who spoke with them about dates, pricing, and other matters involved in the booking. The same day, Harlib sent the casino a brochure with information about his company, Premier Entertainment. Harlib claimed the band had a show in Las Vegas, Nevada the night before one of the dates discussed with the casino and, therefore, traveling to North Bend would not be an issue.
Later, Harlib emailed the casino an artistic engagement contract, which the casino signed and returned to Harlib with a check for $12,500. Harlib cashed the check two days later. In January 2016, the casino discovered that The Village People were scheduled to appear in Florida the same day they were booked to play in North Bend. After having difficulty reaching Harlib, the casino contacted another representative of the band. The representative confirmed that Harlib did not have any association with the band. Harlib later admitted he had no authority to book the band.
Harlib’s history of frauds and swindles dates back decades, to at least 1992. In 2004, he was convicted of third degree grand theft in Florida for the same exact scheme: contracting with two victims to have The Temptations, The Supremes, and Jimmie Walker perform at their venues. After spending five years in prison for that conviction, Harlib spent another five years in prison for impersonating a doctor and possessing a variety of prescription medications.
On April 29, 2019, Harlib was charged by federal criminal information with one count of wire fraud. He pleaded guilty today to the same charge.
During his sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken ordered Harlib to pay $12,500 in restitution to the Coquille Indian Tribe.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Five Utah Agencies Get COPS Office Awards to Hire Full-Time Law Enforcement ProfessionalsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Five Utah agencies are receiving funding through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP).
The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation Tuesday afternoon, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The City of American Fork, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Willard Police Department will each get $125,000 to fund one officer. The City of Orem has been awarded $375,000 to fund three officers. Salt Lake City is getting $1,250,000 to fund 10 officers.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“This critical funding will bring 16 new law enforcement officers to agencies in Utah where they will address local needs,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today. “These agencies identified specific community issues and needs where COPS funding could be effectively applied. We appreciate the COPS Office providing funding to Utah agencies. It will be put to good use.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Of the awards announced today, 43 percent will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Felon Sent to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Princeton, Texas, man was sentenced May 29, 2020, to more than six years in federal prison after possessing a gun as a felon.
Rodolfo Velasco, age 36, from Princeton, Texas, received the prison term after a March 10, 2020, guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
Information presented by the United States at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on or about May 30, 2019, Velasco illegally possessed a pistol and ammunition. He was prohibited from possessing guns because he had been previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance in Minnesota in 2003 and of distribution of methamphetamine in Nebraska in 2011. Velasco’s unlawful possession was discovered when law enforcement apprehended him as a fugitive for a parole violation, following a foot pursuit. When he was captured he was in possession of a stolen pistol and ammunition.
Velasco was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Velasco was sentenced to 77 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Velasco is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from our Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Sioux City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4057.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Federal grants will provide major boost to law enforcement agencies in the Southern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP), with more than $4.5 million going to agencies in the Southern District of Georgia.
The Attorney General announced the awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud of our partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies in the Southern District, and we know these grants will provide valuable funding to help these agencies protect and serve their communities,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Of 11 grants awarded in Georgia, six of them are to agencies in the Southern District, including:
- The city of Savannah, receiving $1.875 million to hire 15 additional officers;
- Glynn County, receiving $1,402,620 to hire eight additional officers;
- The Burke County Sheriff’s Office, receiving $649,679 to hire six additional officers;
- The Dublin Police Department, receiving $375,000 to hire three officers;
- The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, receiving $110,888 to hire one officer; and,
- The Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office, receiving $92,682 to hire one officer.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of COPS grant awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/chp/Award_List.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Federal Judge Sentences Black Mountain, N.C. Man to Prison for Communicating A Threat on TwitterRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. sentenced Joseph Cecil Vandevere, 53, of Black Mountain, N.C. today to ten months in prison and one year of supervised release for using social media to communicate interstate threats, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney Office for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Cogburn allowed Vandevere to self-report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents, evidence presented at trial, and today’s sentencing hearing, on March 13, 2018, Twitter user @DaDUTCHMAN5, later identified as Vandevere, used his social media account to send a message that contained a threat to injure an individual identified in court records as Q.R. In the message, Vandevere sent Q.R. a picture of a lynching accompanied by a death threat. FBI agents interviewed Vandevere on July 18, 2018, at which time he admitted to using social media under pseudonyms to send threatening messages. As trial evidence established, Vandevere sent the death threat to Q.R. because he did not agree with Q.R.’s religious beliefs.
On December 6, 2019, a federal jury convicted Vandevere of making a threatening communication to injure another person through interstate commerce.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI for their investigation of this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case for the United States.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Weapon ChargeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that a federal inmate pled guilty in federal court in Bluefield to possessing a weapon. Desmond Johnson, 29, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution McDowell, admitted that on July 21, 2019, he possessed a handcrafted weapon known as a shank. A staff member at the prison saw Johnson drop the shank, and another staff member recovered it.
Johnson faces up to five years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence he is now serving. Sentencing is set for Sept. 14, 2020.
“You would think that already being in a federal prison might help a person to change their ways. This doesn’t appear to have been the case with Mr. Johnson,” United States Attorney Mike Stuart said.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney John File is handling the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the plea hearing.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Federal Court Issues Temporary Restraining Order against Fort Davis Businessman Offering Fraudulent Coronavirus Cures/TreatmentsRead the Press Release
Today, federal authorities served a civil injunction against 73-year-old Fort Davis resident Marc “White Eagle” Travalino in an effort to combat alleged fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, announced Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division; U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada, El Paso Field Office; and, Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office.
The purpose of the civil injunction is to stop Travalino’s sale of fraudulent COVID-19 cures through his business and his website, “whiteeaglenativeherbs.net.” Court records state that after guaranteeing an undercover special agent that his hospitalized grandmother would not die from COVID-19 if given the medicine, Travalino allegedly sold the agent a treatment for COVID-19 on May 5, 2020. On May 14, 2020, the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent Travalino a warning letter requiring him to cease and desist sales of unapproved and unproven products related to COVID-19 cures and treatments. But almost a week after he was warned to stop, Travalino again sold his fraudulent COVID-19 treatments to another undercover agent.
Today’s action will shutter Travalino’s website immediately while this investigation continues. In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.
“I am pleased that the district court entered the temporary restraining order. Peddling bogus COVID-19 cures to fellow citizens is illegal and immoral. Our office will continue to shut down these scams,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.
“The sale of false cures will be vigorously investigated by the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Quesada. “The FBI is using a variety of tools to identify anyone who exploits the current crisis with fraudulent scams or a variety of cyber schemes – and is proactively warning the public about products claiming to save lives, before losing their money or creating false hope. Scammers seeking to profit by exploiting fear and uncertainty during this COVID-19 pandemic will be brought to justice.”
The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:
- Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
- Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating. For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
- Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
- Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
- Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
- Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment. Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
- Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
- Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials. For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
- Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail. Don’t send money through any of these channels.
- Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. In addition, the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at [email protected].
The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cannizzaro, Eddie Castillo and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Special Agents with the FDA and the FBI’s El Paso Field Office are conducting the investigation.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx. For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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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.
Federal Court Issues Temporary Restraining Order Against Man Offering Fraudulent Coronavirus TreatmentsRead the Press Release
Today, federal authorities served a temporary restraining order upon Fort Davis, Texas, resident Marc “White Eagle” Travalino in an effort to combat alleged fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The restraining order was issued on Monday, June 1, 2020, by United States District Judge David Counts of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and was unsealed today.
The government filed the civil action in order to stop Travalino from committing mail and wire fraud by peddling fraudulent remedies for a host of diseases and medical conditions, including COVID-19, through his business and his website, “whiteeaglenativeherbs.net.” According to court records, Travalino sells product that he claims “are proven to work and destroy” coronavirus. In fact, there are no drugs or other therapeutics that have been demonstrated to cure or prevent COVID-19.
“When sellers falsely promise cures for serious diseases, they put the public health at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to preventing fraudsters from exploiting this pandemic.”
After guaranteeing an undercover special agent that his hospitalized grandmother would not die from COVID-19 if given the medicine, Travalino allegedly sold the agent a treatment for COVID-19 on May 5, 2020. On May 14, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent Travalino a warning letter requiring him to cease and desist sales of unapproved and unproven products related to COVID-19 cures and treatments. But almost a week after he was warned to stop, Travalino again sold his fraudulent COVID-19 treatments to another undercover agent.
Today’s action will shutter Travalino’s business and website immediately while this investigation continues. In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.
The Department of Justice recommends that Americans to take the following precautionary measures to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related to COVID-19:
- Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19.
- Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating. For example, they might use “cdc.com” or “cdc.org” instead of “cdc.gov.”
- Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way.
- Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device.
- Make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date.
- Ignore offers from suspicious sources for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment. Remember, if a vaccine becomes available, you won’t hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch.
- Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items.
- Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like “CDC” or “government” in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials. For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.
- Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail. Don’t send money through any of these channels.
- Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers may visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline by phone at (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The enforcement action taken today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cannizzaro, Eddie Castillo and Michael C. Galdo of the Western District of Texas, and Senior Litigation Counsel Ross S. Goldstein of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. The FBI’s El Paso Field Office and the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations are conducting the investigation.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove to receive a permanent injunction against the defendant.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx. For information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to stop COVID-19 fraud, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday to illegal reentry.
Severino Perez-Guzman, 30, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton who scheduled sentencing for Oct. 7, 2020. Perez-Guzman is currently in state custody pending unrelated charges.
In 2012, Perez-Guzman was encountered by immigration officials in Texas and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Perez-Guzman was placed into removal proceedings but later filed an asylum claim, and was released on bail. While awaiting determination on his asylum claim, Perez-Guzman was arrested and later convicted of possession of a firearm in Lawrence District Court. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and, upon completion of his sentence, was deported to the Dominican Republic on Oct. 18, 2016.
Sometime after his deportation, Perez-Guzman illegally reentered the United States and on March 5, 2019, was arrested and charged with distribution of fentanyl and possession of child pornography. Those matters are currently pending in Essex County Superior Court. While detained in custody in these matters, Perez-Guzman was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted his alienage, his prior removal, and that he did not have permission to reenter the United States.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
BOISE – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
Four agencies in the District of Idaho, the Nampa Police Department, City of Pocatello, City of Salmon, and Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, were awarded $1,969,271 in funding. The Nampa Police Department received $1,095,341, City of Pocatello received $625,000, City of Salmon received $123,930, and Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office received $125,000. These Idaho agencies will use the funds to hire new officers and support efforts to address crime.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“I am pleased the Department of Justice has made more than $400 million available to law enforcement nation-wide, with $1.9 million for Idaho’s law enforcement agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. “Providing this additional funding will help reinforce their essential mission of keeping Idaho communities safe and aid the courageous men and women in law enforcement who place the safety and security of their communities above their own.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that awards were given to five law enforcement agencies in the Eastern District allowing them to hire 9 additional officers. These grants total $1,124,540.00. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“I applaud the work of the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and their efforts to fund additional police officers in my District,” commented Mr. Higdon. This grant is timely and will assist agencies to increase their community policing efforts that will build better relationships between law enforcement and those they serve.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.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.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN - The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
"The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities."
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
Of the nearly $400 million awarded nationwide, over $11 million is directly earmarked for individual cities in West Tennessee, including:
• City of Bolivar Police Department - $116,980 to hire 1 officer
• City of Covington Police Department - $375,000 to hire 3 officers
• City of Memphis Police Department - $9,823,624 to hire 50 officers
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Good government is about priorities, and includes putting resources where they are needed most. In West Tennessee, we know that whether citizens live in urban, suburban, or rural communities, having strong and fully staffed police departments is vital to their communities. We are pleased and thankful that these local police departments were selected by the Attorney General to receive this officer hiring funding, and we know they will put it to good and immediate use to improve public safety."
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more out CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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chp_2020_final_funding_list.xlsx
Department of Justice Awards More Than $6.3 Million to Maryland Law Enforcement for Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - The Department of Justice today announced $6,322,750 in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP) to eight Maryland law enforcement agencies. The Attorney General announced funding awards totaling nearly $400 million to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“These federal funds being provided to local law enforcement agencies will go a long way to enhancing their response to violent crime and other public safety issues being experienced by their communities,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
The following Maryland agencies received awards: Baltimore County received $1,250,000; the Baltimore Police Department received $2,830,272; the City of Brentwood received $125,000; the Cecil County Sheriff’s Department received $375,000; Charles County received $250,000; the Mt. Rainier Police Department received $125,000; the Seat Pleasant Police Department received $1,455,228; and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office received $500,000.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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Department of Justice Awards $875,000 for Hiring 7 Law Enforcement Officers to Advance Community Policing in Western PARead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
"The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities."
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce the following funding awards to departments and cities in the district:
• Johnstown Police Department (Cambria County) – $250,000 for two officers
• City of McKeesport Police Department (Allegheny County) - $250,000 for two officers
• New Sewickley Township Police Department (Beaver County) - $375,000 for three officers
"These critical grant funds will place 7 additional career police officers in focus areas for crime prevention and prosecution," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "These extra resources will advance community policing, which creates community partnerships between law enforcement and community members – built on trust and mutual respect – to address crime challenges. In this time of crises and budget shortfalls, we remain committed to protecting our neighbors."
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“From Carlisle County in the west to Russell County in the east these resources to the tune of over $2.4 million will help protect Kentucky communities large and small,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico congratulates the six municipalities that received the COPS award, and we encourage other municipalities to continue applying for these and other grants that the Department of Justice offers, said United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow.
The municipalities in the District of Puerto Rico that received the COPS funding awards to hire additional full-time law enforcement professionals are: Guaynabo - $1,958,611 for 28 officers; Hatillo - $344,176 for seven officers; Jayuya - $303,634 for six 6 officers; Luquillo - $793,725 for eight 8 officers; San Juan - $1,161,351 for 19 officers; and Villalba - $368,938 for seven officers.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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DOJ Awards Nearly $400 million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
The Providence Police Department has been awarded $1,250,000 to hire 10 officers. The Pawtucket Police Department has been award COPS grant funding totaling $750,000 to hire 6 additional officers.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“The women and men of local law enforcement who think nothing of putting their lives on the line to protect and serve our communities truly are unsung heroes,” added United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman. “I am delighted that the Department of Justice has rewarded these two very deserving communities that truly lead by example.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
A complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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DOJ Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
In Arizona, grants were awarded to nine law enforcement agencies around the state:
• Apache Junction Police Department, receiving $1 million to hire 8 officers;
• Camp Verde Marshal, receiving $125,000 to hire 1 officer;
• Coconino County Sheriff's Department, receiving $500,000 to hire 4 officers;
• City of Maricopa, receiving $375,000 to hire 3 officers;
• Nogales Police Department, receiving $704,122 to hire 3 officers;
• City of Peoria, receiving $375,000 to hire 3 officers;
• Pima County Sheriff's Department, receiving $1.25 million to hire 10 officers;
• Town of Sahuarita, receiving $250,000 to hire 2 officers;
• City of Winslow, receiving $250,000 to hire 2 officers.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
A complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“This critical funding provides several local law enforcement agencies in the Eastern District of Kentucky with an opportunity to hire more officers to protect and serve their communities. That allows police departments and sheriff’s offices across Eastern Kentucky to expand existing law enforcement and public safety efforts, something that benefits us all,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell, Northern District of West Virginia is proud to announce the following funding awards to departments and cities in the district:
• Elk Garden - $50,380
• Elkins Police Department - $109,375
• Ranson - $250,000
• Terra Alta – 185,050“I have no doubt that each recipient will put this funding to good use, enhancing the good work already being done in the name of safety for our communities. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting residents and ensuring neighborhoods are crime-free as possible,” said Powell.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.