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13 December 2019
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Retaining Classified National Defense Information Regarding U.S. Military ProgramsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Sharon man pleaded guilty today to illegally retaining national defense information.
Ahmedelhadi Yassin Serageldin, 66, an Egyptian-born nationalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty today to one count of willfully retaining national defense information. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for April 24, 2020. Serageldin was initially indicted in November 2018 on one count of misleading conduct with intent to hinder, delay, or prevent communications to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense.
Serageldin admitted to having unauthorized possession of numerous classified documents, writings, and notes relating to the national defense,. During the execution of a search warrant at Serageldin’s house, agents found thousands of paper documents and electronic files belonging to Raytheon or the Department of Defense, and that many of them were marked as containing classified information. Court documents list five specific documents, all of which pertain to U.S. military programs involving missile defense and are classified at the SECRET level.
Serageldin was a systems engineer at Raytheon Company in Massachusetts from August 1997 until he was terminated in May 2017. Serageldin had a secret-level security clearance in order to complete his assignments on several defense contracts for the U.S. government involving military radar technology.
In 2017, Raytheon investigated Serageldin for time-card fraud. The time-card fraud investigation led Raytheon to uncover evidence that Serageldin had downloaded a substantial number of files from Raytheon’s computer network and had connected his personal removable electronic storage devices to the network in violation of Raytheon’s security policy. During the company’s internal investigation Serageldin engaged in misleading conduct to hinder, delay, or prevent Raytheon employees from communicating with law enforcement about his time-card fraud and his potential mishandling and retention of classified and national defense information.
The charge of willfully retaining documents relating to the national defense and failing to deliver them to the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greatest, restitution and forfeiture. According to a plea agreement filed in the case, the original charge of obstruction of justice will be dismissed at the time of sentencing. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers; Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Leo Lamont, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. Raytheon Company has cooperated with the investigation, which was launched after they notified federal authorities about the suspicious conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Retaining Classified National Defense Information Regarding U.S. Military ProgramsRead the Press Release
A Sharon, Massachusetts, man pleaded guilty today to willfully retaining national defense information.
Ahmedelhadi Yassin Serageldin, 66, an Egyptian-born nationalized U.S. citizen, admitted to removing classified national defense information from his workplace at a defense contractor without authorization and keeping it unsecured within his home. Serageldin was originally indicted and arrested in November 2018 on one count of misleading conduct with intent to hinder, delay, or prevent communications to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense.
The original indictment alleged that Serageldin was a systems engineer at Raytheon Company in Massachusetts from August 1997 until he was terminated in May 2017. Serageldin had a secret-level security clearance in order to complete his assignments on several defense contracts for the U.S. government involving military radar technology.
According to court documents, in 2017, Raytheon investigated Serageldin for time-card fraud. The time-card fraud investigation allegedly led Raytheon to uncover evidence that Serageldin had downloaded a substantial number of files from Raytheon’s computer network and had connected removable electronic storage devices to the network in violation of Raytheon’s security policy. During the company’s internal investigation, the indictment alleges, Serageldin engaged in misleading conduct to hinder, delay, or prevent Raytheon employees from communicating with law enforcement about his time-card fraud and his potential mishandling and retention of classified information and national defense information.
Today, Serageldin pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Patti B. Saris to a Superseding Information charging him with having unauthorized possession of, access to, and control over numerous classified documents, writings, and notes relating to the national defense, and then willfully retaining the same and failing to deliver them to the United States. At the plea hearing, the prosecutor noted that while executing a search warrant at Serageldin’s house, federal agents found thousands of paper documents and electronic files belonging to Raytheon or the U.S. Department of Defense, and that many of them were marked as containing classified information. The Superseding Information lists five specific documents, all of which pertain to U.S. military programs involving missile defense and are classified at the SECRET level.
According to a plea agreement filed in the case, the original charge of obstruction of justice will be dismissed at the time of sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for April 14, 2020.
The charge of willfully retaining documents relating to the national defense and failing to deliver them to the United States provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greatest, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Boston Field Division; and Leo Lamont Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. Raytheon Company has cooperated with the investigation, which was launched after they notified federal authorities about the suspicious conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s National Security Unit, is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
Man Who Was Arrested in Connection with the Murder of Shreveport Police Officer Chateri' Payne Sentenced to 12+ Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Glenn Frierson, 39, of Shreveport, was sentenced this morning by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr., to 151 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Local authorities arrested Frierson on January 15, 2019, in connection with the death of Shreveport Police Officer Chateri’ Payne.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Frierson’s federal charges are the result of an investigation by the Shreveport Police Department after learning that narcotic transactions were occurring at Frierson’s place of business. After several controlled buys were made with undercover law enforcement, officers with the Shreveport Police Department executed a state search warrant at his place of business on May 3, 2018. As officers entered the business, Frierson placed a Smith & Wesson, Model SD40, .40-caliber pistol, loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition, on the floor of the bathroom next to his barber stall. Further investigation revealed that Frierson owned the pistol and carried it for protection when selling illegal drugs. During the search warrant, officers discovered 28 grams of methamphetamine inside his backpack and inside a false beverage container, along with a scale to weigh drugs. Frierson pleaded guilty to the federal charges on August 16, 2019.
“This case demonstrates the dangers presented by armed drug dealers in Shreveport and throughout the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph. “We will continue to make every effort at the federal level to eliminate this senseless violence and support our men and women in law enforcement.”
Glenn Frierson was a convicted felon at the time he possessed the pistol. He pleaded guilty on May 4, 2009, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Shreveport Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cadesby B. Cooper and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
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Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that in federal court yesterday, United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced HOWARD DAVIS, 41, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, to 420 months’ imprisonment, followed by an 8 year term of supervised released.
On June 7, 2017, DAVIS was named in an Indictment in which he was charged with possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), and a quantity of cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On September 11, 2018, DAVIS was convicted in federal court following a day and a half jury trial.
On March 1, 2017, Holly Springs Police officers pulled DAVIS over for a window tint violation and while the officer was verifying DAVIS’s information, he fled the scene. This resulted in a high-speed chase within a residential neighborhood until DAVIS exited his car and fled on foot into a swamp. The investigation resulted in the seizure of over 28 grams of cocaine base (crack) and 178 grams of cocaine, $67,288.00 and a firearm. This was DAVIS’s third federal conviction.
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. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted 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.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices in those communities on a sustained basis to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Holly Springs Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorneys Gabriel Diaz and Jason Kellhofer prosecuted the case for the government.
Man Sentenced for Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ALVARO JOSE MEZA-GONZALEZ ( MEZA-GONZALEZ), age 39, a native of Nicaragua, was sentenced on December 12, 2019 after previously pleading guilty to illegally using a Social Security number to obtain employment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
United States District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced MEZA-GONZALEZ, to time served and a $100 special assessment fee. The defendant shall be surrendered to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on or about August 14, 2019, MEZA-GONZALEZ presented a false Social Security card when attending a pre-employment safety class at the Gulf Coast Safety Council in St. Rose, Louisiana. MEZA-GONZALEZ falsely represented that a social security number was assigned to him when in fact; the social security number had been assigned by the Commissioner of Social Security to another individual.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Border Patrol and the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Julia K. Evans is in charge of the prosecution.
Man Pleads Guilty to Two CarjackingsRead the Press Release
A man arrested for two carjackings in June pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Kameron Todd Myers, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking; two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“Gun crimes mean hard time in the federal system. This guilty plea gets us one step closer to a sentencing hearing. This carjacker was prosecuted as a part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “PSN is the Justice Department’s flagship program to reduce violent crime, and it’s making a difference in Tulsa.”
In his plea agreement, Myers admitted that on June 2 and June 4, 2019, he used force, fear and intimidation during two carjackings. Myers stated that he brandished a pistol and threatened to harm the owners of the vehicles during the crimes. On June 10, Tulsa Police officers found a Glock .45 caliber pistol in the car driven by Myers at the time of his arrest. Because he was previously convicted of a felony, Myers is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Mark R. Morgan are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide federal initiative to disrupt gun violence strategically and comprehensively, using all available enforcement and prosecutive tools. The initiative involves a partnership of federal, state, and local authorities, uniting their efforts and leveraging existing and new resources. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners tailor their efforts to meet their own district’s unique needs, helping ensure the safety of communities in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on December 13, 2019, Jeremiah Joseph Burkhart, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced to 18 years (216 months) in prison by Chief United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and a mixture or substance containing heroin. There is no parole in the federal system. Burkhart will serve five years on supervised release after the prison term.
Information obtained by law enforcement indicated that Burkhart was responsible for the distribution of at least 1.5 kilograms (approximately three pounds) of methamphetamine and at least 10 grams of heroin in the Lincoln area between January 30, 2019, and April 2, 2019. Between January 30, 2019, and March 25, 2019, an undercover officer made 12 purchases of methamphetamine and/or heroin from Burkhart’s co-defendant, Anna Chernyy. During those purchases, Chernyy told the officer that her source got the drugs in Colorado. Chernyy’s statements led to the identification of Burkhart as her source. On April 2, 2019, Burkhart was stopped in Grand Island on his way back to Lincoln from a trip to Colorado. Methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun were found in his car. Search warrants were then executed at Burkhart’s and Chernyy’s residences in Lincoln. During those searches, officers found a total of more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and 11.5 grams of heroin.
In October of 2019, Chernyy pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. She is scheduled for sentencing in January of 2020.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, consisting of the Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol.
Leader of large gang-related drug trafficking group sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – The leader of a large drug trafficking organization, moving drugs from southern California to Washington and Illinois, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. CHARLES ROLAND CHEATHAM, 43, of Fife, Washington, was arrested June 6, 2018, along with some 38 other members of his drug distribution ring. On August 30, 2019, CHEATHAM pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“This defendant and his gang were responsible for huge amounts of illegal drugs damaging our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “Building a case against a large number of defendants is difficult work for investigators and for the attorneys who work alongside them. I commend the tremendous effort by the investigators and Assistant United States Attorneys who worked tirelessly to take this group of armed criminals off our streets.”
According to records filed in the case, conspirators trafficked cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, illegal marijuana, and fentanyl. Some of the co-conspirators, had been linked to violence – including shootings – in Seattle and south King County. On the wiretap, law enforcement heard conspirators talk about various shootings after they occurred, including the September 4, 2017, shooting outside a Renton hookah lounge. Among other things, conspirators discussed getting firearms after being shot at by rival gangs.
Leading up to the takedown, law enforcement seized 12 pounds of heroin, more than 2 kilograms of cocaine, a pound of methamphetamine, 124 pounds of marijuana, 41 firearms, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
At CHEATHAM’s Fife residence, law enforcement seized cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, as well as four firearms, more than $300,000 in cash, and jewelry, including a gem-encrusted necklace bearing CHEATHAM’s moniker “da Mayor.” Because of his criminal history, CHEATHAM had been prohibited from possessing firearms. However, at the same time he was dealing significant quantities of drugs, he successfully petitioned a court to have his gun rights restored.
In all, 43 defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy. The most significant sentences in the case to date range from 5 years in prison to 11.5 years in prison. Also today a mid-level drug distributor, MICHAEL D. SAFFORD was sentenced to 5 years in prison for his role in the scheme.
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. DOJ 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 was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. This investigation was led by the Seattle Police Department Gang and Narcotics Units, FBI Seattle Safe Streets Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies providing investigative assistance include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshal Service (USMS), and the U.S Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vince Lombardi, Erin H. Becker and Nicholas Manheim.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with selling fentanyl.
John Mena, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young, who scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2020.
According to court documents, Mena sold approximately 13g of fentanyl in a transaction that an undercover agent witnessed. Mena was arrested in Lawrence on July 16, 2019, as part of a 10-week coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley called “Devil’s Highway.” The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges.
The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Brazier of Lelling’s Office is prosecuting the case.
Justice Department awards more than $333 million to fight opioid crisisRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. Nearly $6.1 million will help public safety and public health professionals in the Southern District of Ohio combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses.
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
“The opioid epidemic has ravaged countless communities and tragically shattered too many lives. While we have seen some progress, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ community remain fully committed to working with our state and local partners to combat this complex and evolving challenge,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs.”
DeVillers explained the grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
The following awards were made to organizations in the Southern District of Ohio:
BJA’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to state, local and tribal jurisdictions to reduce opioid abuse and fatalities, and mitigate impacts on crime victims.
Authorized by the 2016 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, this program offers grant awards across three focus areas.
Category 1 is designed to encourage and support the development of comprehensive, locally driven responses to the opioid epidemic that expand access to supervision, treatment and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for non-violent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by the opioid epidemic. All projects are expected to involve multiple agencies and partners. These awards include:
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program: Category 1
Awardee
State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
County of Hocking
$600,000
Ohio
Adams County
$600,000
Ohio
Hancock Co Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction Mental Health Services
$600,000
Ohio
City of Hamilton
$600,000
Category 3 awards may be used to establish or enhance a prescription drug monitoring system; facilitate the exchange of information and collection of data on prescriptions and other scheduled chemical products among states; develop a training program for system users; produce and disseminate educational materials; support collaborations between law enforcement, prosecutors, public health officials, treatment providers and drug courts; facilitate electronic information sharing among states in compliance with the Prescription Monitoring Information Exchange National Architecture; expand monitoring to Schedules II, III, IV and V; improve the quality and accuracy of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program data; develop or enhance the capacity to provide unsolicited reports of controlled substance prescribing to authorized individuals or entities; and assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the PDMP program or specific PDMP initiatives. These awards include:
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program: Category 3
Awardee State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
Ohio State Board of Pharmacy
$1,726,497
BJA’s Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to facilitate collaborations between criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to serve individuals with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues.
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
Awardee State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
Mental Health Recovery Board of Union County
$595,318
Office for Victims of Crime’s Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims. This program expands programs to provide services to children and youth who are victimized as a result of the opioid crisis.
Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
Awardee State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.
$448,222
BJA’s Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government and tribal governments to develop, implement and enhance drug courts and Veterans Treatment Courts.
Category 2 includes enhancement of fully operational drug courts that incorporate the evidence-based principles included in the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Adult Drug Courts Best Practice Standards.
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program: Category 2
Awardee State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
Fairfield Co. Municipal Court
$500,000
OJJDP’s Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program awarded grants to provide resources to state, local and tribal governments to create and enhance juvenile drug treatment court programs for youth in the justice system who have substance abuse issues, with a specific focus on opioid abuse.
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
Awardee State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
Montgomery County Common Pleas Juvenile Division
$400,000
NIJ Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System Program, which addresses the extreme shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists in the United States and aims to improve medical examiner-coroner services by supporting efforts toward agency accreditation.
Awardee State:
Awardee:
Amount Awarded:
Ohio
Butler County Coroner’s Office
$13,751
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
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Justice Department Awards More than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. The funds support families, children and crime victims dealing with the impact of substance abuse, along with first responders whose actions can often mean the difference between life and death for those who have overdosed.
“The opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis this country has ever faced,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice is committed to using all means available to bring drug traffickers to justice, disrupt the supply chain, support our law enforcement officers, and help the victims.”
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “This epidemic — the most deadly in our nation’s history — is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. OJP is here to support them through this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related drug overdoses per day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids – including heroin and fentanyl – a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities – from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research – to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
Funding was awarded under the following programs.
- The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Programs ($163 million) will help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims and will provide training and technical assistance.
- The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($23.8 million) will address the treatment needs of people using opioids.
- The Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims ($15.8 million) program will help service providers ensure children and youth are supported as they heal from the impact of crime and substance abuse.
- The Opioid Affected Youth Initiative ($7.9 million) will develop effective programs for children, youth and their families who have been affected by the opioid crisis and drug addiction.
- The Drug Courts Program ($83.5 million) will provide financial and technical assistance to states and federally recognized tribes to develop and implement drug courts to help adults, youth and veterans suffering from substance abuse issues.
- The Child Abuse Training for Judicial Personnel program ($1 million) will provide specialized training for juvenile and family court judges on serving families affected by opioids.
- The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative ($15 million) will support mentoring programs that address the issues experienced by youth affected by opioids.
- The Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime Program ($6 million) will support research on criminal investigation, prosecution, drug intelligence and community surveillance to reduce violent and other crimes related to fentanyl and its analogues.
- The Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 million) is being made available to address the impact of the opioid crisis on forensic laboratory operations.
The more than $333 million in awards will be distributed to jurisdictions throughout the U.S. in order to maximize the effectiveness of the funding. Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
In addition to providing unprecedented funding to combat the opioid crisis, the Trump Administration also created the Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand Initiative, which prevents over-prescription, reduces the demand for drugs through education and awareness and cuts off the flow of illicit drugs across our borders. President Trump also signed the bipartisan Substance Use – Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, or the SUPPORT Act, the largest legislative effort ever to address a single drug crisis in our nation’s history. This law expands access to evidence-based treatment, protects communities from drugs, invests more in sustained recovery, brings those in treatment and recovery back into the workforce and raises awareness of the dangers of illicitly imported synthetic opioids.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
Justice Department Awards More Than 333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced awards of more than $333,000,000 to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. $1,261,995 will help public safety and public health professionals in Niagara, Erie, and Monroe Counties in the Western District of New York to combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. An additional $13,000,000 will fund related efforts across New York State.
“Opioids have taken the lives of far too many of our loved ones,” said United States Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. “In the Western District of New York, partners across the community, including our Office, have joined forces to tackle this deadly epidemic head on and, while we have seen success in our fight, even one death is too many. This funding will assist us as we continue to innovate and find new ways to eradicate these deadly drugs—and the destruction they wreak with them—from our community.”
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said PDAAG Sullivan. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
The Western District of New York recipients include:
• Niagara County which will receive $898,887 to expand access to supervision, treatment and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for non-violent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by the opioid epidemic; • The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office will receive $183,108 under the Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System Program, which addresses the extreme shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists and aims to improve medical examiner-coroner services by supporting efforts toward agency accreditation; • The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office Toxicology Laboratory will receive $180,000 to be used, in part, to address the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis; and
• New York State will receive a total of $13,513,000 for various opiate related efforts and programs.
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
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Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 13, 2019
SAN DIEGO – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis, including $750,000 to Alpine-based Southern Indian Health Council, Inc. The grants are intended to help public safety and public health professionals combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses.
OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said PDAAG Sullivan. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
“This crisis demands all the attention and resources we can muster, and these grants will bolster our efforts significantly,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Opioids – and fentanyl in particular – are destroying lives and communities and we are working hard to stop the devastation through interdiction, prosecution and education.”
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs and United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. $2,446,664 will help public safety and public health professionals in the Southern District of Indiana combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
"The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless," said PDAAG Sullivan. "This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time."
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance,
forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is pleased to provide support to agencies in the Southern District of Indiana through the Department’s Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program," said Minkler. "This grant supports the Department’s criminal justice priorities of reducing opioid abuse and opioid overdose-related deaths."
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
The following awards were made to organizations in the Southern District of Indiana:
The City of Indianapolis and Marion County were awarded $500,000 and $653,408, respectively, under the BJA’s Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to facilitate collaborations between criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to serve individuals with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues.
The City of Evansville was awarded $1,000,000 under the Opioid Affected Youth Initiative, which helps states, local governments and tribal jurisdictions develop data-driven responses to opioid abuse.
Hancock County Community Corrections was awarded $231,544 under the Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government and tribal governments to develop, implement and enhance drug courts and Veterans Treatment Courts.
The Marion County, Indiana Coroner’s Office was awarded $61,712 under the National Institute of Justice Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System Program, which addresses the extreme shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists in the United States and aims to improve medical examiner-coroner services by supporting efforts toward agency accreditation.
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. The funds support families, children and crime victims dealing with the impact of substance abuse, along with first responders whose actions can often mean the difference between life and death for those who have overdosed.
In Oklahoma, state, tribal and local partners will receive $5,279,379 toward the fight against opioid addiction.
“The opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis this country has ever faced,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice is committed to using all means available to bring drug traffickers to justice, disrupt the supply chain, support our law enforcement officers, and help the victims.”
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “This epidemic — the most deadly in our nation’s history — is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. OJP is here to support them through this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
“Oklahomans are committed to the fight for our families and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The opioid crisis must be fought on multiple fronts, including prevention, recovery and enforcement. This more than $5.2 million will aid Oklahoma’s state, tribal and community partners to battle addiction and perform the necessary, on-the-ground work to save lives.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related drug overdoses per day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids – including heroin and fentanyl – a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities – from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research – to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
Funding was awarded under the following programs.
• The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Programs ($163 million) will help jurisdictions plan and implement programs aimed at reducing opioid abuse and mitigating its impact on crime victims and will provide training and technical assistance.
• The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program ($23.8 million) will address the treatment needs of people using opioids.
• The Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims ($15.8 million) program will help service providers ensure children and youth are supported as they heal from the impact of crime and substance abuse.
• The Opioid Affected Youth Initiative ($7.9 million) will develop effective programs for children, youth and their families who have been affected by the opioid crisis and drug addiction.
• The Drug Courts Program ($83.5 million) will provide financial and technical assistance to states and federally recognized tribes to develop and implement drug courts to help adults, youth and veterans suffering from substance abuse issues.
• The Child Abuse Training for Judicial Personnel program ($1 million) will provide specialized training for juvenile and family court judges on serving families affected by opioids.
• The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative ($15 million) will support mentoring programs that address the issues experienced by youth affected by opioids.
• The Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime Program ($6 million) will support research on criminal investigation, prosecution, drug intelligence and community surveillance to reduce violent and other crimes related to fentanyl and its analogues.
• The Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program ($17 million) is being made available to address the impact of the opioid crisis on forensic laboratory operations.
In Oklahoma, the following partners will receive funding:
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program
Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs: $2 million
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
Oklahoma City, County Health Department: $249,543
Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
Comanche Nation: $749,985
Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma: $500,000
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse $569,100 and $313,800
Family Drug Court Program
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse $646,951
Coverdell Competitive Grant Program
Oklahoma District Attorney’s Council: $250,000
The more than $333 million in awards will be distributed to jurisdictions throughout the U.S. in order to maximize the effectiveness of the funding. Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
In addition to providing unprecedented funding to combat the opioid crisis, the Trump Administration also created the Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand Initiative, which prevents over-prescription, reduces the demand for drugs through education and awareness and cuts off the flow of illicit drugs across our borders. President Trump also signed the bipartisan Substance Use – Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, or the SUPPORT Act, the largest legislative effort ever to address a single drug crisis in our nation’s history. This law expands access to evidence-based treatment, protects communities from drugs, invests more in sustained recovery, brings those in treatment and recovery back into the workforce and raises awareness of the dangers of illicitly imported synthetic opioids.
Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. $1,268,795 will help public safety and public health professionals in the Northern District of Indiana combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said PDAAG Sullivan. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
“In Northern Indiana, my Office’s efforts to reduce opioid abuse and combat the opioid crisis are ongoing,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch. “Today I am pleased to announce that Lake, LaPorte and Grant Counties, within the District, applied for and will receive a combined total of $1,268,795 in funding from the Department of Justice to fight opioid abuse.”
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
The following awards were made to organizations in the Northern District of Indiana:
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program
LaPorte, Indiana Circuit Court $555,424
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
Lake County Municipal Court- Gary $219,649
Family Drug Court Program
Grant County Family Recovery Court $493,722
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
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Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
$4,096,482 Will Support Efforts in or including the Western District of Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. $4,096,482 will help public safety and public health professionals in the Western District of Michigan combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
"The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless," said PDAAG Sullivan. "This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time."
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities— from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge commented that: "The opioid crisis is a public health crisis and not just a law enforcement problem. The Department of Justice recognizes that reality with this financial support for important Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Programs and affected youth initiatives in West Michigan."
The following awards were made to organizations in the Western District of Michigan through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to facilitate collaborations between criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to serve individuals with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues. While not all awards made under the JMHCP program are focused explicitly on addressing the opioids epidemic, these Michigan efforts focus specifically on opioid-related issues.
Van Buren County $750,000
County of Muskegon $750,000
City of Muskegon $100,000
City of Battle Creek $750,000
In addition, the Michigan Department of State Police received $1,000,000 under the Opioid Affected Youth Initiative. This program helps recipients develop data-driven responses to opioid abuse.
In addition, Cass County received $746,482 under the Family Drug Court Program. This program helps build the capacity of those who receive funds to sustain existing family drug courts or establish new ones.
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
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Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs announced today awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. $1,282,324 will help public safety and public health professionals in the District of Nevada combat substance abuse and respond effectively to opioid-related overdoses. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said PDAAG Sullivan. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
“On behalf of the District of Nevada, we are thankful for the additional resources provided by the Department of Justice to combat drugs and crime in our communities. Along with our local partners, we will use these resources to help stem the opioid abuse epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals across the country coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research
The following awards were made to organizations in the District of Nevada:
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
More than $44 million is being awarded nationwide to jurisdictions, academic institutions, and training and technical assistance providers to establish, expand, assist, and research the effectiveness of adult drug courts, including veterans treatment courts. The Las Vegas Township Justice Court received a $651,324 grant under this program.
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program awarded $3 million nationwide to provide resources to state, local and tribal governments to create and enhance juvenile drug treatment court programs for youth in the justice system who have substance abuse issues, with a specific focus on opioid abuse. The County of Elko received a $400,000 grant under this program.
Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program
The Office of Justice Programs is making up to $17 million available to support forensic activities related to opioids under the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program. The National Institute of Justice expects Coverdell grant funds to be used, in part, by medical examiners/coroners and forensic laboratories to address the dramatic increase in deaths and the backlogs of seized drugs as a result of the opioid crisis. Laboratories are overwhelmed with drug seizures and requests for toxicological analysis in opioid-related crimes and deaths, which in turn puts pressure on other laboratory sections. Also, medical examiners and coroners are required to conduct unprecedented numbers of autopsies and expend other resources in dealing with opioid deaths. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received a $231,000 grant under this program.
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, please visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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. Additional information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Justice Department Awards Millions to Fight Opioid Crisis in Western OklahomaRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs ("OJP") announced today that more than $4.5 million will go to state-wide and western Oklahoma governmental bodies to address public safety issues relating to opioids. The Department is awarding more than $333 million across the country to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP, made the announcement during a visit with local, state, and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
"The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless," said PDAAG Sullivan. "This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time."
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services, and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs, and support opioid-related research.
"I am pleased that the Department can provide critically needed financial support for Oklahoma’s continuing fight against opioids," said Timothy J. Downing, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. "To win this battle, we will need all our tools and partners, including law enforcement and social services supporting prevention and treatment. These funds will go a long way to move Oklahoma along the road of reducing the suffering illegal opioids have caused."
The following awards were made to state agencies and other entities in the Western District of Oklahoma:
- $2,000,000 to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs as part of the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-Based Program, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance ("BJA")
- $249,543 to the Oklahoma City-County Health Department as part of BJA’s Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
- $749,985 to the Comanche Nation under a program funded by OJP entitled Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
- $882,900 to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services under BJA’s Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
- $646,951 to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as part of the Family Drug Court Program, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
- $250,000 to the Oklahoma District Attorneys’ Council as part of the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, funded by the Office of Justice Programs
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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. To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.
Justice Department Announces More Than $376 Million in Awards to Promote Public SafetyRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice recently announced that it has awarded more than $376 million in grant funding to enhance state, local and tribal law enforcement operations and reinforce public safety efforts in jurisdictions across the United States.
Of that funding, $993,366 will support public safety activities in the Northern District of Oklahoma. In total, state and local partners in Oklahoma will received $7,265,727 to support public safety. The awards were made by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP).
“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”
The awards announced support an array of crime-fighting initiatives, including the quarter-billion dollar Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants Program, which funds public safety efforts in 929 state, local and tribal jurisdictions. Funding also supports sex offender registration and notification, law enforcement-based victim services, the testing of sexual assault kits, and programs designed to address youth with sexual behavioral problems. Other awards will focus on wrongful convictions, intellectual property enforcement, innovative prosecution strategies and the safety and effectiveness of corrections systems.
“Programs that support law enforcement, investigations, early prevention and victim services are so critical to building healthy neighborhoods for all Oklahomans,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The more than $7 million in public safety grants will be put to good use in communities across the state, including the cities of Fairland, Tulsa, and Broken Arrow in the Northern District of Oklahoma.”
The following grants were awarded in the Northern District of Oklahoma
OVC Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist Program
- City of Fairland- $179,508
- City of Tulsa- $439,676
Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program
- City of Tulsa/Tulsa County- $361,702
- City of Broken Arrow- $12,480
Other Oklahoma cities also receiving funding through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program include:
- City of Ardmore/Carter County- $18,002
- City of Lawton- $70,518
- City of Muskogee- $35,839
- City of Norman/Cleveland County- $21,509
- City of Oklahoma City- $449,229
- Ponca City- $ 15,131
- City of Shawnee- $25,816
Other funding awarded included:
Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program- state awards
- Oklahoma District Attorneys Council- $2,720,423
BJA National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative
- State of Oklahoma Office of Attorney General- $2,398,302
OJJDP Supporting Effective Interventions for Adolescent Sex Offenders and Youth with Sexual Behavioral Problems Program
- The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center- $517,592: Training and Technical Assistance
Information about the programs and awards announced is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
Jury Convicts Virginia Man of $3 Million Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Dumfries, Virginia, man was convicted by a federal jury today for his role in wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies as part of a nearly $3 million romance fraud scheme.
Henry N. Asomani, 34, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Ghana, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering. The court ordered Asomani taken into federal custody at the close of today’s proceedings to await sentencing.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Asomani was the middle man who received the proceeds of the fraud conspiracy from unknown co-conspirators into his bank accounts. Asomani transferred the funds among various accounts; he kept a portion of the proceeds for himself, and funneled the rest of the proceeds to co-conspirators in Ghana. Asomani operated five different companies with 16 different accounts at eight different banks.
Asomani received a total of $2,993,354 from more than a dozen victims across the United States, including three victims in the Kansas City metropolitan area, from Sept. 15, 2015, to Oct. 17, 2017. Although bank investigators and FBI agents repeatedly warned Asomani that his bank accounts were receiving the proceeds of a fraud scheme, he continued to receive the funds and simply closed accounts when funds were frozen, then opened new accounts at a different bank.
Unknown co-conspirators targeted individuals through online dating websites with various romance frauds. The unknown co-conspirators impersonated individuals who were involved in businesses overseas. They convinced the victims that they needed funds to help with moving gold from a foreign country, orphanage expenses, and school and travel expenses. The co-conspirators told the victims they would share the profits when the gold was returned to the United States. In fact, none of the victims received any profit or received any gold from the co-conspirators.
For example, one victim who resides in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, set up a profile on ChristianMingle.com following the death of her husband to brain cancer. In October 2015, an individual claiming to be “Larry B. White” initiated contact with her. Following numerous conversations by email and telephone, “White” convinced the victim to invest in a Ghana gold mine. “White” promised a 40 percent return on the investment of money. From November 2015 through January 2016, under the direction of “White,” the victim sent funds to multiple entities by check and wire totaling approximately $3,292,000. Of that amount, $2,292,000 was transferred to accounts controlled by Asomani. Asomani spent $50,000 of those proceeds to make a down payment on a 2019 silver Lexus NX300. To date, the victim has not received any money or gold profits from “White.”
Another victim, who resides in Kansas City, Missouri, met “Bradley Fischer” on ChristianMingle.com. “Fischer” convinced the victim to send funds for school expenses, travel expenses, and to start a new life in Kansas City. On July 19, 2017, the victim wired $24,000 to Asomani’s bank account. “Fischer” promised to pay the victim back when he got to Kansas City. To date, the victim has received $1,000 back from “Fischer.”
Other victims reside in New Jersey, Alaska, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Kansas, and Iowa.
Asomani wired $1,789,416 from his bank accounts in the United States to bank accounts in Ghana. He spent approximately $342,278 on auto purchases and auto- or shipping-related expenses as part of the money-laundering scheme. Asomani shipped 18 vehicles to Ghana, having a declared value of approximately $284,190.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately two hours before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 9.
Under federal statutes, Asomani is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the four conspiracy and wire fraud counts, and up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each of the two money laundering counts. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul S. Becker and Matthew Blackwood. It was investigated by the FBI.
Justice Department Awards More Than $333 Million to Fight Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
$2,076,810 Will Support Efforts to Combat Drugs and Crime in the
Eastern District of WisconsinThe Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs today announced awards of more than $333 million to help communities affected by the opioid crisis. $2,076,810 will help public safety and public health professionals in the Eastern District of Wisconsin
combat substance abuse and respond effectively to overdoses. OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan made the announcement during a visit with local, state and federal officials in West Virginia, one of the states hardest hit by the epidemic.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless,” said PDAAG Sullivan. “This epidemic—the most deadly in our nation’s history—is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
With more than 130 people dying from opioid-related overdoses every day, the Department of Justice has made fighting addiction to opioids—including heroin and fentanyl—a national priority. The Trump Administration is providing critical funding for a wide range of activities—from preventive services and comprehensive treatment to recovery assistance, forensic science services and research—to help save lives and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
“Too many families in Wisconsin have suffered the loss of loved ones to the opioid crisis,” said United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger. “The awards being announced here underscore the Justice Department’s commitment to supporting a comprehensive approach to fighting the opioid crisis.”
The awards announced today support an array of activities designed to reduce the harm inflicted by these dangerous drugs. Grants will help law enforcement officers, emergency responders and treatment professionals coordinate their response to overdoses. Funds will also provide services for children and youth affected by the crisis and will support the nationwide network of drug and treatment courts. Other awards will address prescription drug abuse, expand the capacity of forensic labs and support opioid-related research.
The following awards were made to organizations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin:
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division $1,199,999
Waukesha County $376,811
Washington County $500,000
Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and 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.
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Dec. 13 was:
Leslie Charles Hogan, Jr., 36, of Billings, on charges of assault of a dating partner by strangulation and domestic assault by an habitual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hogan faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Hogan was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the FBI.
Pacer case reference. 19-146.
If the above case is of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Individual Found Guilty of Operating “Ponzi” Scheme, Securities and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – A jury found defendant Carlos Maldonado, owner of Business Planning Resources International Corporation (BPRIC), Glorimar Fashions and Tailoring, LLC, Global Business Insurance Agency Inc., and associated under the incorporation documents with Pet Card Systems, Inc., and Datavos Corporation, guilty of securities fraud and bank fraud, announced today W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The case was presided by United States District Court Chief Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí. The sentencing was scheduled for May 2020.
On October 27, 2016, Maldonado was charged with sixteen counts of securities fraud and bank fraud. From on or about the year 2007 through the year 2012, Carlos Maldonado along with other individuals raised over $5,000,000 on behalf of BPRIC, from over one hundred individuals, and other businesses and investments; resulting in losses to investors exceeding $2,900,000. As part of the solicitation, individuals throughout Puerto Rico and the Continental US received Investment Contracts that were signed by Maldonado and his associates.
The defendant was found guilty on all counts. During trial, the government presented checks, bank records, emails, other documentary evidence, and witness and victim testimonies that proved that the defendant made or caused materially false and misleading representations to be made to investors, including: (i) that various companies were involved in legitimate business functions; (ii) failing to disclose to investors that their funds would be used to buy and trade stocks and commodities on a ScottTrade account, Foreex Capital markets, LLC, and other personal trading accounts, and for Maldonado’s family and expenses; (iii) purchase goods and services at retail stores, restaurants, and spend money for travel, rent, entertainment, and personal auto loan payments.
“The defendant’s conduct undermined the confidence investors place in the financial markets,” said US Attorney Muldrow. “Financial markets are governed by rules that are supposed to protect investors. This defendant, skilled at convincing individuals to place their trust in him, engaged in a ‘Ponzi’ scheme to defraud investors, and ultimately cost them millions of dollars. We will continue investigating and prosecuting this type of crimes to the full extent of the law.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Veronda and Jeanette Collazo, and investigated by the FBI. Maldonado is facing a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and a fine not to exceed $1,000,000.
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Immigration Attorney and Client Convicted for Providing Fraudulent Statements in an Immigration ProceedingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that in federal court, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced DAVID E. PIVER, age 60, a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania to $1,000, the maximum statutory fine for the violation, followed by his guilty plea to aiding and abetting fraudulent statements in an immigration proceeding.
Additionally, Judge Boyle sentenced PIVER’s client, ASHISH PRASSAD BHATTARAI, age 40, of Morrisville, North Carolina, for making fraudulent statements in an immigration proceeding, and imposed a $1,000 fine for the violation.
According to the investigation, BHATTARAI, an alien from Nepal, overstayed his visa and obtained employment in the United States by falsely claiming United States citizenship in an Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). Thereafter, BHATTARAI married a United States citizen, retained PIVER’s legal services, and applied for lawful permanent status. In the application form, BHATTARAI was asked if he ever claimed to be a United States citizen. BHATTARAI, under penalty of perjury, stated he had never claimed to be a United States citizen.
Further, court records show that when BHATTARAI appeared with PIVER before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for his “green card” interview, the adjudicator asked BHATTARAI the same question orally. BHATTARAI this time answered truthfully. PIVER then asked for a recess and advised BHATTARAI to recant BHATTARAI’s statement admitting the false claim of United States citizenship. Moreover, PIVER also advised BHATTARAI to move to another jurisdiction in order to re-file the same application with the hope of having a different adjudicator assigned to the proceeding.
The investigation also revealed that shortly thereafter, BHATTARAI rented an apartment in Greensboro, North Carolina and a new application form was submitted to USCIS. In the new application, BHATTARAI and PIVER certified under penalty of perjury that BHATTARAI had never claimed to be a United States citizen.
Likewise, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr. emphasized, “This task force has appropriately focused effort at all levels and in this instance appropriately brought to justice an attorney providing criminal advice to his client, who was additionally at fault, but who falls into a category of persons easily taken advantage of.”
“Under U.S. law, attorneys can’t advise their clients to make false statements, and aliens seeking U.S. residence can’t procure it through fraudulent means,” said Ronnie Martinez, special agent in charge of HSI Charlotte. “HSI special agents, through our Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, worked closely with our partners at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to investigate this case.”
The Document Fraud Benefit Task Force led by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, in conjunction with USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security, conducted the investigation in this matter.
Hialeah Police Officer Charged with Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Miami, Florida, yesterday returned a two-count indictment against Hialeah Police Department Officer Jesus Manuel Menocal Jr, 32, for depriving two women of their civil rights.
According to the indictment, in June of 2015, while working as a police officer with the Hialeah Police Department in Florida, Officer Menocal is alleged to have willfully deprived a minor female of her right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures when, for his own sexual gratification, he directed her to remove her clothing. The indictment further alleges that the offense included kidnapping, and the use and threatened use of a dangerous weapon.
On another date in 2015, while working as a police officer, Officer Menocal is also alleged to have exposed himself to a woman and grabbed her. This offense also included the use and threatened use of a dangerous weapon.
Menocal is scheduled to have his initial appearance today at 2 P.M. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Becerra (Case No. 19-20822-CR-Williams/Torres).
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the FBI’s Miami Field Office at 754.703.2000.
An indictment is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan, and FBI Special Agent in Charge, George Piro, who also acknowledged the efforts of the Hialeah Police Department and the Miami Dade County State Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilham Hosseini and Edward N. Stamm of the Southern District of Florida and Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Hialeah Police Officer Charged with Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in Miami, Florida, yesterday returned a two-count indictment against Hialeah Police Department Officer Jesus Manuel Menocal Jr, 32, for depriving two women of their civil rights.
According to the indictment, in June of 2015, while working as a police officer with the Hialeah Police Department in Florida, Officer Menocal is alleged to have willfully deprived a minor female of her right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures when, for his own sexual gratification, he directed her to remove her clothing. The indictment further alleges that the offense included kidnapping, and the use and threatened use of a dangerous weapon.
On another date in 2015, while working as a police officer, Officer Menocal is also alleged to have exposed himself to a woman and grabbed her. This offense also included the use and threatened use of a dangerous weapon.
Menocal is scheduled to have his initial appearance today at 2 P.M. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Becerra (Case No. 19-20822-CR-Williams/Torres).
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the FBI’s Miami Field Office at 754.703.2000.
An indictment is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan, and FBI Special Agent in Charge, George Piro, who also acknowledged the efforts of the Hialeah Police Department and the Miami Dade County State Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilham Hosseini and Edward N. Stamm of the Southern District of Florida and Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov
Haitian National Sentenced for Running Visa Fraud Scheme Involving More Than 100 Fraudulent Visa ApplicationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announces the sentencing on December 12, 2019 of EMMANUEL PRIVA, age 39, a citizen of Haiti, for charges stemming from a visa fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced PRIVA to 27 months in prison and ordered the forfeiture of PRIVA’s house, automobile, and funds seized from ten bank accounts.
According to court documents, from 2013 to 2018, PRIVA attempted to fraudulently obtain visas for more than 100 aliens, more than 40 of whom succeeded in obtaining visas to travel to the United States. PRIVA ran the scheme from his house in Harvey, Louisiana and other locations. In exchange for money, PRIVA agreed to assist Haitian nationals in fraudulently obtaining visitor visas to travel to the United States. After receiving payment from Haitian nationals, PRIVA submitted online visa applications containing false information, created false documents to support the applications, and coached the aliens on how to deceive consular officers at interviews for the visas. The scheme was focused on making it appear that the Haitian nationals intended to temporarily visit, as opposed to illegally immigrate to, the United States.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service’s Criminal Fraud Investigations and Overseas Criminal Investigations Divisions in jointly investigating this matter, with support from its New Orleans Resident Office. U.S. Attorney Strasser thanked the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate and the Haitian National Police’s Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (Central Directorate of the Judicial Police) for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon was in charge of the prosecution.
Former United Way Vice President Convicted of Participating in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante found Imran Alrai, 45, of Windham, New Hampshire, guilty of wire fraud, money laundering, and transportation of stolen funds after a ten-day bench trial.
According to the trial evidence, Alrai was an information technology (“IT”) professional at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley in Boston, Massachusetts. Between 2012 and June 2018, Alrai obtained approximately $6.7 million in payments for IT services supposedly provided to United Way by an independent outside contractor, Digitalnet Technology Solutions, Inc. Evidence at trial show that Alrai misrepresented material facts about Digitalnet and fraudulently concealed that he owned and controlled Digitalnet. In early 2013, Alrai rigged the bidding process for a major contract to provide managed IT services at the United Way so that Digitalnet was chosen. Alrai then gave fake references and false information about Digitalnet to United Way.
For the next five years, while serving as United Way’s Vice President for IT Services, Alrai steered additional IT work to Digitalnet, so that his company soon became UW’s second-largest outside vendor, receiving more than $1 million annually. Alrai concealed from his colleagues that he had anything to do with Digitalnet. He routinely sent emails with attached invoices from a fictitious person to himself at United Way. After the fraud came to light, in June 2018, officials at United Way confronted Alrai and terminated him. Federal agents executed search and seizure warrants and seized incriminating documents and data from Alrai’s home office in Windham, as well as approximately $2.2 million in fraud proceeds in bank and investment accounts. During the scheme, Alrai wired $1.2 million in fraud proceeds to a Digitalnet bank account in Lahore, Pakistan.
According to expert testimony at the trial, United Way lost at least $3.1 million as a result of Alrai’s crimes due to Digitalnet’s excessive billing, duplicate billing, and billing for services not delivered. The same expert calculated that Alrai personally enriched himself in the amount of $3.7 million. The evidence further showed that in 2013-14 Alrai perpetrated a similar scheme at the Robert Allen Group in Foxboro, Massachusetts, where Alrai was CIO, and induced that company to pay Digitalnet more than $400,000. The total amount involved in the scheme was approximately $7 million.
Judge Laplante convicted Alrai on 18 counts of wire fraud, 14 counts of money laundering, and 12 counts of transporting stolen funds. The court acquitted Alrai on six counts of money laundering, one count of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of failing to file Foreign Bank Account Reports with the IRS. The court also ordered forfeiture in an amount to be determined. The court previously ordered that Alrai repatriate funds he wired to Pakistan.
Alrai will be detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 21, 2020.
“Those who engage in fraud should understand that their schemes will be detected and that they will be prosecuted for their illegal actions,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The defendant took advantage of trust that was placed in him in order to steal millions of dollars from a charitable organization. The defendant enriched himself at the expense of the United Way and its supporters, diverting money intended for the benefit of the less fortunate. Such deceitful conduct cannot be tolerated. This conviction is one step in our effort to secure justice for the victims of this scheme.”
"In a season when people reach out and dig deep to help the less fortunate, it is fitting that Imran Alrai be convicted of greedily stealing millions of dollars from the United Way of Massachusetts and Merrimack Valley, a charitable organization whose reason for being is to enrich the lives of others," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "Mr. Alrai betrayed his position of trust as an IT executive, using lies and deceit to raid United Way's coffers to pay off his house, foot the bill for plastic surgery, and enhance his personal wealth. We are thankful for the verdicts and the assistance of our law enforcement partners, all of which affirm our belief that financial fraud is never a victimless crime."
“As Vice President for IT Services with the United Way, Alrai abused his position of trust with this great charitable organization to steal millions,” said Jason J. Molina, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Boston. “His wire fraud and money laundering crimes are even more offensive when you consider that the millions of dollars he stole was money which was meant to be used to provide education, medical care and occupational training opportunities to countless children and adults.”
This matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Davis, Cam Le, and Matthew Hunter.
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Former St. Louis Community College Employee Sentenced for Stealing over $7.5 Million from the Missouri Job Training ProgramRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Donald L. Robison, 57, Ballwin, MO, was sentenced to 75 months in prison for wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. Robinson was fined $125,000 and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He appeared today before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark.
According to court documents, from August 1998 through November 2018, Robison stole over $7.5 million dollars allocated for New and Retained Job Training Programs established by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Robison stole program-allocated funds from both the Missouri Department of Revenue and St. Louis Community College. Robison subsequently moved the stolen funds between bank and investment accounts to conceal their origin.
"The FBI is pleased to be able to recover the stolen money to return for restitution," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. "That said, we should never forget that for 20 years, Don Robison abused his position of trust to deny Missouri workers and taxpayers' money intended for them. He will now be held to account by forfeiting his time and ill-gotten gains."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with the assistance and cooperation of St. Louis Community College and the State of Missouri. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay McClure-Hartman is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former South Bend School Basketball Coach Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Ramon Lenoir, age 38, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Mr. Lenoir was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in December of 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mr. Lenoir’s residence in South Bend, Indiana. When officers entered the home, they located Mr. Lenior in the bathroom attempting to flush methamphetamine down the toilet. During the search, officers found over $7,000 in cash, about 334.7 grams of methamphetamine, 163 grams of marijuana, about 6.8 grams of cocaine, three handguns, and three long guns. Mr. Lenoir later admitted that he possessed at least one handgun for protection while he was engaged in dealing methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Drug Investigation Unit. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Schultz.
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Former NSA Contractors Sentenced on Federal Charges for Submitting False Claims for Hours Worked on Government ContractRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Todd Andrew Leasure, age 45, of Orange Beach, Alabama, to six months of home detention as part of five years’ probation, for the federal charge of making false statements in connection with the number of hours he worked on a contract at the National Security Agency (NSA). Judge Hollander also ordered Leasure to pay restitution of $150,001.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Robert P. Storch, Inspector General of the National Security Agency; and Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a component of the United States Department of Defense. Beginning in 2008, the NSA contracted with an outside company (Contractor A) to supply information technology (IT) services to the NSA, including onsite database administrators employed by Contractor A.
According to his plea agreement, from February 2014 through February 2017, Leasure was employed on a full-time basis by Contractor A to work as a database administrator pursuant to the contract between NSA and Contractor A. Leasure’s duty station was at a NSA facility located in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and Leasure regularly traveled from Florida to Maryland to perform his responsibilities under the contract.
Contractor A required Leasure to submit timesheets in electronic format providing date- and task-specific entries stating the number of hours he had worked on the contract. Based on those entries, Contractor A periodically invoiced the NSA for the hours that Leasure worked, and NSA paid Contractor A for Leasure’s claimed hours at a rate of $247 to $280 per hour.
Leasure admitted that between February 3, 2014 and February 17, 2017, he submitted, and caused to be submitted, false timesheets to Contractor A in which he claimed to have worked at least 607 hours more than he actually worked on the NSA contract. As a result, NSA overpaid Contractor A by an amount exceeding $150,000.
In a separate case, on December 6, 2019, U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Kyle Duran Smego, age 41, of Raleigh, North Carolina, to serve eight months of home detention as a special condition of three years’ probation, and ordered Smego to pay restitution of $252,527.15. Smego, who was a subcontractor at two companies where he was assigned to work on contracts at the NSA, previously pleaded guilty to submitting false claims to the government, inflating the number of hours he claimed to have worked on the two contacts by at least 40%.
Anyone with information about fraud at NSA may contact the NSA Office of the Inspector General at https://www.nsa.gov/about/contact-us/OIG-Hotline/.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the NSA OIG for their work in both investigations and the DOD OIG for its work in the Leasure investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Jefferson M. Gray, who prosecuted the Leasure and Smego cases, respectively.
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Former Loves Park Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A former Loves Park woman pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard to wire fraud.
MICHELLE L. McKINNEY, 43, admitted in a written plea agreement that between June 2013 and September 2016, while employed as an account manager by a roofing company that operated a cloud-based construction management program, she schemed to defraud her employer and obtain money and property by fraudulent representations and concealment of material facts.
McKinney faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is set for May 11, 2020, at 9:00 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.
As an account manager, McKinney was responsible for the oversight of the company’s payroll, human resources, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. From 2013 through March 2014 the company was located in Rockton, and from then through 2016 the company was located in Beloit, Wisc. Some of the company’s employees, including McKinney, were issued a corporate credit card. Without the company’s knowledge, McKinney also had another corporate credit card issued. McKinney also had access to the company’s bank account and accompanying debit card. As stated in the plea agreement, McKinney authorized monthly funds transfers from the company to pay the entire balance of all of the company’s credit cards. McKinney used the credit cards and debit card to make unauthorized purchases for her own benefit totaling $475,775.84. In order to conceal her unauthorized purchases, McKinney disguised her unauthorized charges in the company’s accounting system as company expenses such as office supplies or fees. McKinney also created fictitious payroll invoices in the amount of her unauthorized purchases. To conceal the true nature of the transactions, she entered her personal transactions in bulk into the company’s accounting system instead of line-by-line.
Former FMC Lexington Inmate Sentenced to 28 Months for Making False Allegations against Prison Staff and Possessing MorphineRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. –Timothy Carl Ling, a former FMC Lexington inmate, was sentenced in federal court to 28 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for making false allegations against prison staff and illegally possessing morphine.
In his plea agreement, Ling admitted that, over the course of several months in 2016 and 2017, he knowingly made false accusations against members of FMC Lexington’s staff. Specifically, Ling admitted to falsely alleging that a nurse provided him with an un-prescribed morphine pill, and he admitted to falsely accusing an accountant of accepting prepaid credit cards or money orders in exchange for providing contraband to inmates. Ling’s misrepresentations wrongfully caused the staff members to be subject to internal investigations, when, in reality, they had done nothing wrong. Related to Ling’s fraudulent accusation against the nurse, Ling admitted to illicitly purchasing an un-prescribed morphine pill from another inmate and providing it to a prison official under the guise of having obtained the pill from the nurse.
Ling admitted in his plea agreement that his motives for creating false and fictitious stories about prison staff included attempting to gain consideration for a reduction of his sentence. Instead, as a result of his false reports, Ling must now spend an additional 28 months in prison, consecutive to his prior sentence.
Under federal law, Ling must serve, at a minimum, 85 percent of his prison sentence. He will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for three years after being released.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and William Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Chicago Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was directed by the DOJ OIG Chicago Field Office. The United States was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman.
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Former Convicted Felon Charged in Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Armand White, 32, of South Bend, Indiana, was charged in a criminal complaint for Hobbs Act robbery, bank robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
According to documents in this case, in November 2019 a store in Mishawaka and a bank in South Bend were robbed by two men in ski masks. On two separate occasions, the robbers allegedly entered the establishments, displayed handguns and demanded money from employees. From the cigarette store the robbers obtained $500 in cash and cigarettes. The robbers stole $6500 from the bank. Mr. White was convicted in 2009 of two bank robberies in South Bend. He is currently on federal supervised release. During the search of his residence, pursuant to a federal search warrant, agents found multiple firearms.
United States Attorney Kirsch said, “The alleged crimes are intolerable. My Office along with our federal and state law enforcement partners are dedicated to solving and prosecuting crimes that put innocent lives at risk”
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department, St. Joseph County Police Department and Elkhart Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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Former CIO Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Accepting Approximately $1 Million in Bribes for Awarding ContractsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Roslyn, New York, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for demanding bribes in exchange for his assistance in securing contracts between a Texas financial services company and two New Jersey information technology staffing companies, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Mark Berger, 59, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2011 through March 2013, Berger was the chief information officer of SWBC, a financial services company based in Texas, and had the ability and authority to hire certain companies to perform work. Berger entered into contracts between SWBC and two companies based in New Jersey, including DaVinci Technology Corp., for information technology and staffing services.
As a condition of the contracts, Berger demanded that the owner of the IT companies, Anthony Curlo of Chester, New Jersey, pay him a certain percentage of the monies that the companies would receive from SWBC.
The IT companies received approximately $3 million in revenue from SWBC. Under the terms of the illegal kickback arrangement between Berger and Curlo, Berger was supposed to receive $1.14 million in kickback payments. Berger actually received $985,000 in cash payments, which were delivered to his home in New York.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Berger to two years of supervised release.
Curlo previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on Sept. 21, 2016 and is awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Romankow of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: John Carman Esq., Garden City, New York
Foreign National Sentenced to over 13 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Re-Entering the United States Following Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that William Moreno-Moreno, age 24, a citizen of Mexico who had been residing in Grant County, Washington, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on September 12, 2019, to being an alien illegally in the United States after previously being deported. Senior United States District Judge Wm Fremming Nielsen sentenced Moreno-Moreno to a 13-month and 1-day term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 1-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Moreno-Moreno had three prior removals from the United States. After unlawfully entering the United States a fourth time, Moreno-Moreno was convicted in Grant County of third degree rape of a child and possession of methamphetamine. At the completion of his state sentence, Moreno-Moreno was taken into federal custody.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “The sentence imposed not only promotes the rule of law, but reflects the consequences for foreign nationals who return illegally to the United States after having been previously deported. Enforcing the immigration laws remains a priority in protecting our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to direct its resources to aggressively investigate and prosecute these cases.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Department of Homeland Security. This case was prosecuted by Timothy J. Ohms, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Florida Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Building A Bomb and Placing It at the Bay Pines Veterans Affairs HospitalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung today sentenced Mark Edward Allen (61, St. Petersburg) to five years in federal prison for attempting to destroy United States government property with an improvised explosive device. Allen was arrested on June 1, 2019. He had pleaded guilty on September 23, 2019.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2019, Allen placed a hoax explosive device at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Bay Pines, Florida. Then, on May 29, 2019, he placed an actual improvised explosive device (IED) at the same VA Hospital. Law enforcement agencies responded to the VA Hospital, and a bomb squad determined that the device contained a 9-volt battery, electrical wires, an improvised initiator, explosive powder, and a switch. Bomb technicians ultimately rendered the device safe. Video surveillance showed that Allen had carefully placed the IED on a gate that controls vehicle and pedestrian access to the VA Hospital.
Approximately two days after Allen had placed the IED at the VA Hospital, an individual called law enforcement and reported that Allen had been making other IEDs in his St. Petersburg home. The individual provided one of the devices to the FBI, and approximately seven additional completed and partially completed IEDs were found during a search of Allen’s home. Each of the devices was capable of causing property damage, personal injury, and/or death when properly assembled and initiated.
“The FBI routinely asks the public that if they see something to say something. This investigation proves to us the message is being heard loud and clear. We are grateful for the individual who came forward with the information leading us to Mr. Allen. Their action helped save lives,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division Michael F. McPherson.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel George.
Federal Jury Convicts 7 Defendants of Conspiracy and Mail Fraud in $126 Million Telemarketing Scheme Dating Back to 1980sRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A federal jury this morning found seven people guilty of conspiracy and mail fraud for participating in a decades-long, multi-million dollar telemarketing scheme that targeted thousands of small businesses and charities.
During a seven-week trial in United States District Court, the jury heard evidence that members of the conspiracy – going as far back as 1988 – bilked more than 50,000 victims by posing as their regular supplier of printer toner and selling them toner at greatly inflated prices. Over one six-year span, victims were induced to send more than $126 million to the telemarketing scammers.
The defendants found guilty today are:
- Gilbert N. Michaels, 77, of West Los Angeles, who orchestrated the scheme, and who owned and operated IDC SERVCO, a Culver City-based business that sold toner to small businesses, charities (such as Easter Seals Disability Services and the United Way), schools, churches, city governments and other entities in the United States and Canada;
- James R. Milheiser, 53, of Huntington Beach, who owned and/or controlled Material Distribution Center, PDM Marketing, Bird Coop Industries, Inc., and Copier Products Center;
- Leah D. Johnson, 54, of Ignacio, Colorado, who owned Capital Supply Center and LJT Distribution, Inc.;
- Jonathan M. Brightman, 52, of Westlake Village, who owned Copy Com Distribution, Inc.; Independent Cartridge Supplier; and Corporate Products;
- Sharon Scandaliato Virag, 54, of West Hills, who owned XL Supply, Inc.;
- Tammi L. Williams, 44, of Chino Hills, who was the office manager at Elite Office Supply, and also worked at Specialty Business Center, Rancho Office Supply and Select Imaging Supplies; and
- Francis S. Scimeca, 54, of Woodland Hills, who owned Supply Central Distribution, Inc. and Priority Office Supply.
Each defendant was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Michaels also was found guilty of 10 counts of mail fraud and five counts of money laundering. Milheiser, Johnson, Brightman, and Scimeca were also found guilty of mail fraud.
In furtherance of the scheme, the telemarketers typically posed as the regular suppliers of the victim companies and told the companies that the price of toner had increased, they had not been notified of the increase, and the victims now had a chance to purchase toner at the previous, lower price. Believing that they were dealing with their regular supplier of toner, employees at the victim companies signed order confirmation forms, which prompted defendant Michaels’ company IDC SERVCO to ship toner to victims and send invoices that demanded payment at inflated prices.
When the victim companies realized they had been scammed, they called IDC SERVCO to complain. The victims were typically told that IDC could not cancel the order or refund money because the victims had signed order confirmation forms. IDC also failed to disclose its relationships to the telemarketing companies that had actually brokered the fraudulent deals.
In many cases, IDC employees threatened victims with collections or legal action if they did not pay an invoice. In the cases where IDC agreed to take toner back, victims were forced to pay significant “restocking fees.”
Most victims received toner at no extra cost as part of their printer or copier service agreements. The telemarketers knew there had not been a price increase for toner, and failed to disclose that the prices they were charged were two to ten times the regular cost of toner.
Another aspect of the fraud was that the telemarketers failed to disclose that they were affiliated with IDC. In a series of court orders dating back to November 1988, Michaels and his companies were prohibited from making false statements – such as that they were a usual supplier of photocopier supplies or that there had been price change – and they were required to provide oversight to “independent sales companies.” Michaels violated these court orders by working with and providing financing to independent sales companies that were engaged in deceptive and fraudulent practices, despite the fact that IDC received hundreds of thousands of complaints from victims claiming they had been defrauded.
Fourteen other defendants charged in this case previously pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges.
United States District Judge James V. Selna has scheduled a May 29, 2020 sentencing hearing, at which time the seven defendants convicted today will face, at least, a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The investigation into this toner fraud case was conducted by the Huntington Beach Police Department, the United States Secret Service, the FBI and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory W. Staples, Bradley E. Marrett, and Benjamin D. Lichtman of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Federal Inmate Convicted of Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 45-year-old international terrorist imprisoned in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has been convicted of additional offenses in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, an Ethiopian national born in Eretria, was found guilty by a jury of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) and making a false statement to the FBI, following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
“This terrorist has shown that he was committed to his ideology and to violence,” said Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “It was important to pursue these charges not only to keep him in prison, but to deter others who would recruit in jail cells.”
“This defendant is a repeat offender. While in prison on terrorism charges, Ahmed continued to recruit fellow inmates to join ISIS to train them and to help them plan future attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “As long as terrorists keep offending, the Department will continue to bring them to justice. We have done so in this case.”
“The threat posed by individuals like Ahmed is real and one we cannot afford to underestimate or ignore,” said Special Agent in Charge Perrye Turner of the FBI Houston Division. “The threat from ISIS continues to evolve to include sustained radicalization online, loss of the physical caliphate, and inspiration for individuals to conduct attacks in their home countries using any means possible. It is with any means possible and using all tools available to us that the FBI will continue to investigate criminal and national security threats to the United States, wherever they originate.”
According to information presented in court, in 2013 Ahmed was convicted in the Southern District of New York of conspiring to provide material support to and receive military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization. Ahmed had attended an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan in 1996 and was a member of the Brandbergen Mosque network, which financially and logistically supported other terrorist groups. A federal judge in New York sentenced Ahmed to 111 months in federal prison and he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Beaumont, Texas to serve his sentence.
Ahmed continued his terrorist activities while serving his sentence at FCI-Beaumont. He recruited at least five inmates to join ISIS and to conduct terrorist acts in the United States after their release from federal custody, telling them that he was aligned with ISIS and supported al Shabaab and al Qaeda. From prison, he celebrated the Ariana Grande concert bombing and other acts of terror in the news, telling an inmate, “They kill kids, we gonna kill kids.” Ahmed wanted the inmates he was recruiting to either travel abroad to join ISIS, or create “sleeper cells” within the United States to carry out attacks.
Ahmed provided would-be recruits with a training manual on how to carry out violent jihad, including topics such as “how to carry out guerilla war,” “selection of human targets,” and “how to carry out assassinations.” He even held physical training exercises with other inmates in the prison yard to get them in shape to carry out the acts of terror he was plotting. Ahmed also discussed a plot with fellow inmates to bomb the Federal Detention Center in New York City as a revenge for his prosecution there.
Under the federal statute, Ahmed faces up to 25 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Beaumont Resident Agency, out of the Houston Division, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice and Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook and Katie Sweeten of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Federal Inmate Convicted of Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A 45-year-old international terrorist imprisoned in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has been convicted of additional offenses in the Eastern District of Texas.
Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, an Ethiopian national born in Eretria, was found guilty by a jury of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) and making a false statement to the FBI, following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. The jury acquitted the defendant of two other charges and did not reach a verdict on another.
“This defendant is a repeat offender. While in prison on terrorism charges, Ahmed continued to recruit fellow inmates to join ISIS to train them and to help them plan future attacks,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “As long as terrorists keep offending, the Department will continue to bring them to justice. We have done so in this case.”
“This terrorist has shown that he was committed to his ideology and to violence,” said Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “It was important to pursue these charges not only to keep him in prison, but to deter others who would recruit in jail cells.”
“The threat posed by individuals like Ahmed is real and one we cannot afford to underestimate or ignore,” said Special Agent in Charge Perrye Turner of the FBI Houston Division. “The threat from ISIS continues to evolve to include sustained radicalization online, loss of the physical caliphate, and inspiration for individuals to conduct attacks in their home countries using any means possible. It is with any means possible and using all tools available to us that the FBI will continue to investigate criminal and national security threats to the United States, wherever they originate.”
According to information presented in court, in 2013 Ahmed was convicted in the Southern District of New York of conspiring to provide material support to and receive military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization. Ahmed had attended an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan in 1996 and was a member of the Brandbergen Mosque network, which financially and logistically supported other terrorist groups. A federal judge in New York sentenced Ahmed to 111 months in federal prison and he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Beaumont, Texas, to serve his sentence.
Ahmed continued his terrorist activities while serving his sentence at FCI-Beaumont. He recruited at least five inmates to join ISIS and to conduct terrorist acts in the United States after their release from federal custody, telling them that he was aligned with ISIS and supported al Shabaab and al Qaeda. From prison, he celebrated a bombing at a concert in Manchester, England, and other acts of terror in the news, telling an inmate, “They kill kids, we gonna kill kids.” Ahmed wanted the inmates he was recruiting to either travel abroad to join ISIS, or create “sleeper cells” within the United States to carry out attacks.
Ahmed provided would-be recruits with a training manual on how to carry out violent jihad, including topics such as “how to carry out guerilla war,” “selection of human targets,” and “how to carry out assassinations.” He even held physical training exercises with other inmates in the prison yard to get them in shape to carry out the acts of terror he was plotting. Ahmed also discussed a plot with fellow inmates to bomb the Federal Detention Center in New York City as revenge for his prosecution there.
Ahmed faces up to 25 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice and Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook and Katie Sweeten of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Federal Home Loan Bank Execs Sentenced to 5 Years EachRead the Press Release
Two former Federal Home Loan Bank executives have been sentenced to a combined 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to lie to the government-sponsored financial institution, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
In July, several days into their trial, Terence Carlyle Smith, former FHLB - Dallas President, and Nancy B. Parker, former Chief Information Officer, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements to a Federal Home Loan Bank.
U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle last week sentenced Mr. Smith, 62, to five years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $780,279.11 in restitution plus $4,219,720.89 in attorney’s fees to the bank and its insurance carriers. The judge sentenced Ms. Parker, 66, to five years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $313,681.25 in restitution plus $227,953 in attorney’s fees.
“These defendants attempted to trick a Federal Home Loan Bank into footing the bill for their exorbitant personal travel,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “We’re pleased the Judge held them accountable for undermining the public trust by handing down the maximum sentence.”
“The actions of these defendants placed at risk the public’s trust in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas. The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) is committed to investigating allegations of fraud committed against the Government Sponsored Enterprises, including the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks,” said Catherine Huber, Special Agent in Charge of the FHFA-OIG’s Central Region Office. “The sentences handed down by the Court send a powerful message to those who would seek to victimize a Federal Home Loan Bank. We are proud to have partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas in this case.”
In plea papers, the pair admitted that from 2009 to 2013, they submitted dozens of bogus expense reports to FHLB, claiming they’d attended professional conferences they never visited -- prompting FHLB to foot the bill for what was actually personal travel to Florida, California, and Nevada. They also admitted to repeatedly falsely reporting their number of unused vacation hours.
According to the Indictment filed in 2017, the scheme cost FHLB more than $1.2 million -- $780,000 in travel expenses, including airfare, limousine rides, concerts, vineyard tours, luxury hotel rooms, and lavish meals for Mr. Smith, Ms. Parker, and several colleagues, and $450,000 in unused vacation time reimbursements.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Errin Martin, Lindsey Beran, Tiffany Eggers, and Douglas Brasher prosecuted the case.
Federal and State Law Enforcement Agencies Intercept Two Go-Fast Vessels with Bales of Cocaine Off the Coasts of the Dominican Republic and Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a vessel with no indicia of nationality on December 5, 2019 attempting to smuggle more than 600 kilograms of cocaine, with an approximated street value of 14 million dollars south of La Romana, Dominican Republic. Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) RELIANCE responded for law enforcement action and three individuals were arrested. The Caribbean Corridor Strike Force is in charge of the investigation of the case.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll authorized a complaint charging Jorge Luiz De La Cruz-Acevedo, Freddy Gerardo Fernández-Breth, and Simon Antonio Patino-Rivero with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Custody of the defendants and the narcotics were transferred over to Special Agents of DEA for further investigation and prosecution. This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF). The CCSF is a multi-agency OCDETF strike force comprised of federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Coast Guard, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service, and the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety.
In a different interdiction that occurred on December 10, 2019, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Border Patrol (CBP) surveillance unit spotted a suspected target of interest while conducting border security patrol along the western coast of Puerto Rico. CBP Unit continued surveillance of the vessel while contacting and relaying its position to the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) Maritime Unit (FURA) to assist with the interdiction. Soon thereafter PRPD FURA “COBRA 54” unit located and stopped the vessel at one (1) nautical mile from Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The five persons on board, Jesús Ramón Concepción-Guerrero, Miguel Ángel Pourie-Portalatín, Riky Laureano-Ruiz, Israel Herrera-Herrera, and José Manuel Ruiz-Mercedes, and the vessel were detained and towed to the PRPD FURA Unit in Añasco, PR.
After further inspection of the vessel a total of 161 bricks weighing 181.90 kilograms of cocaine were seized, with an approximated street value of four million twenty-five thousand dollars ($4,025,000). U.S. Magistrate Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll authorized a complaint charging the five individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five (5) kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five (5) kilograms or more of cocaine.
“During the past two weeks federal and local law enforcement worked together to intercept hundreds of kilograms of cocaine before they reached our shores,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, US Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We cannot, and will not, halt our efforts to protect our borders from drug trafficking.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vanessa Bonhomme and César Rivera-Giraud are in charge of the prosecution of the cases. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison.
Criminal complaints contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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FBI Arrests Former Bank Employee Charged with Stealing Cash from Bank VaultRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A criminal indictment was unsealed this week in federal court in Charlotte, following the arrest of Arlando M. Henderson by the FBI in San Diego, California. Henderson, 29, of Charlotte, is charged with financial institution fraud and related charges, for stealing more than $88,000 in cash from the vault of the bank where he was employed, and then committing a separate loan fraud in connection with the purchase of a luxury automobile.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, Henderson was employed by a financial institution in Charlotte, and had access to the cash vault. The indictment alleges that on at least 18 occasions in 2019, Henderson stole cash from deposits made by bank customers from the bank vault, and used the money to pay for personal expenses and to make a large cash down payment on a luxury vehicle. On numerous days on which Henderson stole money, he also made cash deposits at an ATM near his worksite, the indictment alleges. It is further alleged in the indictment that Henderson destroyed certain documents and made, or caused others to make, false entries in the bank’s books and records to cover up the theft. According to the indictment, Henderson stole more than $88,000 from the bank vault.
The indictment also alleges that throughout July and August 2019, Henderson used a social media account to post several pictures of him holding large stacks of cash. On or about July 2019, after Henderson had allegedly stolen more than $70,000 in cash from the bank vault, Henderson made a $20,000 cash down payment on a 2019 Mercedes-Benz, and obtained a car loan for the remaining balance from another financial institution, by providing false information and falsified documents, including falsified bank statements.
FBI agents arrested Henderson in San Diego on December 4, 2019. Henderson had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gallo, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Henderson is charged with two counts of financial institution fraud, 19 counts of theft, embezzlement and misapplication, and twelve counts of making false entries, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, per count; and transactional money laundering, which carries a penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Charlotte Field Office led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
East Bay Men Charged with Selling Counterfeit Pills Laced with FentanylRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Ricardo Loza and Randy Lee Walker were charged in a criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl and heroin, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael E. Nuñez, United States Postal Inspection Service.
An affidavit filed in the case by an agent of the United States Postal Inspection Service alleges that Loza sold blue counterfeit oxycodone pills that were laced with Fentanyl. According to the affidavit, Loza sold to a third party 50 Fentanyl-laced pills on August 22, 2019, when at the auto body shop where he works in Pittsburg, Calif. Loza allegedly did not initially have enough pills to sell, so he texted Walker, who arrived with more Fentanyl-laced pills. The affidavit alleges that during the transaction, Loza warned the customer to be careful when taking these pills because he (Loza) gave the same pills to a mutual friend who overdosed and died. According to the affidavit, a laboratory test verified that a sample of the pills Loza sold contained fentanyl.
In addition, the affidavit alleges that on November 22, 2019, Loza sold 500 more counterfeit pills to an undercover officer and then told the officer that he had 10,000 more of the same pills for sale. Further, the affidavit alleges Loza sold two ounces of heroin on September 10, 2019.
Loza and Walker are charged with distribution of controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
Loza and Walker were arrested on December 12, 2019. At the time of Loza’s arrest, law enforcement agents found more than 2,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills hidden in hallowed out compartments of his furniture.
Defendants Loza and Walker made their initial appearances this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson. Both defendants currently are in custody. Walker’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, December 16, 2019, for appointment of counsel. Loza’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, 2019, for a hearing to address detention issues.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A term of supervised release, fines, forfeitures, and restitution also may be ordered, however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The complaint contains allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Weingarten is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Linda Love. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Doctor Described as ‘Candy Man’ and ‘El Chapo of Opioids’ Indicted for Distributing Opioids to PatientsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County doctor has been indicted for distributing opioids without a legitimate medical reason and falsifying medical records to cover it up, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Robert Delagente, 45, of Oakland, New Jersey, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances, three counts of distribution of controlled dangerous substances, and one count of falsifying medical records. Delagente will be arraigned at a later date.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in May 2014, Delagente was a doctor at a medical practice called North Jersey Family Medicine (NJFM) in Oakland, New Jersey. He allegedly described himself in conversations pertaining to his prescribing of painkillers as the “Candy Man” and the “El Chapo of Opioids.” Delagente knowingly prescribed controlled substances, such as oxycodone, Percocet, Tylenol with codeine, and various benzodiazepines (alprazolam, diazepam, clonazepam, and temazepam), outside the ordinary course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. He ignored the inherent danger and medical risk of overdose, drug abuse, and death that can accompany prescriptions of highly addictive opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxers, both on their own and in combination with one another.
Delagente prescribed controlled substances without ever seeing the purported patient for a medical visit or even discussing with the patient the medical need for the prescription. He allowed patients to ask him for controlled substances via text message and would write a prescription for patients that he would leave at the front desk, without requiring an office visit or consultation of any kind. He allowed patients to dictate the strength and dosage of the controlled substances he prescribed for them. Delagente also prescribed the dangerous drug combination known as the “Holy Trinity,” comprised of opioids (usually oxycodone), benzodiazepines (usually alprazolam) and muscle relaxers (usually carisoprodol).
Delagente failed to monitor patients for addiction and ignored drug screening tests to determine whether certain patients were taking illicit drugs. In fact, Delagente prescribed controlled substances to patients he knew were addicted to opioids or other controlled substances. In one instance, an NJFM employee texted Delagente that a patient had gotten a babysitter and driven a long distance to get to the practice, but had been unable to see a doctor. Delagente responded: “Oh well … C’est la vie! Lol … He can wait for his oral heroin another day. Lol.”
One patient texted Delagente that the patient “probably can’t stop the pk’s,” referring to painkillers. The patient told Delagente that the patient “would need a plan to stop…not cold turkey.” A few days later, when the patient was having trouble obtaining pain medication, the patient wrote to Delagente that “If I go 4 days without [painkillers] I am in huge trouble.” In response, Delagente wrote “I will leave you a short supply RX [prescription] at the front to pick up.” Delagente then wrote the patient a prescription for 120 tablets of 30-milligram oxycodone for 30 days. Delagente at one point told this patient: “I’m literally sticking my neck out and can lose my medical license or [be] arrested for what I just did.”
Delagente also was charged with altering medical records of patients who received controlled substance prescriptions from him after law enforcement officials had subpoenaed the records in late April 2019.
Delagente faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the distribution of controlled dangerous substances charges. Delagente faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the count of falsifying medical records.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason S. Gould and Sean Sherman of the Opioids Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Marc Calello Esq., Bloomfield, New Jersey
District Woman Found Guilty of Setting Fire to her Grandmother’s HomeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vivian Marion Hairston, 37, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today for setting fire to her grandmother’s home in the Kingman Park neighborhood of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Hairston was found guilty of arson with a senior citizen enhancement and destruction of property following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for February 21, 2020.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 2, 2019, Hairston went to her 78-year-old grandmother’s house and got into an argument with her mother about not being let inside the house due to her PCP use. Hairston told her mother that she would “be back,” and 15 minutes later she returned holding a gallon jug of yellow liquid and poured the liquid all over the enclosed front porch. She set a fire and left while her grandmother was asleep in the basement and her mother and other family members, including a 1-year-old, were inside. A few minutes later, family members saw smoke and ran out to see the porch on fire. The family was able to put the fire out before there was any major damage. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined that gasoline was used as an accelerant to light the fire. The jug was never recovered. A doorbell camera captured Hairston pouring a liquid onto the porch but unfortunately cut out before she set the fire.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vivian Kim, who initially investigated the case, Dana Joseph, and Eric Nguyen. She also praised Victim Witness Advocates Tracy Owusu and Elsa Maltese and Paralegals TJ McPhail and ReShawn Johnson.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works with the Metropolitan Police Department, District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and other law enforcement partners on investigations of crimes targeting older victims. The Office hopes to build on its work successfully prosecuting such cases and in addition, the Office will continue its extensive community outreach efforts in hopes of increasing awareness to protect seniors.
More information about the Department of Justice’s elder justice efforts can be found on its Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice
Department of Justice Revises and Re-Issues Export Control and Sanctions Enforcement Policy for Business OrganizationsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced the release of a revised policy for business organizations regarding voluntary disclosures of export control and sanctions violations (Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy or VSD Policy). The Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy builds on the guidance NSD issued in October 2016, and will be formally incorporated into the Justice Manual. This revised VSD Policy signals the Department’s continued emphasis on corporate voluntary self-disclosure, rewarding cooperating companies with a presumption in favor of a non-prosecution agreement and significant reductions in penalties.
“Protecting our nation’s sensitive technologies and preventing transactions with sanctioned entities are DOJ priorities, but we cannot succeed alone,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “We need the private sector to come forward and work with DOJ. The revised VSD Policy should reassure companies that, when they do report violations directly to DOJ, the benefits of their cooperation will be concrete and significant.”
The Department encourages companies to voluntarily self-disclose all potentially willful violations of the statutes implementing the U.S. government’s primary export control and sanctions regimes—the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. § 2778, the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), 50 U.S.C. § 4801 et seq., and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), 50 U.S.C. § 1705—directly to NSD. The VSD Policy includes three key changes from the predecessor guidance, all of which provide further incentives for corporations to voluntarily self-disclose violations to the DOJ.
- The VSD Policy clarifies the benefits that are available to companies that voluntarily disclose a violation, fully cooperate with NSD, and timely and appropriately remediate. Specifically, absent aggravating factors, there is a presumption that the company will receive a non-prosecution agreement and will not be assessed a fine. If aggravating circumstances warrant an enforcement action other than a non-prosecution agreement, but the company satisfies all other criteria, the VSD Policy states that DOJ will recommend a fine that is at least 50 percent lower than what would otherwise be available under the alternative fine provision and will not require the imposition of a monitor. The prior guidance did not provide a presumption of any kind, and did not assign any concrete benefits to companies that met certain criteria.
- The VSD Policy clarifies that disclosures of potentially willful conduct made to regulatory agencies, and not to DOJ, will not qualify for the benefits provided in the VSD Policy.
- Finally, the VSD Policy was drafted to more closely resemble existing and analogous guidance from other DOJ components in an effort to standardize, to the extent possible, DOJ voluntary disclosure policies. Specifically, the definitions of “Voluntary Self-Disclosure,” “Full Cooperation,” and “Timely and Appropriate Remediation” closely mirror those provided in the FCPA Corporate Enforcement Policy.
The VSD Policy is effective today, December 13, 2019. It applies only to export control and sanctions matters brought by the National Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It does not apply to any other section in the National Security Division, any other part of the Department of Justice, or any other agency. The precise terms of the VSD Policy, and additional information about the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and its enforcement efforts, can be found at this link.
Department of Justice Awards Nearly $38 Million to Reduce Crime, Improve Public Safety in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan today joined Ann Urling, Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Jim Justice, in announcing awards of almost $38 million to fight crime and improve community safety in West Virginia. Nearly $8 million of the total will support families, children and crime victims caught up in the nation’s opioid crisis.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia Michael B. Stuart, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia William J. Powell, Acting Director of OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance Tracey Trautman and Director of the West Virginia Division of Justice and Community Services Joseph C. Thornton also participated in the announcement.
“The opioid crisis has destroyed far too many lives and left too many Americans feeling helpless and hopeless, and the people of West Virginia have borne the brunt of it,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sullivan for the Office of Justice Programs. “This epidemic — the most deadly in our nation’s history — is introducing new dangers and loading public health responsibilities onto the public safety duties of our law enforcement officers. The Department of Justice is here to support them during this unprecedented and extremely challenging time.”
West Virginia is the epicenter of the opioid crisis, with the highest age-adjusted rate of opioid overdose deaths in the country. According to data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 833 West Virginians lost their lives to opioids in 2017, a rate of 49.6 deaths per 100,000 persons, more than three times the national average. The sharpest increase in opioid-involved overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
“I’ve said over and over that we need to do everything humanly possible — and invest every single dollar we can — into helping the people caught up in the horrible opioid crisis once and for all,” said Governor Justice. “I congratulate and thank the many hard-working people who made it possible for us to receive this funding that is going to allow us to make a difference in the lives of countless West Virginians. But we can’t stop here. We all need to dig deep and work even harder now to ensure that this funding is used effectively and efficiently to help provide relief to as many West Virginians as possible.”
“Record and historic funding. These grant funds are critical to West Virginia to continue our work at combatting the opioid epidemic and to advance and combat a wide range of criminal justice, juvenile justice and victim service activities,” said United States Attorney Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia. “I am focused every day with a true sense of urgency to ensure the protection and safety of the people of West Virginia. Too many West Virginians have lost their lives to drug overdose and our communities and families have suffered beyond measure. The funding provided through the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program will support healing of the most innocent victims of the opioid crisis — our children — and further efforts to get individuals with substance use disorder much needed treatment. This funding from the Department of Justice will no doubt save lives and make West Virginia a safer, better place to live and a destination for companies to grow their operations.”
“I want to thank Attorney General Barr, the Office of Justice Programs and the Department of Justice for their support of West Virginia. U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart and I recognize that despite our record numbers of prosecutions, the opioid crisis in our state requires a plan of attack that includes education, community outreach and healthcare support,” said U.S. Attorney Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia. “These grants will help children exposed to the trauma and violence that the opioid crisis brings, add health services in our rural areas and identify at-risk individuals in an effort to divert them from a path of sorrow, heartbreak and other consequences. When we work together, real progress can be made.”
A $6.5 million grant to the DCJS will support the Handle With Care initiative, a statewide program that serves children exposed to trauma and violence. Funding also expands the West Virginia Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, or LEAD, program, which steers low-level drug offenders away from prosecution. A third DCJS effort will provide telehealth services, including counseling and medication assisted treatment, to underserved and geographically isolated communities in the state. The remaining $1.5 million in Justice Department grants will support mental health services for at-risk youth in Berkeley County and a research-based peer recovery and data analysis program in the city of Charleston.
West Virginia’s opioid-related grants are part of more than $333 million in Justice Department awards going to states, tribes and communities to combat opioids and other drugs. Most of the funding is made available through the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program, which is designed to reduce opioid abuse and drug-related deaths by helping law enforcement agencies and treatment providers coordinate their response. Additional funds are being directed to address a nationwide increase in the abuse of methamphetamines. Overdose deaths from meth and other psychostimulants rose 25 percent annually between 2015 and 2018. Grants from the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services support anti-meth task forces aimed at taking down traffickers that supply cheap and highly pure forms of the drug.
The remainder of the state’s awards cover a wide range of criminal justice, juvenile justice and victim service activities. Grants will support school safety initiatives, law enforcement hiring and equipment purchases, services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims, inmate reentry services, DNA analysis, youth mentoring and efforts to combat online child exploitation and manage sex offenders. Awards were made by the three grant-making components of the Department of Justice — OJP, the COPS Office and the Office on Violence Against Women.
A full list of OJP awards, organized under specific grant programs, is available online at https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/OJPAwardData.htm. For COPS awards, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/grants. OVW awards can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/awards.
About the Office of Justice Programs:
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
About the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services:
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 130,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.
About the Office on Violence Against Women:
The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
Danbury Man Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 10-count indictment charging ANTHONY TEIXEIRA, 50, of Danbury, with wire fraud offenses related to an embezzlement scheme. The indictment was returned on December 11, 2019, and Texiera was arrested yesterday.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, for more than 25 years, Teixeira was employed by Joseph Merritt & Company (“JMC”), a Hartford-based printing company. Teixeira most recently oversaw the JMC branch located in Danbury. Between approximately January 2012 and February 2019, Teixeira defrauded JMC and its customers by presenting sales orders, or test sales orders, to customers as though they were actually invoices. Customers, believing they were paying JMC for the work, then delivered payments into accounts that Teixeira controlled. Teixeira also stole printing-related inventory from JMC inventory and sold it online, but manipulated invoices to deceive JMC’s systems into thinking the company had sold the inventory. The loss attributable to Teixeira through these schemes is approximately $1.1 million.
The indictment charges Teixeira with 10 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.
Teixeira is released on a $50,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Danbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.