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Tuesday 26 May 2020
Harris Teeter Manager Sentenced for Role in Firearm Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for making false statements during the purchases of firearms.
According to court documents, William John Shaw, Jr., 37, co-manager of Harris Teeter in Raleigh from October 2016 until present, was named in an eight-count Criminal Information filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina on December 20, 2019. On February 10, 2020, with a written Plea Agreement, the defendant pled guilty to all eight counts of making False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.
An investigation was initiated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Group II, following the receipt of information from local law enforcement regarding numerous recovered firearms in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, some of which had been used in crimes. Investigators determined that between 2013 and 2019, Shaw had purchased numerous firearms at various stores and pawn shops located in Wake County and Johnston County and sold those firearms to individuals in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. During these firearm purchases, Shaw knowingly made false statements related to the acquisition and intended ownership of the firearms. Investigators determined that Shaw filled out numerous ATF Form 4473 and stated that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the purchased firearm(s) and that he was not acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. Investigators determined this to be false because Shaw was not purchasing firearms for himself, but rather for other individuals. In 2019, Shaw made unprotected admissions to ATF agents that he purchased and sold approximately 30 to 40 firearms to relatives and other unknown individuals.
“One of the priorities of the Justice Department is to shut down the illegal gun pipeline that feeds firearms into some of our largest and most crime ridden communities,” commented U.S. Attorney Higdon. “William Shaw was running a gun pipeline between here and Washington. But, no more. The people of the Eastern District as well as the people of Washington are safer now because his pipeline has been shut down.”
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Washington Group, II investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00532-D.
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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.
Georgia couple indicted on multiple federal child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Georgia couple has been indicted on multiple child pornography charges in a virtual U.S. District Court grand jury session necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
John Paul Joseph Keegan, 29, of Midway, Ga., is charged with three counts of Production of Child Pornography, and one count each of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, while Sharon Elizabeth Keegan, 28, of Midway, Ga., is charged with one count each of Production of Child Pornography, Distribution of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The most serious charges carry a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties followed by a period of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case represents a substantial cooperative effort between local and federal law enforcement agencies in investigating and bringing charges,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Together with our law enforcement partners we are shining our light in the dark corners where vulnerable victims need our help most.”
Undercover agents monitoring messaging applications were alerted to images of child pornography and notified Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), leading law enforcement agencies to the Keegans’ residence and the subsequent discovery of images exploiting two minor victims on electronic devices in possession of the Keegans.
“The production of child pornography and the associated victimization of the child in producing such material tears at the heart of every parent out there,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and all of its partners will continue to prioritize production investigations as there is always a child in the shadows crying out for help to escape.”
“This indictment shows the dedicated work of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute crimes against children,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the Richmond Hill Police Department. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Fruitland Park Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Darlene Nanette Rodriguez (46, Fruitland Park) to one year and one day in federal prison for theft of government property. The court also ordered Rodriguez to forfeit $173,619.40, which are proceeds of the offense. She had pleaded guilty on March 12, 2020.
According to court documents, over a period of approximately 15 years, Rodriguez collected disability benefits while concealing her full-time employment from the Social Security Administration. This concealment included forging pay stubs, letters, and other documentation and sending it to the Social Security Administration so she could continue to receive benefits. These forged documents falsely claimed that Rodriguez was ill, had only worked for short periods of time, or underreported her actual income. Rodriguez ultimately collected $173,619.40 in benefits to which she was not entitled.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Frankfort Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering and Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. - A Frankfort woman, Lesley Wade, pled guilty in federal court on Tuesday, before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to money laundering and filing a materially false tax return.
Wade was a long time employee of the Franklin County Board of Education (FCBOE), most recently serving as the FCBOE’s Financial Director. In Wade’s guilty plea agreement, she admitted that, starting in February 2011 and continuing through about June 25, 2019, she wrote unauthorized checks of FCBOE money to herself, then falsified the necessary FCBOE records and invoices to cover up her crimes.
Wade also served as Treasurer of Leestown Gospel Church in Frankfort, where she essentially had plenary control over its financial management, with little oversight or internal controls. Wade also admitted to periodically using her control over the Church’s finances to launder money she had stolen from the FCBOE, using the Church’s account before writing checks to herself, attempting to avoid detection and making the checks appear legitimate.
Her theft of funds, which took place over a term of years, resulted in the FCBOE losing a total of $1,624,593. Further hiding her theft of funds, Wade also admitted that she willfully filed false individual income tax returns, for the years 2011-2018, by intentionally failing to report the income from her fraudulent scheme. The total amount of tax loss is $315,677.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge for the Louisville Division of FBI; and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and IRS. The United States was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Chapman.
Wade is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2020. For the money laundering charge, she faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000. For the tax charge, she faces up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Fort Campbell Soldier Sentenced to 192 Months for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. - A Fort Campbell soldier, Daniel J. Zulawski, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, to 192 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, following his conviction for using the internet to attempt to persuade, induce, or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to testimony at trial, Zulawski traveled from Lexington to Frankfort after communicating with an undercover officer on the Kik application. During this communication, they discussed his engaging in sexual relations with the undercover officer and her fictitious 11 and 13 year-old children. Evidence revealed that Zulawski initially responded to a Craigslist ad, posted by the undercover officer, which indicated she was a mother interested in incest.
Zulawski was indicted in May 2018. The criminal conduct occurred in January 2018. He traveled from Lexington, where he was staying for a week of training for the U.S. Army, to Frankfort on January 17, 2018, when he was arrested. He was convicted during a three-day trial in November of 2019.
Under federal law, Zulawski must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for 20 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Ralph A. Gerdes, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Louisville Field Office of the United States Secret Service; and Daniel Cameron, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command at Ft. Campbell, and the Kentucky Office of Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Branch. The United States represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Marye and Will Moynahan.
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Former Employee of Nebraska Hunting and Outfitting Business Sentenced for Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Jordan Cook, age 32, of Boerne, Texas, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for violating the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act prohibits the trafficking in interstate commerce "tainted" (i.e., taken in violation of a law or regulation) wildlife, fish, or indigenous plants. Cook admitted to six misdemeanor counts of the illegal taking of wildlife in interstate commerce and was sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson to five years of probation. Cook was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and $39,150 in restitution.
A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that between May 2014 and May 2017, Cook was employed by Hidden Hills Outfitters (HHO), a commercial big game guiding and outfitting business located near Broken Bow, Nebraska, and provided hunting and guiding services to HHO clients. The investigation determined that during a number of these hunts, Cook guided and assisted HHO clients in unlawful hunting activities which included hunting and taking white-tailed deer, mule deer, and wild turkey within baited areas, from a public roadway, at night, without a valid permit, in excess of the bag limit, and with prohibited weapons, all of which are in violation of Nebraska State law or regulation.
In April 2015, Cook guided a Virginia resident and HHO turkey hunting client whom Cook knew only possessed one spring turkey permit. Cook aided and directed the client in unlawfully killing at least three turkeys, knowing that the client's permit authorized only one turkey. During November 2015, Cook guided a New York resident and HHO white-tailed deer rifle hunting client. Cook, knowing and previously participating in HHO's unlawful establishment and use of numerous baited areas, guided, accompanied, and assisted the client taking a trophy-sized white-tailed deer from an elevated tree stand placed less than 50 yards from an HHO bait site located west of Brewster, Nebraska. During December 2015, Cook guided an Indiana resident and HHO muzzleloader mule deer hunting client. Cook guided and assisted the client unlawfully taking the mule deer with a shotgun, knowing the weapon was prohibited by Nebraska law during the muzzleloader season. Each of the hunts involved wildlife taken and possessed in violation of Nebraska state law that was subsequently transported in interstate commerce from HHO to the clients' respective residence or elsewhere.
In January 2017, Cook transported antlers and hides from two trophy-sized mule deer and one trophy-sized white-tailed deer in interstate commerce. Cook, knowing the unlawful nature of the hunts, transported parts from deer taken during the 2016 season from HHO to a taxidermist located near Clifton, Colorado, on behalf of their respective owners, which included a 6 X 9 set of antlers scoring in excess of 200 inches originating from a mule deer taken unlawfully by an HHO owner without a permit, during night-time closed season hours, from the roadway, and with a suppressed rifle during archery season; a 5 X 6 set of 195-inch antlers originating from a mule deer taken unlawfully by another HHO guide without a permit and with a suppressed rifle during the muzzleloader season; and a 6 X 6 set of 180-inch antlers originating from a white-tailed deer taken unlawfully by an HHO client without a permit, during night-time closed season hours, from the roadway, and with a suppressed rifle during muzzleloader season. Both mule deer taken unlawfully without permits by the HHO owner and guide were submitted to the Colorado taxidermist with hunting permits falsely representing them as being killed by other HHO clients in order to conceal the fact they were killed unlawfully without a permit. In addition, Cook knew the 200-inch-plus set of mule deer antlers and a second trophy-sized mule deer were taken by the HHO owner who, after unlawfully killing the deer with a suppressed rifle and at night, severed the trophy heads/antlers, abandoned the headless deer carcasses at the kill site and intentionally failed to salvage any edible meat, and transported and concealed both sets of trophy heads/antlers at a remote wooded location near Brewster, Nebraska, referred to by HHO associates as "The Contraband Lot." Cook was present and personally assisted an HHO owner guiding two HHO clients who unlawfully took a total of three white-tailed deer and two mule deer in three days, including the 180-inch white-tailed deer he transported to the Colorado taxidermist.
Today’s sentencing is a continuation of the ongoing prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by owners, guides, and clients of Hidden Hills Outfitters. To date, twenty-five defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $240,548 in fines and restitution for underlying violations related to deer taken within baited areas; deer, pronghorn, and wild turkeys taken with weapons or firearms prohibited during their respective hunting seasons; deer taken during closed season hours, from the road, or without a valid permit; and mule deer taken within the Mule Deer Conservation Area.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Former Clay County Sheriff’s Deputy Ordered Detained Pending Trial and Indicted for Online Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the detention and indictment of Travis Ryan Pritchard (36, Green Cove Springs). Pritchard was initially charged by criminal complaint and, on May 15, 2020, was ordered detained in federal custody pending trial. On May 20, 2020, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Pritchard with online enticement of a minor and attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Pritchard faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to two life terms, in federal prison.
According to court documents, Pritchard was employed as a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. At the time of the alleged offense, he was assigned to the DUI unit. From December 2019 through May 2, 2020, Pritchard used an online chat application to communicate with a 15-year-old girl with whom he had engaged in sexual activity on a weekly basis. Beginning on April 29, 2020, an undercover detective from the Green Cove Springs Police Department assumed the child’s identity and continued chatting with Pritchard using the online chat application. Late in the night of May 1, 2020, and into the early morning hours of the next day, Pritchard encouraged the “child” to sneak out of her home to meet with him for a “quickie.” In anticipation of their meeting, he sent the “child” a photograph of himself from the waist down, wearing only boxer shorts. At approximately 2:00 a.m. on May 2, 2020, Pritchard arrived near the child’s home to pick her up in his patrol vehicle. He sent the “child” a message saying, “I’m here.” A short time later, Pritchard was arrested by officers from the Green Cove Springs Police Department.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Green Cove Springs Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
Any person who has additional information or knows of someone who may have been a victim is urged to contact the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Indictment for Pensacola Man Accused of Possessing Firearms at Veterans Affairs FacilityRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe, of the Northern District of Florida,
announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted a Pensacola man for the possession of
firearms, including a concealed firearm, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Joint Ambulatory
Care Clinic in Pensacola. The three-count indictment alleges that Pensacola resident Howell E.
Camp, 58, illegally possessed a 5.56 millimeter Del-Ton Incorporated rifle and a 9 millimeter Smith
& Wesson pistol at the federal facility. It is alleged that Camp possessed these firearms with the
intent to commit a crime on May 6, 2020.“The security of our federal facilities and those who work within them remains a priority of this
office and we, along with our law enforcement partners, are deeply committed to protecting such
facilities,” said Keefe.Camp is charged with possession of the firearms with the intent to commit a crime, for which he
faces up to five years’ imprisonment. He is also charged with carrying a concealed firearm in
violation of law, for which he faces up to three years’ imprisonment. An arraignment date has been
set for Thursday, May 28, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., in Pensacola, Florida.Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg is prosecuting the case following a joint
investigation by Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General - Criminal Investigations Division,
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of
federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and
entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt at trial.The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that
serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access
public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of
Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.Eastern District of Louisiana United States Attorney Announces AwardsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser, Eastern District of Louisiana, announced today the award of Department of Justice grants to Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office ($161,045), Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office ($76,357), Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office ($37,639), the City of Kenner, Louisiana ($43,809) and the City of Hammond, Louisiana ($61,855) to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grants are available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. The State of Louisiana received $9,688,333 in Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding. In addition to the state award, $5,039,791 has been allocated to local agencies throughout Louisiana, with $2,282,168 being set aside for 22 jurisdictions in the Western District, $1,946,546 for 12 jurisdictions in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and $811,077 for five jurisdictions in the Middle District of Louisiana. These jurisdictions can immediately determine their eligibility for grant funding and apply for such by visiting this website. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funding available as soon as possible after receiving applications. Jurisdictions that have not yet applied for funds may do so until May 29, 2020
“The citizens of Southeast Louisiana have been severely affected by the onslaught of COVID-19 throughout their communities. Without the unwavering dedication and selflessness of first responders and public safety professionals, who are on the frontlines of this battle, our community would be adrift. These awards provide law enforcement in our district the opportunity to continue to safely perform their public safety duties while ensuring their wellbeing and the safety of the community,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Peter G. Strasser.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The law gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of these funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment, and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees, and correctional personnel.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are also candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government and tribes will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations. For a list of all awards thus far, visit the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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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Dorchester Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a firearm.
Joquentz Constant, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to time served (approximately 19 months in prison) and three years of supervised release. In January 2020, Constant was convicted by a federal jury of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Constant was arrested and charged in January 2019 and has been in custody since.
Constant was found to be in possession of a black Regent. 32 caliber revolver bearing obliterated model and serial numbers and containing five rounds of PPU .32 caliber ammunition and one round of WIN .32 caliber ammunition. Due to prior convictions punishable by more than one year in jail, Constant is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. D’Addio and Mackenzie A. Queenin of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
DOJ Increases Efforts to Combat Sexual Harassment in Housing During the COVID 19 PandemicRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott is asking anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker, or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted the ability of many people to pay rent on time and has increased housing insecurity. The Department of Justice has heard reports of housing providers trying to exploit the crisis to sexually harass tenants. Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and the Department of Justice stands ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California will work closely with state and local partners to identify incidents of sexual harassment in housing.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The goal of the Initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing.
Launched in 2017, the Initiative has filed lawsuits across the county alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims. The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years. Many individuals do not know that being sexually harassed by a housing provider can violate federal law or that the Department of Justice may be able to help.
The Department of Justice, through the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.
The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing [email protected].
Individuals may also file a complaint alleging harassment or discrimination in housing with the Department of Housing and Urban Development through HUD’s website or by calling (800) 669-9777.
Covington Man Sentenced to 132 Months for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. - A Covington man, Dennis Duane Free, 32, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday, to 132 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after previously admitting to conspiring with others to distribute crack cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In his plea agreement, Free admitted that he conspired with another individual, Robert Lee Copeland, to distribute crack cocaine between October 1, 2018 and April 2, 2019. On three occasions, Free sold crack cocaine to law enforcement personnel. On April 2, 2019, following his arrest, law enforcement officers seized additional crack cocaine, three firearms, and cash from his residence. In total, 14.2 grams of crack cocaine was seized. Free further admitted that he possessed the firearms found in his residence for protection in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Free has three prior felony convictions, including convictions for felony possession of cocaine and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.
Under federal law, Free must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was directed by the FBI Safe Street’s Task Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wade Napier.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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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Connecticut Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Trafficking more than $200,000 Worth of Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, and Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Korey Stewart, aka “Skip,” “Dash,” “Slim,” “Gutta,” and “Corey Adams,” 37 years old, was sentenced last week to 110 months of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, and conspiring to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking. U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss also sentenced Stewart to a 4-year term of supervised release to follow his imprisonment. In addition, the defendant agreed not to contest the forfeiture of $19,510 in U.S. currency seized during the investigation.
According to Court documents, between approximately 2015 and March of 2018, Stewart conspired with numerous other people to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base in Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, and elsewhere. Stewart utilized couriers to transport drugs and bulk currency, and “runners” (typically addicted individuals) to distribute drugs on his behalf. Stewart also utilized bank accounts for the funneling of proceeds, requiring “runners” and others to make deposits of drug proceeds into a bank account controlled by his girlfriend and co-conspirator, Amber Williams-Eason. Stewart utilized different aliases in different states, and made frequent use of false identification documents to evade arrest on an outstanding parole violation warrant originally issued in 2012.
Stewart was arrested by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Bangor, Maine on March 15, 2018, in possession of a cellular phone that was being intercepted pursuant to a federal wiretap order. Simultaneous to his arrest, agents executed a search warrant at Stewart’s residence in Danbury, Connecticut, seizing numerous cellular phones Stewart had utilized during the three-year conspiracy to organize the drug trafficking organization.
At sentencing, Judge Reiss found that defendant Stewart acted as an organizer and leader of the conspiracy that involved 5 or more individuals, and found that Stewart committed the drug trafficking offense as part of a pattern of criminal conduct engaged in as a livelihood. Financial records and cash seizures revealed Stewart grossed at least $219,000 from his drug distribution activities over the three-year conspiracy.
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department, and thanked the Vermont State Police, the Winooski Police Department, the South Burlington Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency for their assistance. Nolan added: “As this case demonstrates, we will continue to work together at all levels of law enforcement to bring serious consequences to those who profit on the backs of struggling Vermont addicts and their families and communities. Those who line their pockets in the business of addiction are responsible for death and great suffering in Vermont. We will continue to advocate serious jail sentences for those who engage in this grave offense, and we will collaborate with our law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Poly Drug Trafficking Organizations like this one headed by Mr. Stewart, who are coming from out of state and responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl and heroin to the citizens of Vermont,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take these poisons off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Burlington Police Chief Jennifer Morrison stated, “Taking high level distributors off the street is paramount to safe communities. Those who profit at the expense of addicted Vermonters must be held accountable. Complex cases like this can only be solved by teamwork and cross-jurisdictional communication. This case represents a strong effort by many law enforcement partners.”
The United States was represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Ophardt and Spencer Willig. Stewart was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
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
California Man Sentenced to 30 Months of Confinement for Interstate Threat to Injure Michigan WomanRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Juan Lara-Lopez, 34, of South Gate, California was sentenced to 30 months of confinement by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker for making on Facebook an interstate threat to injure a woman residing in West Michigan, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c). Lara-Lopez also received 3 years of supervised release to follow his release from confinement.
Lara-Lopez admitted at the plea hearing that he posted the Facebook threat from his California residence. The Facebook posting included a threat in the Spanish language, stating: "I am paying 3 thousand dollars to whomever can give me the exact address where this whore [Victim 1] is and . . . I will go after her . . . ." Lara-Lopez also made a number of additional threatening social media postings as relevant conduct to the charged offense. At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Jonker sentenced Lara-Lopez above the Guideline confinement range because the threats were designed to scare and humiliate the victim, were made repeatedly over an extended period, and were leaked beyond the victim to frighten others in the community as well as the victim.
"These Facebook postings were designed to intimidate and terrorize the victim. Our efforts today recognize that no one deserves online harassment with threats to injure, torture, and kill," U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge said.
"HSI works closely with state and local law enforcement to investigate threats to harm or injure wherever those threats originate," said Homeland Security Investigations SAC Vance Callender. "In this case, the targeted individual was a woman in West Michigan, but we remain committed to safeguarding the rights of all those targeted by online harassment and threats."
The case was investigated by HSI – Grand Rapids. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay M. West prosecuted the case.
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Beaver County Man Charged with Using Credit Card Numbers Belonging to OthersRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Beaver County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of access device fraud and identity theft, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The four-count Indictment, returned on May 19, 2020 and unsealed today, named Danel Cordero, 33, of Midland, Pennsylvania as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, in August 2019, possessed and used a number of credit card numbers belonging to other people.
The law provides for a minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum total sentence of 14 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Beaver County Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Secret Service conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Indictment- Indictment
Bank Robber Who Escaped from Custody Sentenced for Robbing Two Rochester BanksRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Michael Matzen, 39, of Troy, NY, who was convicted of escaping from federal custody and to two counts of bank robbery, was sentenced to serve 65 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. In addition, the defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,604.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who handled the case, stated that Matzen was previously sentenced to a 57 month prison term in the Northern District of New York for two separate bank robberies. On July 26, 2019, Matzen was designated by the Bureau of Prisons to serve the last several months of that sentence at the Residential Reentry Center in Rochester, New York. On August 30, 2019, Matzen was given permission temporarily to leave the facility until 8:00 p.m. that evening. However, Matzen absconded and did not return to the Residential Reentry Center to complete service of his sentence.
On September 3, 2019, four days after absconding, Matzen robbed the Canandaigua National Bank at 210 Alexander Street, Rochester, New York. Matzen entered the bank wearing a hoodie, dark sunglasses, and a bandana that covered most of his face, and handed a teller a note that demanded money. The teller complied, handed Matzen $2,000 in U.S. Currency, and Matzen fled the bank.
On September 19, 2019, Matzen robbed the Key Bank at 1185 University Avenue, Rochester, New York. Matzen entered the bank and handed a teller a note that stated “Give me all big bills, 50-100’s, no GPS or dye pack, top & bottom drawers, all will be OK for you all.” The teller complied and handed Matzen $1,604 in U.S. Currency. Matzen attempted to flee the bank, but was tackled and detained by two bank customers who held Matzen down until police officers arrived.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Rochester Area Major Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gary Loeffert, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron D. Singletary, and the United States Marshals Service for the Western District of New York, under the direction of United States Marshal Charles Salina.
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Armed Career Criminal Is Sentenced to More Than 16 YearsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that David Matthew Harold, 42, of Weaverville, N.C., was sentenced to 200 months in prison and five years of supervised release on federal firearms offenses. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. presided over the sentencing.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on multiple occasions between June and July 2017, Harold illegally possessed firearms and ammunition, and was involved in three separate shooting incidents. Court documents show that the first incident occurred on June 25, 2017, during which Harold fired at least four shots in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Burnsville, N.C. There were no injuries resulting from the incident, but at least one of the shots struck an unoccupied parked vehicle. Court records show that, sometime after the incident, Harold told two other individuals that he fired the shots to retaliate against a neighbor for calling the police to register a noise complaint against Harold. Law enforcement recovered four empty shell casings in connection with the shooting incident.
According to court records, the second incident occurred on July 11, 2017, during which Harold discharged a firearm into an occupied residence in Leicester, N.C. At the time of the incident, the individual targeted by Harold was not at home but his parents were, though they were not injured. According to court documents, law enforcement later observed five bullet holes in the house targeted by Harold, and recovered bullets from inside the residence.
According to court documents, the third shooting incident occurred on July 16, 2017, during which Harold discharged a firearm into an occupied residence located in Mars Hill, N.C. In this incident, Harold shot in the leg a minor victim who happened to be standing outside the residence. Court documents show that Harold shot the residence in retaliation, after he accused an individual who resided in the home of being a “snitch.” The minor was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. Law enforcement recovered seven spent cartridge casings on the ground outside the residence.
At the time these incidents occurred, Harold was a convicted felon and was an unlawful user of controlled substances, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Specifically, Harold was previously convicted of common law robbery, felonious breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, and injury to personal property.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the Government presented additional evidence concerning two separate incidents that occurred while Harold was on pretrial confinement, during which Harold assaulted and injured two inmates.
On March 4, 2020, Harold pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court classified Harold as an “Armed Career Criminal.”
Harold 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 the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee, the Mars Hill Police Department and the Burnsville Police Department for their coordination and partnerships throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Don Gast, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Alexandria Man on FBI Most Wanted List Indicted on Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Alexandria man with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization operating in Somalia.
According to court documents, Liban Haji Mohamed, 34, a Somali-born naturalized United States citizen, allegedly left the United States in July 2012 with the intent to join al-Shabaab in East Africa. Al-Shabaab is a Somali-based insurgent and terrorist group that has claimed responsibility for many bombings in Somalia and Uganda and is known to have recruited Westerners. According to court documents, Mohamed allegedly attempted to recruit an undercover agent to travel to Somalia to provide combat training to al-Shabaab fighters. Mohamed also allegedly planned to use his own media skills to improve al-Shabaab’s propaganda machine, which it has used to recruit Westerners. Mohamed was a close associate of convicted terrorist Zachary Chesser, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to al-Shabaab.
In July 2012, Interpol, the world’s largest international police organization, issued a red notice seeking Mohamed as a wanted fugitive. In January 2015, the FBI announced the addition of Mohamed to the “Most Wanted Terrorists” list, and is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mohamed.
Mohamed is charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Individuals with information concerning Mohamed are asked to contact the FBI or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be submitted anonymously at https://tips.fbi.gov. Additional information regarding Mohamed, including a poster with his picture, and the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list can be found at: http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/terrorists/fugitives.htm.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Larissa L. Knapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James P. Gillis and John T. Gibbs, and Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Magnone for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Alexandria Man on FBI Most Wanted List Indicted on Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Alexandria man with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization operating in Somalia.
According to court documents, Liban Haji Mohamed, 34, a Somali-born naturalized United States citizen, allegedly left the United States in July 2012 with the intent to join al-Shabaab in East Africa. Al-Shabaab is a Somali-based insurgent and terrorist group that has claimed responsibility for many bombings in Somalia and Uganda and is known to have recruited Westerners. According to court documents, Mohamed allegedly attempted to recruit an undercover agent to travel to Somalia to provide combat training to al-Shabaab fighters. Mohamed also allegedly planned to use his own media skills to improve al-Shabaab’s propaganda machine, which it has used to recruit Westerners. Mohamed was a close associate of convicted terrorist Zachary Chesser, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to al-Shabaab.
In July 2012, Interpol, the world’s largest international police organization, issued a red notice seeking Mohamed as a wanted fugitive. In January 2015, the FBI announced the addition of Mohamed to the “Most Wanted Terrorists” list, and is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mohamed.
Mohamed is charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Individuals with information concerning Mohamed are asked to contact the FBI or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be submitted anonymously at https://tips.fbi.gov. Additional information regarding Mohamed, including a poster with his picture, and the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list can be found at: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/terrorism.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Larissa L. Knapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James P. Gillis and John T. Gibbs, and Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Magnone of the U.S. Department of Justice Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-115.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A Wheeling man and a Pennsylvania man admit to their roles in a drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have admitted to drug distribution in the Wheeling area, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Albert Lee Brooks also known as “B,” of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Brooks, age 48, admitted to selling “crack” cocaine near Luau Manor in Ohio County in March 2019.
Damend Lavel Pollard, also known as “Skills,” of Wheeling, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Pollard, age 49, admitted to selling methamphetamine near Luau Manor in Ohio County in March 2019.
Brooks and Pollard each face at least one and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Monday 25 May 2020
Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on Memorial DayRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:
“Today we pause to remember that freedom is not free. It was bought with the price of lives lost and sacrifices made by countless Americans and their families. Generations of Americans answered the call and many paid the ultimate price to preserve our freedom. We honor their memory today by thanking them and their families for their service and sacrifice and resolving to continue to preserve our freedom for generations to come.”
Memorial Day Message from Assistant Attorney General Eric DreibandRead the Press Release
On the final Monday in May each year we pause as a nation to pay our respects to those members of the Armed forces who have devoted themselves and risked their lives to the defense of our nation. This year, while all else has changed, we continue this important task. In our country’s history, members of our armed forces have sacrificed in order to protect Americans on every continent. Now, the battle is at home. And the fight is against an invisible foe. Nevertheless, members of our armed forces have stood up in our defense.
In every state across our nation, members of our armed forces are working together with first responders to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. States have activated over 47,000 National guard soldiers and airmen to participate in the response to COVID-19.
For example, the New York National Guard (NYNG) is currently operating five antibody testing sites, and thousands of tests have been administered. The NYNG is also operating a hand sanitizer delivery mission, where more than 60,000 gallons of sanitizer have been distributed in the lower Hudson Valley. National Guard members have taken on further initiatives to address food supply issues. In the state of Washington, farmers who could not sell their produce to restaurants or food establishments donated hundreds of tons of potatoes, and the National Guard has distributed more than 200,000 pounds of potatoes in Tacoma.
And Guard members continue to transform facilities into COVID-19 relief centers. For example, Air Force Airman 1st Class Arielle Robles, an administration specialist with the Connecticut Air National Guard’s 103rd Airlift Wing, assisted in building a recovery center on her college campus.
Sadly, we have new names to add to the venerated list of those individuals who sacrificed their lives for our country. Captain Douglass Hickok, a 57-year-old physician assistant in the New Jersey National Guard, was the first servicemember to succumb to COVID-19. In total the Department of Defense has reported that 25 servicemembers and civilian contractors have lost their lives to this virus, and they and their families are in our thoughts and prayers on this day.
The Department of Justice remains committed to doing everything in its power to assist our servicemembers as they operate in this complex and dynamic battlefield. The department also remains solidly committed to continue fighting for our servicemembers and veterans. On this day especially, as we remember those who have fought and died for us, we thank all servicemembers, veterans, and their families for their service, dedication, and sacrifice.
Eric S. Dreiband
Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division
Saturday 23 May 2020
Portland, Biddeford and Auburn Awarded Funds to Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded $219,535 to the City of Portland, $96,714 to the City of Biddeford, and $38,979 to the City of Auburn to address the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
OJP awarded the grants as part of $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed in March. This program allows eligible state, local and tribal governments to apply immediately for these critical funds. Since the program was launched in early April, OJP has awarded almost $596 million to state, local and tribal agencies and organizations.
“The Department of Justice has to date awarded almost $4 million to Maine jurisdictions to assist public safety professionals who are keeping us safe during this pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Our state, local and tribal partners continue to step up in this unprecedented time, and I’m glad the Department can assist them.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment and distributing resources to hard-hit areas. Funds may also be used to help correctional facilities cover costs related to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, sanitation, contagion prevention and measures designed to address the related medical needs of inmates, detainees and correctional personnel.
Jurisdictions that have not yet applied for funds may do so until May 29, 2020. OJP will fund successful applicants on a rolling basis as it receives applications. Grantees may apply the funds retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal rules.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations. For more information, please visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.
OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components is located at www.ojp.gov.
Friday 22 May 2020
Woman Sleeping on Couch with Lockbox Containing Meth Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who law enforcement found asleep on a couch in possession of meth she intended to distribute was sentenced May 18, 2020, to more than three years in federal prison.
Michelle Rae Simmermaker, age 44, from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, received the prison term after a January 2, 2020 guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Evidence during a previous hearing showed that Simmermaker was asleep on the couch in a home in Tipton, Iowa, when law enforcement officers arrived to search the home. Simmermaker had a lockbox with her that contained over ten grams of methamphetamine, which she intended to sell to others. Also present at the residence were two minor children, including Simmermaker’s granddaughter.
Simmermaker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Simmermaker was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Simmermaker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Tipton Police Department, the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muscatine County Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-cr-55.
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University of San Francisco Agrees to Pay over $2.5M for Alleged False Claims in Its Administration of AmeriCorps GrantsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The University of San Francisco (USF) has agreed to pay $2,561,727 to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that it knowingly presented false and fraudulent claims to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) in order to secure federal grant funds under the AmeriCorps State and National Program. CNCS is an independent federal agency that administers the AmeriCorps national service program.
USF obtained AmeriCorps funding to support the San Francisco Teacher Residency Program that allowed students working towards teaching degrees to earn living allowances and money towards their tuition costs by serving as teacher apprentices in high‑needs schools within the San Francisco Unified School District. To receive an AmeriCorps education award, among other requirements, each volunteer had to serve a specified number of hours that were required to be timely and accurately documented.
Based on its investigation, the United States contends that USF, through the director of the San Francisco Teacher Residency Program, falsified over 1,500 timesheets and falsely certified approximately 61 education awards during the 2014, 2015, and 2016 grant years to qualify its program and students for receipt of more than $1.7 million in federal grant funds administered by CNCS. When the United States brought these issues to the attention of senior USF management, USF voluntarily relinquished the grant and actively cooperated during the investigation.
“When federal grantees commit fraud to get or keep federal grant money, the United States Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners will pursue these wrongdoers, seeking damages and substantial civil penalties where warranted,” stated U.S. Attorney Scott. “In this case, USF’s cooperation with federal investigators was a key factor in determining an appropriate resolution.”
“One whistleblower stepped forward to expose a brazen fraud. Our thanks go to him, to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California for its vigorous action and the cooperation of USF to make the public whole,” said CNCS Inspector General Deborah J. Jeffrey.
The allegations resolved by this settlement were first raised in a lawsuit filed against USF under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by the former assistant director of the San Francisco Teacher Residency (No. 2:16-cv-2789). The False Claims Act allows private citizens with knowledge of fraud to bring civil actions on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery.
This investigation was conducted jointly by the CNCS Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Wilson handled the matter for the United States.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
United States Attorney’s Office Indicts 14 Cases and 21 DefendantsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Last week, two federal grand juries in the District of Puerto Rico returned 14 indictments charging 21 defendants during the first week that the United States District Court in Puerto Rico reconvened grand jury proceedings after implementation of health and safety precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The indictments include charges of firearms violations, drug trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, cash smuggling, assault on a federal employee, and illegal reentry. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air and Marine Operations; and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau were in charge of the different investigations.
“I would like to commend those who enabled our office to present cases to these federal grand jury panels, including United States District Court Chief Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí, Clerk of Court María Antongiorgi-Jordan, and their personnel, who implemented health and safety measures to allow these grand juries to meet,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “The federal grand jury, composed of dedicated citizens willing to serve, is a bedrock of our federal criminal justice system and a Constitutionally-protected right for all members of society. These indictments demonstrate the resolve of our office and our federal and local law enforcement partners to continue our public safety mission, notwithstanding the current COVID-19 pandemic.”
The following defendants were indicted:
- Sean Díaz De León and Juan Carlos Pagán Bonilla were charged with aiding and abetting each other, using a firearm during a carjacking, and causing the deaths of two transgender women.
- Jimmy Andrés Díaz Rosa and Reinaldo Rodríguez Colón were charged with attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
- Andrés Martínez was charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Enrique José Félix Velázquez, Juan Manuel Cruz Hernández, Benjamín Pérez Encarnación, and Brian Cruz-Rodríguez were charged with conspiracy to smuggle more than $100,000 in currency on board of a vessel; and conspiracy to jettison property from a vessel. The defendants are facing a forfeiture allegation of approximately 1.3 million dollars.
- Jonathan Ortiz-Castrodad was charged with illegal possession of a machinegun.
- Ángel L. López-Estevez, a convicted felon, was charged with illegal possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
- Wilfredo Fontanez-Reyes was charged with assault on a federal officer. Fontanez-Reyes punched and caused bodily injuries to a postal service employee at the United States Post Office in Comerío, Puerto Rico, while the employee was engaged in his official duties.
- Juan Carlos Fuentes Pérez was charged with possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a felony offense.
- Cristopher Lee Villanueva Díaz was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Fernando Miguel Velázquez-Pérez was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He attempted to engage in sexual activity with someone he believed to be a 13 year-old minor.
- Harold Bryan Declet-Rivera was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He attempted to engage in sexual activity with someone he believed to be a 13 year-old minor. He was also charged with possession of child pornography.
- Juan Sánchez, an illegal alien, was charged with reentry after having been previously removed from the United States in June 2001.
- Ian Carlos De Jesús-Martir was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Oxycodone pills; and importation of a controlled substance.
- Francisco Rosario-Escolástico, Jesús Manuel Quiñones-Otero, and Gregory Polanco were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and obstruction of justice. The defendants are facing a forfeiture allegation of $143,047 in cash, and a Mini-Cooper vehicle.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys José A. Contreras, Ginette Milanes, Marie C. Amy, Jeanette Collazo, Linet Suárez, Juan C. Reyes, John Hutchins, and Desirée Laborde-Sanfiorenzo of the District of Puerto Rico are in charge of the prosecution of the cases. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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UVM ER Doctor Charged with Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Eike Blohm, 38, of South Burlington, Vermont, was charged by criminal complaint in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, with one count of production of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Blohm made his initial appearance to answer the complaint in federal court on May 22, 2020. At the hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy ordered Blohm detained pending trial. Blohm is next scheduled to appear in Federal court on June 1, 2020.
According to court records and proceedings, an employee at the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM MC) discovered a camera hidden in a unisex employee bathroom in the Emergency Department. Investigators with the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations (CUSI) recovered the camera and discovered approximately 1,300 videos on the camera. Approximately 900 videos depicted hospital employees in at least two bathrooms at UVM MC. Approximately 21 videos showed a minor child bathing nude at a location associated with Blohm. The child’s identity is known to law enforcement, and a number of those videos showed the minor’s genitalia. In addition, investigators searched, pursuant to a search warrant, Blohm’s iPad. Investigators found approximately 132 images of child pornography that did not involve the known minor.
U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan emphasized that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Blohm’s sentence will be determined by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the impact, if any, of any mandatory minimum prison terms applicable to any count of conviction.
U.S. Attorney Nolan commended the efforts of the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Barbara A. Masterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, and James E. Burke IV, Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, are handling the prosecution of Blohm. Lisa B. Shelkrot of Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP, represents Blohm.
U.S. Attorney Nolan noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney: Webinar Will Focus on National Elder Fraud HotlineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A free public webinar June 17 will focus on the services available from the new U.S. Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline, which will provide services to older adults who may be victims of financial fraud, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
“Fraud and romance scams aimed at older adults resulted in losses of more than $184 million in 2018,” McAllister said. “Many crimes go unreported because victims are scared, embarrassed, or don’t know who to call. That’s why DOJ created the hotline.”
At 3 p.m. June 17, 2020, the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center will present an online Expert Q&A discussion with Lori A. McGee and Helen Supanich on "The U.S. Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline to Assist Victims of Financial Fraud."
The public is invited to participate by registering in advance at https://www.ovcttac.gov/expert-qa/
The hotline is on the web at https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/
U.S. Attorney and DOJ Civil Rights Provide Update on COVID-19 Related Religious Liberties CaseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger and Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division today announced an update on the status of the Department of Justice’s efforts to protect religious liberties during the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting a lawsuit brought in federal district court by Lighthouse Fellowship Church, a congregation in Chincoteague Island, Virginia that serves, among others, recovering drug addicts and former prostitutes.
On May 3, the Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest supporting Lighthouse Fellowship Church’s emergency request for an injunction pending appeal of the district court’s ruling of May 1, which denied Lighthouse Fellowship Church’s emergency motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction. Yesterday, the district court denied the church’s request for an injunction pending appeal. Lighthouse Fellowship Church previously appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit the district court’s denial of its emergency motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction. The Department of Justice is assessing its options with regard to participating in that appeal.
“Our First Amendment right to freely exercise religion does not disappear during a pandemic,” said Terwilliger. “Public safety is critical while COVID-19 remains with us, but we must also preserve our fundamental liberties.”
“The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of all people in our country to exercise their religion freely and without undue restrictions imposed by government,” said Dreiband. “As President Trump again reminded us earlier today, houses of worship are essential to people of faith, and those people include the recovering drug addicts and former prostitutes who allege that the Commonwealth of Virginia is unlawfully denying their ability to exercise right religion.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER.
U.S. Attorney Observes National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial DayRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – On Memorial Day, Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, will observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. and invites all citizens to pause from their activities and join with him to pay tribute to our fallen heroes with a minute of silence.
The National Moment of Remembrance, which was established by Congress in 2000, encourages all American citizens, including federal agency personnel, to pause for one minute to remember the men and women who lost their lives fighting for our nation and its values of freedom and peace. Memorial Day was established following the Civil War, and was made a national holiday honoring those who died in all American wars in 1971. Memorial Day is Monday, May 27, 2020.
“Despite COVID-19 restrictions, we can honor the countless Americans who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation by joining together in silence and reflection this Memorial Day,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “We owe our courageous servicemen and women a debt of gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy, a debt that we can never fully repay. Memorial Day is a time to remember all those brave men and women who courageously fought and died for our country. We are eternally grateful for the service of all of our fallen heroes, their families, veterans and members of our military.”
To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative, please visit www.justice.gov/servicemembers. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
U.S. Attorney Brady Announces $119K Grant to Address COVID-19 Pandemic in McKeesportRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady today announced that the City of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, received $119,006 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grant is available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. In addition, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency has been awarded $17.6 million in grants that can be distributed to eligible governmental agencies throughout Pennsylvania, including western Pennsylvania. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications, which are not due until May 29, 2020.
From the moment these grants became available, U.S. Attorney Brady has dedicated staff to ensure that all eligible agencies in western Pennsylvania have the opportunity to apply and receive funds promptly. Since then, the Office has worked with eligible applicants to assist them in the grant process.
"McKeesport police officers shoulder a great responsibility in carrying out their sworn duty to protect and serve, especially during this public health crisis," U.S. Attorney Brady said. "I am hopeful this $119,006 from the Justice Department will help McKeesport police officers in their public safety duties while also ensuring their own health and safety. I also encourage all of our local law enforcement agencies to apply for these critical grants."
"We are extremely grateful to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to better equip the McKeesport Police Department with the manpower, personal protective equipment, and cleaning supplies necessary to ensure our officers’ safety during these uncertain times when our society is deeply affected by COVID-19," McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said. "Our daily procedures and interactions are impacted by the standards set forth by national and state leaders, and McKeesport police will continue to operate under the recommended guidelines thanks to this funding."
The public safety funds being made available through DOJ’s Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program can be used for the most pressing needs of our state and local partners, including new hiring and overtime pay, training, critical personal protective equipment and supplies, and the medical needs of prisoners.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government and tribes will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announces $44,250 award to address COVID-19 pandemic in MorgantownRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Bill Powell of the Northern District of West Virginia today announced that the city of Morgantown received $44,250 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grant, awarded to the city of Morgantown is available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. Those jurisdictions can find out if they are eligible and apply immediately by visiting this website. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications.
“The city of Morgantown will put this funding to good use, working to keep its residents and visitors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am proud to announce this additional funding to assist with this good work,” said Powell.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The law gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of these funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment, distributing resources to hard-hit areas and addressing inmates’ medical needs.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government and tribes will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorney Announces Nearly $1M in DOJ Grants Related to COVID-19Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger today announced that various jurisdictions across the Eastern District of Virginia have recently been awarded over $972,500 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grants, to the City of Leesburg, Town of Stafford, James City County, City of Chesapeake, Henrico County, and Chesterfield County, are available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications.
“Those on the front lines of the public safety response to the coronavirus have our support, gratitude, and utmost respect,” said Terwilliger. “The Department of Justice provides this funding with significant flexibility, so that state and local departments can use it in the ways that best benefit their officers and their community.”
The grants come on the heels of a separate DOJ grants of over $11 million to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, the City of Petersburg, the City of Alexandria, the County of Hanover, and the City of Suffolk announced earlier this month.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program allows States, U.S. Territories, the District of Columbia, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. Funded projects or initiatives may include, but are not limited to, overtime, equipment (including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment), hiring, supplies (such as gloves, masks, sanitizer), training, travel expenses (particularly related to the distribution of resources to the most impacted areas), and addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails, and detention centers.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Three men indicted in the Northern District on charges of child pornographyRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced today that a federal grand jury indicted three men in the Northern District this week on child pornography charges. These are separate cases and are not related.
Matthew Barlow, age 38, of Akron was indicted on two counts of transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, one count of sexual exploitation of children, and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the criminal complaint filed in this case, from February 2016 through April 2020, Barlow used an email account to receive and possess approximately 1,483 images of child pornography, which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Furthermore, the affidavit states that some of the images may have depicted a minor that had previously lived with Barlow. Barlow is a registered sex offender in the State of Ohio.
The case was investigated by SA Benjamin Shaw, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cleveland Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.
Andrew Allen Meek, age 48, of Leetonia was charged on a two-count indictment with receipt and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possession of child pornography. According to the complaint filed in the matter, on February 25, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s address in Leetonia and seized various digital items. During an investigation of these items, numerous depictions of child pornography were discovered.
The case was investigated by the Youngstown office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.
David M. Schade, age 33, of Cleveland was charged on a three-count indictment with sexual exploitation of a minor, receiving visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possession of child pornography.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the matter, from March through April 2020, the defendant used the social media platform Snapchat to coerce a minor into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child pornography. During a federal search warrant of the defendant’s residence, investigators discovered numerous devices containing images of child pornography.
The case was investigated by Investigator David Frattare of the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Department of Homeland Investigations, Cleveland Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
Three Jackson Men Arrested and Charged with Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Three men have been charged with federal criminal violations in an indictment and arrested for conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and fictitious obligations, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans Field Office.
“Fraud schemes, like the ones perpetrated and executed by these defendants, inflict considerable loss on citizens, companies, and the financial system,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. “Many of these schemes target the elderly and often steal the victims’ entire life savings. These arrests affirm the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens.”
“This remains a dynamic, coordinated investigation involving the efforts of multiple Homeland Security Investigations field offices,” said Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New Orleans. “These arrests demonstrate that no matter how and where crimes are committed, nothing and no one is beyond the reach of the law. Criminals who use the internet to defraud victims in our community won’t be able to hide.”
An original indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2019, charged the defendants James Haynes, 65, Jarvis Haynes, 29, and Neman Zahid, 32, of Jackson, Miss., with defrauding multiple victims as part of an international tech support and telemarketing fraud scheme.
According to the indictment, ten named defendants engaged in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud, to make money and profit by defrauding individual victims and financial institutions through telemarketing. Members of the telemarketing ring would contact victims by telephone and electronic mail, claiming to offer those victims technical support and assistance to free their personal computers from malicious software or viruses that may have affected their computers. The fraud ring participants persuaded the victims to grant remote access to their computers, and the actors would pretend to be fixing the malware, while they searched for the victims’ bank account information and online access passwords. They also convinced victims to wire or send money, as well as to open and create new accounts for the defendants to receive and transfer funds. Often the ring targeted elderly victims, in particular. On occasions when victims would complain or seek repayment of the money they had sent to the fraud ring, ring members counterfeited checks based on the victims’ bank information, and sent the fictitious obligations back to the victims to deceive them.
According to the indictment and testimony in court, between January 2015 and December 2018, James T. Haynes, Jarvis K. Haynes, and Neman Zahid, in conjunction with seven other defendants, are alleged to have established corporations and limited liability companies in Mississippi and elsewhere, to have opened bank accounts for those corporations, and aided and facilitated in telemarketing scams across the United States as well as overseas. Each of the three men arraigned this week had opened bank accounts in those company names to receive and transfer money defrauded from victims. They also each withdrew and sent money from the corporate shell accounts, to themselves and overseas to fellow conspirators and ring members.
On May 20, 2020, the three men appeared for arraignment on the indictment before United States Magistrate Judge F. Keith Ball in Jackson. The Court released James Haynes and Jarvis Haynes on bond, subject to conditions including that each refrain from further violations of state or federal law while awaiting trial. Neman Zahid was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals to await trial.
Each of the three men faces enhanced maximum penalties of 30 years for the conspiracy count, 30 years for each count of mail fraud and wire fraud; 40 years for each bank fraud count; 20 years for each money laundering count; a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for each count of aggravated identity theft; and 25 years for each count of fictitious obligations. Each count also can merit a fine of up to $250,000. Federal law enhances the maximum penalties up to ten additional years under the SCAM Act (the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994), at Title 18, United States Code, Section 2326, for targeting persons over the age of 55 during listed fraud offenses in connection with telemarketing or e-mail marketing.
Trial is scheduled for June 29, 2020, at the Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse in Jackson, Miss., before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Special Agents with HSI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Statesville Man Is Sentenced to Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Late yesterday, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Charles Timothy Browne, 57, of Statesville, N.C., to 43 months in prison and three years of supervised release, for cyberstalking a woman residing in Maryland, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
John A Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to information in filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, in December 2017, and January 2018, Browne sent a Maryland woman approximately 731 harassing and intimidating texts including, “I like my new gun,” “Now your gonna feel some pain,” and “Lock your door.” Court records show that Browne also texted a mutual friend that he was going to shoot the woman in the face. Browne’s repeated texting caused the Maryland woman substantial emotional distress and to fear that he would kill or seriously injure her.
On February 3, 3030, Browne pleaded guilty to cyberstalking. At yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Bell enhanced Browne’s sentence because, at the time he sent the harassing and intimidating texts to the Maryland woman, a judge-issued protective order was in effect that prohibited him from abusing, threatening to abuse, harassing and/or contacting her. Between 2004 and 2017, Browne had been subject to six protective orders.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray commended the FBI for their investigation of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Kimlani M. Ford, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
St. Petersburg Man Charged with Attempted Online Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Eric James Templeton (31, St. Petersburg) with attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Templeton faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release.
According to the
complaint , from May 19 through May 21, 2020, Templeton engaged in chats, through an online site and through text messaging, with an individual he believed to be the mother of a five-year-old female child. On multiple occasions during those conversations, Templeton indicated to the “mother,” actually an undercover Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent, his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor “child.” On May 21, 2020, Templeton asked to meet the “mother,” and her five-year-old “child” for that purpose. Templeton arrived at the agreed upon time and location and was subsequently arrested. A search of Templeton’s person uncovered a bottle of personal lubricant and two lollipops.A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Software Engineer Charged in Washington with Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A software engineer was charged in a complaint unsealed today for allegedly filing fraudulent bank loan applications seeking more than $1 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Baoke Zhang, 35, of Issaquah, Washington, was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in the Western District of Washington with wire fraud and bank fraud.
“The defendant allegedly submitted false documents in a brazen scheme to acquire over 1.5 million dollars in loan funds made available for legitimate businesses adversely affected by COVID-19,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and bring to justice those who commit fraud on CARES Act programs.”
“This defendant tried more than once to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – a program designed to keep people working,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran for the Western District of Washington. “I am pleased that the systems designed to detect and deny fraudulent payments caught his scheme before federal funds went out the door.”
“SBA OIG applauds due diligence by SBA’s lending partners to maintain the integrity of the lending programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) Western Region. “Providing false statements to gain access to SBA’s programs will be aggressively investigated by our office in partnership with our law enforcement counterparts. I want to thank the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“In the midst of this pandemic, anyone who attempts to engage in illegal activity will be aggressively pursued,” stated J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). “Our mission at TIGTA is to protect the integrity of the nation’s system of tax administration. I appreciate the assistance of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the Department of Justice, and other law enforcements partners in this effort.”
“This is an example of someone who was attempting to take advantage of a program to help Americans during one the most difficult times in recent memory,” said Special Agent in Charge Raymond Duda of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “We are proud to partner with SBA and TIGTA in ensuring funds provided for programs such as PPP, make it to the people who need it the most.”
Zhang allegedly sought over a million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA from multiple banks by claiming fictitious payroll expenses associated with fictitious information technology companies that he created. Zhang allegedly provided fraudulent documents to two different lenders in support of applications for loans guaranteed by the SBA for COVID-19 relief through the PPP. In total, Zhang sought forgivable loans in the amount of $1,525,000.
Allegedly, Zhang provided lenders with fraudulent IRS documentation purporting to show federal tax withholdings for a sole proprietorship in his name for 25 employees. As part of an effort to show that this business had been operating for several quarters, Zhang allegedly submitted to two lenders documentation purporting to show that, on April 3, 2017, the IRS had assigned an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to his sole proprietorship. In fact, the IRS assigned the EIN on April 3, 2020, only a week before Zhang submitted his application to the lender. Zhang allegedly also provided fraudulent IRS documentation purporting to show federal tax withholdings for 20 employees for a limited liability company he created.
Zhang allegedly provided falsified documentation purporting to show that an EIN for the second company had been assigned in 2018. In fact, the IRS assigned the EIN on April 21, 2020, just two days before Zhang submitted an application for the company to the lender. Zhang also allegedly provided the lender with a bank statement purporting to show that the company had disbursed payroll payments in December 2019. In fact, Zhang opened that account in April 2020.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small-businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within eight weeks of receipt and use at least 75 percent of the forgiven amount for payroll.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Trial Attorney Amanda Vaughn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Werner for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department acknowledges and thanks the TIGTA, the SBA OIG and the FBI for their efforts investigating this mater.
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.
Software Engineer Charged in Washington with COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
A software engineer was charged in a complaint unsealed today for allegedly filing fraudulent bank loan applications seeking more than $1 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Baoke Zhang, 35, of Issaquah, Washington, was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in the Western District of Washington with wire fraud and bank fraud.
“The defendant allegedly submitted false documents in a brazen scheme to acquire over 1.5 million dollars in loan funds made available for legitimate businesses adversely affected by COVID-19,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and bring to justice those who commit fraud on CARES Act programs.”
“This defendant tried more than once to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – a program designed to keep people working,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran for the Western District of Washington. “I am pleased that the systems designed to detect and deny fraudulent payments caught his scheme before federal funds went out the door.”
“SBA OIG applauds due diligence by SBA’s lending partners to maintain the integrity of the lending programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) Western Region. “Providing false statements to gain access to SBA’s programs will be aggressively investigated by our office in partnership with our law enforcement counterparts. I want to thank the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“In the midst of this pandemic, anyone who attempts to engage in illegal activity will be aggressively pursued,” stated J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). “Our mission at TIGTA is to protect the integrity of the nation’s system of tax administration. I appreciate the assistance of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the Department of Justice, and other law enforcements partners in this effort.”
“This is an example of someone who was attempting to take advantage of a program to help Americans during one the most difficult times in recent memory,” said Special Agent in Charge Raymond Duda of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “We are proud to partner with SBA and TIGTA in ensuring funds provided for programs such as PPP, make it to the people who need it the most.”
Zhang allegedly sought over a million dollars in forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA from multiple banks by claiming fictitious payroll expenses associated with fictitious information technology companies that he created. Zhang allegedly provided fraudulent documents to two different lenders in support of applications for loans guaranteed by the SBA for COVID-19 relief through the PPP. In total, Zhang sought forgivable loans in the amount of $1,525,000.
Allegedly, Zhang provided lenders with fraudulent IRS documentation purporting to show federal tax withholdings for a sole proprietorship in his name for 25 employees. As part of an effort to show that this business had been operating for several quarters, Zhang allegedly submitted to two lenders documentation purporting to show that, on April 3, 2017, the IRS had assigned an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to his sole proprietorship. In fact, the IRS assigned the EIN on April 3, 2020, only a week before Zhang submitted his application to the lender. Zhang allegedly also provided fraudulent IRS documentation purporting to show federal tax withholdings for 20 employees for a limited liability company he created.
Zhang allegedly provided falsified documentation purporting to show that an EIN for the second company had been assigned in 2018. In fact, the IRS assigned the EIN on April 21, 2020, just two days before Zhang submitted an application for the company to the lender. Zhang also allegedly provided the lender with a bank statement purporting to show that the company had disbursed payroll payments in December 2019. In fact, Zhang opened that account in April 2020.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small-businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within eight weeks of receipt and use at least 75 percent of the forgiven amount for payroll.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Trial Attorney Amanda Vaughn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Werner for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department acknowledges and thanks the TIGTA, the SBA OIG and the FBI for their efforts investigating this matter.
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.
Rocky Mount Man Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was sentenced today to 132 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base (crack).
According to court documents, Matthew Darnell Pittman, 29, possessed with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base (crack) in July 2017. Pittman, who has been convicted of multiple prior drug distribution offenses, also possessed a firearm. Pittman was found to be a Career Offender and was given credit for thirty months he had already served in the state on related charges.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Law enforcement agents from the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as the Rocky Mount Police Department, and Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Brown prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-102-D.
Roanoke Rapids Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years for Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Roanoke Rapids man was sentenced today to 262 months imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm during a March 23, 2018 shooting incident.
According to court documents, Brian Lee Dunlow, 46, was named in a Superseding Indictment filed on October 9, 2019 charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm (2 counts), possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a firearm in violation of a domestic violence protective order. Dunlow pled guilty to the first count of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon on January 24, 2020.
On March 23, 2018 officers with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Spring Hope, NC in response to a shots fired call. Dunlow came home unexpectedly and found his girlfriend moving out, with the assistance of four men from her church who had volunteered to help pack and load a moving truck. Dunlow became upset, pulled a gun and pointed it at the face of one of the men from the church. Dunlow fired a shot at close range but missed. The man, a former corrections officer who was licensed to carry, drew his own gun and returned fire, wounding Dunlow.
Several weeks later, on May 5, 2018, officers from the Roanoke Rapids Police Department responded to a call from the home of Dunlow’s mother, where Dunlow was living at the time, while recovering from the injuries he suffered during the March 23, 2018 shooting. Officers learned that Dunlow had stolen a firearm from his mother’s bedroom and held his mother and his wife hostage for approximately four hours. During the incident, Dunlow threatened his wife and struck her in the face and head with a cane, and caused a cut on his mother’s arm. Dunlow fled in his mother’s car, but was apprehended soon after, with a loaded revolver in the car.
Due to an extensive criminal history that includes qualifying predicate convictions, Dunlow was determined to be an armed career criminal and thereby subject to an enhanced sentence under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 924(e).
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the plea and sentenced Dunlow. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Roanoke Rapids Police Department are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charity Wilson and Bryan Stephany are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:18-CR-48-D1.
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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.
Richmond Man Sentenced to 200 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Richmond, Ky., man, Richard Duerson, was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 200 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, after previously being convicted of conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to the evidence at trial, on March 2, 2019, officers with the Richmond Police Department obtained and executed a search warrant on Duerson’s apartment in Richmond. During the search, in Duerson’s bedroom, officers located quantities of cocaine and over 50 grams of methamphetamine, including 661 pills containing methamphetamine, as well as approximately $10,000 in cash wrapped in a sock in the bedroom closet.
After Duerson’s arrest, officers investigated several recorded phone calls he made to Jennifer McFarland, his co-defendant, from the Madison County Detention Center, discussing the removal of various items from his apartment. On March 8, 2019, officers obtained a second search warrant, for McFarland’s Richmond residence. During this search, officers located approximately 303 grams of methamphetamine, 679 grams of cocaine, several firearms, and multiple items used for mixing and preparing narcotics for sale.
McFarland was sentenced in March 2020 and received 151 months in prison.
Under federal law, Duerson 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; Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Department; and James Ebert, Chief of Police, Richmond Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was investigated by the DEA, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Richmond Police Department, and the Madison County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Francisco Villalobos II.
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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Previously convicted felon from the Navajo Nation arraigned on federal charge of illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Carlton Craig Sandoval, 38, of Window Rock, A.Z., appeared in federal court in Albuquerque on May 20 for an arraignment on an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in Indian Country.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on May 12 charging Sandoval with this offense. According to the indictment and other public court records, Sandoval allegedly committed this offense in McKinley County on Jan. 1. That day, police encountered Sandoval after responding to a 911 call from Navajo, New Mexico reporting a fight outside a group of homes. Officers found Sandoval at the scene sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle where he allegedly refused to comply with an officer’s questions. Sandoval allegedly grew agitated and refused to comply with officer requests while also making suspicious movements in the vehicle. When another officer arrived at the scene and approached the passenger side of Sandoval’s vehicle, the officer observed an open beer can and a brown rifle with a scope on the front passenger seat. Sandoval was prohibited from possessing firearms at this time based on previous felony convictions.
The FBI arrested Sandoval on March 16, 2020 in Gallup, New Mexico. He faces up to ten years in prison if convicted of the charged offense. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Albuquerque office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Window Rock Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Flores is prosecuting the case.
President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Holds Hearing on Rural and Tribal JusticeRead the Press Release
This week, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice began its hearing on rural and tribal justice over three days via teleconference. Each teleconference featured expert witnesses who provided testimony and, subsequently, answered questions from the commissioners.
On Tuesday, May 19, the commission received testimony from Ronald Parsons, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota; Andover (Kansas) Police Chief Michael Keller; Apex (North Carolina) Police Chief John Letteney, and; Ziebach County (South Dakota) State Attorney Cheryl Laurenz-Bogue.
Testimony and discussions focused on challenges law enforcement face in rural areas. All panelists spoke of the urgent need for resources in rural counties across the country. There is a lack of recruits, funding, technology, and training. In addition, across rural America, substance abuse, specifically methamphetamine, is having a significant impact on communities and leading to an increase in crime.
On Wednesday, May 20, the commission heard testimony from Cochise County (Ariz.) Sheriff Mark Dannels; Bryan Schroeder, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska; Laramie County (Wyoming) Sheriff Danny Glick, and; Carleton County (Minn.) Sheriff Kelly Lake.
Testimony and discussion focused on geographic issues for rural communities. The panelists spoke of the hardship long distance and challenging terrain presents to rural law enforcement. There are too few law enforcement officers given the size of the jurisdiction they are tasked with policing. For instance, the transport times from jails to courts or for an officer to respond to an emergency call can take hours. Similarly, law enforcement need proper equipment and vehicles for some of the more challenging landscapes – especially in Alaska where there are often few roads.
On Thursday, May 21, the commission heard testimony from Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma; Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal (New York) Police Chief Matthew Rourke; Redding Rancheria Tribal Court Chief Judge Richard Blake, and; Sycuan Tribe (Calif.) Police Chief Bill Denke.
Testimony and discussion focused on the criminal justice system in Indian Country. The panelists testified to the need for more law enforcement partnerships, more law enforcement officers on the ground, and, if the officers or agents are non-tribal, the need for law enforcement to have an awareness and appreciation for tribal culture.
The commission will conclude its hearing on rural and tribal justice next week.
For more information on the Commission, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/ag/presidential-commission-law-enforcement-and-administration-justice. Audio recordings and transcripts of the hearings will be posted online once available.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison and over $3 Million in Restitution for Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Branden Coluccio, 32, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. As part of his sentence, he was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,070,157, forfeiture in the amount of $110,000, and an additional $15,000 fine. United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone presided over the sentencing hearing in Philadelphia via video teleconference. This scheme involved Liberation Way, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization that had treatment centers in Yardley, Bala Cynwyd, and Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
The investigation exposed an array of health care fraud schemes committed by individuals associated with Liberation Way, including an over-billing scheme connected with the facility’s medical director, as well as an elaborate kick-back scheme involving thousands of medically-unnecessary urine tests which were sent to Florida-based laboratories for analysis. Coluccio, a co-founder of Liberation Way, participated in yet another scheme by fraudulently purchasing premium insurance policies for prospective patients on their behalf, which then allowed Liberation Way to bill insurance companies for expensive “treatment” purportedly provided to these patients. Liberation Way represented that the patients were buying and paying for these policies, when in reality Liberation Way was paying the premiums, which is illegal.
“As made clear by today’s sentencing, my Office will not tolerate health care fraud in any form,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Those who think that they can exploit our health care system and take advantage of at-risk patients are criminals and will face the consequences. Coluccio will rightly spend years in prison and pay millions of dollars as the result of his criminal conduct.”
“Coluccio schemed to defraud health care programs by manipulating vulnerable patients,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Instead he will spend years behind bars and restitute millions in stolen money. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect vital health and human service programs and the individuals they serve.”
“Coluccio used vulnerable patients as pawns in his scheme to defraud insurance plans of millions of dollars,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “He’s now being held to account for his criminal deceptions at Liberation Way, sentenced to several years behind bars. If you steal from our country’s essential healthcare system, know that the FBI, alongside our state and federal partners, is committed to shutting you down and bringing you to justice.”
“Branden Coluccio conspired with others in a health care fraud scheme by unlawfully purchasing premium insurance policies for prospective patients. The scheme allowed Liberation Way, an organization with several drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, to bill insurance companies for expensive treatment allegedly provided to patients. We will continue to work with our law enforcement officers to protect the integrity of health care benefits,” stated Derek Pickle, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“The defendant took advantage of people struggling with addiction to profit off the opioid epidemic ravaging Pennsylvania,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Our office is fighting this scourge on all fronts. My thanks to our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and other agencies in Pennsylvania and Florida for their diligence and dedication to this investigation and the punishments we’ve secured for these bad actors.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Labor, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Beam Winter and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Labar and Kristy Christ.
Passenger at Cyril E. King Airport Charged with Smuggling Marijuana to St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that an Information has been filed against Raquel Rivera for attempting to smuggle marijuana into St. Thomas. Rivera is scheduled to be arraigned on June 3, 2020 in St. Thomas.
According to public documents filed in the case, Rivera was stopped on April 22, 2020 at the Cyril E. King airport after arriving in St. Thomas from Miami, FL. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers then searched bags she was carrying and found in two separate pieces of luggage marijuana totaling over five kilograms.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and CBP. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Brooks.
An Information is merely a charging document, and it is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Officials of Waste Recycling Company Charged with Conspiring to Commit Environmental CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the filing of three Informations and plea agreements yesterday charging Thomas Drake, 80, Jasper, Georgia; James Moss, 61, Ladysmith, Wisconsin; and Bonnie Dennee, 66, Phillips, Wisconsin, with conspiracy to store and transport hazardous waste without the required permits and manifests, in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The Information filed against Moss also charged him with conspiracy to evade the payment of employment taxes and income taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
As part of their plea agreements with the United States, Drake, Moss, and Dennee agreed to waive their right to be charged by indictment by a grand jury. In these circumstances, federal charges are entered by way of an Information filed with the Court.
According to the Informations, 5R Processors Ltd. (5R) based in Ladysmith, Wisconsin was a corporation involved in recycling electronic equipment, appliances, and other assets. 5R operated numerous facilities and warehouses in Ladysmith, Glen Flora, Catawba and West Bend, Wisconsin, and in Morristown, Tennessee. Drake founded 5R in Wisconsin in 1988 and served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Drake was responsible for overseeing all aspects of 5R’s operations, including compliance with OSHA and federal and state environmental laws. Moss joined 5R in 2007, and became its President in 2010. As President of 5R, Moss was responsible for managing all plant operations. Dennee started with 5R in 1997. She worked in various positions at 5R, including director of environmental, health, safety & certifications, and executive vice-president.
According to the Informations, 5R used a de-manufacturing technique whereby electronic equipment was taken apart manually and the parts sorted into commodities which then could be resold. 5R took in computer monitors and televisions that contained cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which were broken down and the glass separated between “clean glass” (which was sold as a commodity) and “funnel glass” that had lead in it. Until 2011, 5R shipped the leaded CRT glass to vendors that were allowed to handle it, and 5R was charged for the disposal.
The Informations allege that from 2011 to 2016, the defendants and others conspired to (1) knowingly store hazardous waste (i.e broken and crushed CRT glass that contained lead) at unpermitted facilities in Catawba and Glen Flora, Wisconsin, and Morristown, Tennessee; (2) knowingly transport the hazardous waste without a required manifest; and (3) conceal the above violations from state regulators in Wisconsin and Tennessee, as well as auditors with a nationwide recycling certification program known as R2.
According to the Informations, the defendants attempted to conceal their illegal storage and transport of the crushed leaded glass by various means, including:
- changing the date labels on the containers;
- hiding the containers by putting them inside semi-trailers and locking the trailer doors;
- moving the containers to the back of the warehouse and stacking other pallets in front of them, making it impossible for regulators to see the boxes or inspect them;
- storing the containers at a warehouse in Glen Flora, and not disclosing the existence of this warehouse, or its contents, to state regulators or R2 auditors;
- storing the containers at 5R’s plant in Morristown, Tennessee in two warehouse spaces that did not have electricity or power, and which were referred to by 5R employees as the “dark side” and the “dark-dark side;” and
- providing the state regulators with inaccurate inventory and shipping records for the leaded glass.
The defendants agreed to plead guilty to this conspiracy charge. If convicted, the maximum penalty for this charge is five years in prison, restitution, and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Moss agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to defraud the IRS in the collection of employment taxes and income taxes for 5R and two other related companies, Wisconsin Logistic Solutions (WLS) and Pure Extractions. The Information alleges that Moss and others failed to truthfully account for and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service all of the federal income taxes withheld from employees and FICA taxes due and owing to the United States for 5R, WLS and Pure Extractions, totaling $858,101.29. The maximum penalty for this charge is also five years in prison, restitution, and a $250,000 fine.
The charges against Drake, Moss, and Dennee are the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Law Enforcement; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division; and IRS Criminal Investigation. James Cha with EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber are handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Naval petty officer indicted for possession, distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A U.S. Navy petty officer stationed at Submarine Base Kings Bay has been indicted on child pornography charges by a U.S. District Court grand jury meeting in virtual session due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anthony Gabriel Ortiz, 21, of Kings Bay, appeared in U.S. District Court on Friday before Magistrate Judge Benjamin W. Cheesbro, where he was denied bond and detained pending trial on charges of Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison plus substantial financial penalties, followed by a period of supervised release and registration as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
“As our world becomes increasingly connected through cyberspace, there will always be those who would attempt to use these connections for illegal or exploitative purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We are grateful for the vigilance of our law enforcement partners in this country and beyond in preventing and interdicting those who would target our most vulnerable citizens.”
Ortiz is a petty officer third class in the U.S. Navy assigned to Submarine Base Kings Bay. Investigators with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police found images of child pornography shared via a messaging application and referred them to the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center, and HSI alerted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Ortiz was later taken into custody.
“It is disheartening to see the victimization of children,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI will continue to prioritize working with its partners to bring these perpetrators to justice and protect the children of this community.”
“NCIS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue the creators and distributors of child pornography, in hopes of preventing the victimization of young children, many of whom who are scarred for life by the predatory actions of these perpetrators,” said Thomas Cannizzo, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Southeast Field Office. “NCIS is dedicated to combating child sexual crimes that endanger Department of the Navy families and children everywhere.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Mission Man Indicted on Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
Wayne Kills Enemy, III, age 29, was indicted on February 11, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 21, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on November 4, 2019, at Mission, Kills Enemy, being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, and having previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, knowingly possessed a firearm. The Indictment further alleges that at the same location and date, Kills Enemy knowingly possessed a weapon made from a shotgun, with a barrel of less than eighteen inches in length, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The charges are merely accusations and Kills Enemy is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Kills Enemy was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Member of the Pueblo of Laguna charged with assault with intent to commit murder and kidnapping in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Duane A. Day, 30, of New Laguna, New Mexico appeared in federal court in Albuquerque on May 20 for arraignment on an indictment charging him with assault with intent to commit murder and kidnapping in Indian Country.
A grand jury indicted Day for the offenses on May 12. According to the indictment, Day committed the crimes on March 24 at a residence in New Laguna, Cibola County, New Mexico. Day allegedly strangled the victim twice, causing her to lose consciousness the second time. Day allegedly threatened the victim’s life during the assault. When the victim attempted to flee and screamed for help, Day threatened her with a metal garden hoe, directed her to move around as he wished, and would not let her leave or call for help. The victim eventually sent a text message to a family member when Day was not looking and asked the family member to call for help. Police arrived a short time later and arrested Day. The victim received treatment for her injuries on the scene and at University of New Mexico Hospital.
The Pueblo of Laguna Public Safety Department arrested Day. He is currently in federal custody pending trial. Day faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of assault and up to life in prison if convicted of kidnapping. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Albuquerque office of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Flores is prosecuting the case.