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3 June 2020
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Plantation, Florida,, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws and money laundering, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Marcia Cunningham, aka Elaine Ambersley, aka Marcia Headley, age 52, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Cunningham conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance from in and April 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2019, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Additionally, Cunningham pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering, from in and April 2017, and continuing thereafter to in and around April 2019.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for Sept. 22, 2020 at 10:45 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life, a fine of $10,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balchon are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cunningham. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. The Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the New Castle Police Department also participated in the investigation.
Florida Man Sentenced for Federal Violations in East Texas Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A 42-year-old Navarre, Florida man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox and FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno today.
Ivan T. Navarro-Jusino pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2019, to three counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $482,000.
According to information presented in court, from August 2012 through May 2018, Navarro-Jusino lied to an individual in the Eastern District of Texas, telling him that Navarro-Jusino had a high-performing investment fund and could invest the victim’s money in that fund. Navarro-Jusino also represented to the victim that there were a limited number of investors, leading the victim to believe that the fund was both exclusive and profitable. The victim eventually gave the defendant over $500,000, his life savings, believing that the defendant would invest this money. Instead, the defendant spent the funds on personal expenses such as tickets to a professional football game, a trip to Puerto Rico, and personal items such as a vehicle, jewelry, electronics, a car stereo, and furniture. Additionally, Navarro-Jusino spent approximately $43,000 of the victim’s funds to repay loans that relatives had made and to purchase a local business, which ultimately failed. Following receipt of the funds Navarro-Jusino lied about the status of the money in several emails that he sent to the victim telling him his money had grown to over $800,000 while in the investment fund—which was entirely false. The victim of Navarro-Jusino's scheme lost $482,000.
“The U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI are focused on rooting out fraud and financial crime targeting individuals such this victim, who trusted the defendant with his life's savings," said U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. "We will prosecute these crimes vigorously and to the full extent of federal law."
“The FBI will continue to investigate businesses or individuals that use deceptive schemes to steal money from investors,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “We urge the public to use caution when researching investment opportunities and to contact us immediately if they become a victim of financial fraud.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Frisco Resident Agency of the Dallas Field Office and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Plano.
Federal Health Care Fraud Defendant Found After Extensive Two Day SearchRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Julie M. Wheeler, a federal defendant that reportedly fell into the New River Gorge National River from the Grandview overlook on Sunday, May 31, 2020, was found hiding in a closet at her Beaver home yesterday. Both Wheeler and her husband, Rodney Wheeler, were arrested by the West Virginia State Police on several state charges in connection with faking a missing person’s report. Wheeler is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2020 for a federal health care fraud conviction, for which she faces up to 10 years in prison. She pled guilty to the charge in February 2020. As part of her plea agreement, Wheeler will also pay an amount of restitution ranging from $302,131 to $469,983, to be determined by the Court at sentencing.
Officers from several federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, along with rescue crews, began their extensive two day search for Wheeler after a 911 call was placed Sunday evening. The search and rescue efforts included a search by helicopter and a search on foot using a rope line to go down into the jagged, deep canyon of the New River Gorge.
“It is hard to hide at home,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My team is in close communication with the Raleigh County Prosecutor and the West Virginia State Police. We are monitoring the developments in the Wheeler investigation. We are conducting a thorough federal investigation at this time. I have directed federal resources to ensure we bring every appropriate federal charge – against Ms. Wheeler and any other persons involved in this matter. I want to commend the excellent investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and all those involved in her search and rescue. West Virginia law enforcement professionals are real pros and they utilized critical resources and risked their lives to try to save or recover the defendant from what was falsely reported to be an awful tragedy. This is an ongoing investigation as it pertains to any federal criminal charges.”
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Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the June Federal Grand Jury A.
“The federal justice system continues, as it must, even during a public health crisis and civil unrest. Through it all, the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect and serve the public,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The grand jury indictments returned this week involved allegations of child sex trafficking, possession and distribution of child pornography, and federal firearms violations.”
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Luis Alberto Garcia. Possession of a Firearm by an Alien Illegally in the United States. Garcia, 39, of Broken Arrow, is charged with knowingly possessing a Kimber .380 ACP caliber pistol and associated ammunition while being an alien illegally residing in the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Thomas James Heiner. Sex Trafficking of a Child. Heiner, 55, of Langley, is charged with sex trafficking of a child. Heiner was apprehended while attempting to purchase an 11-year-old child to engage in sex acts with him. A press release announcing initial charges by Criminal Complaint was issued on May 22, 2020, and can be found here. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies.
Joel Daniel Padilla-Rojas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Padilla-Rojas, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported June 4, 2009, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Jeffrey Rahn Reetz. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of Child Pornography (superseding). Reetz, 66, of Claremore, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Mosin-Nagant bolt-action 7.62 caliber rifle; a Kimber .45 caliber pistol; a Beretta 9 mm pistol; a Springfield Arms bolt-action .30 caliber rifle; a Derringer .32 caliber pistol; a New Haven Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun; a Savage Arms .223 caliber rifle; an Olympic Arms 12 gauge shotgun; a Hopkins & Allen .22 caliber revolver; and 1,421 rounds of ammunition. Reetz is also charged with knowingly possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography from January 2017 to January 23, 2020. The images included a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.
Herbert Dewayne Reyes. Sex Trafficking of a Child; Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Receipt of Child Pornography. Reyes, 43, of Bristow, is charged with sex trafficking of a child from June 1, 2019, through Aug. 22, 2019. Reyes is also charged with sexual exploitation of a child. He is alleged to have enticed and coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to make images of those sex acts. Finally, Reyes is charged with receiving electronic images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Bristow Police Department is the investigative agency.
Kevin Edward Swarthout. Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Swarthout, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography from December 25, 2019, through May 12, 2020. Swarthout is also charged with possessing and accessing child pornography from Dec. 25, 2019, through May 12, 2020. The child pornography included images of one prepubescent minor and a minor that had not attained 12 years of age. Swarthout was previously convicted of possessing child pornography on Nov. 6, 20o0, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. A press release announcing initial charges by Criminal Complaint was issued on May 2o, 2020, and can be found here. The Carter County Sheriff’s Department, Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies.
Daniel Brent Woodson. Distribution and Receipt of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct. Woodson, 42, of Collinsville, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography from Dec. 15, 2017, to May 20, 2020. Woodson was previously convicted of possession with intent to promote child pornography and with possession of child pornography in Galveston County, Texas, on Jan. 30, 2015. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.
Fatal crash in Glacier National Park sends man to prisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—An East Glacier Park man convicted after a drunken driving crash killed one passenger and seriously injured a second passenger in Glacier National Park last year was sentenced today to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
After a three-day trial in February, a jury found Leo James Hagan, 20, guilty of involuntary manslaughter and of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The prosecution presented evidence at trial that the crash occurred on June 11, 2019, on Two Medicine Road, about 200 yards inside of Glacier National Park. Hagan and the two victims had been socializing at the Trailhead Saloon in East Glacier that night, and Hagan had consumed alcohol. The group left the saloon and traveled toward Two Medicine Lake, with Hagan driving a Ford Escape.
Hagan lost control of the vehicle, failed to negotiate a sharp left turn, went off the road and hit a tree. The vehicle spun and rolled and came to a rest on the driver's side. The front seat passenger was ejected and suffered severe injuries. The rear seat passenger also was ejected, pinned under the vehicle and died at the scene.
Hagan left the scene on foot and called 911. He implied he had come upon the scene of a crash and was otherwise not involved. He reported seeing one injured person but not his involvement, the cause or that a passenger had died.
A Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services officer ultimately found Hagan at his residence at about 2:30 a.m. Hagan confirmed he had been in the crash and had been driving. A blood draw during the investigation determined that Hagan had a blood alcohol concentration of .093 percent more than four hours after the crash.
A crash investigation determined that the vehicle was traveling more than 70 mph in a 45 mph speed zone when it crashed, that the driver never applied the brakes and that neither Hagan nor the front seat passenger was wearing a seatbelt. Hagan had claimed he was wearing a seatbelt and had braked.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalah Paisley and Ethan Plaut prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the National Park Service, Blackfeet Law Enforcement and Medical Services, the Glacier County Sheriff's Office and the Montana Highway Patrol.
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Erie Man Charged with Arson for Setting Fire at Erie Coffee Shop during ProtestRead the Press Release
Erie, Pa. – A federal criminal complaint was filed today charging Melquan Barnett, 28, of Erie, Pennsylvania, with malicious destruction of property using fire or explosives. After a May 30, 2020 gathering of protesters was hijacked, Barnett allegedly set a fire at Ember + Forge, a coffee shop located at 401 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania.
"The First Amendment does not permit people to use a protest as cover to commit arson, destroy property or incite violence," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. "Any protestors who cross this line should know that we will use every tool at our disposal to find you and prosecute you."
"The FBI is dedicated to upholding the Constitution, including protecting all citizens' rights to peacefully protest," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Christman. "But when those peaceful protests cross the line into criminal activity, our efforts are focused on identifying and investigating individuals who commit crimes. We will not tolerate that kind of violence at the expense of innocent citizens. We will work with our local partners to pursue federal prosecutions."
"Acts of arson are dangerous crimes and threaten the community," said ATF Philadelphia Field Division Acting Special Agent-in-Charge John Schmidt. "The ATF, along with our law enforcement partners at the FBI and the Erie Police Department, are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that those who violate federal arson laws are held accountable. ATF’s role in this investigation was to provide technical expertise as to the origin and cause of the fire and thus determined the fire to be incendiary."
The criminal complaint alleges that on the evening of May 30, 2020, a public disturbance was occurring on State Street and the surrounding area. Video footage from Facebook live and Ember + Forge depict an individual shattering the coffee shop’s window that faces State Street. Then, the videos depict a male – with distinctive hair to the middle of his back wearing a white mask, white shirt, light blue jean jacket, black pants with a red and white striped pattern down the side and red shoes - setting a fire inside of Ember + Forge. The video surveillance footage from Ember + Forge also shows a neck tattoo on the left side of the individual’s neck.
A review of additional Facebook public video footage from the area of State Street near City Hall in Erie on the evening of May 30, 2020, shows the same individual without the mask but wearing identical clothing and shoes. The subject’s face is fully visible in this video footage. Officers of the Erie Police Department have reviewed the video footage and identified Melquan Barnett as the individual depicted in this video footage from State Street on May 30, 2020.
Barnett was taken into federal custody this afternoon in Erie, Pennsylvania. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance on June 4, 2020 before Magistrate Judge Richard A. Lanzillo in U.S. District Court in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the City of Erie Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian A. Trabold.
The FBI is urging the public to report suspected arson, use of explosive devices, or violent, destructive acts associated with the otherwise peaceful protests of the last week. Anyone with information can call the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (800-225-5324).
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Melquan Barnett Criminal Complaint Criminal Complaint and Affidavit Video fileEnrolled member of Mescalero Apache Tribe pleads guilty to assault causing serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Kylee Mee-Shell Martinez, 27, of Mescalero, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico on June 1 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to Martinez’s plea agreement and other public court records, Martinez got into an argument with another woman at a house party on the Mescalero Apache Reservation on Oct. 6, 2019. Martinez punched the victim in the face and body and backed the victim into a pole on the front porch. The victim’s head slammed against the pole causing a two-inch laceration. The victim lost consciousness. She later needed eight staples at the hospital to repair the wound.
Martinez is currently out of custody pending sentencing. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces office of the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
Elmira Methamphetamine Trafficker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., announced today that Kevin E. McKinney, a/k/a K-Born, 42, of Elmira, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 50 grams of methamphetamine. The charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Robert A. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that the charges stem from a long term investigation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies into the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine in the City of Elmira. On September 13, 2019, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at an apartment at 916 Grand Central Avenue in Elmira. Officers seized over 1.1 kilograms of 95% pure methamphetamine, a quantity of heroin, and narcotics distribution paraphernalia. McKinney was arrested along with Jamal Anderson a/k/a Blaze, and Briana Hall. McKinney had over $3,200 in his pockets, as well as keys to the apartment at 916 Grand Central Avenue. The cash seized from McKinney has been forfeited as drug proceeds by the DEA.
McKinney obtained large quantities of methamphetamine in New Jersey, which he transported to Elmira. He stored and packaged the methamphetamine for distribution at various locations, including the Grand Central Avenue residence and residences on W. First Street and Henry Street. In addition, McKinney facilitated third-party purchase and direct distribution of methamphetamine to others. During the conspiracy, McKinney and other members of the conspiracy also possessed firearms. Brianna Hall was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
Charges remain pending against Jamal Anderson. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Kane; the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), under the direction of Lieutenant Kevin Reyes and Major Mary Clark; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 14, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer.
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Eleven Charged in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
WILKES-BARRE - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Tysheen Gott, age 43, of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Damien Julmal Navarro, age 25, of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Robert Thompson, age 44, of Pittston, PA; Jean Almonor, age 44, of Wilkes-Barre, PA; Amanda McPhillips, age 36, of Scranton, PA; Anthony Quamaine Brown, age 37, of Scranton, PA; Tariek Henson Mitchell, age 32, of Plymouth, PA; Juliette Grayson, age 44, of Plymouth, PA; Nicole Ann Bozek, age 31, of Scranton, PA; Susan Marie Kimsel, age 40, of Exeter, PA; and Aisha Maria Stephens, age 39, of Wilkes-Barre, PA, were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 28, 2020, on drug trafficking charges. The indictment was unsealed following the arrests of the defendants. Mitchell remains at large and is considered a fugitive.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base or “crack” in Luzerne County between 2013 and March 2020. The amount of heroin involved in the conspiracy that is attributable to each of the defendants is as follows:
- Tysheen Gott, a/k/a “LB”: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Damien Julmal Navarro: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Robert Thompson, a/k/a “Jeffrey Parker”: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Jean Almonor, a/k/a “Hollywood”: in excess of 100 grams of heroin;
- Amanda McPhillips: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Anthony Quamaine Brown, a/k/a “BX”: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Tariek Henson Mitchell: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Juliette Grayson: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Nicole Ann Bozek: in excess of one kilogram of heroin;
- Susan Marie Kimsel: in excess of 100 grams of heroin; and
- Aisha Maria Stephens: maintaining drug involved premises.
This indictment was the result of a year-long investigation, in part driven by multiple federal wiretaps conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Pittston City Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the drug trafficking offenses is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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El Departamento de Justicia Resuelve Demandas Relacionadas con la Inmigración y Represalias contra una Empresa de Producción de Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con ChemArt, una empresa con sede en Rhode Island que fabrica ornamentos y piezas de colección diseñados a medida. El acuerdo resuelve una serie de demandas que mantienen que ChemArt discriminó a una trabajadora que es ciudadana de los EE. UU. por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía percibido y que luego tomó represalias en su contra cuando ella se opuso a esta práctica, en contra de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés).
«Los empleadores deben procurar que no soliciten documentos de autorización para trabajar adicionales o diferentes a los que la ley prescribe por motivos del estatus de ciudadanía real o percibido de un trabajador y no deben tomar represalias contra trabajadores que hacen valer sus derechos», declaró Eric Dreiband, el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles. «Apreciamos la cooperación de ChemArt durante la investigación y anticipamos colaborar con la compañía para garantizar el cumplimiento con la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA».
El Departamento inició su investigación de ChemArt después de que la trabajadora afectada presentara una demanda de discriminación. La investigación del Departamento halló que tras ofrecer a la trabajadora un puesto de recursos humanos, ChemArt solicitó, de manera ilícita y basándose en el estatus migratorio percibido de ella, que aquella trabajadora presentara un documento migratorio específico para verificar su elegibilidad para trabajar. Según el Departamento, poco después de que ella se opusiera a la petición del documento, tachándola de discriminatoria, ChemArt rescindió el empleo que le había ofrecido a la trabajadora.
Conforme la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, a todo trabajador se le debe permitir que escoja de entre los documentos válidos de autorización para trabajar para demostrar su elegibilidad para trabajar, independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía. La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores soliciten documentos específicos de autorización para trabajar por motivos del estatus de ciudadanía, el estatus migratorio o la nacionalidad de origen de un individuo. Asimismo, la ley prohíbe que los empleadores tomen represalias contra trabajadores porque estos se hayan opuesto a una conducta ílicita por parte del empleador o a cualquier otra conducta que ellos crean que constituye discriminación ilícita.
Conforme a los términos del acuerdo, ChemArt pagará una sanción civil de 3.000 $ por concepto de las contravenciones, ofrecerá pagos retroactivos a la parte demandante, revisará sus materiales de solicitud de empleo e incorporación al puesto para garantizar que cumplan con la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA, capacitará a su personal en cuanto al proceso de verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar y se someterá a la supervisión del Departamento durante tres años.
La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación con base en el estatus de ciudadanía y la nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; las prácticas documentales injustas; las represalias o la intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688; llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar la página web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
Detroit Resident Charged in COVID-19 Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Detroit resident was charged in a criminal complaint for his alleged role in a scheme to obtain $590,900 from the Payroll Protection Program for a non-functioning business, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono, Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Charged is Darrell Baker, 51, of Detroit, Michigan.
As alleged in the complaint, Baker applied for and obtained a $590,000 Payroll Protection Program Loan on behalf of a purported business that he owns, called “Motorcity Solar Energy, Inc.” The Paycheck Protection Program is a program managed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provides loans to help businesses keep their workforces employed during the Covid-19 crisis. The SBA will forgive the loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. The Payroll Protection Act loans are funded from participating banks, in this case Customers Bank in Pennsylvania.
The complaint further alleges that Baker submitted paperwork with his loan application representing that Motorcity Solar Energy Inc. had 68 employees and, in 2019 paid wages, tips, and other compensation totaling $2.8 million. In fact, the state of Michigan had dissolved Motorcity Solar Energy Inc.’s status as a corporation in July 2019. All of Motorcity’s purported business locations were either empty suites or single-family residences, with no evidence of business activity. And Motorcity never established any account with the State of Michigan’s unemployment insurance program, which is a prerequisite for any valid employer in the state.
The complaint further alleges that, in the two days after the loan was funded, Baker purchased four cashiers checks and withdraw an additional $60,000 in cash. None of these cashier’s checks went to payroll or other business expenses. Indeed, Baker used the four cashiers checks to purchase two Cadillac Escalades, a Dodge Charger, and a Hummer. According to the complaint, Baker purchased one of vehicles for his brother-in-law and one for his sister; the remaining two vehicles Baker kept for his own use and enjoyment.
United States Attorney Schneider stated “Defendant Baker is charged with lying to obtain money that was supposed to help small businesses struggling with their payroll and expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Defrauding banks to obtain loans is never acceptable, and doing so during our current national emergency is unconscionable. This prosecution is yet another example of our office’s commitment to holding accountable anyone who would exploit the COVID-19 crisis for their own greedy desires.”
“The Paycheck Protection Program is designed as a lifeline to businesses struggling to survive this current crisis. Instead of using these loans to salvage a legitimate business, the defendant allegedly bought expensive personal items for himself and his family,” said SAC D’Antuono. “These actions harmed hard-working Americans and deserving small businesses. The FBI is committed to investigating anyone who seeks to take advantage of a global pandemic to line their own pockets at the expense of American taxpayers.”
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John K. Neal. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Selling Heroin in HuntingtonRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for selling heroin in Huntington, West Virginia, according to United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Paul Cunningham, 44, previously pled guilty to selling heroin and admitted that in 2016 he sold heroin to a confidential informant three times in Huntington.
“West Virginians have paid a heavy price from out of state drug dealers,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Our record is one of being tough, effective, and taking on the poison peddlers. Our cities and towns and families are far safer today than they were a few short years ago.”
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor handled the prosecution.
The case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - The Department of Justice yesterday announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.
“It is more important than ever for police agencies and the communities they serve to stand together to prevent crime, address problems, and promote justice,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York Grant C. Jaquith. “These grants will help local departments hire officers who can do that. With its demonstrated record of success, community policing has become a bedrock principle of law enforcement strategy.”
The following law enforcement agencies in our district are receiving grant funding:
Agency
Amount
City of Binghamton Police Department
$250,000
Clinton County Sheriff’s Department
$500,000
Fulton County Sheriff’s Department
$125,000
Village of Owego Police Department
$797,815
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice this week announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
In the Northern District of Oklahoma, the following entities have received the funding:
-Bixby Police Department: $125,000
-Muscogee (Creek) Nation: $543,496
-Owasso Police Department: $750,000
-Rogers County Sheriff’s Department: $250,000
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“Public safety is a priority in northeastern Oklahoma, and community oriented policing is a proven approach to foster safer neighborhoods. One way in which I can help my local partners is through the provision of federal grants. That is why I am proud to announce that agencies in northern Oklahoma will receive more than $1.6 million dollars from the Community Oriented Policing Services Office at the Justice Department,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I am confident these dollars will assist local law enforcement keep safe Oklahoma neighborhoods and families. ”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million Nationwide, over $2 Million in Maine, for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has awarded nearly $400 million to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards include over $2 million to 13 law enforcement agencies in Maine.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“It is immensely gratifying to be able to announce these awards to our partner police departments and sheriff’s offices,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “The awards will assist these agencies in making their communities safer through community policing initiatives.”
The following Maine law enforcement agencies received awards:
Law Enforcement Agency
Officers
Award Amt
Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department
2
$250,000
Biddeford Police Department
1
$125,000
Brewer, City of
1
$125,000
Eliot Police Department
1
$125,000
Fryeburg Police Department
1
$125,000
Mexico Police Department
1
$266,073
Old Orchard Beach Police Department
1
$125,000
Oxford Police Department
1
$125,000
Paris Police Department
1
$125,000
Rumford Police Department
1
$125,000
Washburn Police Department
1
$125,000
Windham Police Department
1
$125,000
York County Sheriff's Department
2
$250,000
The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Department of Justice Awards $1 million to Bolster Law Enforcement Staffing in the Southern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 3, 2020
SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Department of Justice yesterday awarded nearly $400 Million for law enforcement hiring to advance community policing, through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.
In the Southern District of California, Chula Vista Police Department will receive $750,000 to fund six officers and the City of Brawley and the La Jolla Band of Indians will each receive $125,000 to fund one officer. “The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. This funding will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“Particularly in light of this district’s proximity to the Southwest Border, it is imperative that local police agencies receive the resources they need to maintain safe and secure neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “I am pleased that DOJ officials recognized the importance of shoring up staffing in our region by funding eight officers to address critical needs in three area communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty-three percent of the awards announced will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Department of Justice announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“We are pleased that these grants, which total over $2 million, will allow law enforcement agencies to hire 18 new positions within their respective departments in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The grants were awarded to the following departments: The City of Alcoa, Bradley County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, the Town of Jonesborough, LaFollette Police Department, Manchester Police Department, McMinnville Police Department, and the Union County Sheriff’s Department. I am confident that our local law enforcement agencies and communities will be able to use these new resources to protect and serve the citizens of East Tennessee even more effectively,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing and, by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting over 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here at https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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Department of Justice Awards $750,000 in Funding to Three Law Enforcement Agencies in Nevada to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Department of Justice today announced $750,000 in funding was awarded to three law enforcement agencies in Nevada, as part of the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
“The District of Nevada is grateful to the Department of Justice for awarding funding to the North Las Vegas Police Department; University Police Services at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and the West Wendover Police Department,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich. “These funds will help reduce crime in our communities, as police chiefs hire new officers to enhance their community policing efforts.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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DOJ Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice has announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP).
The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
Four agencies in the Eastern District of Virginia, the Chesterfield County Police Department, City of Manassas, Stafford County Sheriff's Department, and the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Department, were awarded $3,375,000 in funding. The Chesterfield County Police Department received $1,875,000, City of Manassas received $250,000, Stafford County Sheriff's Department received $750,000, and the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Department received $500,000. These Virginia agencies will use the funds to hire new officers and support efforts to address crime.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CHP, please visit cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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 Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced $2,352,745 in grant funding for twelve law enforcement agencies in South Dakota. These monies will pay for 19 new law enforcement officers in South Dakota.
The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“From Box Elder to Yankton, these well-timed DOJ grants will go a long way toward increasing the number of police officers protecting and serving communities across South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. Forty three percent of the awards announced will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The South Dakota awards include:
South Dakota Police Department Award Amount Box Elder Police Department $125,000 Butte County Sheriff's Department $125,000 City of Sioux Falls Police Department $250,000 Codington County Sheriff's Department $125,000 Rapid City Police Department $375,000 Sisseton Wahpeton Law Enforcement $125,000 Stanley County Sheriff's Office $125,000 Sturgis Police Department $125,000 Summerset Police Department $374,998 Turner County Sheriff's Department $102,747 Watertown Police Department $375,000 Yankton Police Department $125,000The complete list of awards can be found here (COPS Grant list). To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Along with the Justice Department, United States Attorneys Matthew D. Krueger (Eastern District of Wisconsin) announced today nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
CHP applicants were required to identify a specific crime and disorder problem focus area and explain how the funding will be used to implement community policing approaches to that problem focus area. 43 percent of the awards announced today will focus on violent crime, while the remainder of the awards will focus on a variety of issues including school-based policing to fund school resource officer positions, building trust and respect, and opioid education, prevention, and intervention. The COPS Office received nearly 1,100 applications requesting more than 4,000 law enforcement positions.
The complete list of awards can be found here here . To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 68 Months Imprisonment for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MEMPHIS, TN – Angelo Bell, 37, has been sentenced to 68 months imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentencing today.
According to information presented in court, on April 12, 2019, Memphis Police Officers were patrolling the area of Leland and Kerr, where they saw Angelo Bell, a suspect they knew from prior encounters, and knew to have active warrants. Officers verified that Bell had several misdemeanor warrants, made contact with the suspect, and detained him. Officers recovered a loaded black handgun in Bell’s waistband. Bell had several prior felony convictions, including one for aggravated assault.
On January 13, 2020, Bell pleaded guilty. On April 12, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Bell to 68 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Bell was a violent offender who continued to possess a firearm despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more gun-toter that will be removed from our streets."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel K. Winnig prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Impersonating A Deputy United States Marshal at George Floyd ProtestRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging John Wesley Mobley, Jr. (36, Orlando) with false impersonation of a federal officer. If convicted, Mobley faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison.
According to the
complaint , on May 31, 2020, during a protest in Orlando, Florida, Mobley was forced to stop his vehicle because of passing protestors. Mobley got out of the vehicle, walked towards the protestors, pulled out what appeared to be a law enforcement badge, waved it at the protestors, and stated something to the effect of “Do you want to get arrested? Do you want to go to jail?” In response, a protestor responded, “He’s a Marshal!”Later, members of the Orlando Police Department (OPD) who had been observing the protest received information that Mobley was in a crowd of protestors with a firearm in his waistband causing a disturbance.
As a result of the disturbance, two OPD officers approached Mobley in the crowd. One of the officers secured Mobley by the arm and removed him from the group for the safety of the public. Upon further examination, it was later determined that Mobley had possessed a BB gun replica of a Glock pistol, which is not a firearm. Mobley was also found in possession of a silver set of metal handcuffs and a silver badge with the words “United States Marshal” written on the front. Mobley has two prior convictions for impersonating a member of law enforcement.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Colombian Nationals Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Colombian nationals were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Fredi Catano, a/k/a “Leonardo Favio Gonzalez-Patino,” 35, a Colombian national previously residing in Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Catano previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and one count each of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Wilson Acevedo, a/k/a “Edwin Morales Lozada,” 43, a Colombian national previously residing in East Boston, was sentenced by Judge Saylor to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Acevedo previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Both defendants will be deported upon completion of their sentences.
Between November 2017 and May 2019, Catano and Acevedo conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. During that period, Catano supplied Acevedo with approximately one ounce of cocaine on multiple occasions, which Acevedo subsequently sold to a cooperating witness. On May 2, 2019, in a drug deal arranged by Acevedo, Catano sold 500 grams of cocaine to the same cooperating witness. Catano and Acevedo were arrested immediately thereafter. A search of Catano’s Revere residence resulted in the seizure of an additional half-kilogram of cocaine, drug distribution paraphernalia and approximately $13,000 in U.S. currency.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Chicago Man Facing Federal Firearm Charge After Allegedly Pointing Loaded Gun at Federal AgentRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man who allegedly pointed a loaded semiautomatic handgun at a federal agent early this morning has been charged with a federal firearm offense.
The agents approached JOSEPH HAMMOND near the 6800 block of South Sangamon Street in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood while investigating a report of a man holding a gun and a toddler, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. As the agents approached in a vehicle, Hammond pointed the gun at one of the agents’ faces and told them to “keep moving,” the complaint states. Hammond then picked up the toddler and ran from the area. The agents pursued Hammond and later arrested him nearby, the complaint states. Neither the toddler nor the agents were injured.
Hammond, 33, is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hammond was previously convicted of criminal felonies, including firearm offenses and attempted murder, and was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. A detention hearing in federal court in Chicago has been set for June 8, 2020.
The complaint was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty N. Wright.
Holding gun offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using modern technologies to promote gun crime intelligence. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Cheyenne Carjacking Suspects Arraigned in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
OSCAR ALDREDO ORTIZ, age 19, recently of Cheyenne, Wyoming and JACOB NATHANIEL HOPKINS TRIGG, age 18, of Erie, Colorado entered pleas of not guilty at their arraignments on June 1, 2020. Both were indicted on May 21, 2020 in federal court for one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting each other in the carjacking, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking. The charges were filed as a result of an investigation into a reported carjacking that occurred in Cheyenne on April 21, 2020.
Ortiz and Trigg are alleged to have been walking on Southwest Drive in Cheyenne in the late night hours of April 21, 2020 when the victim stopped his vehicle to avoid hitting them. The suspects first asked for a ride then demanded the victims vehicle from him and produced a rifle and handgun. After taking the vehicle Ortiz and Trigg demanded the victim empty his pockets. The suspects then, according to reports, fled to Colorado and were latter apprehended after returning to Cheyenne.
Their trial has been set for July 27, 2020 in Cheyenne before Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal, and is expected to take up to 5 days. Ortiz and Trigg were both remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service. Both are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Carjacking carries a potential penalty of up to fifteen years imprisonment, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence has a potential penalty of seven years to life imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and oxycodone.
Yonatan Lara, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone, and marijuana. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 1, 2020. Lara has been in custody since he was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on May 30, 2019.
In 2018, a federal and state investigation into the members of a drug trafficking organization in and around the Boston area revealed that Jose Perez Felix, a/k/a “Eugenio Piedraita-Rivera,” a/k/a “Roberto Patricio Ramirez,” a/k/a “Grande,” distributed large quantities of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, from a base of operations in Boston. Lara and, allegedly, Perez Felix used a 2008 black Subaru Outback, registered to Lara, to distribute narcotics. Federal agents observed Lara and, allegedly, Perez Felix take “meaningless” rides in the Subaru – essentially driving the car around the block or a short distance as a means of shielding their transactions from law enforcement – and saw Lara use the Subaru to distribute narcotics to street-level dealers and users. Agents intercepted Lara and, allegedly, Perez Felix discussing the acquisition and distribution of oxycodone pills. Over the course of the investigation, agents seized oxycodone and fentanyl pills from Lara after two street-level sales.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone, and marijuana, provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Billings meth trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man convicted in a drug investigation in which agents found six pounds of methamphetamine and guns in a motel room was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Dameon Pierre Beasley, 41, pleaded guilty in November to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The prosecution said in court records that Drug Enforcement Administration agents went to a Billings motel in July 2018 where they had observed a man and a woman known to be involved in drug trafficking enter the building. Agents knocked on the door of the suspects’ room. The man consented to a search, and agents found drug paraphernalia. The woman volunteered that they had returned from Missoula where they had been helping Beasley transport drugs.
Beasley also was staying at the motel. Agents went to his room, and co-defendant Jessica Lynn Denny, answered the door. While speaking to Denny, agents witnessed movement behind her and secured the room. Agents found Beasley and another co-defendant, David Lopez, in the room. A firearm was on a table. Agents executed a search warrant on the room and found six pounds of meth, two handguns and $11,190 in currency. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 21,744 doses.
Beasley admitted he was selling meth and distributing to Denny and Lopez and that Lopez had brought one of the guns to trade it to him for meth. Text messages on phones seized from Denny and Beasley indicated that Denny had brokered the gun trade and that she and Lopez were completing the firearm for meth deal when agents entered the room. Denny pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to six years in prison. Lopez has pleaded guilty to charges and is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Billings Police Department.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Billings meth dealer sentenced to six years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man who admitted supplying methamphetamine for a drug deal with a confidential informant was sentenced today to six years in prison and four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Patrick Bryan Cleveland, 39, pleaded guilty in January to distribution of meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The prosecution said in court records that in June 2019, drug task force agents met with a confidential informant about drug trafficking in the Laurel and Billings areas and arranged for the informant to buy meth from co-defendant Shawna Bercier, of Laurel. The informant bought about two grams of meth from Bercier in a transaction observed by law enforcement. Agents arranged another controlled buy in which the informant bought one ounce from Bercier. For the second deal, Bercier advised the informant she would be getting the meth from "Pat" and that it was worth the wait. Agents observed Cleveland arrive at Bercier's workplace and provide her with a cigarette box, which contained about an ounce of meth. The cigarette box was provided to the informant.
Agents followed Cleveland's vehicle to a Billings residence, where a third co-defendant, Lynn Kuntz, lived. Kuntz had been identified as a source of supply for meth.
Bercier and Kuntz have pleaded guilty to charges in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 to 2018. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Arnold Felon Sentenced to 13½ Years in Prison for Causing the Fentanyl Overdose Death of a Westmoreland County ManRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Jarrel Williams was sentenced today to 13 years and six months (162 months) in prison for distributing fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Williams, age 32 of Arnold, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. Judge Hornak ordered Williams to serve a term of six years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Prior to sentencing, the prosecution informed the Court that Williams was the source of supply for fentanyl that caused the death of M.S., a 33-year-old male who lived in Westmoreland County, and that Williams has a long history of committing drug crimes and domestic assaults. Williams was on parole when he distributed the fentanyl that killed M.S. At that time he had already been convicted of trafficking cocaine and possessing heroin in two state cases and was on bond in two additional state cases for possessing heroin.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, the West Leechburg Police Department, the Allegheny Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case.
Armed Robber Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – One of two defendants who committed a string of violent convenience store robberies in Albany in 2016, shooting and injuring two clerks, was sentenced to prison for his crime, announced Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Javarius Mallory, 26, of Albany, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner during a video conference this afternoon to a total of 240 months in prison, 120 months per count, after pleading guilty in January to two counts of possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. His co-defendant, Anthony Parks, 28, of Albany, also pleaded guilty in January to two counts of possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. He will be sentenced at a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Let me underscore that the use of weapons to terrorize hard-working citizens in peaceful places of business will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. Criminals who engage in this conduct will face prosecution and severe punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “I want to thank the FBI and the Albany Police Department for their excellent work in helping bring this defendant to justice.”
The defendants were involved in a violent robbery spree across Albany during 2016, both admitting guilt in a total of four of the seven robberies charged in the indictment. Parks and Mallory, armed and masked, robbed the Neighborhood Grocery on West Gordon Avenue close to midnight on September 9, 2016. During the course of the robbery, Parks fired three shots into a locked office door, stealing a total of $8,702. A little more than two weeks later, on September 23, 2016, Mallory admitted he held up the same Neighborhood Grocery Store on West Gordon Avenue, armed with a loaded 9mm pistol. Every time Mallory demanded more money from the store clerk, he would discharge his weapon into the ceiling. Five spent 9mm shell casings were found inside the store, and Mallory ran off with $3,923. The defendants held up the BP store on Dawson Road in the early morning hours of October 6, 2016 with two clerks inside. One clerk, who got on the floor when the pair walked in, armed and masked, was shot by Parks in the buttocks. The other clerk chased the defendants after they ran off on foot with cash stolen from the store, and fired his own gun at them, shattering the back windshield of a customer’s vehicle. Both Parks and Mallory, armed with handguns and wearing ski masks to cover their faces, robbed the Dawson Food Mart on Dawson Road on November 3, 2016. Mallory shot the clerk in his leg.
This case was prosecuted as 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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/archives/projectguardian.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Chief Michael Solis 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.
2 June 2020
Woman Pleads Guilty to Laundering Money in Heroin Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
A woman illegally residing in the United States pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court for her involvement in a large scale heroin trafficking operation, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Sonia Hernandez, 55, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. From January 2018 until June 2019, Hernandez knowingly sent drug proceeds to a Mexican source of supply while working at a Tulsa money remitter business. She admitted to using nominee names during the transactions in order to conceal her criminal acts and to further the drug conspiracy. A “nominee name” is used to hide the true recipient of illicit money. Hernandez will be responsible for laundering drug proceeds for not less than 10 kilograms and nor more than 30 kilograms of heroin.
“Drug traffickers launder money as a means of concealing the illegal profits that they hope to pocket. This happens right here in Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Unfortunately, the illegal drug trade leaves American families devastated by addiction. This case is being prosecuted by the experienced prosecutors in my Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Unit. They are relentless in their pursuit of justice and will hold accountable these peddlers of addiction.”
Hernandez was one of more than 30 individuals charged with money laundering, drug conspiracy and other crimes. The initial indictment was first announced by U.S. Attorney Trent Shores in May 2019. The investigation involved the Giovanni Drug Trafficking Organization and was given the name Operation Smack Dragon. See the indictment press release here.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan scheduled set sentencing for Sept. 8, 2020.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led this investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office, and Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Waterbury Resident Charged with Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration LawRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that YAMIL DIAZ, 48, last residing in Waterbury, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Diaz made his initial appearance today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill via videoconference. He has been detained since February 24, 2020.
As alleged in court documents, on May 8, 2019, Diaz was convicted in circuit court for Coffee County, Alabama, of attempted sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years of age. For that offense, he received a sentence of 10 years of incarceration, suspended after serving seven months, and two years of supervised probation. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and comply with the requirements of SORNA.
It is alleged that, in September 2019, a court in Coffee County issued an arrest warrant for Diaz for violating his probation.
On February 24, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Diaz in Waterbury and arrested him on the outstanding Alabama warrant.
It is alleged that Diaz has failed to register as a sex offender in Connecticut, where he has resided since at least December 2019, and failed to update his sex offender registration in Alabama.
If convicted of violating SORNA, Diaz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 23 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHNATHEN LOPEZ, 30, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 23 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2017, members of the Waterbury Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit arrested Lopez after he was found in possession of a loaded Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun.
Lopez’s criminal history includes felony drug and weapon offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Lopez has been detained since his federal arrest on July 2, 2018. On March 9, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This matter was investigated by the Waterbury Police Department’s Gang Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Patrick Caruso.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Washington supplier of meth to Montana sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
HELENA—A Washington man who admitted supplying methamphetamine for drug runs to Montana in 2018 was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Hugo Yanez, 38, of Everett, WA, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth.
Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell presided.
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that in an interview in 2019 with law enforcement, Yanez said that he and a co-defendant, Breanne Bame, of Kenmore, WA, moved into the residence of a third co-defendant, Tavia Dion Blume, of Monroe, WA. Yanez admitted to supplying narcotics for Blume to distribute on four trips to Montana.
In December 2018, the Montana Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle driven by Blume and occupied by a fourth co-defendant, Kyle Douglas Alverson, of Lake Stevens, WA, east of Missoula. During a search of the vehicle, officers found firearms, ammunition, about 1.5 pounds of meth and U.S. currency. One and a half pounds of meth is the equivalent of 5,436 doses.
Blume was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Alverson was sentenced to 14 years and 11 months in prison for their convictions in the case. Bame was sentenced to 97 months for her conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bartleson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Montana Highway Patrol and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws, and Project Safe Neighborhoods, the USDOJ’s initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 36% from 2013 through 2018. Through these initiatives, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Virginia Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to a Pair of Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A pharmacist who worked at Rite Aid in Saltville, Virginia who was filling prescriptions in the names of at least five different dogs connected to his girlfriend’s veterinary clinic, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA], Washington Field Division, made the announcement today.
Ryan Lowry Patrick, 34, of Gray, Tennessee, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of obtaining drugs by fraud and one count of using the registration number of another in the course of acquiring a controlled substance. Patrick will be sentenced on August 28, 2020. At sentencing, he faces up to four years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
“We place great trust in our pharmacists to ensure that controlled substances are carefully and properly dispensed. When they break this trust and divert pharmaceutical drugs for illegal purposes, the cycle of addiction continues, with all of its harms,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to tirelessly prosecute anyone who participates in the opioid crisis.”
“From the street corner to the clinic to our pharmacies, DEA Washington will continue the critical work of bringing to justice those who are taking advantage of the system for their own gain and fueling the opioid crisis in Virginia,” Special Agent in Charge Fong said today.
According to evidence provided at his guilty plea hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Whit Pierce, Patrick worked as a pharmacist at Rite Aid in Saltville, Virginia. Patrick’s girlfriend operated a veterinary clinic located in Bluff City, Tennessee.
The DEA’s investigation uncovered that Patrick was filling multiple prescriptions in the names of five dogs that belonged to Patrick and his girlfriend for his own use. The prescriptions were written by a veterinarian who worked at the veterinary clinic operated by Bailey’s girlfriend.
A review by the DEA of the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program [PMP] confirmed that between January 7, 2019 and December 29, 2019 approximately 47 prescriptions were filled in the names of the five dogs. All of these prescriptions were allegedly issued or authorized by the veterinarian.
Agents with the DEA reviewed records at the Saltville Rite Aid and were unable to trace the origins of the prescriptions listed in the PMP. When questioned, the veterinarian confirmed that many of the prescriptions for controlled substances the DEA found at the Rite Aid had been altered, and many were simply photocopies of previously written prescriptions. She further stated that one dog had been euthanized in August 2019 and the seven prescriptions filled for him after that date were clearly unauthorized.
The investigation of this case was handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Whit D. Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.
United States Attorney William M. McSwain Announces his Office’s Efforts to Preserve Integrity of Today’s Primary Elections in Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Assistant United States Attorney Richard P. Barrett has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for today’s primary elections as part of the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program. In that capacity, AUSA Barrett is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring ballot 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 ballot fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their direction. 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.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being impacted by fraud,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process, but we need anyone with specific information about voter interference or election fraud to report it immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
In order to respond to complaints of ballot fraud or voting rights abuses today, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Barrett will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 215-861-8420. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available to receive allegations of ballot fraud and other election abuses today. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 215-418-4000.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
United States Attorney Mike Stuart Issues Statement Regarding Protests and RiotsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement regarding protests and riots in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
“The death of George Floyd is tragic. I pray for his family, the community of Minneapolis, and all those affected by his death.
This nation is grounded in the right to protest and in the rule of law. While peaceful protests are powerful, the violence, looting and property destruction occurring across our country are not acceptable forms of protest but, rather, criminal acts. This type of violence undermines the cause and defies the memory of George Floyd and those who protest peacefully.
A few bad apples don’t ruin an orchard - 99.99% of police and law enforcement are noble public servants, and 99.99% of the protestors are noble concerned Americans who love their country and are deeply troubled by George Floyd’s death. The vast majority of police and the vast majority of protestors are law abiding caring people. I “Back the Blue” and I support the right of protest. Sadly, however, ANTIFA and anarchists that have a goal of civil unrest, violence and destruction are overwhelming the purpose of the protests.
Communities are fed up with the violence. Peaceful protestors are fed up with the violence. In West Virginia, protests must remain peaceful. If you pick up a brick to throw it at law enforcement officers or a business, if you burn a business or a car, if you cause violence, or if you target law enforcement, you will be arrested, charged, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
I am in constant contact with Bill Powell, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, and I am in regular communication with the Governor’s team, the head of the WV State Police, state and local law enforcement partners and elected leaders.
I support the unified intent to protect the rights of peaceful protestors to exercise their fundamental right and to ensure the lawlessness occurring in other states does not occur here. I assure you that my office stands ready to take federal law enforcement action against violent criminal agitators and inciters who undermine the power of peaceful protests. We will act, and quickly, if violence occurs in West Virginia. The rule of law must be maintained. Public safety must be our priority.”
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U.S. Attorney McAllister Announces Grants to Kansas Police Departments for Hiring OfficersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister today announced grants for law enforcement agencies in Kansas to hire officers.
The Kansas grants are part of nearly $400 million nationwide for law enforcement hiring announced today by the Department of Justice.
“The grants put the money where it is needed – on the streets,” McAllister said. “Kansans will be safer because of these grants.”
Departments receiving grants in Kansas include:
Arkansas City Police Department: $125,000
Atchison County Sheriff’s Department: $125,000
Bonner Springs Police Department: $125,000.
Bourbon County Sheriff’s Department: $118,792
Cheney Police Department: $250,000
Cherryvale Police Department: $125,000.
Gardner Police Department: $125,000.
Goodland Police Department: $125,000.
Hesston Police Department: $125,000
Hiawatha Police Department: $125,000.
Kansas City, Kan., Police Department: $1,322,150
Pratt Police Department: $125,000.
Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Department: $224,965
Wellsville Police Department: $123,624
City of Wichita: $875,000
The funding comes through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP).
“The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support: The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities.”
The complete list of awards can be found here https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/CHP/Award_List.pdf . To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
U.S. Attorney Keefe Announces Additional Grants Awarded to Local Communities to Address COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, today announced that grants were awarded to five additional law enforcement agencies in the district with a combined total of more than $500,000 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.The grants, awarded to Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa
County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and Pensacola Police Department, were provided under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. These awards are among $1.3 million directed to 14
Florida counties and cities under the program, which also provided $31.8 million to the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement for use statewide. Numerous other communities within the Northern
District of Florida were eligible for funding under the grant program, and the Justice Department is moving quickly to award grants on a rolling basis, aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications.“Throughout the many weeks our district and the nation have been dealing with the threat of
COVID-19, our public safety first responders have worked tirelessly to make sure members of the public are safe,” U.S. Attorney Keefe said. “The resources of local agencies have been stretched thin, and these grant funds will help ease the financial burden on public safety agencies so they can continue protecting and serving our citizens.”The grant awards announced include - Gainesville Police Department: $213,171; Alachua County
Sheriff’s Office: $130,054; Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office: $52,441; Taylor County Sheriff’s
Office: $41,132; and the Pensacola Police Department: $81,254. Last month it was announced that Bay
County, Leon County, Madison County, and Walton County were awarded a combined total of over
$240,000 in Department of Justice grants.“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General
for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The law establishing the grant program allows jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of these funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment, distributing resources to hard-hit areas, and addressing inmate medical needs.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice
Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations.The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims, and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.Two from Lexington Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. Chris Michael Moberly, 33, and Caitlin Sue Maggard, 31, both from Lexington, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday, before U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to their plea agreements, between September 2019 and October 2019, Moberly and Maggard conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. They both admitted that, on multiple occasions, they travelled to Scott County, Tennessee, for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine to other distributors in Tennessee and Kentucky, including McCreary County. Moberly admitted to enlisting other individuals to assist with transportation to make methamphetamine deliveries. In October 2019, law enforcement disrupted a drug transaction, seizing 50 grams of methamphetamine from Moberly and Maggard.
Moberly and Maggard were indicted in January 2020.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jeffrey Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Ronnie Phillips, Scott County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department, jointly announced the guilty pleas.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Scott County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.
Moberly is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6. He faces a minimum of ten years in prison. Maggard is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9. She faces a minimum of five years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Two Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Modesto Bank Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Soledad residents Enrique Lopez, 28, and Victor Bravo, 25, were each sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 16, 2018, a deputy sheriff noticed a Nissan Altima parked in a parking lot at an apartment complex in Modesto that had been reported stolen from Salinas. Officers set up surveillance on the stolen Nissan and watched four cars carrying the five co-conspirators leave the apartment complex.
The cars traveled close to each other to a shopping area in Modesto that contained a Chase Bank. One co-conspirator drove back and forth past the Chase Bank, talking to the other conspirators on the phone.
The stolen Nissan, driven by Bravo, parked in a loading area behind the shopping center next to a car driven by Lopez. Lopez got out of his car and started loading items into the stolen Nissan. The stolen Nissan then left the loading area, drove through an alley, and parked in a parking lot near Chase Bank. Officers stopped the car and detained all four occupants. Inside the stolen Nissan, officers found two assault rifle-style firearms, a handgun, a revolver, masks, gloves, and a large duffel bag.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, the Modesto Police Department, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.
Three other defendants have pleaded guilty are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. The defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Two Men Sentenced for Traveling to Engage in Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced today for sex offenses involving minors, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Arun Dhavamani, 41, of Camp Creek, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in sexual activity. Jeffrey William Sexton, Jr., of Virginia Beach, Virginia., was sentenced to 63 months in prison. Both men will served a term of 15 years on supervised release following their release from prison.
“The children of this district have no better champion than my office. I will seek maximum penalties for those who prey on West Virginia’s most vulnerable,” United States Attorney Mike Stuart said.
Dhavamani was convicted by a jury in November 2019. During trial, the evidence demonstrated that on June 1, 2019, Dhavamani engaged in conversations with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female, but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Dhavamani initially communicated with the person via a cell phone social messaging and dating application and later via text messages. After discussing having sexual intercourse with the 15-year-old, Dhavamani traveled from near Ghent to Bluefield, Virginia, to meet the purported minor in order to engage in sexual intercourse.
Sexton was convicted by a jury in January 2020. At trial, evidence revealed that Sexton began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on a social messaging and dating application on approximately May 28, 2019. During the conversations, Sexton brought up the topic of oral sex with the purported minor. At approximately 1 a.m. on June 1, 2019, Sexton traveled from Bluefield, Virginia, to Bluefield, West Virginia, to meet the alleged 13-year-old after telling her to sneak out of her house. On May 31, 2019, Sexton had also reached out to chat with two other law enforcement officers posing as minors on the same messaging application, discussing oral sex with one officer who stated she was only 14 years old.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, in conjunction with the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, conducted the investigations. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecutions.
These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Two Individuals Charged in Federal Court with Illegally Possessing Loaded Handguns in Downtown ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two individuals have been charged with federal firearm offenses for allegedly illegally possessing loaded handguns in downtown Chicago this past weekend.
BRANDON PEGUES, 28, of Riverdale, and AMBER L. PELTZER, 28, of Lansing, are each charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Pegues and Peltzer were previously convicted of criminal felonies and were not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. Initial court appearances in U.S. District Court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The federal charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in bringing these charges. The government is represented in the Pegues case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie, and in the Peltzer case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Berry.
“We are working with the Chicago Police Department and our federal and state law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute anyone involved in violence and destruction in Chicago,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue our efforts to apprehend and charge illegal gun offenders and others engaging in violent crime.”
Holding gun offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using modern technologies to promote gun crime intelligence. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
Pegues and Peltzer were arrested separately early Sunday morning by Chicago Police Officers who were investigating reports of various malfeasances and unrest in the downtown area of the city. A city of Chicago curfew took effect at 9:00 p.m. Saturday, and the defendants were arrested nearly four hours later.
According to the charges, Pegues was arrested near the 800 block of South Federal Street after officers observed a loaded semiautomatic handgun fall from his waistband. Peltzer was arrested near the 1600 block of South Michigan Avenue after officers observed her peering out of a bar that had its glass front door shattered, the complaint states. She was later taken into custody while in possession of a loaded handgun, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Two Individuals Charged with Throwing Molotov Cocktails into Dakota County Government BuildingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER, 24, and FORNANDOUS CORTEZ HENDERSON, 32, charging them with arson and possession of Molotov cocktails. ZIEGLER and HENDERSON, made their initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ZIEGLER and HENDERSON were ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2020.
According to the allegations in the complaint, in the early morning hours of May 29, 2020, the Apple Valley Police Department (“AVPD”) was dispatched to a fire alarm at the Dakota County Western Service Center (“DCWSC”) in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The DCWSC houses state and local agencies and organizations, including Dakota County court facilities, as well as a U.S. Passport center. Once on scene, officers observed broken windows, smoke, and flames coming from the west side of the building where the judges’ chambers and clerks’ offices are located. Located at the scene were items consistent with those used in Molotov cocktails, including broken glass jars and liquor bottles, pushpins, intact glass jars containing ignitable liquid and a charred red bandana.
According to the allegations in the complaint, officers found a set of car keys in the grass near the DCWSC belonging to a Ford Fiesta parked in a neighboring business’ parking lot. Officers later executed a search warrant on the vehicle, which was registered to ZIEGLER, and recovered several items, including liquor bottles, a store receipt dated May 28, 2020, for three bandanas, partially full and empty boxes of push pins, an empty cardboard box for twelve Ball brand mason jars, an empty Kingsford brand lighter fluid bottle, isopropyl alcohol bottles, a plastic jar containing a clear unidentified liquid and T-pins, and a store receipt dated May 27, 2020 for nail polish remover. Officers located ZIEGLER and HENDERSON on a road near the DCWSC, and they were taken into custody.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Apple Valley Police Department, and the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine, Chelsea A. Walcker, and Joseph S. Teirab.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER, 24
Long Lake, Minn.
Charges:
- Arson, 1 count
- Possession of unregistered destructive devices (Molotov cocktails), 1 count
FORNANDOUS CORTEZ HENDERSON, 32
Savage, Minn.
Charges:
- Arson, 1 count
- Possession of unregistered destructive devices (Molotov cocktails), 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Toledo man sentenced to 20 years for role in drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
Justin E. Herdman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that Jayvon Wynne, age 25, of Toledo, has been sentenced to a term of 240 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to federal charges including drug conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Today’s two-decade sentence reflects the severe consequences of trafficking drugs in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “This 20-year sentence sends a simple message - we will not let people like Jayvon Wynne and his associates profit off of the pain and suffering they cause from their illegal activities.”
“This individual is responsible for bringing danger and violence to our neighborhoods, and for this, he will spend significant time behind bars,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith. “The FBI will continue collaborative efforts to rid our communities of armed drug dealing criminals.”
“The 20-year sentence of Jayvon Wynne should continue to send a message to those in our community who wish to break the law," said Toledo Police Chief George Kral. "That message being, that we will not rest until you are off of our streets. Wynne was the third defendant who was involved in a felonious assault where TPD officers were the targets. I appreciate and value the relationships TPD has with of federal partners, and will tirelessly work to keep Toledo safe.”
According to the indictment filed in this matter, from 2014 to 2017, Wynne and nine other defendants worked together and conspired to distribute large amounts of heroin and fentanyl in the Toledo area. Wynne admitted to playing an aggravating role in the conspiracy and exercised a degree of control over the activities of the other defendants. Wynne admitted to initiating a strategy of providing free half grams of heroin to customers on Sundays who had purchased narcotics from the group throughout the week. On July 25, 2017, Wynne possessed more than five grams of heroin and a Glock 9 mm pistol, which he used in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Wynne is currently serving 18 years in state prison for two convictions of felonious assault, one of which carries a firearm specification. His federal sentence will run concurrently.
Previously sentenced in this matter are:
- Chad Burkholder, age 37, of Toledo, sentenced to 70 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances.
- Ryin Douglas-Reed, age 30, of Toledo, sentenced to 100 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances.
- Laurie Lehman, age 51, of Toledo, sentenced to 65 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled.
- Julie Murdock, age 49, of Toledo, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled.
- Russell Watson, age 36, of Toledo, sentenced to 68 months imprisonment on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of controlled and one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Terrance Allen, 28; Nathaniel Barringer, 25; Megan Champion, 42, and Donte Walker, 32, all of Toledo have previously pled guilty for their roles in this conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced in September 2020.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Toledo Police Department, the Toledo Metro Drug Task Force and Northwest Ohio Violent Crime Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alissa M. Sterling and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Simko.
Texas Man Indicted for Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Houston, Texas, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for an investment fraud scheme.
Duc Nguyen, also known as “Doug,” 56, was charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 27, 2020.
According to the federal indictment, Nguyen proposed an opportunity for high net worth individuals to invest in the purchase, refurbishing, and sale of used oil equipment. He allegedly told Phillip and Brian Hudnall that profit from these transactions would be three to five times the amount of the investment. Brian and Phillip Hudnall raised money from investors based upon these representations from Nguyen.
For example, Brian Hudnall wire transferred $415,000 to Nguyen between May 3 and Sept. 19, 2018, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment. Phillip Hudnall transferred $1,075,000 to Nguyen between April 15 and June 17, 2019, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment.
Nguyen did not use any of the monies for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipment of used oil equipment, the indictment says, but instead spent the money on personal expenses. The federal indictment cites tens of thousands of dollars spent at several casinos.
The federal indictment charges Nguyen with 12 counts of wire fraud related to wire transfers of funds into his bank accounts.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
Texas Couple Sentenced to Prison for Transportation of Stolen Property, Wire Fraud, and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Yuniel Sanchez, age 36, from Grand Prairie, Texas, and Shannon Marlowe, age 35, from Fort Worth, Texas, each received prison terms, of over five years for their roles in a conspiracy to transport stolen property, wire fraud and identity heft.
Yuniel Sanchez and Shannon Marlowe were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, one count of wire fraud and one count of identity theft.
Evidence presented by the United States in court revealed between January 1, 2019 until on or about June 11, 2019, Marlowe and Sanchez knowingly and willfully conspired to transport a Penske moving truck they rented using a fraudulent credit card in Dallas, Texas. As part of the conspiracy Marlowe and Sanchez acquired valid credit card numbers and personal identifiers of unsuspecting victims. They then forged fraudulent identification cards and credit cards in the names of the victims. Marlowe and Sanchez acquired a credit card embossing machine, valid gift cards and other tools and supplies and forged identification cards in the names of the victims bearing their own images instead of the images of the unsuspecting victims. Marlowe and Sanchez travelled to multiple retailers in multiple states, including, Iowa, Minnesota and Tennessee, and presented the forged and fraudulent credit cards and identification cards to retailers. On June 11, 2019, law enforcement officers in Sioux City, Iowa conducted a search of the Penske truck. Officers located stolen property and receipts from various retailers, a credit card embossing machine, multiple gift cards, and about 15 completed forged and fraudulent credit cards. Marlowe and Sanchez used the fraudulent credit cards to make $35,828.06 worth of purchases.
Marlowe and Yuniel Sanchez were each sentenced on May 29, 2020, in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Each was sentenced to 61 months’ imprisonment. Each was ordered to pay make restitution and pay special assessments of $400. They each must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Both are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-4069.
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Temple Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
In Waco today, 33-year-old Temple, Texas, resident Lydia Brynn Christensen, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; and, Temple Police Chief Shawn Reynolds.
Appearing before U.S Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, Christensen pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. According to court records,
On August 30, 2019, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence based on information they had received concerning the contents of her cellular telephone. During the search, authorities seized the phone. A subsequent search of the phone revealed the presence of numerous images and videos depicting child pornography. Also, authorities discovered numerous communications on the phone whereby Christensen had transmitted and received child pornography.
Christensen, who has remained in custody since her arrest on November 7, 2019, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge. Sentencing, before U.S. District Judge Alan Albright in Waco, is scheduled for October 7, 2020.
The FBI and the Temple Police Department Special Crimes Unit conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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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.
Tahlequah Man Pleads Guilty to ArsonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Cole Haeberle, age 23, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Arson, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), punishable by not less than 5 years to not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment alleged that from on or about February 24, 2020, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire and explosive materials, a building which was used in any activity affecting interstate commerce, to-wit: the Garden Walk Apartments located at 18106 W. 794 Road, APT 40B, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States at the change of plea hearing.