Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
23 June 2020
Dominican National Sentenced in Massive Credit Card, Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national convicted in a massive fraud scheme that resulted in tens of thousands of stolen credit card numbers and the stolen personal identifying information of thousands of individuals being used to defraud banks of at nearly $1.3 million dollars was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence today to 41 months in federal prison.
Juan Jose Rodriguez-Castro, 37, and fellow Dominican national, Wilbred Armando Reyes-Castro, 27, were arrested by Pawtucket Police on June 6, 2018, when officers responded to a 911 emergency call for an armed home invasion in progress at a Pawtucket residence. Pawtucket Police detained three individuals as they fled out a rear door. Jewelry and a watch belonging to individuals inside the apartment were located on the individuals detained by the officers.
Inside the apartment, officers encountered Rodriguez-Castro and Reyes-Castro, and observed a laptop computer, color printers, a laminating machine, a home-made ATM-style card reader, and American Express signature stickers similar to those used on the backs of credit cards.
A further court-authorized search of the residence resulted in the seizure of seven laptops containing credit card numbers of approximately 18,000 individuals. Also seized was equipment used to steal credit and debit card information at gas pumps, a mobile credit card reader, the inside of an ATM, a photo ID card printer, numerous flip phones, a laminating machine, color printers, numerous flash drives, credit card readers and scanners, blank checks, boxes of identification holograms used to make driver’s licenses in fourteen states, three Dominican passports in the names of other individuals, numerous blank credit cards with chips, and numerous other items commonly used in the creation of fraudulent identification documents and access devices.
According to information presented to the court, during the course of the investigation Rodriguez-Castro’s fingerprints were found on credit card skimming machines in at least two states outside of Rhode Island.
Juan Jose Rodriguez-Castro pleaded guilty on January 20, 2020, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of unauthorized access devices. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to 41 months in federal prison to be followed to three years’ supervised release, and to pay $1,281,376 in restitution to the banks that were defrauded.
Wilbred Armando Reyes-Castro pleaded guilty on December 9, 2019, to aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced on March 12, 2020, to a term of 24 months incarceration.
The sentences are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, and Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the United States Secret Service.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the Pawtucket Police Department and the United States Secret Service, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.
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Department of Justice files Statement of Interest challenging the constitutionality of Hawaii Governor’s COVID-19 Order that effectively discriminates against out-of-state residents in a manner that harms Hawaii’s economyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – The Department of Justice today filed a statement of interest in Hawaii federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by residents of Nevada and California residents who own property in Hawaii challenging a measure by Governor David Ige in response to COVID 19 that mandates a 14-day self-quarantine for individuals entering Hawaii.
The
Statement of Interest is part of Attorney General William P. Barr’s April 27, 2020 initiative directing Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Matthew Schneider, to review state and local policies to ensure that civil liberties are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic.“The United States Constitution requires government to protect the privileges and immunities of all citizens in our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “These privileges and immunities include the right of Americans to travel freely anywhere in our country, and state governments cannot limit the right of out-of-state Americans to travel to their state unless doing so is substantially related to protecting the public safety. The Department of Justice remains committed to defending the constitutional rights of all Americans no matter where they live. The department will continue to be especially vigilant of any infringement on the right to travel that unduly harms the ability of Americans to earn a living and support their families.”
“Reasonable measures designed to protect the public are not only appropriate, but responsible during a pandemic, and the Constitution does not bind the hands of state officials who, through careful thought and deliberation impose such measures. However, there are bounds to the discretion our public officials have during times of crisis. Those bounds are shaped by constitutional safeguards, such as the right of Hawaii residents and persons who hail from other states to travel freely within this great country. As our state leaders consider the way forward with Hawaii’s 14-day quarantine, it is my hope that they will pay due consideration to the protections embedded in the Constitution, so that visitors from far and wide may experience the Aloha spirit that makes Hawaii such a special place,” said Kenji M. Price, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii.
Starting on March 4, 2020, the Governor of Hawaii has issued a series of Proclamations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest one, his Ninth Supplementary Proclamation, maintains a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for anyone entering Hawaii. Those subject to this self-quarantine mandate must confine themselves at a single “designated quarantine location” within Hawaii and not leave there for two weeks (unless they are departing from the State). Anyone who violates the self-quarantine mandate faces up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. Those in Hawaii “not subject to the traveler self-quarantine,” by contrast, are free to travel throughout the State—including between islands—for a variety of purposes.
In addition to contributing to the harm suffered by Hawaii’s tourism industry, the self-quarantine mandate precludes out-of-state residents who own properties in Hawaii from taking advantage of opportunities available to Hawaii residents who have not left the island since the onset of the pandemic.
In its statement of interest, the United States explains that Hawaii’s self-quarantine requirement effectively discriminates against out-of-state residents. This effective discrimination, based on the evidence and argument presented thus far, appears to be inadequately tailored to further public safety and therefore does not comply with the Constitution. The statement of interest explains that it appears that a close analogue to Hawaii—Alaska—is able to protect public health through less restrictive means. Alaska, like Hawaii, has low number of COVID-19 cases. Alaska, like Hawaii, is typically reached by airplane. Alaska, like Hawaii, imposes a 14-day self-quarantine mandate on those entering the State. But Alaska, unlike Hawaii, provides out-of-state residents with alternatives to the self-quarantine: (i) they may produce test results showing they tested negative for COVID-19 shortly before departing for Alaska, (ii) they may test for COVID 19 upon arrival in Alaska and self-quarantine in Alaska until they receive a negative test result, or (iii) they may provide evidence that they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past and have recovered. Although Hawaii’s Governor may take reasonable steps to protect public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor must show that the effective discrimination against out-of-staters at issue here bears a substantial relationship to that goal. As of now, he has not done so.
The federal case is Carmichael, et al. v. Ige, Case No. 1:20-cv-00273 JAO-WRP.
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Opioids and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank today announced that the Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has awarded $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil and prescription opioids.
In the District of Maine, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) will receive $931,880 in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“Overdose deaths continue to plague Maine,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “Law enforcement plays a crucial role in combatting this epidemic by working to take drug dealers off the streets. The funding the COPS Office is providing to MDEA will help our state and local partners continue the fight against the distribution of these poisons in our cities and towns.”
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces, including MDEA, through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five-month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of AHTF award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of CAMP award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety will receive $2,062,770.00 million in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“The harms caused to our communities by the opioid epidemic and methamphetamine are devastating, far-reaching, and in many cases irreversible. These funds, made available by the COPS office, will greatly assist North Carolina’s law enforcement in investigating and combatting those who distribute opioids and demonstrate a reckless disregard for human life and the safety of our communities,” stated United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
“We are extremely grateful for this important funding which will enable us to enhance our law enforcement efforts at combating illegal drug trafficking and stemming the tide of dangerous drugs in our communities. These grant funds will further enable the State Bureau of Investigation to fulfill their public safety mission by leveraging important partnerships and maintaining their investigative expertise,” said Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks.
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety will receive $1,062,770.00 in AHTF funding.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety will receive $1,000,000.00 under the CAMP Program.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five-month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC — The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids, of which $2,062,770 has been awarded to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
“Today’s announcement underscores the federal commitment to addressing the ravages of opioid and methamphetamine use,” said U.S. Attorney Matt Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to support state and local efforts to address this epidemic and aggressively prosecute the criminals who inject these poisons into our communities.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving opioids. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and
other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
United States Attorney Scott Brady announced the Pennsylvania State Police will receive $1,504,576.00 in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
"The trafficking of illegal opioids and methamphetamine remains a threat to the safety of all western Pennsylvanians," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. "These critical funds will help our Pennsylvania State Police across the Commonwealth continue their work to stop the flow of opioids into our communities."
"The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities," said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. "By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis."
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF).
AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
MEMPHIS, TN – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) will receive a total of over $3 million in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids, as well as to combat the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine across the State of Tennessee.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The Department of Justice is committed to providing meaningful resources to our state and local law enforcement partners, and this announcement of crucial public safety grant funding from the COPS Office will allow TBI to focus on the priority areas of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficking that continues to destroy lives and contribute to our violent crime rates. The TBI is an outstanding partner with our office in the fight against dangerous drug distribution, and we look forward to working with them as they put these new tools and resources to use."
"I am proud to announce the 2020 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) and the Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program awards to the TBI," said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. "Our nation continues to face the constant insurgence of substance abuse and addiction, which threatens our communities daily. This epidemic is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities, and this funding will allow the TBI to continue to provide coordination and training and maintain the critical relationships among our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve."
"The TBI/Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force has been a driving force in Tennessee’s efforts to combat meth and heroin abuse," said U. S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee. "As dangerous substances like fentanyl continue to cause alarming overdoses and deaths in our communities, these additional funds will allow the task force to increase prevention and enforcement efforts at a most critical time."
"One of our top priorities is addressing the drug epidemic impacting families across the state," said TBI Director David Rausch. "This funding will go a long way in helping us track down those distributing dangerous drugs in our communities. We are grateful to the Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for their continued support and investment in TBI."
"The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities," said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. "By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis."
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids. Under the AHTF Program, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been awarded $2,133,216.00 in grant funding.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking. Under the CAMP Program, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been awarded $1,000,000.00 in grant funding.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF
grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/ahtf/Award_List.pdf.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/camp/Award_List.pdf.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
West Virginia State Police Awarded $1 Million Anti-Methamphetamine Program Grant
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia State Police has been awarded a $1 million grant to combat methamphetamine trafficking, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) earlier today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
In the Southern District of West Virginia, the West Virginia State Police will receive $1 million through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP). The West Virginia State Police is one of 12 state law enforcement agencies to receive the support. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
“West Virginia communities are being inundated by meth. My office works closely with the West Virginia State Police and our drug and violent crime task forces throughout the district to stop the manufacturing and distribution of meth in West Virginia. Together, we have taken down major meth trafficking organizations and seized massive quantities of meth before it hit the streets,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The funding awarded today by the COPS Office will greatly enhance our efforts to stem the tide against this devastating drug.”
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office also is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) will receive $3,133,216 million in funding to support investigations into the trafficking of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil and the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“I am proud to announce the 2020 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) and the Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program awards to the TBI,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “Our nation continues to face the constant daily threat of substance abuse and addiction in our communities. Combatting this epidemic is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities. This new funding will allow the TBI to continue to provide coordination and training and to maintain the critical relationships with our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve.”
“The TBI/Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force has been a driving force in Tennessee’s efforts to combat meth and heroin abuse,” said U. S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee. “As dangerous substances like fentanyl continue to cause alarming overdoses and deaths in our communities, these additional funds will allow the task force to increase prevention and enforcement efforts at a most critical time.”
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The Department of Justice is committed to providing meaningful resources to our state and local law enforcement partners, and this announcement of crucial public safety grant funding from the COPS Office will allow TBI to focus on the priority areas of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficking that continues to destroy lives and contribute to our violent crime rates. The TBI is an outstanding partner with our office in the fight against dangerous drug distribution, and we look forward to working with them as they put these new tools and resources to use."
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
“One of our top priorities is addressing the drug epidemic impacting families across the state,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “This funding will go a long way in helping us track down those distributing dangerous drugs in our communities. We are grateful to the Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for their continued support and investment in TBI.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdoses are up among both men and women of all races and adults of nearly all ages with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine, the drug that contributes most to violent crime, continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multi-jurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn – June 23, 2020 - The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) will receive $3,133,216 million in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“The TBI/Tennessee Dangerou Drugs Task Force has been a driving force in Tennessee’s efforts to combat meth and heroin abuse,” said U. S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee. “As dangerous substances like fentanyl continue to cause alarming overdoses and deaths in our communities, these additional funds will allow the task force to increase prevention and enforcement efforts at a most critical time.”
“I am proud to announce the 2020 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) and the Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program awards to the TBI,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “Our nation continues to face the constant insurgence of substance abuse and addiction, which threatens our communities daily. This epidemic is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities, and this funding will allow the TBI to continue to provide coordination and training and maintain the critical relationships among our law enforcement partners and the communities they serve.”
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The Department of Justice is committed to providing meaningful resources to our state and local law enforcement partners, and this announcement of crucial public safety grant funding from the COPS Office will allow TBI to focus on the priority areas of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficking that continues to destroy lives and contribute to our violent crime rates. The TBI is an outstanding partner with our office in the fight against dangerous drug distribution, and we look forward to working with them as they put these new tools and resources to use."
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
“One of our top priorities is addressing the drug epidemic impacting families across the state,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “This funding will go a long way in helping us track down those distributing dangerous drugs in our communities. We are grateful to the Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for their continued support and investment in TBI.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five-month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
In Kentucky, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) will receive $2,455,320 in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“Opioids and methamphetamine are the two greatest drug threats facing the Commonwealth, and this funding will be invaluable in assisting the Kentucky State Police to pursue targeted investigations and enforcement actions involving the unlawful distribution of these poisons throughout Kentucky,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
“These are real federal resources to the tune of $2 million to assist Kentucky’s Finest in saving the lives of our families, friends, neighbors from meth and opioids” said Russell Coleman, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
- Kentucky State Police received $1,455,320 from ATHF.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
- Kentucky State Police received $1 million in funding from CAMP.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
The Kentucky State Police will receive more than $2.4 million in funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“These are real federal resources to the tune of $2 million to assist Kentucky’s Finest in saving the lives of our families, friends, and neighbors from meth and opioids,” said Russell Coleman, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
“Opioids and methamphetamine are the two greatest drug threats facing the Commonwealth, and this funding will be invaluable in assisting the Kentucky State Police to pursue targeted investigations and enforcement actions involving the unlawful distribution of these poisons throughout Kentucky,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
The Kentucky State Police will receive $1,455,320.00 in Anti-Heroin Task Force Program funding.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
Kentucky State Police is also receiving $1 million in Anti-Methamphetamine Program funds.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids, of which $2,062,770 has been awarded to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
“I am pleased that the COPS office has awarded more than $2 million to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The funding announced today will bolster our continued efforts with our state law enforcement counterparts to investigate and disrupt drug trafficking rings that spread deadly substances like methamphetamine and heroin to communities across our state.”
“We are extremely grateful for this important funding which will enable us to enhance our law enforcement efforts at combating illegal drug trafficking and stemming the tide of dangerous drugs in our communities. These grant funds will further enable the State Bureau of Investigation to fulfill their public safety mission by leveraging important partnerships and maintaining their investigative expertise,” said Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks.
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving opioids. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million in Funding to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
BALTIMORE, Maryland – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
In the District of Maryland, the Maryland State Police will receive $1,175,715 in federal funding to support investigations into trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“State and federal law enforcement are working together to arrest and prosecute those who peddle deadly fentanyl on our streets and in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We must do everything we can to reduce overdose deaths from this drug and from all opioids.”
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, and COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients including funding amounts can be found attached below.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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DOJ Announces $42M to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger and the Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids, including $1 million to the Virginia State Police.
“Virginia continues to see a rise in overdose deaths from opioids,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger. “Illicitly produced fentanyl and fentanyl analogues like carfentanil and acetyl fentanyl are being trafficked at alarming rates on the streets of the Commonwealth. Pills bought on the street and on the dark web are often counterfeit and contain fentanyl or fentanyl analogues, often killing those unaware of the presence of these highly potent drugs. Now, in addition to the rise in the number of opioid-related overdose deaths, Virginia is witnessing an increase in methamphetamine overdoses. This grant enables our law enforcement partners at the Virginia State Police to continue their work fighting against the spread of opioids and methamphetamines in our communities across the Commonwealth.”
“In 2018, an average of three Virginias died of an opioid overdose daily,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “State Police has spent the past decade committing investigative and personnel resources to address the opioid crisis impacting so many communities across the Commonwealth. The COPS AHTF grant enables State Police special agents and our 37 multi-agency drug task force coordinators to not only sustain existing efforts, but to do so even more strategically through advanced, data-driven analytics and investigative tools.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
“This funding is a critical step towards providing State Police with the advanced skills, technical capabilities, and analytical support they need in order to turn the tide on the record number of fatal opioid-related overdoses afflicting families and communities across Virginia,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “We are appreciative of the COPS Office for recognizing Virginia’s investigative and prosecutorial needs to continue our fight against the opioid epidemic.”
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit: www.cops.usdoj.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.
Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
Wisconsin Department of Justice was awarded $1,000,000.00
Today, U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger joined the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) to announce nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
“Drug overdoses continue to take lives and destroy families at a horrific pace in Wisconsin,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “These federal funds will save lives by reducing the flow of opioids and methamphetamine that lead to overdoses.”
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking. The Wisconsin Department of Justice was awarded $1,000,000.00
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here:
https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
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Department of Justice Announces $42 Million to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – The Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids.
The West Virginia State Police was awarded $1,000,000 in COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) funding. The WVSP will utilize this funding for equipment, training, overtime, and travel expenses related to drug interdiction efforts across the state.
“While opioids continue to be of great concern in the Northern District of West Virginia, we see an even larger surge of methamphetamine distribution. This funding will help law enforcement get this dangerous drug off the streets and out of the hands of our neighbors,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Powell.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
Cut Bank man sentenced for child pornography, firearms crimesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—A Cut Bank man who admitted posting messages on a website offering to trade child pornography and illegally possessing firearms was sentenced on Monday to five years in prison and 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Shawn Andrew Andersen, 42, pleaded guilty in March to attempted receipt and distribution of child pornography and to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said that in September 2018, Andersen posted messages on a website offering to trade child pornography. Andersen's messages said he had child pornography links to share with other users or that he was seeking child pornography links in return for sending his own links. Andersen posted his online identity information so others could contact him to trade child pornography links.
Law enforcement agents served a search warrant on Andersen's residence on May 16, 2019 and found four rifles in a gun safe and a rifle in his vehicle. At the time Andersen possessed the firearms, he knew he had been dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army and was prohibited from possessing them.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
This case also is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in the fall of 2019 to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Through Project Guardian, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Montana is working to enhance coordination of its federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. In addition, Project Guardian supports information sharing and taking action when individuals are denied a firearm purchase by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for mental health reasons or because they are a prohibited person.
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Court Finds Miami-Area Tax Preparer and His Business in Contempt for Violating Permanent InjunctionRead the Press Release
On June 23, 2020, a federal court in Miami, Florida issued an order holding Vilbrun Simon and Simon Accounting & Tax, LLC in contempt for violating a permanent injunction that bars them from preparing or filing federal tax returns for others.
The United States filed a complaint on Nov. 28, 2017, alleging that Vilbrun Simon and Simon Accounting & Tax, LLC, along with codefendants Saintanise Agenord and Wilcienne Pierre, prepared returns that understated their customers’ tax due and overstated tax refunds claimed by their customers. After a three-day trial, the court issued a judgment and permanent injunction on March 26, 2019, that barred the defendants from preparing returns for customers.
Following a hearing on June 15, 2020, the court found that Vilbrun Simon and Simon Accounting & Tax, LLC violated the permanent injunction in two ways: (1) by failing to post signs outside their storefront informing their customers of the ban, and (2) by continuing to prepare tax returns for others. For these violations, the court held Vilbrun Simon and Simon Accounting & Tax, LLC in civil contempt and found that compensatory sanctions were warranted, with the amount of the sanctions — representing the fees they received for returns prepared in violation of the injunction, and the costs the United States incurred to investigate and bring their violations to the court’s attention — to be determined.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Convicted Sex Offender Is Sentenced to 12 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. sentenced Jordan Cole Laws, 21, of Burnsville, N.C., to 12 years in prison on child pornography charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Laws was also ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment, to serve a lifetime of supervised release, and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Charlotte, and Sheriff Gary Banks of the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to information contained in filed documents and statements made in court, in April 2019, law enforcement conducted an operation that included warrantless searches of convicted sex offenders in Yancey County, North Carolina. At the time, Laws was under supervision by North Carolina state probation for a 2018 conviction in Texas for Indecency with a Child. Court records show that during a search of Laws’ residence, law enforcement discovered on the defendant’s cell phone several videos and still images depicting child pornography, which led to the seizure of three cell phones that belonged to Laws. A forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed that Laws possessed several images depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On December 2, 2019, Laws pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked HSI and the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office for conducting the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of an AR-15 RifleRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Deandray Charles Grant, 30, of Forney, Texas, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr., to seven years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On September 10, 2019, Grant was found guilty by a federal jury in Shreveport following trial.
According to testimony presented during trial, a Greenwood, Louisiana, police officer pulled over Grant’s vehicle on November 23, 2018, for traveling 90 miles per hour in a 70 mile per hour speed zone. After the vehicle stopped, the officer approached Grant and asked for his identification. Grant told the officer that he was a “sovereign citizen” with “sovereign status” and did not have to comply with his request. Eventually, Grant exited the vehicle and was arrested. The officers discovered that he did not have any identification and had a small amount of marijuana in his front pocket. After searching the vehicle they found a DPMS Panther Arms AR-15, rifle, and 28 rounds of .556-caliber ammunition.
Grant has multiple felony convictions including possession with intent to distribute drugs (August 2013), simple burglary (April 2014), and possession of marijuana (May 2014), all in Caddo Parish. Under federal law, a convicted felon is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Greenwood Police Department, and Shreveport Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Jessica Cassidy prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN plays a major role in the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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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.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Attempting to Purchase A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Kelly Villalobos (49, Ponte Vedra) has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Villalobos faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on January 26, 2010, Villalobos was convicted of two counts of stealing mail matter by a postal employee and sentenced to 3 years’ probation. On November 26, 2019, Villalobos entered Shooters of Jacksonville, a federally licensed firearms dealer, and attempted to purchase a firearm. Villalobos falsely stated on the ATF paperwork that she had never been convicted of a felony offense (as a convicted felon, she is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
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 Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez 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 and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – Roy Jones (58, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Jones was indicted on February 5, 2020.
According to court documents, on January 5, 2020, City of Ocala police officers stopped Jones in his vehicle for a traffic infraction. After a police K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, a search revealed several rock-like substances that tested positive for cocaine and MDMA. A loaded .22 caliber firearm with additional loose ammunition was also located in a bag in the back of the vehicle. After waiving his rights, Jones admitted that the loaded firearm belonged to him.
Jones has prior state felony convictions for a drug purchase, drug possession, and the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.
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 and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Columbia Gas Sentenced in Connection with September 2018 Gas Explosions in Merrimack ValleyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Columbia Gas of Massachusetts (CMA) was sentenced today in connection with the gas explosions on Sept. 13, 2018, in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover that killed one individual, injured 22, and damaged homes and businesses.
Bay State Gas Company, d/b/a Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, was ordered by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to pay a criminal fine of $53,030,116 which represents twice the amount of profits that CMA earned between 2015 and 2018 from a pipeline infrastructure program called the Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP). In addition to a fine, the Court also sentenced CMA to a three-year period of probation during which CMA’s operations will be subject to a monitor to ensure CMA’s compliance with federal and state safety regulations. The three year period of probation will continue until CMA is sold to a qualified buyer.
In February 2020, the company agreed to plead guilty to violating a minimum safety standard of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act relating to the failure to implement procedures to prevent the over-pressurization of its low-pressure gas distribution system in South Lawrence during a pipe replacement project known as the South Union Project.
“We expect utility companies operating in our communities to do so safely and responsibly,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Instead Columbia Gas acted with reckless disregard for safety by cutting corners and relying on lax protocols. The result was catastrophic – stealing one life, harming dozens and impacting the home and livelihoods of hundreds more. Today’s sentence serves as little comfort to the victims, but is another step towards terminating Columbia Gas’s business in Massachusetts.”
“Today’s sentencing of Columbia Gas makes clear that those entrusted with the public’s safety have a solemn obligation to make it their highest priority,” said Douglas Shoemaker, Regional Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “Pipelines are a critical part of our Nation’s infrastructure, and working with our Federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutorial colleagues, we will continue to protect the safety and integrity of our pipeline transportation system from violations of regulation and law.”
“With today’s sentence, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts has finally been held criminally and financially responsible for their sheer greed and reckless disregard for public safety. That said, we realize that the excruciating pain, suffering, and heartbreaking loss of life the citizens of Merrimack Valley endured is beyond reparation,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “It is the FBI’s hope that the departure of Columbia Gas from Massachusetts will bring the residents of these cities and towns some much-needed peace of mind.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with CMA’s parent company, NiSource, Inc. based in Indiana. As part of the DPA, NiSource has agreed to undertake their best reasonable best efforts to sell CMA after which NiSource and CMA would stop all gas pipeline operations in Massachusetts. In exchange for the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s agreement to defer prosecution of NiSource, NiSource has also agreed to forfeit any profit it may earn from the sale of CMA and implement each of the safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
During the afternoon of Sept. 13, 2018, the over-pressurization of a low pressure gas distribution system in South Lawrence caused multiple fires and explosions in the communities of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. As a result, one individual in Lawrence was killed and another severely disabled, 22 people were injured and approximately 131 residential homes and commercial buildings were damaged.
CMA recklessly disregarded a known safety risk related to regulator control lines – sections of pipe connected to regulator stations that helped monitor and control downstream gas pressure. By at least 2015, according to an internal company notice, CMA knew that the failure to properly account for control lines in construction projects could lead to a “catastrophic event,” including fires and explosions. Aging cast iron pipes were being replaced, but the failure to remove or relocate control line pipes that were later abandoned would automatically cause regulator stations to continually increase pressure to the point of dangerous over-pressurization.
The DPA with NiSource acknowledges the fact that NiSource has previously made substantial voluntary restitution payments to the victims of the September 2018 incident, and has agreed to seek to resolve all pending civil claims. Most of the $53 million fine will be directed to the Justice Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which is a major funding source for victim services throughout the United States.
For more information regarding the case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-bay-state-gas-company-dba-columbia-gas-massachusetts
U.S. Attorney Lelling, DOT-OIG SAC Shoemaker and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Critical assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Lawrence Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil J. Gallagher, Jr. and Evan Gotlob of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Collin County Man Charged with Covid-Relief Fraud, False Statements and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A 44-year-old Murphy, Texas man was charged in an indictment unsealed today with wire fraud, false statements to a financial institution and money laundering for his alleged participation in a scheme to file fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $3 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox of the Eastern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Donald Abram of SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Central Region, Inspector General J. Russell George of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s Cybercrime Investigations Division, Acting Deputy Inspector General Richard Parker of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Caramucci of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Dallas Field Office, and Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) made the announcement.
Fahad Shah was charged in an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Texas with three counts of wire fraud, one count of false statements to a bank, and four counts of money laundering. Shah was arrested this morning and appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak of the Eastern District of Texas.
The indictment alleges that Shah submitted fraudulent applications for over $3 million in PPP loans to two different SBA-approved lenders filed under the name of WBF Weddings by Farah Inc. In these applications, Shah claimed to have over 120 employees earning wages when, in fact, no employees worked for his business at the time, the indictment alleges. The indictment also alleges that Shah submitted fraudulent documentation in support of his applications. Shah ultimately received over $1.5 million in PPP loan funds and used the funds primarily for personal purposes, including purchasing a Tesla, personal investments, and home mortgage payments, the indictment alleges.
“This is the third time our District has charged an individual for perpetrating a fraud on the Paycheck Protection Program,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. “The Paycheck Protection Program is a vital tool for American small businesses and their employees who are struggling with the economic fallout from this pandemic. The Eastern District of Texas is committed to pursuing fraudsters who exploit this program to the detriment of others.”
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 one 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 on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the SBA OIG’s Houston Division, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Southern Field Division, Federal Housing Finance Agency OIG Dallas Field Office, IRS-CI Dallas Field Office, and FDIC OIG Dallas Regional Office.
Trial Attorneys Della Sentilles and Louis Manzo of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Coan and Robert Wells for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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.
Carthage Sex Offender Sentenced to 33 Years in Prison After Impregnating 14-Year-Old VictimRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A prior sex offender in Carthage, Missouri, who impregnated a 14-year-old victim, was sentenced in federal court today for the sexual exploitation of a child.
Victor Alfonso Vasquez, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 33 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 16, 2019, Vasquez pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Vasquez is a prior sex offender with prior felony convictions for statutory rape and statutory sodomy. This federal crime was committed a few months after his release from state prison.
The investigation began when the 14-year-old victim, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” visited a health clinic for a pregnancy test, which indicated she was more than eight weeks pregnant. The victim told investigators she met Vasquez while playing a game on her cell phone when she was 13 years old. Vasquez then began contacting her via Facebook Messenger. They also exchanged sexually explicit images via SnapChat. During their online relationship, Vasquez discussed having a sexual relationship with Jane Doe, and he discussed physically meeting her to have sex.
On Jan. 19, 2018, Jane Doe lied to her mother at Vasquez’s direction and asked her mother to drop her off at a friend’s house. Her mother actually dropped her off at Vasquez’s residence, when Vasquez began a physical relationship with the child victim that lasted for several months.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Career Criminal Offender Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Derrick Gallien, age 36, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Gallien’s federal prison sentence will be served consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed for numerous firearm and drug trafficking charges currently pending in Louisiana state courts. The Court further sentenced Gallien to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the recovered firearm and other contraband be forfeited.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on January 5, 2018, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives went to a Courtyard Marriott hotel located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to execute an arrest warrant for Gallien issued during a separate investigation. In response to a knock on the door, Gallien opened the hotel room door and was arrested by the detectives. Detectives also recovered a distribution quantity of heroin, a loaded gun, Gallien’s ID card, cash, a digital scale, empty syringes, three cell phones, and a bottle of powder used to “cut” drugs, on top of and inside of a nightstand inside of Gallien’s hotel room. During a subsequent interview, Gallien that the gun and drugs found inside of his hotel room belonged to him.
Prior to announcing the sentence, District Judge deGravelles noted that Gallien was a career offender whose instant conviction follows ten prior convictions for various offenses, including convictions for serious offenses, twelve adult arrests, and six pending criminal cases, one for which Gallien was arrested while in federal custody.
U.S. Attorney Brandon Fremin stated, “Our office takes seriously the issue of guns in the hands of career criminals. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to protect our district from chronic offenders. I want to thank our prosecutors, the ATF, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case.”
“In our commitment to disrupt violent gun crime in our community, ATF in this joint effort, will continue to focus on career criminals, like Derrick Gallien, who possessed a firearm in conjunction with narcotics violations,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “Reducing firearm related crimes and keeping our community safe is the top priority for ATF.”
“The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the partnership we have with the U.S. Attorney and his dedication to prosecuting these cases on the federal level,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. “We will continue to dedicate our personnel and resources to initiatives that ensure the safety of our community.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with critical assistance from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Demetrius Sumner.
CBF/BFL Member Who Participated in Multiple Attempted Murders and the Murder of A Rival Gang Member Going to Jail for 19 YearsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Larell Watkins, a/k/a 90-Ls, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, was sentenced to serve 19 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul C. Parisi, Seth T. Molisani, and Christopher O. Taylor who handled the case, stated that the defendant was a member of the CBL/BFL Gang, which stands for, among other things, “Cash Been Long” and “Brothers for Life.” The gang, which was involved in the illegal possession and distribution of narcotics, was formed around 2009 and operated primarily in the City of Buffalo at the Towne Gardens Housing Complex. The gang used violence, including murder and attempted murder, threats, and intimidation to defend their territory against rivals and anyone deemed to be a threat to the gang. Defendant Watkins participated in the following acts:
On September 23, 2014, the defendant shot a rival gang member in the elbow on E. Eagle Street in Buffalo.
On April 19, 2015, Watkins shot a rival gang member in the chest at Bailey and Dartmouth Avenues in Buffalo.
On September 21, 2015, the defendant shot a rival gang member in the wrist at Genesee and Crossman Streets in Buffalo.
On November 8, 2015, at William and Krettner Streets in Buffalo, Watkins engaged in a shooting during which he was struck by gunfire and he also returned fire at a rival gang member.
On July 17, 2016, the defendant was in a physical altercation at a restaurant in Cheektowaga, NY and drove away. Watkins was pulled over by a Cheektowaga Police Officer a short time later on Walden Avenue. The officer recovered a 45 caliber pistol in the defendant's trunk.
On December 11, 2016, Watkins and other gang members were shot at by rival gang members at a sports facility in Cheektowaga. Watkins and other gang members retaliated by shooting a rival gang member at Broadway and Lathrop Avenue in Buffalo.
On January I, 2017, the defendant was at a New Year's Eve Party at an apartment building in the Towne Gardens in Buffalo attended by numerous other gang members. At the party, Xavier Wimes confronted a co-defendant regarding a social media feud between Wimes and the co-defendant. Wimes struck the co-defendant in the head with a bottle. Watkins and others punched and kicked Wimes and forced him into an apartment. The defendant obtained a loaded .45 caliber pistol from a separate apartment, guided the co-defendant into his vehicle, placed the pistol in the vehicle with the co-defendant, and stated openly that Wimes needed to be held accountable for what occurred. Wimes jumped out of a window and the co-defendant shot Wimes to death. Buffalo Police recovered a .45 caliber pistol near Wimes's body.
A total of 13 defendants were charged and convicted in this case. Watkins is the eighth defendant to be convicted.
The Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section provided vital assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Guyton; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Sliwinski; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Lackawanna Police Department under the direction of Chief Mark Packard; and the Erie Crime Analysis Center. Additional assistance was provided by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.
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Burlington County Couple Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud 33 Victims of over $6 Million in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A husband and wife from Burlington County, New Jersey, were charged today with conspiring to defraud more than 33 victims into mailing and wiring more than $6 million to them and other conspirators after their conspirators met and wooed the victims on online dating sites, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Martins Friday Inalegwu, 31, and Steincy Mathieu, 24, both of Maple Shade, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Inalegwu was arrested today and made his first appearance by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio. Mathieu remains at large.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between October 2016 and May 13, 2020, Inalegwu, Mathieu and their conspirators, several of whom reside in Nigeria, allegedly participated in an online romance scheme, defrauding victims throughout the country. The conspirators made initial contact with victims through online dating and social media websites, corresponded with them via email and phone, pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with them. They requested the victims send money to them, or their associates, for fictitious emergency needs. For example, the conspirators duped victims into believing that they needed money for customs fees and taxes, medical expenses, travel expenses or business expenses. The individuals whom the victims believed they were speaking to did not exist, and instead they were speaking to the conspirators.
Inalegwu, Mathieu and their conspirators also engaged in apartment rental scams with at least three of the victims. They advertised a property, not owned or controlled by them, for the purpose of collecting money from the victims in the form of application fees and security deposits. The conspirators listed advertisements online, enticed victims with information about the properties, pretended they were authorized to rent the properties, and then directed that the victims complete applications and send money to either Inalegwu, Mathieu or conspirators, in the form of down payments to reserve the properties. After Inalegwu, Mathieu and conspirators collected the money, the victims never heard from them again.
Conspirators used myriad email accounts and phone numbers to communicate with the victims and instruct them on where to wire the money, including recipient names, addresses, financial institutions and account numbers. Victims wired money to bank accounts held by Inalegwu and Mathieu in the United States, and also mails checks directly to Inalegwu and Mathieu. Some victims transferred money to the conspirators via money transfer services, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, and others wired money to bank accounts held by conspirators overseas.
Federal law enforcement agents have identified more than 33 victims, who sent over $6 million to conspirators, $3.1 million of which was sent directly to Inalegwu and Mathieu. Inalegwu and Mathieu spent the victims’ money on personal expenses, withdrew money in cash, transferred money to other bank accounts they personally controlled, and transferred money to bank accounts held by conspirators in Nigeria and Turkey.
The count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski in Newark; special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Inspector in Charge James Buthorn; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha K. Nye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Trenton.The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Five Years for Selling FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Deshon Nettles, 28, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, 10 grams or more of butyryl fentanyl and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Misha A. Coulson, who handled the case, stated that on March 1, 2018, during a traffic stop in Buffalo, the defendant was found in possession of a small amount of fentanyl and $5,257 in cash. On March 23, 2018, a Drug Enforcement Administration undercover officer contacted the defendant to purchase a quantity of fentanyl. Nettles agreed to sell the officer approximately 10 grams. Later that day, the undercover officer met the defendant in Buffalo and purchased the fentanyl. Nettles also sold fentanyl and butyryl fentanyl to the undercover officer on three other occasions.
In May 2018, the defendant gave his cell phone to co-defendant Yuminique Toney so that she could conduct drug sales on his behalf, while he was out of town. Toney subsequently sold fentanyl and crack cocaine to the undercover officer on two occasions in May 2018.
Co-defendants Yuminique Toney, Antonio Broadus, and Marquise White were all previously convicted. Defendants Broadus and Toney were sentenced to 30 months and eight months in prison respectively. Defendant White is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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Boston Man Sentenced in Phony Bail Scam Targeting Senior CitizensRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Boston man who participated in a scheme to defraud senior citizens by persuading them to send significant cash bail payments to various addresses in Rhode Island to secure the release of a relative they claimed had been arrested and was in jail, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Providence to three years’ probation, ordered to perform 150 hours of community service, and pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $31,500.
Julio J. Feliciano, 32, previously admitted to the court that between April and October 2019, he participated in a scheme that scammed seniors in at least four states, North Carolina, Delaware, Illinois, and Tennessee. Seniors were contacted and told that a relative, typically a grandson or nephew, had been involved in a serious car accident and that their relative had been arrested. The scammers told their victims that cash bail payments ranging from $7,000 to $9,500 were required to secure their relative’s release from jail. The claims were not true.
In each instance, a member of the conspiracy, using various fictitious names, instructed the senior citizen victim to mail packages containing cash to locations in Rhode Island, including private residences, UPS stores, and a pharmacy. Feliciano admitted that he traveled to the various locations to retrieve the packages.
Feliciano, arrested on November 22, 2019, by Rhode Island State Police and agents from Homeland Security Investigations, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2020, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Feliciano to three years’ supervised release, to perform 150 hours of community service, and to pay restitution totaling $31,500 to the victims directly impacted by his criminal conduct.
Feliciano’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Rhode Island State Police Superintendent James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael S. Shea.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or go to ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and for information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice
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Baltimore Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 7½ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Ronald Wilson, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland yesterday to 90 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can kill you. The quantity of fentanyl seized in this case could kill over 230,000 people. Law enforcement partners are working together to arrest and prosecute those who peddle deadly fentanyl on our streets and in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We are determined to reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths in Maryland.”
According to Wilson’s plea agreement, during the execution of a search warrant at Wilson’s residence, law enforcement recovered a duffle bag, the contents of which included clear plastic bags containing approximately 461 grams of fentanyl, packaging materials, and two digital scales. Law enforcement officers also recovered $1,760 in cash from Wilson’s vehicle and his person. Wilson admitted that he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to sell it.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Stendig and Lindsey McCulley, who prosecuted the case.
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Baltimore Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Murray Ray, age 22, of Baltimore, Maryland yesterday to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Ray’s plea agreement, he was involved in a drug trafficking organization operating a “drug shop” in the 1400 block of Kuper Street and in the area of West Pratt and South Calhoun Streets in Baltimore, Maryland. Members of the organization, including Ray, conducted hand-to-hand sales of drugs to customers in those areas. Ray admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that members of the conspiracy would distribute more than 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted video surveillance of the drug shop where Ray distributed fentanyl.
On March 15, 2018, members of the Baltimore City Police Department (“BPD”) recovered a firearm and fentanyl from the backyard of a vacant house in the vicinity of Pratt and Calhoun Streets. Video surveillance recorded Ray expressing frustration when he returned to look for the recovered items and could not find them. Also, on May 2, 2018, law enforcement officers stopped Ray while he was driving a stolen vehicle. During a search of that vehicle, BPD recovered another firearm.
Eighteen other defendants were also convicted as members of the drug trafficking organization. Eight, including Ray, have been sentenced to between 70 months and 11 years in federal prison and eleven others are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Stendig, Charles Austin, and Michael Hanlon, who prosecuted the case.
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Antitrust Division Issues 2020 Annual Newsletter UpdateRead the Press Release
The Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice issued the 2020 edition of its annual Newsletter Update today. The Newsletter highlights the Antitrust Division’s recent activities, including responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, successes on civil and criminal enforcement, international cooperation, and competition advocacy. The Newsletter also includes a message from Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim.
“Unlike previous newsletters released during the ABA Spring Meeting, the Division shares this ‘Spring’ Update for 2020 during extraordinarily challenging times,” wrote Assistant Attorney General Delrahim in the “Message from the AAG.” “The spread of Covid-19 has affected all aspects of our daily lives, as we face both the public health and economic effects of the virus. As many of us do our part to prevent the spread of Covid-19, however, we were also gripped by the horrifying death of Mr. George Floyd in Minneapolis. Despite these challenging times, these events have served to emphasize the resiliency of our nation. They also underscore the critical nature of our work as federal prosecutors and the precious opportunities we have in our positions of public trust. All of us have taken a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution, and we strive each day to discharge our duties faithfully as employees of the Department of Justice. In these times, the Antitrust Division remains steadfast in its mission to protect competition for the benefit of consumers. As we embark onto the second half of this coming year, the Antitrust Division will continue to monitor pandemic developments and guidance, but do so without compromising on our mission to pursue violations of the antitrust laws on behalf of American consumers.”
The Newsletter highlights important milestones and accomplishments from the past year, and features profiles of Division leadership and staff. The newsletter can be found via our website at https://www.justice.gov/atr/division-operations/antitrust-division-update-2020 or pdf at /media/1074496/dl?inline.
Allentown Business Owner Admits to Identity Theft and Pursuing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Fraudulent Federal Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Stalyn Morales, 42, of Easton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of submitting false claims to the United States and one count of aggravated identity theft before United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl.
The charges stem from the defendant’s participation in a scheme to obtain federal income tax refunds using other individuals’ stolen identities. As he admitted in court, the defendant sought more than $295,000 in fraudulent refunds from the IRS.
Investigators discovered the fraud through an analysis of the computers and computer servers located in the defendant’s business, MDFA Auto, in Allentown, PA. Evidence recovered from the shop showed that an IP address associated with the business was the source of fraudulent electronic tax filings. Also found were a digital cache of stolen identities, fraudulent taxes, falsified identity documents, and a spreadsheet documenting this criminal activity. Nearly all of the more than $295,000 in requested refunds were not issued to Morales because the IRS detected the fraud in time to deny most of the requests. As part of his plea, Morales will be ordered to pay restitution of the funds that were disbursed before the fraud was detected.
“Morales’ scheme victimized honest taxpayers in two ways: first, by stealing their identities and second, by trying to rip off the federal government,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Now, he will face the consequences, as will anybody else who attempts to carry out a similar scheme.”
“Mr. Morales sought to willfully defraud the United States Treasury. He did so with a blatant disregard for the victims of his scheme,” said IRS Criminal Investigation SpecialAgent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso. “His willful act of filing fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities is a felony offense; one that has severe consequences.”
The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of seven years in prison, four years of supervised release, and up to a $500,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Connection with Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – William Y. Asiedu, age 27, of Albany, pled guilty today to wire fraud conspiracy, arising from his receipt of nearly $450,000 from the victims of romance scams.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In pleading guilty, Asiedu admitted that he agreed to receive the proceeds of a fraudulent scheme, and to distribute the proceeds to his co-conspirators in Ghana, in exchange for a 5 to 10 percent share for himself.
Between October 2018 and May 2019, two victims, one from Arizona and the other from Switzerland, sent a total of $445,333 to bank accounts standing in the name of Community Youth Development Council Incorporated, an entity that Asiedu incorporated in New York. Asiedu’s co-conspirators falsely led each victim to believe that she was sending the money for the benefit of a man she met through an online dating web site. In fact, Asiedu’s co-conspirators posed as these fake lovers, and fraudulently induced the victims to send money to Asiedu.
Asiedu faces up to 20 years in prison, and up to 3 years of supervised release, when Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy sentences him on October 15, 2020. Additionally, Asiedu has agreed to pay $445,333 in restitution, and to forfeit currency worth more than $10,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Alabama Tax Preparer Indicted for Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Birmingham, Alabama, returned an indictment today, charging an Alabama tax preparer with filing a false tax return for herself and preparing false tax returns for clients, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama.
According to the indictment, Shuntan Renee Rue owned and operated Rue Tax Service, a tax return preparation business in Birmingham, Alabama. From at least 2014 to 2016, Rue allegedly falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming business losses and charitable gifts, as well as medical, unreimbursed employee, and education expenses that her clients did not incur, in order to fraudulently increase their refunds. The indictment further alleges that Rue falsely reported education expenses on her own 2013 tax return.
If convicted, Rue faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison on each count. Rue also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Town commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Michael Jones, Jessica Kraft, and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Posey, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Alabama Tax Preparer Indicted for Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Birmingham, Alabama, returned an indictment today, charging an Alabama tax preparer with filing a false tax return for herself and preparing false tax returns for clients, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town for the Northern District of Alabama.
According to the indictment, Shuntan Renee Rue owned and operated Rue Tax Service, a tax return preparation business in Birmingham, Alabama. From at least 2014 to 2016, Rue allegedly falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming business losses and charitable gifts, as well as medical, unreimbursed employee, and education expenses that her clients did not incur, in order to fraudulently increase their refunds. The indictment further alleges that Rue falsely reported education expenses on her own 2013 tax return.
If convicted, Rue faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison on each count. Rue also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Town commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Michael Jones, Jessica Kraft, and Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Posey, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
22 June 2020
Winchester Man Charged with COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Winchester man was arrested today and charged with allegedly filing fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $13 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) for COVID-19 relief through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Elijah Majak Buoi, 38, was charged in a criminal complaint with wire fraud, and will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon.
According to the complaint, Buoi is the president and CEO of an information technology services company, Sosuda Tech, LLC. Between April 2020 and June 2020, Buoi allegedly submitted fraudulent applications for over $13 million in PPP loans through SBA-approved lenders. In these applications, Buoi misrepresented the number of employees and payroll expenses and falsely certified that the United States was the primary residence for his employees. Buoi also allegedly submitted falsified documentation in support of his applications for PPP funds. The complaint further alleges that Buoi ultimately received over $2 million in PPP funds. The government has seized approximately $1.98 million from Sosuda’s business bank accounts.
“The defendant tried to defraud an emergency program designed to help businesses, and their employees, survive the most difficult economic crisis since the Great Depression,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “This behavior is reprehensible, and my office is committed to rooting out and prosecuting this kind of fraud wherever we find it.”
“It’s outrageous anyone would try to steal from a program that was set up to be a lifeline to businesses struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic, but we believe that’s exactly what Elijah Buoi did. He allegedly tried to steal $13.5 million for his own use by lying on at least four different loan applications,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others plotting similar scams—we are acting and investigating in real time to stop anyone using this crisis as a means to rip off the federal government at the expense of hard-working taxpayers.”
“The actions of this defendant are criminally reprehensible,” said Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation. “Defrauding a government program designed to provide financial assistance to small business owners during the Coronavirus pandemic is tantamount to taking money directly out of the pockets of those who need it most.”
“We are fully committed to holding accountable any wrongdoers whose fraudulent actions impact the Federal Reserve Board’s ability to assist small businesses under the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility,” said Inspector General Mark Bialek of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General.
“We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute the defendant for his egregious conduct,” said Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Officer of Inspector General. “We will continue to work hard to ensure these individuals are held accountable for using the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to defraud the nation’s financial institutions and government relief programs.”
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 on the PPP loan to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.
U.S. Attorney Lelling; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta; IRS-CI SAC O’Connell; FRB-CFPB OIG Inspector General Bialek; and FDIC OIG Inspector General Lerner made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie Queenin and Carol Head of Lelling’s Office and Trial Attorney Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The Justice Department acknowledges and thanks the SBA OIG for their support and assistance.
Massachusetts residents with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 should contact (add our hotline/email). Information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (BCDF) hotline by phone (1-866-720-5721) or via an online reporting form available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Valdosta Defendant Sentenced to Prison on Stolen Gun, Cocaine ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Valdosta defendant was sentenced late last week after admitting he possessed a stolen firearm and attempted to distribute cocaine, said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Anthony Lamar Dye, 35, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty in October 2019 to one count possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count possession of a stolen firearm. U.S. District Judge Louis Sands sentenced Dye to 66 months in prison for these crimes on Thursday, June 18, 2020. There is no parole in the federal system.
A Lowndes County Sheriff’s deputy observed Dye roll through a stop sign and fail to maintain his lane while driving, and attempted to initiate a routine traffic stop on June 21, 2018. Dye did not stop, and a lengthy chase ensued. Dye eventually stopped and ran from his vehicle. He was captured by officers. Dye was found with a stolen .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a total of 61.18 grams of cocaine, including a large number of small baggies holding less than one ounce of cocaine, prepared for distribution.
“Criminal drug dealers face imprisonment without parole for pushing illegal, deadly substances in our communities. I hope this sentence serves as a warning for others who choose to involve themselves in the dangerous drug world that selling narcotics carries severe consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to thank the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF for their excellent work in this case.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The 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/archives/projectguardian.
This case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers prosecuted the case for the Government. 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.
United States Attorneys Available to Receive Election ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Richard P. Donoghue, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that special telephone numbers have been set up to receive complaints of possible violations of federal election laws relating to tomorrow’s primary election in New York City and other counties in their districts.
The United States Attorneys said that their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers on Tuesday, June 23, 2020:
(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties) and
(718) 254-6790 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties)
In addition, complaints of possible violations of federal election laws may be made directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (212) 384-1000.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
The United States Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:
IN NEW YORK CITY
City Board of Elections
Main Office (866) 868-3692
TTY #: (212)-487-5496
IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
County Boards of Elections
Dutchess (845) 486-2473
Nassau (516) 571-8683
Orange (845) 360-6500
Orange (Spanish language) (855) 331-2444
Putnam (845) 808-1300
Rockland (845) 638-5172
Suffolk (631) 852-4500
Sullivan (845) 807-0400
Westchester (914) 995-5700
Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Kennedy and Nicolas Roos are responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Southern District of New York.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik Paulsen is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Eastern District of New York.
United States Attorneys Available to Receive Election ComplaintsRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Richard P. Donoghue, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today that special telephone numbers have been set up to receive complaints of possible violations of federal election laws relating to tomorrow’s primary election in New York City and other counties in their districts.
Their Offices will be available to receive complaints at the following numbers on Tuesday, June 23, 2020:
(646) 369-4739 (for Manhattan, Bronx, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties) and
(718) 254-6790 (for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk counties)
In addition, complaints of possible violations of federal election laws may be made directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (212) 384-1000.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
The United States Attorneys also noted that the following additional telephone numbers are available for citizens to call for routine inquiries, such as where to vote or how late the polls are open, or to register complaints that may concern violations of New York State election laws:
IN NEW YORK CITY
City Board of Elections
Main Office (866) 868-3692 - TTY #: 212-487-5496
IN COUNTIES OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
County Boards of Elections
Dutchess (845) 486-2473
Nassau (516) 571- 8683
Orange (845) 360-6500
Orange (Spanish language) (855) 331-2444
Putnam (845) 808-1300
Rockland (845) 638-5172
Suffolk (631) 852-4500
Sullivan (845) 807-0400
Westchester (914) 995-5700
Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Kennedy and Nicolas Roos are responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Southern District of New York.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik Paulsen is responsible for overseeing the handling of complaints of voting rights abuses and election fraud for the Eastern District of New York.
U.S. Attorney Wrigley Announces a West Fargo, ND, Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for False Statement during the Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Drew Wrigley announced that Robert Eugene Johnson, age 72 of West Fargo, ND, has been sentenced to serve five months in Federal Prison for making a false statement about his criminal record during the Purchase of a Firearm. Johnson pled guilty to the offense on June 22, 2020, and was sentenced the same day by United States District Court Chief Judge Peter D. Welte. Chief Judge Welte also sentenced Johnson to one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment for the Crime Victims’ Fund.
"This is what we call a ‘lie and try’ case," said U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley, "the defendant was a convicted felon who could not lawfully possess a firearm. He lied, he tried, and the system worked to block a convicted felon from illegally getting his hands on a firearm."
Johnson had been sentenced on March 16, 2020 to serve 4 months for a federal tax felony conviction. Just eight days later, on March 23, Johnson attempted to purchase a semi-automatic firearm by falsely claiming he had not been previously convicted of a felony. During Johnson’s attempted purchase, store personnel conducted a query of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) which revealed Johnson
was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm due to his recent tax evasion conviction. The sale was disallowed, and Johnson was later arrested.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker.
U.S. Attorney Announces Hiring of First Assistant for the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT – U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox announced the hiring of Nicholas Ganjei as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney (FAUSA) Nicholas Ganjei arrived in Texas this week where he will assume the role as second in command in the Eastern District of Texas, which includes 43 counties stretching from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of Mexico. The district includes six fully staffed offices in Beaumont, Plano, Tyler, Sherman, Texarkana, and Lufkin with 120 employees, including 55 prosecutors.
Nick Ganjei has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for twelve years, most recently prosecuting fraud, public corruption, and other white-collar matters. Prior to that, Mr. Ganjei prosecuted organized crime, narcotics, and human trafficking cases, as well as border offenses. He comes to the office from the District of New Mexico, where he served in both the Albuquerque main office and the Las Cruces border office. Mr. Ganjei also worked at the Department of Justice in Washington as Nominations and Policy Counsel in the Office of Legal Policy, where he maintained a portfolio related to nominations and criminal justice matters. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Ganjei clerked for the Honorable Richard Allen Griffin of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and Ralph R. Erickson of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (previously of the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota). Mr. Ganjei has also taught on the subjects of civil, criminal, and constitutional law, at both the collegiate and law school level. Mr. Ganjei is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
“Nick is a great addition to the Eastern District of Texas and will do a wonderful job working with our team, our law enforcement partners, and our judges,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. “He comes to Beaumont with all the qualities that we admire – he is hard-working and smart, he has sound judgment, and he is a servant leader who excels in personal diplomacy.” Cox also commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan for her valued service as First Assistant U.S. Attorney. “Heather is a terrific litigator whose passion for the work of the District is invaluable.” AUSA Rattan will continue to serve the Eastern District of Texas as a seasoned and highly competent federal prosecutor.
“Over the past decade, Nick has established a reputation as a dedicated and talented prosecutor in the District of New Mexico,” said District of New Mexico U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson. “While we will miss his many contributions to our office, I am confident that Nick’s leadership skill and litigation experience will be put to good use in the service of the Eastern District of Texas.”
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U.S. Army Soldier Charged with Terrorism Offenses for Planning Deadly Ambush on Service Members in His UnitRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Ethan Melzer, 22, of Louisville, Kentucky, for allegedly planning an attack on his U.S. Army unit by sending sensitive details about the unit – including information about its location, movements, and security – to members of an extremist organization named Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), an occult-based neo-Nazi and white supremacist group. Melzer is charged with conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. nationals, conspiring and attempting to murder military service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country. The FBI and the U.S. Army thwarted Melzer’s plot in late-May 2020, and the FBI arrested Melzer on June 10, 2020. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods.
“As the indictment lays out, Ethan Melzer plotted a deadly ambush on his fellow soldiers in the service of a diabolical cocktail of ideologies laced with hate and violence,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Our women and men in uniform risk their lives for our country, but they should never face such peril at the hands of one of their own. The National Security Division is proud to support the efforts of those who disrupted this planned attack and to seek justice for these acts.”
“As alleged, Ethan Melzer, a private in the U.S. Army, was the enemy within. Melzer allegedly attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his own unit by unlawfully revealing its location, strength, and armaments to a neo-Nazi, anarchist, white supremacist group,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss for the Southern District of New York. “Melzer allegedly provided this potentially deadly information intending that it be conveyed to jihadist terrorists. As alleged, Melzer was motivated by racism and hatred as he attempted to carry out this ultimate act of betrayal. Thanks to the efforts of the agents and detectives of the JTTF, our partners in the Departments of Defense and State, and the career prosecutors of this office, a hate-fueled terrorist attack against American soldiers has been thwarted.”
“As alleged, Ethan Melzer sought to facilitate a deadly mass attack on his fellow service members by disclosing sensitive information to multiple extremists, including al-Qa’ida. The FBI’s top priority remains protecting Americans from terrorist attacks, at home and abroad, and this case highlights the outstanding work of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, along with our U.S. military partners, to identify and disrupt threats like this one against our men and women in uniform,” said Assistant Director Jill Sanborn of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division.
“Melzer declared himself to be a traitor against the United States, and described his own conduct as tantamount to treason. We agree. He turned his back on his county and his unit while aligning himself with members of the neo-Nazi group O9A,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office William F. Sweeney Jr. “Today, he is in custody and facing a lifetime of service – behind bars – which is appropriate given the severity of the conduct we allege today.”
“This case is another example of the international responsibilities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force,” said Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department. “Its FBI agents and New York City police detectives will travel anywhere in the world to bring terrorists to justice, in this case a soldier who is alleged to have forsaken his oath to the United States military and his fellow soldiers.”
According to the criminal complaint and the indictment charging Melzer, which were unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
Melzer joined the U.S. Army in approximately 2018, and he joined O9A by approximately 2019. Members and associates of O9A have espoused violent, neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and Satanic beliefs, and have expressed admiration for both Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Osama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. Members and associates of O9A have also participated in acts of violence, including murders.
In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army. Prior to planning the attack, Melzer consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. For example, in connection with the investigation, the FBI seized from an iCloud account maintained by Melzer an ISIS-issued document with a title that included the phrase “HARVEST OF THE SOLDIERS” and described attacks and murders of U.S. personnel in approximately April 2020.
In approximately April 2020, the Army informed Melzer of plans for a further foreign deployment by his unit. Melzer thereafter sought to facilitate a deadly attack on his fellow service members. After he was notified of the assignment, Melzer used an encrypted application to send messages to members and associates of O9A and a related group known as the “RapeWaffen Division,” including communications regarding Melzer’s commitment to O9A and sensitive information related to his unit’s anticipated deployment such as locations, movements, and security, for purposes of facilitating an attack on Melzer’s unit. Melzer and his co-conspirators planned what they referred to as a “jihadi attack” during the deployment, with the objective of causing a “mass casualty” event victimizing his fellow service members. Melzer acknowledged in electronic communications that he could be killed during the attack, and, describing his willingness to die, wrote “who gives a [expletive] [. . .] it would be another war . . . I would’ve died successfully . . . cause [] another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.”
On or about May 17, 2020, Melzer exchanged electronic communications regarding passing information about the anticipated deployment to a purported member of al Qaeda. Between approximately May 24 and May 25, 2020, Melzer sent additional electronic messages with specific information about his unit’s anticipated deployment, including, among other things, the number of soldiers who would be traveling, the location of the facility to which Melzer expected the unit would be deployed, and information about the facility’s surveillance and defensive capabilities. Melzer promised to leak more information once he arrived at the location of the new deployment in order to try to maximize the likelihood of a successful attack on his unit.
During a voluntary interview with military investigators and the FBI, Melzer admitted his role in plotting the attack. Melzer said that he intended the planned attack to result in the deaths of as many of his fellow service members as possible. Melzer also declared himself to be a traitor against the United States, and described his conduct as tantamount to treason.
Melzer is charged in the Indictment with (1) conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332(b)(2), which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (2) attempting to murder U.S. nationals, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332(b)(1), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (3) conspiring to murder U.S. military service members, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1117, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (4) attempting to murder U.S. military service members, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1114, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (5) attempting to provide and providing material support to terrorists, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339A, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and (6) conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and Acting U.S. Attorney Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies; the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Rome, Italy; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; Attorneys from the U.S. Army Africa Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and 173rd Airborne Brigade; and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.
This prosecution is being handled by the office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew Hellman, and Sidhardha Kamaraju are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the Counterterrorism Section.
The charges in the complaint and indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Army Soldier Charged with Terrorism Offenses for Planning Deadly Ambush on Service Members in His UnitRead the Press Release
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John C. Demers, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging ETHAN MELZER for allegedly planning an attack on his U.S. Army unit by sending sensitive details about the unit – including information about its location, movements, and security – to members of an extremist organization named Order of the Nine Angles (“O9A”), an occult-based neo-Nazi and racially motivated violent extremist group. MELZER is charged with conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. nationals, conspiring and attempting to murder military service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country. The FBI and the U.S. Army thwarted MELZER’s plot in late-May 2020, and the FBI arrested MELZER on June 10, 2020. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Gregory H. Woods.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Ethan Melzer, a private in the U.S. Army, was the enemy within. Melzer allegedly attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his own unit by unlawfully revealing its location, strength, and armaments to a neo-Nazi, anarchist, white supremacist group. Melzer allegedly provided this potentially deadly information intending that it be conveyed to jihadist terrorists. As alleged, Melzer was motivated by racism and hatred as he attempted to carry out this ultimate act of betrayal. Thanks to the efforts of the agents and detectives of the JTTF, our partners in the Departments of Defense and State, and the career prosecutors of this Office, a hate-fueled terrorist attack against American soldiers has been thwarted.”
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers said: “As the indictment lays out, Ethan Meltzer plotted a deadly ambush on his fellow soldiers in the service of a diabolical cocktail of ideologies laced with hate and violence. Our women and men in uniform risk their lives for our country, but they should never face such peril at the hands of one of their own. The National Security Division is proud to support the efforts of those who disrupted this planned attack and to seek justice for these acts.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Melzer declared himself to be a traitor against the United States, and described his own conduct as tantamount to treason. We agree. He turned his back on his county and his unit while aligning himself with members of the neo-Nazi group O9A. Today, he is in custody and facing a lifetime of service – behind bars – which is appropriate given the severity of the conduct we allege today.”
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “This case is another example of the international responsibilities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force. Its FBI agents and New York City police detectives will travel anywhere in the world to bring terrorists to justice, in this case a soldier who is alleged to have forsaken his oath to the United States military and his fellow soldiers.”
According to the criminal Complaint and the Indictment charging Melzer,[1] which were unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
MELZER joined the U.S. Army in approximately 2018, and he joined O9A by approximately 2019. Members and associates of O9A have espoused violent, neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and Satanic beliefs, and have expressed admiration for both Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Usama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. Members and associates of O9A have also participated in acts of violence, including murders.
In approximately October 2019, MELZER deployed abroad with the Army. Prior to planning the attack, MELZER consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. For example, in connection with the investigation, the FBI seized from an iCloud account maintained by MELZER an ISIS-issued document with a title that included the phrase “HARVEST OF THE SOLDIERS” and described attacks and murders of U.S. personnel in approximately April 2020.
In approximately April 2020, the Army informed MELZER of plans for a further foreign deployment by his unit. MELZER thereafter sought to facilitate a deadly attack on his fellow service members. After he was notified of the assignment, MELZER used an encrypted application to send messages to members and associates of O9A and a related group known as the “RapeWaffen Division,” including communications regarding MELZER’s commitment to O9A and sensitive information related to his unit’s anticipated deployment such as locations, movements, and security, for purposes of facilitating an attack on MELZER’s unit. MELZER and his co-conspirators planned what they referred to as a “jihadi attack” during the deployment, with the objective of causing a “mass casualty” event victimizing his fellow service members. MELZER acknowledged in electronic communications that he could be killed during the attack, and, describing his willingness to die, wrote “who gives a fuck [. . .] it would be another war . . . I would’ve died successfully . . . cause [] another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.”
On or about May 17, 2020, MELZER exchanged electronic communications regarding passing information about the anticipated deployment to a purported member of al Qaeda. Between approximately May 24 and May 25, 2020, MELZER sent additional electronic messages with specific information about his unit’s anticipated deployment, including, among other things, the number of soldiers who would be traveling, the location of the facility to which MELZER expected the unit would be deployed, and information about the facility’s surveillance and defensive capabilities. MELZER promised to leak more information once he arrived at the location of the new deployment in order to try to maximize the likelihood of a successful attack on his unit.
During a voluntary interview with military investigators and the FBI, MELZER admitted his role in plotting the attack. MELZER said that he intended the planned attack to result in the deaths of as many of his fellow service members as possible. MELZER also declared himself to be a traitor against the United States, and described his conduct as tantamount to treason.
* * *
MELZER, 22, of Louisville, Kentucky, is charged in the Indictment with (1) conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332(b)(2), which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (2) attempting to murder U.S. nationals, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332(b)(1), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (3) conspiring to murder U.S. military service members, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1117, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (4) attempting to murder U.S. military service members, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1114, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (5) attempting to provide and providing material support to terrorists, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339A, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and (6) conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies; the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Rome, Italy; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; Attorneys from the U.S. Army Africa Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and 173rd Airborne Brigade; and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew Hellman, and Sidhardha Kamaraju are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the Counterterrorism Section.
The charges in the Complaint and Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the Indictment, and the description of the Complaint and Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Felons Sentenced for Possessing Firearms in Project Guardian CasesRead the Press Release
Two felons were sentenced today in U.S. District Court for possessing firearms and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
“Guns don’t belong in the hands of felons, domestic abusers, or other prohibited persons, period. Congress passed a law saying so, and it is my job to enforce that law,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Prosecuting offenders who violate firearms restrictions saves lives. We will continue the crucial work of the Justice Department’s Project Guardian to help protect the public from those who pose harm to our communities.”
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Morgan Tanner Prickett, 26, of Mannford, to 15 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court further ordered the defendant to complete drug and domestic violence counseling. Prickett pleaded guilty to the charge on Feb.7, 2020.
On Oct. 21, 2019, Broken Arrow police officers were dispatched to a domestic violence incident. Prickett had vandalized a car but was subdued by the victim and her brother. When officers arrived, Morgan’s pick-up truck was in the roadway so officers inventoried the vehicle and towed it. During the inventory, officers discovered a LA Industrial Orbea Eibar Smith and Wesson revolver and six rounds of ammunition. Morgan is prohibited by federal law from owning a firearm since he has a previous felony conviction as well as a conviction for of domestic assault and battery in the presence of a minor. The Broken Arrow Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan also sentenced Michael Jawan Lucas, 32, of Tulsa, to 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Officers with the Tulsa Police Department initiated a traffic stop after noticing Lucas ran a stop sign on Nov. 3, 2019. Lucas then ran two more stop signs before crashing into a tree. Upon exiting the vehicle, Lucas ran from police but was eventually arrested. Upon a search of his vehicle, officers found a Heckler & Koch .45 caliber pistol and associated ammunition. Lucas was previously convicted of three other offenses, including use of interstate communication facility in the commission of murder for hire and aiding and abetting in 2012. Because of these felony convictions, Lucas is prohibited from owning a firearm. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Morgan prosecuted the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Justice Department’s Project Guardian initiative. Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Justice Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
Two Akron men indicted on illegal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
Justin. E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that a federal grand jury in Cleveland has indicted two men in the Akron area on charges of illegal firearm possession. These are separate cases and are not related.
Brandon M. Ricks, age 31, of Akron, was indicted on one count of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. According to the indictment, on January 24, 2020, Ricks possessed a .45 caliber pistol. Ricks is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of aggravated assault in 2008 and robbery in 2014, both in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the ATF and Akron Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell.
Brandon M. Ward, age 26, of Akron, was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the indictment, on January 28, 2020, Ward possessed a 5.7 mm caliber pistol and ammunition. Ward is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous conviction of trafficking in marijuana from 2017 in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the ATF and Akron Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell.
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.
Toledo man sentenced for accepting bribe while employed as a corrections officer for the Lucas County Correctional CenterRead the Press Release
Justin E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that Marcus Henderson, age 34, of Toledo was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after a trial by jury found Hendersen guilty of one count of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official rights and one count of providing contraband in prison.
According to court filings, Hendersen was a corrections officer at the Lucas County jail in 2016 when he accepted a $500 bribe to smuggle a cell phone and tobacco into the jail for an inmate.
This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Freeman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Futrell.