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Friday 18 October 2019
Provincetown Man Charged with Possessing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Provincetown man was arrested yesterday and charged in federal court in Boston with receipt and possession of child pornography.
Kerry Adams, 59, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Adams was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 22, 2019, before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
According to court documents, a federal search warrant was executed on Oct. 17, 2019 at Adams’s residence in Provincetown were multiple devices, including laptops, thumb drives and SD cards were located. During an initial on-scene forensic review of a laptop, hundreds of files in the computer’s peer-to-peer software program were located. At least a dozen of these files were found to contain child pornography, and three of the files contained videos depicting pre-pubescent boys engaging in sexual acts. During a consensual interview, Adams initially denied downloading child pornography onto his computer, but eventually admitted that he had searched the term “teen boy,” in the past. It is alleged that Adams initially denied that there would be pornography of 10-14 year-old-boys on his computer, but later admitted that 13-15 year-old-boys were once of sexual interest to him, but are not anymore.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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; Stephen Marks, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Secret Service in Boston; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Provincetown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Professor Pleads Guilty to A Scheme to Defraud the National Science FoundationRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Dr. Qingyou Han, 61, of West Lafayette, Indiana, pled guilty today to committing the criminal felony offense of wire fraud, before U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon. Dr. Han’s wife, Lu Shao, 53, of Lakewood, Ohio, also pled guilty, on behalf of her company Hans Tech, LLC (“Hans Tech”), to participating in the same wire fraud scheme.
The charging documents in the case allege that Dr. Han, a Purdue University professor and the Director of its Center for Materials Processing Research, devised a scheme to defraud the National Science Foundation (“NSF”) into giving Hans Tech over $1.3 million in research grants through its Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) and Small Business Technology Transfer (“STTR”) programs by making materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises and material omissions. In pleading guilty, Dr. Han, individually, and Ms. Shao on behalf of Hans Tech, acknowledged that the purpose of the scheme was to obtain grant funds allocated for research and to use some or all of those funds for other purposes, including to pay personal expenses or for the enrichment of Dr. Han, Ms. Shao, or their children.
In pleading guilty, each defendant acknowledged that the factual allegations in the charging documents were true and accurate. One such allegation was that Dr. Han wrote grant proposals on behalf of Hans Tech and submitted them and other documents to NSF electronically using his wife’s name. In submitting those proposals, neither Dr. Han nor Ms. Shao informed NSF that they were married or that Dr. Han, who was not affiliated as an owner or employee of the company, was actually running Hans Tech behind the scenes. In some of the Hans Tech proposals to NSF, the company recommended that Dr. Han, in his capacity as a Purdue professor, be hired as a subcontractor to assist in carrying out the research. Other documents justified the use of research funds to pay employees who, unbeknownst to the NSF, were actually Dr. Han and Ms. Shao’s minor children who were between the ages of 9 and 16 at the time they allegedly worked for Hans Tech. Another justification given to NSF’s Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) for the use of research funds was the payment of $3,000 per month in “rent” for a “laboratory” where the research would be performed. Unbeknownst to NSF at the time, the “laboratory” was actually a single family residence, and the over $150,000 in “rent” was to be paid to Ms. Shao despite the fact that Hans Tech funds had been used to purchase the residence and the company owned the property outright. At one point in the scheme, Dr. Han also used a company in his name to pose as a “third-party” wishing to invest $100,000 in Hans Tech. Unbeknownst to NSF at the time, the “investment” derived in part from Hans Tech’s own funds and, after it was made, $120,000 (at least $80,000 of which were grant funds) was transferred to a bank account of Dr. Han. Subsequently, the money was moved through various accounts until checks totaling just under $75,000, at least one of which could not have been written without NSF grant funds, were used to pay off the home mortgage of Dr. Han and Ms. Shao.
U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch said, “The National Science Foundation small business grants are funded by taxpayer dollars and are meant to be used as seed money to help fuel innovation and advancement in science and technology. Schemes such as this, carried out by an otherwise well-respected member of the scientific community, are an affront to NSF and the hard-working employees who administer its grants, and they also deprive other more deserving small businesses from bringing their innovations and advancements to the U.S. marketplace.” Mr. Kirsch concluded that “this kind of taxpayer funded program fraud will be aggressively prosecuted by my office going forward, just as it was in this case.”
“The SBIR/STTR program is a valuable tool in advancing NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science by increasing opportunities for innovative research by small businesses,” stated National Science Foundation Inspector General Allison Lerner. “The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to vigorously pursuing fraud, waste and abuse in the SBIR/STTR programs. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners for their strong support in this effort.”
This case was the result of an investigation by National Science Foundation, Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Michigan City Police Department.
This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster and NSF OIG Investigative Attorney Sonia Khanzode. Ms. Khanzode was designated by U.S. Attorney Kirsch to serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in this case.
The sentencing hearings for Dr. Han and Hans Tech have been set for Tuesday, January 21, 2020, beginning at 1p.m.
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Portland Man Pleads Guilty for Cyber Intrusion of Former EmployerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Kristopher Ives, 33, of Portland, pleaded guilty today to fraud in connection with computers for illegally accessing the computer network and data of his former employer, Gearbox Studios, after being terminated.
According to court documents, in 2008, Ives began working as a computer programmer for Gearbox Studios, a Portland-based digital marketing agency. Ives eventually became Gearbox Studio’s lead programmer for server architecture and support, a position of trust with access to the computer networks and data of both the company and the company’s clients.
Between February and May 2015, after being terminated from his position, Ives illegally accessed Gearbox’s computers to steal and tamper with data. He used this data to attack Gearbox’s servers and various websites belonging to Gearbox customers. Ives deleted nearly 20,000 products from customer websites and changed prices for various items. Ives also stole names and credit card numbers from these Gearbox customer websites and threatened to release the information unless Gearbox made payment to a bitcoin address.
Ives faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on January 22, 2020 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.
As part of the plea agreement, Ives has agreed to pay restitution to his victims as ordered by the court.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Oregon Cybercrime Task Force and is being prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Any public or private entity suspecting a cyber intrusion or attack should contact the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or by calling your nearest FBI office.
Operators of Suburban Chicago Manufacturing Company Charged with Illegally Hiring Undocumented WorkersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The operators of a suburban Chicago manufacturing company have been charged in federal court with knowingly hiring and harboring undocumented workers.
DORA KUZELKA, 81, of Elgin, KENNETH KUZELKA, 62, of Chicago, KARI KUZELKA, 56, of Elgin, and KEITH KUZELKA, 58, of Elgin, are charged with one count of knowingly harboring an illegal alien and one count of knowingly engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring illegal aliens.
The Kuzelkas knowingly hired at least 18 undocumented workers at KSO MetalFab Inc., a sheet metal fabrication company in Streamwood, Ill., according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Keith Kuzelka left the company last year, while the three other Kuzelkas continue to serve in executive management positions, the complaint states.
Dora Kuzelka, Kenneth Kuzelka and Kari Kuzelka were arrested this morning, while Keith Kuzelka self-surrendered to authorities this afternoon. All four defendants made initial appearances in federal court in Chicago this afternoon and were ordered released on recognizance bonds. U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan scheduled status hearings for Oct. 29, 2019.
The complaint and arrests were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Social Security Administration provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Young and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Parente and Michelle Petersen.
According to the complaint, HSI’s Chicago office conducted a civil audit of KSO MetalFab in 2017 and determined that 36 of the company’s 67 employees were suspected of using fraudulent work authorization documents to verify their eligibility for employment. HSI served the company with a written notice of the suspected violations, and the company responded by attesting that it had terminated all 36 of the identified employees. KSO MetalFab later re-hired at least 18 of the previously terminated workers by utilizing a staffing agency, the complaint states. KSO MetalFab instructed the workers to go to the staffing agency so that they could return to the company after the audit, the charges allege. Many of the workers used the same names that they previously used before the audit, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Knowingly harboring an illegal alien carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while knowingly engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring illegal aliens is punishable by up to six months in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Okoboji Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Illegal Possession of Ammunition ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed ammunition pled guilty October 17, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Cole Rongved, 26, from Okoboji, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and one count of illegally possessing ammunition, as Rongved was subject to an order of protection in the Iowa District Court for Dickinson County.
At the plea hearing, Rongved admitted that he was involved in a conspiracy from May 2018 through January 2019 that distributed more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine in the Dickinson County, Iowa area. Rongved admitted he and two associates acquired over two pounds of methamphetamine from a source in Council Bluffs for later distribution in the Lakes area. During search warrants executed at Rongved’s residence, law enforcement located and seized over 1000 rounds of ammunition, over 5 pounds of marijuana, 37 doses of LSD, 4 grams of methamphetamine, over 2 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, nearly $38,000 in cash, and other items of drug trafficking and drug paraphernalia.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rongved remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Rongved faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, Palo County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4025.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
North Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty to Running Tax Refund Scam in SyracuseRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Lathisa Smokes, age 36, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pled guilty today to filing false tax returns, and assisting others in preparing false tax returns, which caused the IRS to issue fraudulent refunds exceeding $100,000.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
In pleading guilty, Smokes admitted that from January 2013 to March 2014, she falsely represented herself as a licensed tax preparer, and told taxpayers in Syracuse that she could obtain refunds for them by filing their individual federal tax returns. Smokes convinced the taxpayers to supply her with their dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, and other information for themselves and their minor dependents. Smokes then prepared and filed 21 returns that she knew contained false information relating to the taxpayers’ income, withholding, and eligibility for certain tax credits. The false returns caused the IRS to transfer $102,918 in fraudulent refunds to the taxpayers and Smokes. The IRS has recovered the majority of the money.
Smokes will be sentenced on February 13, 2020, by United States District Judge David N. Hurd in Utica.
Smokes faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.
Nigerian National Sentenced for Internet Fraud and False Tax Return SchemesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nigerian national who lived in St. Robert, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a large fraud conspiracy that used various internet scams to defraud victims.
Segun Prosper Otaru, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to four years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Otaru to pay $25,056 in restitution, and to forfeit the same amount to the government.
Otaru is a Nigerian citizen and a legal permanent resident of the United States. According to court documents, Otaru entered the United States in April 2013, under apparently fraudulent pretenses; contrary to the requirements of his student visa, he did not even begin his studies in the United States. The year after entering the United States, Otaru obtained lawful permanent status through marriage to a citizen.
On May 2, 2019, Otaru pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting the theft of public money. According to court documents, over the course of his five years in the United States, Otaru used 13 aliases and multiple bank accounts opened under false identities in order to move funds and perpetrate various frauds as a part of an organized crime network.
Otaru admitted that, at least as early as 2016, he participated in a scheme to defraud people through various scams, such as posting internet advertisements on sites such as Craigslist.com for goods, services, and rental accommodations. Conspirators sought to induce individuals responding to the advertisements to pay for the goods and services, which they had no intention to provide.
For example, conspirators used existing pictures and descriptions of properties found from legitimate websites to create fraudulent Craigslist postings under properties for rent. When victims responded to the advertisement, conspirators instructed them to send a deposit in order to hold the property.
Conspirators also defrauded business wholesalers by tricking them into wiring funds into accounts they controlled as purported “shipping fees” for merchandise they purchased using stolen credit card numbers. After using a stolen credit card number to purchase items from the victim businesses, conspirators claimed the merchandise needed to be shipped to a foreign country. Conspirators insisted on using their own shipper and instructed victims to charge the full amounts for the merchandise plus shipping fees to the stolen credit card numbers. They instructed victims to send the shipping fees to “their shipper” at the provided bank account maintained by the conspirators, including Otaru’s accounts.
Otaru also participated in a scheme to submit false and fraudulent federal income tax returns in order to receive refunds. Conspirators used stolen identities to file returns that listed false employers, wages, and employment taxes paid. At least 167 false and fraudulent federal income tax returns were designated for deposit to seven different bank accounts controlled by Otaru and another person. These 167 federal tax returns requested refunds totaling approximately $644,280. They actually received at least $24,356 in fraudulently-obtained tax refunds.
Otaru opened and maintained a series of bank accounts – some in his own name and in the names of various aliases. In order to open bank accounts using false names, Otaru obtained from his co-conspirators false identification documents, usually counterfeit passports and drivers’ licenses, purportedly issued by nations in Africa, such as Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. The false passports contained forged and counterfeit United States visas, as false evidence of the bearer’s evidence of authorized stay and employment in the United States.
Periodically, Mr. Otaru received shipments from Africa in which false identification documents were concealed.
In April 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a package sent to Otaru from Nigeria that was manifested as “local body scrub.” In addition to a container of soap, the package contained four counterfeit passports (purportedly issued by Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) with four corresponding foreign driver’s licenses. All documents displayed Otaru’s picture but bore different names. All documents were fraudulent, and the passports further contained counterfeit United States visas.
In August 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a package sent to Otaru from Nigeria that was manifested as “native suite and sandals.” Hidden in the soles of the sandals were four counterfeit passports (purportedly issued by Nigeria, Gambia, South Africa, and Liberia) with four corresponding foreign driver’s licenses. All documents displayed Otaru’s picture, but bore different names. All documents were fraudulent, and the passports further contained counterfeit United States visas.
Otaru also possessed and used a fraudulent Kenyan passport and two fraudulent Nigerian passports.
Otaru kept some of the funds obtained from the schemes for his own use. He transferred some of the funds to co-conspirators in the United States and in other countries. He sometime laundered proceeds of the various frauds by purchasing vehicles and shipping them overseas to co-conspirators in Africa through his business, Big-O-Motors.
Court documents note that following Otaru’s release from incarceration, it is expected that he will be removed from the United States.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Niagara Falls Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Katherine Dejesus-Gonzalez, 36, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that between October 2017 and July 19, 2018, the defendant conspired with Edgar Joel Jimenez-Rodriguez, Jose Garcia-Santiago, and others to sell cocaine. On May 26, 2018, the New York State Police conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by co-conspirator Jose Garcia-Santiago. Dejesus-Gonzalez was a passenger. Troopers seized five kilograms of cocaine from the vehicle.
In addition, investigators intercepted conversations involving the defendant facilitating drug trafficking activities with her co-conspirators. In September 2017, the U.S. Postal Service intercepted packages arriving from Puerto Rico which were addressed to various residences in Niagara Falls. Postal inspectors seized approximately five kilograms of cocaine that were intended for the defendant and her co-conspirators. One of the packages was addressed directly to the defendant’s home address. Another was addressed to the home of Garcia-Santiago.
Edgar Joel Jimenez-Rodriguez and Jose Garcia-Santiago were previously convicted. Jimenez-Rodriguez has been sentenced, Garcia-Santiago is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata; and the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), under the direction of Lieutenant Kevin Reyes and Major Mary Clark.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Geraci.
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New York City Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Trafficking Drugs in PlattsburghRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Stephen D. Jacques-Scott, age 33, of New York City, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and crack cocaine in Plattsburgh.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division; and New York State Police Superintendent Keith Corlett.
In May 2017, Jacques-Scott travelled to Plattsburgh several times to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl to another person for sale in Plattsburgh. On May 18, 2017, Jacques-Scott agreed to pay Shatoya Lee $300 to transport him to Plattsburgh to distribute more crack cocaine. While northbound on I-87 to Plattsburgh, Lee was pulled over by the New York State Police. During a consensual pat-down of Jacques-Scott, a Trooper found approximately 27.9 grams of crack cocaine that Jacques-Scott intended to distribute.
Lee was sentenced on June 3, 2019 to time served (7 months in jail) and 3 years of supervised release for her involvement in the May 18 crime.
This case was investigated by DEA and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Hancock Whitney Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on Thursday, October 17, 2019, JOHN L. MURRAY, age 66, was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon for violating federal law by committing a bank robbery at the Hancock Whitney Bank in New Orleans. Additionally, MURRAY was ordered to pay $500 in restitution, serve (3) years of supervised release and pay a 100.00 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, MURRAY robbed the Hancock Whitney Bank located at 2421 St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 13, 2019. He presented two hand written demand notes to the bank teller and requested five $100 dollar bills in U.S. currency from the bank teller. MURRAY was apprehended on February 17, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Julia K. Evans is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Boston Man Convicted of East Texas Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 47-year-old New Boston, Texas, man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Armando Moya was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. The verdict was reached today following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III.
According to information presented in court, on June 7, 2018, law enforcement officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and supporting law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at Moya’s home. During the search, law enforcement officers located $198,184.00 in rubber-banded bundles of cash hidden in boxes in Moya’s closet with a pistol. Moya then confessed to being part of an international drug-trafficking ring: smuggling large quantities of drugs from Mexico to cities across the United States and returning with large quantities of United States currency. Moya described how he received drugs from his brother, Jose Roberto Moya. He also explained that the bulk currency hidden in his house was drug proceeds from New York that was destined for Mexico. In addition to his brother, Armando Moya identified multiple people involved in their drug-trafficking conspiracy, including their boss in Mexico named Don Roberto. The defendant’s brother, Jose Roberto Moya, was arrested earlier on his way to Armando Moya’s New Boston residence with eight kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of fentanyl. Testimony and extensive digital evidence at trial established that Armando Moya was responsible for delivering as much as 150 kilograms of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine from November 2017 through June 2018 to Illinois, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. Special Agents from the DEA also testified at trial regarding the deadly role that heroin and fentanyl are currently playing in the nation-wide opioid epidemic.
Armando Moya’s codefendant and brother-in-law, Oscar Alan Chavez-Belman, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. According to the factual basis in Chavez-Belman’s plea agreement and testimony at trial, Armando Moya supervised Chavez-Belman’s involvement in the conspiracy. Jose Moya has also pleaded guilty and been sentenced to federal prison. Armando Moya was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 21, 2018.
Under the federal statute, Moya faces up to life 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.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tyler, Corpus Christi, and Chicago offices and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan R. Hornok and Ryan D. Locker.
Marshall County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua R. Sipe, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing cocaine, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Sipe, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.” Sipe admitted to having cocaine in March 2019 in Marshall County.
Sipe faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Manhattan Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Offense in Movie Investment Scam that Cost Overseas Investors $14 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Manhattan Beach man pleaded guilty to a fraud charge this afternoon in United States District Court and admitted bilking foreign investment groups out of $14 million by falsely claiming the money would be used to produce a feature film that Netflix would distribute.
Adam Joiner, 41, entered a guilty plea to one count of wire fraud before United States District Judge André Birotte Jr.
As a result of the guilty plea, Joiner will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced by Judge Birotte on March 6, 2020.
Joiner used fake documents and forged signatures to raise millions of dollars from foreign investment firms based in South Korea and China for a movie project he said would be called “Legends,” he admitted in a plea agreement filed in this case.
Joiner, who operated a company called Dark Planet Pictures, LLC, defrauded Korea Investment Global Contents Fund, a South Korean investment fund whose assets are managed by Korean Investment Partners Co., Ltd. (KIP), which suffered $8 million in losses. Joiner also defrauded a Chinese investment firm called Star Century Pictures Co., Ltd. and a related company called PGA Yungpark Capital Ltd, which invested $6 million into “Legends.”
As part of the scheme, Joiner falsely told the investors that Netflix had agreed to distribute the picture, a claim Joiner supported with a bogus distribution agreement that contained the forged signature of a Netflix executive. Joiner subsequently told the investors that he had terminated the distribution agreement with Netflix and had secured a new agreement with Amblin Partners, all of which was false.
The FBI reviewed Dark Planet Pictures bank records and determined that approximately $5.2 million of the investors’ money was used to purchase Joiner’s Manhattan Beach residence and another $4.3 million was transferred to a bank account that may be linked to another film in development linked to Joiner.
This matter was investigated by the FBI.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Schwab of the Major Frauds Section.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Kenneth Kirkpatrick, 33, of Manchester, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday to 36 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers obtained information that Kirkpatrick was selling firearms. On July 26, 2018, Kirkpatrick sold a firearm, ammunition, and firearm accessories to an individual who was cooperating with the ATF. As a convicted felon, Kirkpatrick could not lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition.
Kirkpatrick’s previously pleaded guilty on June 3, 2019.
“Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The law is intended to reduce violent crime by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who violate federal gun laws.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Man Sentenced for Smuggling Firearms and Ammunition to HondurasRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his role in the trafficking of firearms to his native country of Honduras.
According to court documents, in October 2018, Chris Rodriguez, 57, attempted to smuggle a firearm and 247 rounds of ammunition out of the United States, concealed in a bucket of roofing tar destined for Honduras. An inspection of the container by U.S. Customs and Border Protection using an X-Ray machine, showed the firearm and ammunition inside the bucket of tar. Further investigation revealed that Rodriguez purchased 26 firearms and illegally smuggled them to Honduras. Rodriguez would then travel to Honduras and sell the firearms on the street.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Casey Durst, Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Baltimore Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes, Jr. and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-153.
Man Pleads Guilty to Misuse of Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ALVARO JOSE MEZA-GONZALEZ, (MEZA-GONZALEZ), age 39, pled guilty on October 17, 2019 before United States District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier, to a one-count bill of information charging him with misuse of a Social Security Number, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
According to court documents, MEZA-GONZALEZ, a citizen of Nicaragua, 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.
MEZA-GONZALEZ faces a possible sentence up to five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and one (1) year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. United States District Court Judge Barbier set sentencing for January 23, 2020.
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.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rodney Williams, age 36, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 17, 2019 to 20 years’ imprisonment followed by three years on supervised release by Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo, for distributing fentanyl and heroin to another person that resulted in the death of that person.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Williams previously pleaded guilty to supplying fentanyl and heroin to a drug customer on December 17, 2017, and the customer subsequently died as a result of ingesting the drugs in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Police found the deceased’s body on December 19, 2017.
Agents and police seized several firearms from Williams’ residence during the investigation, and Judge Caputo ordered the firearms forfeited to the government.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kingston Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Long Island Chiropractor Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Raymond R. Pellegrino, a chiropractor with offices in West Hempstead and Hicksville, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 18 months’ imprisonment for committing health care fraud. The Court also ordered Pellegrino to forfeit $504,444 and to pay restitution of $2,427,101.13 to Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BC/BS).
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
Between December 2013 and September 2014, Pellegrino used the National Provider identification numbers of medical doctors who worked for him on a part-time basis to submit fraudulent claims for medical services to BC/BS. The claims falsely indicated that osteopathic manipulation and other services had been provided to patients by the doctors. As a result, Pellegrino received more than $2.4 million in payments from BC/BS for services that he knew had not been provided.
“Pellegrino abused his chiropractic license by manipulating insurance claims instead of patients’ muscles, and now will pay the price for stealing millions of dollars from an insurance company,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the New York State Department of Financial Services for their assistance with the case.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’ Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
RAYMOND R. PELLEGRINO
Age: 50
McKinney, Texas,E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-496 (JS)
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf sentenced Angelo Benjamin Ybarra today to ten years and one month, (121 months), in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine between July of 2017 and March of 2019. Information provided to law enforcement indicated Ybarra, 39, of Lincoln, was responsible for the distribution of at least 1.5 kilograms (approximately three pounds) of methamphetamine in the Lincoln area during that time-frame.
On March 11, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Ybarra’s Lincoln residence. During that search, officers found more than 26 ounces of methamphetamine, a handgun and more than $15,000 in cash.
Following the prison term, Ybarra will serve five years on supervised release. Ybarra will also forfeit $15,867.01 in cash to the United States of America.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Leader of Counterfeiting Ring Charged with Conspiracy to Pass over $75,000 in Counterfeit $100 BillsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Daquan Jones, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, charged in by Indictment which was unsealed today with conspiracy to pass more than $75,000 in counterfeit $100 bills to numerous retail stores across Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
The Indictment alleges that Jones manufactured the counterfeit $100 bills at his home in Wilkes-Barre, and then employed numerous co-conspirators to pass the counterfeit notes to retail stores across the Commonwealth, including in Berks County, Delaware County, Centre County and Blair County. These co-conspirators, charged elsewhere, are alleged to have used the counterfeit $100 bills to purchase retail items in order to receive legitimate U.S. currency as change, which the co-conspirators would return to Jones along with the purchased items. The indictment alleges the conspiracy spanned from June of 2018 until June of 2019.
“Criminal counterfeiting of U.S. currency is a serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Indeed, it is a slap in the face to everyone who puts in an honest day’s work to earn their money. This indictment sends a clear message that we take this type of fraud very seriously and we will pursue it to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The U.S. Secret Service was originally founded to combat counterfeit currency and remains one of our core missions today. The results of this investigation should serve as a reminder that the Secret Service will aggressively investigate and seek prosecution of those considering manufacturing counterfeit U.S. currency to defraud the citizens and businesses of Pennsylvania.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of twenty years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew T. Newcomer.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kentucky Physician Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Floyd County, Kentucky-based physician pleaded guilty Thursday for his role in unlawfully distributing opioids by pre-signing blank prescriptions that were ultimately completed by others and delivered to patients not seen by him.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan Jr. of the Eastern District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Atlanta Field Office, Special Agent in Charge D. Christopher Evans of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville Field Division and Director Michelle Rudovich of the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
Mohammed A.H. Mazumder, M.D., 48, of Prestonsburg, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove of the Eastern District of Kentucky, who accepted his plea.
Mazumder was a licensed physician employed by a family practice clinic located in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. A substantial part of the clinic’s practice was pain management, and Mazumder routinely prescribed controlled substances, including opioids, to patients of the clinic. According to admissions made as part of his plea agreement, on occasion, when Mazumder was planning to be absent from the clinic, in anticipation of patients nevertheless coming to the clinic, Mazumder pre-signed prescriptions for opioids, which later were completed by other staff members of the clinic and ultimately delivered to patients not seen by Mazumder. Specifically, as part of his plea, Mazumder admitted to pre-signing prescriptions for opioids prior to traveling abroad.
“This medical professional conspired to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and violated his oath to do no harm,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “He was supposed to serve the needs of his patients; instead, he contributed to the opioid epidemic, allowing powerful opioids to be unnecessarily prescribed, even when he was not physically present at his medical clinic, by using pre-signed prescriptions. We are proud to work in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues as part of the ARPO Strike Force and to help combat this dangerous and illegal conduct.”
HHS-OIG, the DEA and the Kentucky MFCU investigated the case. Assistant Chief Dustin M. Davis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Smith of the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the ARPO Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force, which operates in 10 districts, has charged more than 70 defendants who are collectively responsible for distributing more than 40 million pills.
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Kent, Washington man who made multiple online threats sentenced to 5 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 27-year-old Kent, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for two counts of making interstate threats. CHASE BLISS COLASURDO made multiple online posts threatening members of President Trump’s family and media figures in Southern California and made threats to bomb synagogues. COLASURDO, was arrested May 1, 2019 after he attempted to purchase a firearm. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “Mental illness may explain the intensity, but it does not excuse the actions that he took or the threats that he made instilling fear in his victims.”
“This case shines a spotlight on the frightening intersection of mental illness and weapons,” said U.S. Attorney Moran. “I commend law enforcement who closely monitored this defendant so that he was arrested before he could commit any violent acts. Supervision following prison is designed to stop him from such frightening threats and behavior in the future.”
According to records in the case, in March 2019, a member of the public reported to the FBI concerns about Instagram and other social media posts where COLASURDO threatened to execute members of President Donald Trump’s family. Additionally, COLASURDO sent messages to five different media organizations that he was going to execute the family member. COLASURDO posted a photo on Instagram showing a hand with a firearm pointed at the photo of a Trump family member. When initially contacted by law enforcement in March, COLASURDO claimed his social media accounts had been hacked.
Despite his statements that he was not responsible for the posts, COLASURDO continued to make threatening comments, specifically threats to members of the Jewish community. In one post, he wrote it was time to start “bombing synagogues.” Throughout April 2019, COLASURDO sent threatening email messages and online posts to media figures in Southern California using anti-Semitic slurs and threats to kill. As law enforcement continued to track his activity, it became clear he was purchasing various items related to firearms, such as a holster, bulletproof vest, and ammunition. COLASURDO attempted to purchase a firearm but was denied.
When law enforcement served search warrants at COLASURDO’s apartment, they recovered Nazi and Adolph Hitler related items, as well as ammunition, night vision goggles, and a gas mask.
“People need to understand that such threats will be taken seriously,” Chief Judge Martinez said. “It makes no difference to the victims that the person was mentally ill.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Secret Service, in conjunction with an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Significant assistance was provided by the Sound Regional Violent Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
President Trump is the first President to sign a proclamation recognizing acts of violence committed against American Indian and Alaska Native people, particularly women and children.
Two-hundred and thirty six grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2019/factsheets/FY19_FINAL_Tribal%20Awards%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf.
Attorney General Barr announced the public safety funding for Alaska Native villages in a video teleconference with the Alaska Federation of Natives yesterday evening that can be viewed at:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/video/attorney-general-william-p-barr-gives-remarks-through-video-conference-alaska-federation.
Justice Department Awards over $270 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
In Maine, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians was awarded $899,863 in funding as part of the Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program.
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
In Maine, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township was awarded over $197,000 for the coordination and expansion of an existing victim service program.
“I congratulate our tribal partners on their successful grant applications,” said U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank. “The grants will assist the tribes in addressing violence in their communities and providing much-needed services to victims.”
“The Passamaquoddy Tribe – Indian Township is excited to receive nearly $200,000 in funding to expand our services, said Governor William J. Nicholas Sr. “Our community is thankful for the grant award, and continued support for victims in Indian Country.”
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards is available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
Eight Tribes in the District of Arizona were awarded over $7,626,420 in funding. The tribes in Arizona receiving grants that were announced today are Gila River Indian Community, Navajo Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Quechan Indian Tribe, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Hopi Tribe, and Yavapai-Apache Nation.
“These awards to eight Arizona tribes demonstrate our continued support and commitment to improving public safety in Indian Country,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “These resources will help our tribal partners combat violent crimes and domestic abuse, and provide expanded services for the victims of these crimes.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis joins the Department of Justice in announcing it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
Two Tribes in the District of Idaho, the Coeur d’Alene and the Shoshone-Bannock, were awarded over $4.2 million in funding. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe received $2,019,213 and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes received $2,278,781. The tribes will use these funds to enhance law enforcement, combat domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sex trafficking, bolster justice systems, prevent and control juvenile delinquency, strengthen the juvenile justice system, serve sexual assault and elder victims, and support other efforts to address crime.
“The Department of Justice and my office are committed to improving public safety and serving crime victims in our tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “This increase in resources, together with aggressive federal and tribal investigations, will help strengthen Idaho tribal communities for years to come.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: justice.gov/tribal/awards.
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Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in the Southern District of Mississippi was awarded $363,000 in federal funding under the Tribal Victim Services Program.
“Helping victims of crime is one of the most important things we do in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and this grant will greatly improve services for crime victims among the Choctaw Indians. We are committed to continuing our close partnership with the Tribe in order to prevent and reduce violence and ensure victims are provided the services they deserve,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
“The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Department of Family and Community Services is indeed grateful to receive this much-needed US DOJ grant for our Tribal Victim Services Program. We are making a concerted effort to combat domestic violence on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, and our strategic approach can use all of the fiscal and human resources that we can garner to eliminate this chronic problem. Innocent Tribal victims of family violence are in need of our direct and immediate assistance to foster their safety and healing, while our Tribal Government continues working to diminish the instances and effects of violent crime,” said Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben.
Chad Lamar, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi also praised the Department’s decision to award federal grant funding to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. “The fight against violent crime is ongoing and always a priority throughout our District,” Lamar stated. “This grant will greatly assist our Tribal partners in efforts to combat violent crime and domestic abuse and to better serve crime victims within our communities.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. In Oklahoma, 15 tribes and nations received in total $14,142,025.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
Four tribes in the Northern District of Oklahoma were awarded more than $3.1 million in funding. The Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma received $955,668 for corrections and correctional alternatives from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and $613, 860 for tribal victim services from the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC). Cherokee Nation received $794,575 for public safety and community policing from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The Delaware Tribe of Indians received $672, 192 for tribal victim services from OVC, and Wyandotte Nation received $132, 648 for public safety and community policing from the COPS office.
“U.S. Attorneys from coast to coast are committed to improving public safety for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. We will uphold our trust responsibility in the justice arena. Today, the Justice Department provided critical funding to assist tribal communities as they implement self-determined, impactful programs to protect their citizens,” said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues. “I am especially proud of the strong partnerships forged between my office and the 13 federally recognized tribes in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Our partnerships with tribal law enforcement, prosecutors and victim services are vital to the fulfillment of the mission of justice.”
“The Quapaw Nation has grown and developed a good deal in the past 15 years, in a way that has outpaced the growth and expansion of some of our services. We are immensely grateful for U.S. Attorney Trent Shores’ support in bringing about this opportunity to improve safety and justice services for our Nation members,” said Quapaw Nation Chairman John L. Berrey. “We will certainly put the money to very good use, and we look forward to seeing how all of these grants produce positive change throughout Indian Country.”
“The Cherokee Nation will use these funds to better protect our tribal lands and citizens as part of our fight against opioid and methamphetamine use and the potential criminal activity associated with it,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “Our Cherokee Nation Marshals patrol 4.4 million rural acres within our Cherokee Nation tribal boundaries, and we will use these dollars to upgrade radio equipment and smartphone devices so that our marshals can more quickly and effectively connect or call in local law enforcement agencies for quicker assistance. Arming our protectors with the latest technology is essential for us to be proactive in ending this national epidemic in Indian Country.”
Also included in the Oklahoma funding are the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Comanche Nation, Kaw Nation, Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Chickasaw Nation, Thlopthlocco Tribal Town and Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Six tribes and one tribal commission in the District of Oregon were awarded over $3.3 million in funding. Award recipients include the Burns Paiute Tribe; Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission; Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians; Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon; Coquille Indian Tribe; Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians; and the Klamath Tribes.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
“These awards underscore the Justice Department’s sincere commitment to improving public safety in tribal communities throughout the U.S. Pursuing justice on behalf of tribal crime victims in Oregon remains a key focus of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We will not stop until all tribes have the resources they need to keep their communities safe and effectively enforce the administration of justice on tribal land,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Bay Mills Indian Community, Hannahville Indian Community and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in the Western District of Michigan Awarded over $1.8 Million in Funding
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
"Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it."
Three Tribes in the Western District of Michigan were awarded a total of $1,890,469 in funding, as follows:
MICHIGAN
TOTAL AMOUNT:
Bay Mills Indian Community
$992,448
Corrections and Correctional Alternatives (BJA)
$580,840
Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program
$411,608
Hannahville Indian Community
$764,822
Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS)
$88,742
Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program
$676,080
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
$133,199
Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS)
$133,199
United States Attorney Andrew Birge commented that: "These grants are welcome news. The Department of Justice has a trust responsibility with the Tribes in Michigan. And these funds will support Tribal efforts to enhance public safety and victim assistance in important ways, such as through improvements to the buildings that house their justice services, providing direct intervention and aid to victims of sexual assault, and securing equipment and training for their police departments."
Bryan Newland, Chairman of the Bay Mills Indian Community Executive Council, expressed his appreciation for the awards: "We are grateful for the support from our Trustee to help us in our work to create a justice system that protects women and children in our community, and that is focused on making our community a healthier place – rather than cycling repeat offenders in and out of jail."
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards.
END
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
United States Attorney Erica MacDonald said, “Here in the District of Minnesota, the Department has awarded more than $4.6 million to five tribes in response to their most pressing public safety needs, including violence against women, opioids, and substance abuse. As U.S. Attorney, I am committed to working with our tribal leaders and law enforcement partners to address these very issues. Our Native American communities deserve to thrive in safety and stability.”
Five Tribes in the District of Minnesota were awarded a total of $4,655,998 in funding. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe will receive a total of $810,821, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe will receive a total of $624,180, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians will receive a total of $1,544,538, the Upper Sioux Community will receive a total of $243,008, and the White Earth Reservation Tribal Council will receive a total of $1,433,451.
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (“CTAS”), a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in the Southern District of Mississippi was awarded $363,000 in federal funding under the Tribal Victim Services Program.
“Helping victims of crime is one of the most important things we do in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and this grant will greatly improve services for crime victims among the Choctaw Indians. We are committed to continuing our close partnership with the Tribe in order to prevent and reduce violence and ensure victims are provided the services they deserve,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
“The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Department of Family and Community Services is indeed grateful to receive this much-needed US DOJ grant for our Tribal Victim Services Program. We are making a concerted effort to combat domestic violence on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, and our strategic approach can use all of the fiscal and human resources that we can garner to eliminate this chronic problem. Innocent Tribal victims of family violence are in need of our direct and immediate assistance to foster their safety and healing, while our Tribal Government continues working to diminish the instances and effects of violent crime,” said Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben.
Chad Lamar, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi also praised the Department’s decision to award federal grant funding to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. “The fight against violent crime is ongoing and always a priority throughout our District,” Lamar stated. “This grant will greatly assist our Tribal partners in efforts to combat violent crime and domestic abuse and to better serve crime victims within our communities.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
# # #
Justice Department Awards Grants to Wisconsin Tribal CommunitiesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
In the Western District of Wisconsin, five tribal communities were awarded over $5.8 million in funding. They include:
- Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians - $1,717,145
- Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians - $573,400
- Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians - $900,000
- Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - $1,957,170
- St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin - $717,261
“These grant funds will improve public safety and provide significant assistance to the victims of violent crimes in these tribal communities in the Western District of Wisconsin,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “My office will continue to support our tribal partners as they work to protect their communities.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
Jury convicts Cleveland man of using firearm to rob credit unions in Willoughby and Shaker HeightsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Cleveland man for his role in the armed robberies of credit unions in Shaker Heights and Willoughby on the same day.
Richode Meredith-Hill, 21, is scheduled to be sentenced January 10, 2020. A jury convicted him on two counts of armed robbery and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Meredith-Hill attempted to rob the Buckeye State Credit Union on Chagrin Boulevard in Shaker Heights and robbed the Cardinal Community Credit Union on Euclid Avenue in Willoughby. Both took place on April 3, 2017, according to trial testimony.
Meredith-Hill aided and abetted another who used a firearm during these crimes of violence, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted as part of "Project Safe Neighborhoods," a gun violence reduction program administered by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The program targets armed criminals for federal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the FBI and police departments in Cleveland, Shaker Heights, Euclid, Willoughby and Wickliffe. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Zarzycki and Kathryn Andrachick.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the internet.
Daniel Shawn Rehman, 25, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Rehman to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On March 6, 2019, Rehman pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography over the internet.
According to court documents, the website Tumbler reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Rehman had uploaded multiple files of child pornography. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rehman’s apartment on Nov. 7, 2018. Officers seized multiple devices belonging to Rehman’s cell phone, which contained child pornography and a significant amount of child pornography anime.
There also were multiple images that depicted violence and racial hatred; for example, Rehman created an image where he is wearing a Nazi officer’s hat in front of a large pile of dead bodies. In another image, a cartoon character duck is depicted with a caption bubble stating, “When you trick the autistic kid into raping the girl with Down syndrome you record it, sell the video to a local pedophile and use the profit to buy guns to shoot up the school.” Inside Rehman’s apartment, officers found a green flag hung on one of the apartment walls, which Rehman told them was a flag for Pakistani Nazis. In the kitchen, above the cabinets, officers found a German Nazi officer’s hat. A Ruger handgun was found inside a metal ammunition can, along with more than 300 rounds of ammunition.
Rehman admitted to officers that he had been viewing child pornography for several years, and that he had downloaded and possessed images of child pornography of children as young as infants.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Jefferson County man admits to role in drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jansen V. Carr, of Ranson, West Virginia, has admitted to selling cocaine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Carr, age 34, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Carr admitted to selling cocaine base for $250 in August 2018 in Berkeley County.
Carr faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy D. Helman, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Matthew Bailer, 34, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to receipt and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Moellering, who is handling the case, stated that on July 11, 2018, the Jamestown Police Department received a complaint from a parent that her minor children, Victim 1 and Victim 2, may have been sexually abused by the defendant. The parent stated that she was told by the defendant’s sister that a series of concerning pictures, sexual in nature, were sent on a Nokia cellular telephone that was used by the defendant.
Bailer was subsequently arrested on a warrant out of Missouri related to a burglary case. During a search of the Nokia cellular telephone, investigators recovered several hundred images of images of child pornography involving sexually explicit conduct by prepubescent and pubescent children.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 20, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
# # # #
Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr., joined the Department of Justice today in announcing the award of over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, the only tribe in the Northern District of Iowa was awarded over $380,000 in funding. This funding will be used to support the Tribe’s justice systems and alcohol and substance abuse programs.
“Improving public safety will always be a priority for my office and the Department of Justice,” said Deegan. “This grant awarded to the Meskwaki Tribe is another step toward making our communities safer for all.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
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Justice Department Awards over $273.4 Million to Improve Public Safety, Serve Crime Victims in American Indian and Alaska Native CommunitiesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“Violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities remain at unacceptably high levels, and they demand a response that is both clear and comprehensive,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “We will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee they have the resources they need to curb violence and bring healing to the victims most profoundly affected by it.”
Five Tribes in the District of South Dakota were awarded $3,740,989 in funding for various programs. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe received $450,000 in funding for the Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program; the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe received $716,968 for the Tribal Victim Services Program; the Oglala Sioux Tribe received $738,871, of which $449,318 is for the Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program, and $289,553 is for the Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities; the Rosebud Sioux Tribe received $1,508,794, of which $792,134 is for the Public Safety and Community Policing program, and $716,660 is for the Justice Systems and Alcohol and Substance Abuse program; and the Yankton Sioux Tribe received $326,356 for Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities.
“These DOJ grants for additional public safety funding are supplemental to existing funding levels sustained through the Bureau of Indian Affairs,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “It is our hope that they will help bridge the gap for these Tribal governments and go a long way toward making every community in South Dakota as safe as it can possibly be.”
Nationwide, 236 grants were awarded to 149 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $118 million awarded via CTAS, just over $62.6 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, about $33.1 million from the Office on Violence Against Women and more than $23.2 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A portion of the funding will support tribal youth mentoring and intervention services, help native communities implement requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and provide training and technical assistance to tribal communities. Another $5.5 million was funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide training and technical assistance to CTAS awardees.
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $167.2 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance. About $25.6 million of these awards were awarded under CTAS and are included in the $118 million detailed above.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for victims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; violent crime reduction; and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided $6.1 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $1.7 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth and nearly $500,000 to support tribal research on missing and murdered indigenous women and children and other public safety-related topics.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/awards. A listing of all other announced tribal awards are available at: https://go.usa.gov/xVJuE.
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 Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Oct. 15 was:
Elvin Ricardo Perez-Villar, 30, of Mexico, on charges of illegal reentry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Perez-Villar faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Perez-Villar was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. Pacer case reference. 19-77.
Lucia Marlene Mendez, 34, of Tampa, FL, on charges of attempted transportation of illegal aliens. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mendez faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Mendez was released pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. Pacer case reference. 19-76.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 15 was:
Allan Roy Goodman, 42, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Goodman faces a maximum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Goodman was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the FBI and Montana Regional Violent Crimes Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-43.
If any of the above cases are 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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Houston Man Charged with Possession of HeroinRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WILSON ROMERO, age 53, of Katy, Texas, was charged today in a one-count indictment with possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
According to the indictment, on May 6, 2019, ROMERO possessed over 100 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
If convicted, ROMERO faces a sentence of between 5 years and 40 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Louisiana State Police in investigating this case.
An indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maria M. Carboni and Jonathan L. Shih are in charge of the prosecution.
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Harrison County man sentenced for methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jack F. Gibbins, III, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 24 months incarceration for distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Gibbins, age 41, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine - Aiding and Abetting” in May 2019. Gibbins admitted to distributing methamphetamine in March 2018 in Harrison County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Harrison County man sentenced for his role in a methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David Weaver, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 37 months incarceration for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Weaver, age 34, pled guilty to “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location” in March 2019. Weaver admitted to selling methamphetamine near Washington Irving Middle School in Harrison County in October 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Guilty Plea Entered for Theft, Bribery, and Conspiracy Charges Related to Business Dealings with an Oklahoma Indian Tribal TownRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that AARON DEWAYNE TERRY, age 63, of Wichita Falls, Texas, entered a guilty plea via Superseding Indictment in connection with the theft and embezzlement of funds from business entities wholly owned by the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town (AQTT) of Wetumka, Oklahoma.
The AQTT is a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Oklahoma with an enrollment of around 280 members. The AQTT-owned business entities focus primarily on federal contract procurement in Huntsville, AL. Mr. Terry held various executive management and control positions within the AQTT-owned business entities during this period.
Mr. Terry pled guilty to one count of Theft By An Agent Of An Indian Tribal Government Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A); one count of Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(B); and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Mr. Terry also pled guilty via Information to two counts of personal Tax Fraud, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Office of Inspector General – General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General – Small Business Administration, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Army Criminal Investigation Command.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Mr. Terry remains free on bond, pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Horn, Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Jordan represented the United States at the plea hearing.
Greensburg Doctor Convicted at Trial of Illegally Dispensing Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – After deliberating for eight hours, a federal jury late yesterday found Dr. Milad Shaker guilty of 14 counts of illegal dispensing of opioids, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Shaker, 50, of Greensburg, PA, was tried before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
U.S. Attorney Brady stated, "The conviction of Milad Shaker reflects this office’s commitment to prosecuting unethical physicians who are responsible for the opioid crisis through their illegal prescribing of Scheduled substances. Shaker’s own statements at trial demonstrate his callous and complete disregard for the health of his patient and the potential damage of his actions."
The evidence introduced during the six-day trial established that from October 2014 through March 2017, Shaker, a primary care physician, illegally dispensed Hydrocodone, Percoset and Tramadol to a patient in return for sex and sexually explicit photos and texts. According to testimony at trial, Shaker would meet the patient at various hotels in Westmoreland and Fayette counties and at two locations on the side of the road to engage in sex in return for opioid prescriptions. Shaker also exchanged prescriptions for texts containing sexually explicit images of the patient. During cross examination, Shaker, in defending his illegal prescribing, testified that, "opioids are like candy," and "10 to 20 opioid pills will not hurt you."
As part of his release pending sentencing, the Court ordered that Shaker cease practicing medicine.
Judge Bissoon set sentencing for February 20, 2020. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 140 years in prison, a fine of $3,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert S. Cessar and Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU) for conducting the investigation leading to the charges against Shaker. The Western Pennsylvania OFADU, led by federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, combines the expertise and resources of federal and state law enforcement to address the role played by unethical medical professionals in the opioid epidemic.
The agencies comprising the Western Pennsylvania OFADU include: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Criminal Division, Civil Division and Asset Forfeiture Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Licensing.
Former Osteo Relief Institutes and Their Owners to Pay over $7.1 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Knee Injections and BracesRead the Press Release
Seven former Osteo Relief Institutes (ORIs) and their owners have agreed to pay the United States collectively more than $7.1 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they knowingly billed Medicare for medically unnecessary viscosupplementation injections and medically unnecessary knee braces, the Justice Department announced today.
“Billing Medicare for medically unnecessary items and procedures puts patients at risk and wastes taxpayer funds,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will pursue companies and individuals who seek to benefit at the expense of federal health care programs and their beneficiaries.”
“Providers who bill the Medicare system must do so in a manner that is consistent with good patient care,” said Erica MacDonald, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota. “When individuals and entities permit financial motivation to cloud their judgment, our office is committed to addressing these abuses. We very much appreciate the tireless investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Health and Human Services in pursuing this nationwide investigation.”
“This settlement demonstrates that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to identify and hold accountable those healthcare providers who improperly bill medically unnecessary services,” said Robert M. Duncan Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “It is also an example of our commitment to identify those who seek to defraud the government, as well as to work with whistleblowers, who play a critical role in helping keep entities honest, and are encouraged to report suspected waste, fraud, and abuse by those billing federal programs.”
“Providing unnecessary care in an effort to increase profits is illegal and may put patients at risk,” said Lamont Pugh, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “The OIG’s five-year compliance agreement in the Osteo Relief Institutes case is designed to ensure such alleged behavior will not be repeated.”
Viscosupplementation is a treatment for osteoarthritis, in which a doctor injects a gel-like fluid into a patient’s knee joint to act as a lubricant and to supplement the natural properties of joint fluid. The government alleged that these clinics administered viscosupplementation injections to patients who did not need them, used multiple brands of viscosupplements successively on patients without clinical support, and used discounted viscosupplements reimported from foreign countries. The government also alleged that they provided unnecessary custom knee braces to patients.
The ORI clinics and their owners in Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego, California; Lexington, Kentucky; Wall Township, New Jersey; Dallas, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas have agreed collectively to pay the United States $6 million, and the clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has agreed to pay the United States approximately $1.13 million to resolve its role in the submission of false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary viscosupplementation and braces.
Contemporaneous with the civil settlement, the settling ORI clinics and related parties entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The CIA requires implementation of comprehensive compliance controls and annual ORI clinics claims reviews by an Independent Review Organization.
The allegations resolved by today’s settlement were identified by a government investigation that arose out of a critical analysis of Medicare claims data. The settlement also resolves a lawsuit filed against the ORIs and their owners under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. The Act allows the government to intervene and take over the action, as it did, in part, in this case. The whistleblower in this action will receive $857,550.
The government’s settlement in this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was investigated by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Former New York State Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Joseph Chojnacki, 26, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Murray, who is handling the case, stated that after receiving a tip of suspected child pornography from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Homeland Security Investigations traced the suspected child pornography to the defendant, a New York State Corrections Officer.
On May 9, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Chojnacki’s Louis Street residence. Investigators seized various computers, electronic devices, and electronic media. A total of approximately 3,814 images and 138 videos of child pornography were discovered on the defendant's electronic devices. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors less than 12 years old, as well as sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Former New York Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A former Auburn, New York, business owner pleaded guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to filing a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith for the Northern District of New York.
As alleged in court documents, Timothy Blackman, 48, was a self-employed contractor providing construction and remodeling services to customers. During the years 2007 through 2010, Blackman failed to file income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and failed to pay income taxes. After learning of an IRS criminal investigation in June 2010 concerning his income taxes, Blackman filed his 2007 individual tax return late, and willfully falsified that return by understating his true business receipts and total income from his construction and remodeling business. Blackman previously pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion in the Northern District of New York on March 19, 2004, for which he received a sentence of 15 months’ imprisonment.
Senior United States District Court Judge Norman A. Mordue scheduled sentencing for Feb. 17, 2020. The charge to which Blackman pleaded guilty carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief John Kane and Trial Attorney Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Former LEO charged with civil rights violationsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A former local police officer has been taken into custody for allegedly sexually assaulting two men while in custody, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Matthew Lee Sepulveda, 24, Edinburg, was a former law enforcement officer with the Progreso Police Department, serving from April 17 to July 2 of this year.
The criminal complaint filed under seal yesterday was unsealed today upon his arrest. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker Monday.
The charges allege Sepulveda violated the civil rights of two individuals while acting under his authority as a uniformed police officer. Specifically, he allegedly performed oral sex on two men while they were in his custody.
If convicted, Sepulveda faces up to life in federal prison.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Former Honduran Congressman Tony Hernández Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms and False-Statements OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Wendy C. Woolcock, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against JUAN ANTONIO HERNÁNDEZ ALVARADO, a/k/a “Tony Hernández” (“HERNÁNDEZ”) on all four counts in the Superseding Indictment, which included cocaine-importation, weapons, and false-statements offenses. HERNÁNDEZ is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2020.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Former Honduran congressman Tony Hernandez was involved in all stages of the trafficking through Honduras of multi-ton loads of cocaine that were destined for the U.S. Hernandez bribed law enforcement officials to protect drug shipments, solicited large bribes from major drug traffickers, and arranged machinegun-toting security for cocaine shipments. Today, Hernandez stands convicted of his crimes and faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Wendy C. Woolcock said: “This conviction serves as a warning to all those who traffic illegal drugs into our country with complete disregard for human life. The United States will not tolerate any individual or organization that seeks to gain profit through violence and corruption. The DEA will continue to stand with its partners to pursue justice regardless of social status. No one is exempt from being held accountable for predatory criminal activity.”
As reflected in the Superseding Indictment and the evidence presented at trial:
HERNÁNDEZ is a former member of the National Congress of Honduras, the brother of the current President of Honduras, and a large-scale drug trafficker who worked with other drug traffickers in, among other places, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, to import cocaine into the United States. From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2018, HERNÁNDEZ helped process, receive, transport, and distribute multi-ton loads of cocaine that arrived in Honduras via planes, helicopters, and go-fast vessels. HERNÁNDEZ controlled cocaine laboratories in Honduras and Colombia, at which some of his cocaine was stamped with the symbol “TH,” i.e., “Tony Hernández.” HERNÁNDEZ also coordinated and, at times, participated in providing heavily armed security for cocaine shipments transported within Honduras, including by members of the Honduran National Police and drug traffickers armed with machineguns and other weapons. HERNÁNDEZ also used members of the Honduran National Police to coordinate the drug-related murder of Franklin Arita in 2011, and he used drug-trafficking associates to murder a drug worker known as “Chino” in 2013. In connection with these activities, HERNÁNDEZ participated in the importation of almost 200,000 kilograms of cocaine into the United States.
HERNÁNDEZ made millions of dollars through his cocaine trafficking, and he funneled millions of dollars of drug proceeds to National Party campaigns to impact Honduran presidential elections in 2009, 2013, and 2017. Between 2010 and at least 2013, one of HERNÁNDEZ’s principal co-conspirators was former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, a/k/a “Chapo.” During that period, HERNÁNDEZ helped Guzmán Loera with numerous large cocaine shipments and delivered a $1 million bribe from Guzmán Loera to HERNÁNDEZ’s brother in connection with the 2013 national elections in Honduras.
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HERNÁNDEZ, 42, was convicted on four counts: (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of life; (2) using and carrying machine guns during, and possessing machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of 30 years; (3) conspiring to use and carry machine guns during, and to possess machine guns in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum prison term of life; and (4) making false statements to federal agents, which carries a maximum prison term of five years.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Houle, Jason A. Richman, Matthew J. Laroche, and Emil J. Bove III are in charge of the prosecution.