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22 November 2019
Former Hollywood Digital Marketing Executive and Professional Poker Player Admits Embezzling $22 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former executive at StyleHaul Inc., a digital marketing company that represents “influencers” on Instagram and YouTube, pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for embezzling more than $22 million from his employer and then using the stolen money for personal expenses and crypto-currency gambling.
Dennis Blieden, 30, formerly of Santa Monica and now a resident of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to his plea agreement, between October 2015 and March 2019, Blieden was the controller and vice president of accounting and finance for StyleHaul, a digital company once based in Hollywood, but which relocated to London earlier this year.
As part of his job, Blieden had control over the company’s bank accounts, and he abused this authority to wire company money to his personal bank account, according to a plea agreement. Blieden then used the stolen money to pay for personal expenses and to fund his crypto-currency accounts.
To conceal his scheme, Blieden made fraudulent entries in StyleHaul’s accounting records, falsely representing that the illegal wire transfers he made were authorized payments of money due to StyleHaul clients. Blieden also falsely indicated on one of StyleHaul’s bank accounts that wire transfers to Blieden’s personal bank account were “equity” draws that the company owed him, according to court documents. Furthermore, Blieden created fictitious wire transfer letters that purported to be from Western Union and were designed to make it appear that he had caused wire transfers from StyleHaul to pay money it purportedly owed to a client, the plea agreement states.
Blieden also disguised his fraud by creating a fictitious lease in May 2018 for the rental of a condominium in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, which bore a forged signature of a StyleHaul executive, according to the plea agreement. Blieden admitted that he illicitly transferred $230,000 of StyleHaul’s funds by falsely representing that the condominium was being rented for business purposes for StyleHaul’s clients and employees. This conduct forms the basis of the aggravated identity theft charge.
Blieden, who has entered and won professional poker tournaments, also frequently engaged in online gambling with crypto-currency he purchased with embezzled money, according to court documents. During the course of the alleged scheme, Blieden used money he stole from his employer to write $1,204,000 in personal checks to poker players, $1,134,956 was used to pay off his credit cards, and $8,473,734 was transferred to Blieden’s crypto-currency accounts, according to court documents.
On February 21 and 22, shortly before his dismissal from StyleHaul, Blieden entered into two poker tournaments, wherein the buy-in amounts were $52,000 and $103,000, respectively, court papers state.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled a March 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Blieden will face a statutory maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this case.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Valerie L. Makarewicz of the Major Frauds Section.
Former Hillsborough Community College Professor Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Possessing and Distributing Child Sex Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Howard Joseph Vorder Bruegge, III (36, Tampa) to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing and distributing child pornography.
Vorder Bruegge had pleaded guilty on March 29, 2019.
According to court documents, Vorder Bruegge, using the internet monikers “JoeBlow73” and “JoeBlowFL,” distributed child sex abuse videos on multiple occasions. He also collected child pornography on his cellphone, including sex abuse videos of babies and toddlers. His collection included more than 200 images and 47 videos depicting child sex abuse, including videos known by law enforcement to have been produced in the Tampa Bay area. Vorder Bruegge’s devices also contained conversations where he discussed a desire to sexually abuse his friend’s children.
Vorder Bruegge also used his phone to film and publically share voyeur videos on the internet and utilized peepholes in college campus bathrooms to film students while they were in restroom stalls. He then distributed those videos on websites that hosted voyeur content. Vorder Bruegge’s phone contained at least four videos capturing adult males through peepholes in public HCC restrooms.
“All child exploitation is sickening, but it is deeply disturbing when a person who held a position of trust is the criminal who magnified the harm to the child victims,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Cochran.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Former Fort Polk Soldier Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Brandon Hall, 23, a former Fort Polk Soldier from Yakima, Washington, was sentenced on November 19, 2019, by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr., to 15 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Hall pleaded guilty on April 18, 2019.
According to court documents, from November 30, 2017, to December 26, 2017, Hall had an online sexual relationship with a 14-year-old minor female living in Missouri. During their time communicating online via web camera, the defendant solicited and captured sexually explicit video of the minor.
The FBI and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, as well as 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.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
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Former Erie-area Resident Found Guilty of 8 Counts of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - After deliberating an hour on Thursday afternoon, a federal jury of six men and six women found Scott A. Anthony guilty of eight counts of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Scott A. Anthony, 49, of Pleasantville, PA was tried before United States District Judge David S. Cercone in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that Anthony produced sexually explicit videos depicting two minors. Anthony surreptitiously recorded the two minor victims while they were in the bathroom.
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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for March 25, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 240 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Anthony was immediately taken into custody upon conviction.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Millcreek Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Anthony.
Former Caregivers Plead Guilty to Violating Rights of Resident with Developmental DisabilityRead the Press Release
Sherry K. Paulo, 54, and Anthony R. Flores, 59, husband and wife, and former employees of a Missouri residential treatment facility, pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Western District of Missouri to criminal civil rights charges arising from the death of C.D., a Missouri ward of the state with developmental disabilities. Paulo and Flores each pleaded guilty to one count of willfully failing to provide necessary medical care to C.D., resulting in injury to and the death of C.D. Paulo also pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud arising from her efforts to hide the fact of C.D.’s death.
“The defendants were entrusted with caring for some of our society’s most vulnerable individuals, who cannot advocate or care for themselves,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “They abused that trust by depriving the victim of obvious and necessary medical care and then taking extraordinary measures to cover up their wrongdoing. The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable those who commit such violations.”
“They were responsible to provide care to a vulnerable victim, but today admitted they ignored obvious signs of medical distress and failed to even call 911. Instead, they hid him away in their unfinished basement until he died,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison of the Western District of Missouri. “They may have thought they could hide the body in a concrete-filled crate and get away with it. But when the civil rights of a vulnerable victim are violated, we will hold them accountable for their inhumane and criminal conduct.”
“The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating allegations regarding violations of federal civil rights, and we continue to hold that responsibility as a top priority,” said Timothy R. Langan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Kansas City, Missouri. “When individuals, such as the defendants, abuse their power and neglect their responsibility to care for some of our most susceptible and defenseless members of society, it is not only wrong, it is criminal. Today's guilty plea emphasizes the continued commitment to hold all perpetrators accountable.”
“Flores and Paulo not only let C.D. die, they then compounded their crime by hiding the body in a storage unit,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to fight for such vulnerable people and the government health programs upon which they depend.”
According to the plea agreements, Paulo and Flores worked as caregivers at Second Chance Homes, an organization that provided housing and care for developmentally disabled persons through a Missouri Department of Mental Health initiative. Victim C.D. had been a resident at Second Chance Homes since 2008.
Paulo and Flores admitted in their pleas that they observed C.D.’s health decline beginning in 2014. C.D. became unhealthily underweight and pale, and he grew more obviously ill over a period of several months. During this time, Paulo occasionally took C.D. out of his designated residence and put him in the basement of the personal home she shared with Flores.
C.D. suffered an acute medical emergency while in the basement of Flores’s and Paulo’s personal home. Despite observing C.D.’s physical distress and obvious medical need at that time, Paulo and Flores admitted that they purposefully did not seek medical care for C.D. C.D. died while in Flores’s and Paulo’s personal home.
In the plea agreement, Paulo admitted that she subsequently placed C.D.’s body in a trashcan and transported it to C.D.’s assigned residence, where she and Flores put it in a wooden crate and filled the wooden crate with cement. Paulo and Flores then transported the crate to Paulo’s storage unit.
Medicaid provided funding for C.D.’s care at Second Chance Homes. Paulo admitted that after C.D. died, she submitted, or caused to be submitted, claims to Medicaid for services that she purportedly rendered to C.D. Paulo admitted that at the time she submitted, or caused to be submitted, those claims, she knew that C.D. was dead and that the claims were thus false. The amount wrongfully paid by Medicaid, between approximately September 2016 and April 2017, was $106,795.00.
Paulo also admitted that on April 17, 2017, she reported C.D. missing to the Fulton, Missouri Police Department. Paulo and Flores both admitted that they falsely told the police that they had seen C.D. alive and well, even after they knew C.D. was deceased.
Under Paulo’s plea agreement, she faces a maximum of 210 months incarceration. Under Flores’s plea agreement, he faces a maximum of 188 months incarceration. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Jefferson City Resident Agency of the FBI Kansas City Division and the St. Louis Field Office of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General Kansas City Region. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindi Woolery and Gregg Coonrod of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Special Litigation Counsel Julia Gegenheimer and Trial Attorney Janea Lamar of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Criminal Section. The Fulton, Missouri Police Department and Callaway County Prosecutor Christopher Wilson contributed significantly to the successful investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Former CIA Officer Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit EspionageRead the Press Release
A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) case officer was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for conspiring to communicate, deliver and transmit national defense information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“In just over a year, we have convicted three Americans for committing espionage offenses on behalf of the Chinese government. Each has now received a sentence of at least a decade,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Sadly, all three of them are former members of the U.S. Intelligence Community. These convictions and sentences should send a strong message to current and former security clearance holders: be aware that the Chinese government targets you -- and if you betray us, be aware that the Department of Justice will hold you accountable.”
“As I stated at the time of the defendant’s admission of guilt, those Americans entrusted with our government’s most closely held secrets have a tremendous responsibility to safeguard that information,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing that responsibility and honoring his commitment to not disclose national defense information, Lee sold out his country, conspired to become a spy for a foreign government, and then repeatedly lied to investigators about his conduct. This prosecution and sentence should serve as a clear warning to others who are contemplating selling out to the highest bidder and capitalizing on their position of trust. My thanks to the prosecutors, agents and our intelligence community partners for their terrific work on this important case.”
According to court documents, Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 55, left the CIA in 2007 and began residing in Hong Kong. In April 2010, two Chinese intelligence officers (IOs) approached Lee and offered to pay him for national defense information he had acquired as a CIA case officer. The IOs also told Lee they had prepared for him a gift of $100,000 cash, and they offered to take care of him “for life” in exchange for his cooperation.
Beginning sometime in May 2010 and continuing into at least 2011, Lee received requests for information, or taskings, from the Chinese IOs. The majority of the taskings asked Lee to reveal sensitive information about the CIA, including national defense information. On May 14, 2010, Lee made or caused to be made a cash deposit of $138,000 HKD (approximately $17,468 in USD) into his personal bank account in Hong Kong. This would be the first of hundreds of thousands of dollars (USD equivalent) in cash deposits Lee made or caused to be made into his personal HSBC account from May 2010 through December 2013.
On May 26, 2010, Lee created on his laptop computer a document that described, among other things, certain locations to which the CIA would assign officers with certain identified experience, as well as the particular location and timeframe of a sensitive CIA operation. After Lee created this document, he transferred it from his laptop to a thumb drive. The document included national defense information of the United States that was classified at the Secret level.
In August 2012, the FBI conducted a court-authorized search of a hotel room in Honolulu, Hawaii, registered in Lee’s name. The search revealed that Lee possessed the thumb drive within his personal luggage. The FBI forensically imaged the thumb drive and later located the document in the unallocated space of the thumb drive, meaning that it had been deleted. The search also revealed that Lee possessed a day planner and an address book that contained handwritten notes made by Lee that mostly related to his work as a CIA case officer prior to 2004. These notes included, among other things, intelligence provided by CIA assets, true names of assets, operational meeting locations and phone numbers, and information about covert facilities.
“Mr. Lee served as a CIA officer and was entrusted with extremely sensitive national security information, and he broke that trust with no regard for the consequences,” said John Brown, Assistant Director of Counterintelligence for the FBI. “His actions aided a foreign government, hurt our national security, and jeopardized the safety of his former intelligence colleagues. The FBI takes such acts of betrayal very seriously and will be relentless in pursuing these cases. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring Mr. Lee to justice.”
“Lee betrayed his own country for greed and put his former colleagues at risk. The seriousness of his betrayal and crime is demonstrated by today's sentencing,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who put our nation's security in danger to benefit our adversaries. The U.S. government will not stand by while the Chinese intelligence service targets our government employees for their gain and to the detriment of U.S. national security.”
During 2012, Lee had a series of interviews with the CIA. Throughout these interviews, in response to questions about what the IOs had wanted from him, Lee intentionally failed to disclose that he had received taskings from them. In May 2013, the FBI conducted multiple interviews with Lee. During one of those interviews, Lee admitted that he had received taskings but stated that he had not kept the written requests because they would tend to incriminate him.
The FBI interviewers also confronted Lee with the sensitive document discovered on the thumb drive. Lee falsely denied that he possessed it, claimed not to know who created it, and denied knowing why it would have been on his computer. He also denied deleting the document. Approximately one week later, in another FBI interview, Lee admitted that he created the document in response to two taskings from the IOs and transferred it to a thumb drive. He also said he thought about giving it to the IOs but never did.
In a January 2018 interview with the FBI, Lee falsely denied that he ever kept any work-related notes at home. When shown a photocopy of the front covers of the day planner and address book described above, as well as a copy of his handwriting therein, Lee falsely denied that he possessed the notebooks while transiting through Hawaii in August 2012. Lee also falsely denied that either of the books contained notes from asset meetings but conceded that any such notes would be classified. Further, Lee falsely denied that he ever put the sensitive document on a thumb drive, notwithstanding the fact that he had admitted having done so when interviewed by FBI agents in May 2013. Finally, Lee also falsely told the interviewing agents that in drafting this document he was writing down things “more [like] a diary thing,” notwithstanding the fact that in May 2013 he had told FBI agents that he had created the document in response to two taskings from the Chinese IOs.
Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government on May 1.
John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement of the sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Hammerstrom and Trial Attorneys Patrick T. Murphy and Adam L. Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Inayat Delawala.
Former CIA Officer Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit EspionageRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) case officer was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for conspiring to communicate, deliver and transmit national defense information to the People’s Republic of China.
“As I stated at the time of the defendant’s admission of guilt, those Americans entrusted with our government’s most closely held secrets have a tremendous responsibility to safeguard that information,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing that responsibility and honoring his commitment to not disclose national defense information, Lee sold out his country, conspired to become a spy for a foreign government, and then repeatedly lied to investigators about his conduct. This prosecution and sentence should serve as a clear warning to others who are contemplating selling out to the highest bidder and capitalizing on their position of trust. My thanks to the prosecutors, agents and our intelligence community partners for their terrific work on this important case.”
According to court documents, Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 55, left the CIA in 2007 and began residing in Hong Kong. In April 2010, two Chinese intelligence officers (IOs) approached Lee and offered to pay him for national defense information he had acquired as a CIA case officer. The IOs also told Lee they had prepared for him a gift of $100,000 cash, and they offered to take care of him “for life” in exchange for his cooperation.
“In just over a year, we have convicted three Americans for committing espionage offenses on behalf of the Chinese government. Each has now received a sentence of at least a decade,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Sadly, all three of them are former members of the U.S. Intelligence Community. These convictions and sentences should send a strong message to current and former security clearance holders: be aware that the Chinese government targets you - - and if you betray us, be aware that the Department of Justice will hold you accountable.”
Beginning sometime in May 2010 and continuing into at least 2011, Lee received requests for information, or taskings, from the Chinese IOs. The majority of the taskings asked Lee to reveal sensitive information about the CIA, including national defense information. On May 14, 2010, Lee made or caused to be made a cash deposit of $138,000 HKD (approximately $17,468 in USD) into his personal bank account in Hong Kong. This would be the first of hundreds of thousands of dollars (USD equivalent) in cash deposits Lee made or caused to be made into his personal HSBC account from May 2010 through December 2013.
“Lee betrayed his own country for greed and put his former colleagues at risk. The seriousness of his betrayal and crime is demonstrated by today's sentencing,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who put our nation's security in danger to benefit our adversaries. The US government will not stand by while the Chinese intelligence service targets our government employees for their gain and to the detriment of US national security.”
On May 26, 2010, Lee created on his laptop computer a document that described, among other things, certain locations to which the CIA would assign officers with certain identified experience, as well as the particular location and timeframe of a sensitive CIA operation. After Lee created this document, he transferred it from his laptop to a thumb drive. The document included national defense information of the United States that was classified at the Secret level.
In August 2012, the FBI conducted a court-authorized search of a hotel room in Honolulu, Hawaii registered in Lee’s name. The search revealed that Lee possessed the thumb drive within his personal luggage. The FBI forensically imaged the thumb drive and later located the document in the unallocated space of the thumb drive, meaning that it had been deleted. The search also revealed that Lee possessed a day planner and an address book that contained handwritten notes made by Lee that mostly related to his work as a CIA case officer prior to 2004. These notes included, among other things, intelligence provided by CIA assets, true names of assets, operational meeting locations and phone numbers, and information about covert facilities.
During 2012, Lee had a series of interviews with the CIA. Throughout these interviews, in response to questions about what the IOs had wanted from him, Lee intentionally failed to disclose that he had received taskings from them. In May 2013, the FBI conducted multiple interviews with Lee. During one of those interviews, Lee admitted that he had received taskings but stated that he had not kept the written requests because they would tend to incriminate him.
The FBI interviewers also confronted Lee with the sensitive document discovered on the thumb drive. Lee falsely denied that he possessed it, claimed not to know who created it, and denied knowing why it would have been on his computer. He also denied deleting the document. Approximately one week later, in another FBI interview, Lee admitted that he created the document in response to two taskings from the IOs and transferred it to a thumb drive. He also said he thought about giving it to the IOs but never did.
In a January 2018 interview with the FBI, Lee falsely denied that he ever kept any work-related notes at home. When shown a photocopy of the front covers of the day planner and address book described above, as well as a copy of his handwriting therein, Lee falsely denied that he possessed the notebooks while transiting through Hawaii in August 2012. Lee also falsely denied that either of the books contained notes from asset meetings but conceded that any such notes would be classified. Further, Lee falsely denied that he ever put the sensitive document on a thumb drive, notwithstanding the fact that he had admitted having done so when interviewed by FBI agents in May 2013. Finally, Lee also falsely told the interviewing agents that in drafting this document he was writing down things “more [like] a diary thing,” notwithstanding the fact that in May 2013 he had told FBI agents that he had created the document in response to two taskings from the Chinese IOs.
Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government on May 1.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Hammerstrom and Trial Attorney Adam L. Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Inayat Delawala.
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. 1:18-cr-89.
Five-Time Felon Sentenced to 10 Years for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on February 3, Richmond Police officers were conducting a routine patrol in Creighton Court when they observed Anthony Peters, 29, and another person, Gary Garrison, walking in the 2000 block of Creighton Road. The officers exited their vehicle to approach the individuals because they suspected them both to have been banned from Creighton Court by Richmond Revitalization and Housing Authority. While speaking with Peters and Garrison, the officers noticed a bulge in Peters’s waistband, and conducted a pat down of Peters. During the pat down, the officer immediately discovered the firearm and removed it from Peters.
Peters was a five-time felon at the time that he possessed the firearm in Creighton Court. Law enforcement also found 3.5 grams of “crack” cocaine in Peter’s possession.
On November 1, Gary Garrison was sentenced to 8 years in prison for possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon while in Creighton Court on another date.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony 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. 3:19-cr-82.
Five More Individuals Plead Guilty in Federal Court for Felony Lane Gang-Type Criminal Activity in Baton Rouge and Across LouisianaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today the recent convictions of five additional defendants charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit access device fraud. The charges stem from a lengthy federal, state, and local investigation that has spanned numerous jurisdictions across several states and has resulted in convictions against ten (10) individuals for participating in a fraudulent scheme targeting victims in the Middle District of Louisiana.
From August 2016 through February 2017, the defendants traveled through numerous states, including Louisiana, breaking into unattended vehicles, stealing the victims’ licenses, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards, and then using the stolen items to conduct fraudulent financial transactions at the victims’ banks.
- Michael D. Gibbs, age 27, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud;
- Brandon J. Gassett, age 29, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud;
- Raymond B. Mathews, age 33, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud;
- Geoffrey D. Green, age 36, Lauderhill, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and
- Frank Jackson, age 25, of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “The convictions of ten interstate criminals in this case demonstrate that law enforcement, working together, will leave no stone unturned to bring all those involved in criminal activity to justice. This type of organized crime creates undue hardships for the unsuspecting victims who should feel confident that we remain committed to bringing these types of offenders to justice. I want to congratulate all of our federal, state, and local partners around the country for their tireless efforts.”
Bryan A. Vorndran, FBI New Orleans Field Office Special Agent in Charge stated, “The convictions imposed on these five defendants bring closure to their two-year crime spree which spanned across several U.S. states; stealing the identities of a number of consumers and leaving them with significant financial hardships. The collaboration demonstrated in this case by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, Florida Highway Patrol, U.S. Attorney's Office, and East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office, as well as all of our other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, and Wyoming was second to none.”
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge Police Department, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, Walker Police Department, Lafayette Police Department, Covington Police Department, Oxford (Mississippi) Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol and Asheville (North Carolina) Police Department. The investigation has received substantial assistance from the 19th JDC District Attorney’s Office in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Johnson County, Wyoming Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida State Attorney’s Office. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alan Stevens and Chris Dippel, who both serve as Deputy Criminal Chiefs, and former AUSA Cal Leipold.
Final defendant sentenced to prison in Operation Vanilla Gorilla, one year after indictmentsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The investigation and prosecution dubbed Operation Vanilla Gorilla reached its ultimate milestone this week with the federal prison sentence of the final defendant, representing the wrap-up one year after indictments.
Shawn Hadden, a/k/a “Shorty,” 43, of Bloomingdale, Ga., was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 in U.S. District Court by Judge R. Stan Baker to 148 months in prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Hadden pled guilty to the charges in March.
Hadden’s sentence follows a 280-month sentence for a key defendant, Trevor Aines, a/k/a “Sticks,” 30, of Garden City, Ga. His sentence, the longest of any of the defendants, followed a guilty plea to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, and to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime.
After completion of their prison terms, Hadden and Aines will serve a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It’s significant that the final sentence in Vanilla Gorilla was delivered one year after our office announced the indictments in this operation,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “While the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors mark the speedy and satisfying resolution of these cases, the citizens of the Southern District can celebrate that their neighborhoods are safer because 43 dangerous felons have been relocated to federal prison.”
Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. It targeted a major drug trafficking conspiracy linked to the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent, white supremacist street gang that started and spread from Georgia’s prison system. The 43 men and women were named in November 2018 in a 93-paged, 83-count federal indictment for a multitude of federal offenses, including trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, illegal firearms possession and counterfeiting.
The drug-trafficking conspiracy began as early as 2015 until the date of the indictments, having distributed illegal drugs through a large part of the Southern District including Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans and Tattnall counties. In addition to illegal drug seizures as part of the investigation, investigators also seized 36 firearms, including stolen weapons, a rifle with a silencer and a sawed-off shotgun.
All of the defendants pled guilty to the charges. Most of these defendants were on probation or parole when they committed the offenses, so their federal sentences will run consecutive to the sentences for violating state probation or parole.
“This criminal organization poisoned Georgia communities with their activities” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “This sentence brings a fitting close to this investigation and should serve as an example to anyone contemplating this kind of criminal activity. ATF is proud to be a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and we will continue to work together every day to rid our streets of illicit narcotics and take guns out of the hands of criminals.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division commented, “It’s uplifting to see the final chapter of this investigation come to a victorious end, not only for the entire law enforcement community, but also for the citizens of the Southern District who were directly impacted by this white supremacist gang. This gang wreaked havoc by distributing methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, while leaving a destructive path of violence along the way. Today, we are proud to have shut down this once-thriving criminal network. I want to thank our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who aided in making this investigation a success.”
“At the end of the day, citizens want to feel safe in their communities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Director Vic Reynolds. “With the conclusion of this case, law enforcement demonstrates that this is important to us too. Getting violent offenders, drugs, and guns off the streets is a continuous effort between police and prosecutors. Gang-related activity will not be tolerated in south Georgia or any other part of the state.”
“The Ghost Face Gangsters regularly attacked our community by distributing drugs and performing various violent acts,” said Everett Ragan, Director of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). “These attacks on our communities is an attack on all of us. I am proud that the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team helped played an instrumental role in the collaborated law enforcement response to stop these dangerous individuals.”
“The conclusion of this phase of the investigation verifies that cooperation between the multiple agencies involved has been a huge success in making all of our communities safer,” said Mitch Shores, chief of the Richmond Hill Police Department.
Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the DEA, the U.S. Secret Service, GBI, CNT, the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Evans County Sheriff’s Office, the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Police Department, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Port Wentworth Police Department, the Rincon Police Department, the Pembroke Police Department, the Claxton Police Department, and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Frank Pennington.
OPERATION VANILLA GORILLA BY THE NUMBERS:
43 defendants
21 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies
561 previous arrests of defendants: 184 felony convictions, 184 misdemeanors
4 defendants had more than 10 felony convictions each
4,500 months: total sentences for all defendants
104 months in prison: Average sentence per defendant
36 firearms seized
Drugs seized:
- Kilograms of methamphetamine
- Pounds of marijuana
- Quantities of heroin
- MDMA
- Crack cocaine
- Powder cocaine
Female Inmate Who Committed Sexual Assault While in Custody on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Maria Andrea Gonzalez, age 31, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced following conviction after a jury trial in February 2019, of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and after having pleaded guilty in July 2019, to attempted aggravated sexual assault of a female federal inmate. United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Gonzalez to a 20-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of court supervision after she is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Yakima Police Department (YPD) detectives arrested Gonzalez on an outstanding warrant. A search incident to arrest revealed that Gonzalez possessed 337 grams of methamphetamine, 135 grams of heroin, a loaded firearm and a large amount of U.S. currency. Gonzalez is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. During a search incident to a second arrest a few months later by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Gonzalez possessed heroin, methamphetamine and U.S. currency.
While in custody, Gonzalez confronted another inmate at the Yakima County Jail, asking if she possessed drugs. When the inmate denied having any, Gonzalez and three other female inmates sexually assaulted the female inmate while searching for drugs. No drugs were found.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Sexual assaults will not be tolerated within any correctional facility in the Eastern District of Washington. This case also should leave no doubt about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington’s resolve to prosecute aggressively individuals who illegally possess firearms and distribute narcotics in our community. Federal, state and local law enforcement worked in close partnership investigating this case. Their strong working partnership is reflected by the successful prosecution.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Yakima Police Department, with support from the U.S. Marshals Service, Yakima County Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Ian L. Garriques, Thomas, J. Hanlon, and Richard C. Burson, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Federal Jury Convicts Post Falls Man in Drug Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene convicted Adam Christopher Horty, 56, of Post Falls, Idaho, of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of felon in possession of firearms. Horty was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 18, 2018. The trial began on Monday, November 18, 2019, and concluded on Wednesday afternoon when the jury returned their verdicts.
Horty’s case stemmed from an investigation that began in July 2018. Law enforcement agencies learned that Horty was dealing methamphetamine out of a home in Post Falls. Based on this information, officers were able to conduct multiple controlled buys of methamphetamine from Horty at this residence. This led to a search warrant for the home. During the warrant service, Horty was found in possession of 230 grams of actual methamphetamine and drug distribution paraphernalia. Officer also located three firearms in Horty’s bedroom. Horty has multiple prior felony convictions in the State of Washington, which prohibit him from possessing firearms.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2020, before U.S. Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Distribution of methamphetamine (more than 5 grams) is punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years up to forty years in prison and at least four years of supervised release. Possession of methamphetamine with the intent distribute (more than 50 grams) is punishable by a mandatory minimum of ten years up to life in prison, and at least five years of supervised release. Unlawful possession of firearms is punishable by up to ten years in prison and three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force which is composed of law enforcement officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Correction, and Rathdrum Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime
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Federal Jury Convicts Great Dismal Swamp ShooterRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Suffolk man late yesterday on charges of assault with intent to commit murder and discharge of a firearm, stemming from an incident that took place on May 12 in the Great Dismal Swamp, a National Wildlife Refuge.
“But for the grace of god, the victim survived and was able to provide details about having been lured deep into the Dismal Swamp only to have his partner shoot him point-blank in the chest,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Attorney General Barr has made aggressive prosecution of this kind of gun violence a top priority, and we will continue to seek out and aggressively prosecute cases that involve this kind of senseless and wanton violence.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Maurice Lee, 26, had a tumultuous multi-year relationship with the victim, which escalated to the attempted murder in the Dismal Swamp. The defendant stopped by his parent’s home, retrieved a 9 millimeter semi-automatic handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets, and hid it in his jacket pocket. He lured the victim deep into the Dismal Swamp on the premise of having a picnic, and after walking several miles onto Lynn Ditch Road, he pulled out the firearm and shot the victim in the chest, telling the victim, “you were disloyal.” Lee threatened to shoot the victim again in the head if he told anyone what happened. Lee eventually called 911. When the dispatcher asked how the victim got shot, Lee said it was a “long story” and that he had been trying to shoot a bear. When first responders arrived on scene, Lee continued to claim that he accidently shot the victim because a bear was going to attack him.
Lee faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on March 16, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more about Project Guardian, please click here.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
In this case, the USAO utilized an expert witness from the FBI, who testified about the results of gunshot residue tests and concluded that the muzzle of the firearm had been shot 3 to 18 inches from the victim when the near-fatal shot was fired. Based on his examination, he was also able to determine that the shell casing recovered from the crime scene had been fired from the firearm used in the crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreath, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, Edward Grace, Acting Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Thomas E. Bennett, Chief of Suffolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Elizabeth M. Yusi are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-106.
Enfield Man Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMON SANCHEZ, also known as “Rome,” 28, of Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 34 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division into the trafficking of narcotics and associated violence in Hartford’s South End by members and associates of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (“Latin Kings”). The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that two alleged members of the Latin Kings operated separate drug trafficking organizations that distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. The organizations used multiple locations to process, package, store and distribute narcotics, and possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities.
Sanchez regularly supplied cocaine to one of the drug trafficking organizations.
Sanchez has been detained since his arrest on July 3, 2018. On August 1, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and Shooting Task Force have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
East Haven Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Role in Scheme That Defrauded Illinois Company of MillionsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN T. FINKLE III, 58, of, East Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a scheme to defraud an Illinois-based company of more than $3 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Finkle was employed by JST, a supplier of electronic components based in Waukegan, Illinois. Between approximately February 2015 and December 2018, Finkle conspired with Kenneth Pedroli to defraud JST through a scheme involving purchases of electronic components that Pedroli made from JST for a business he operated in Islandia, New York. As part of the scheme, Finkle instructed Pedroli to place his orders and list prices at a fraction of JST’s published prices. After Pedroli’s orders were submitted to JST at the discounted prices, the products were shipped from JST to Pedroli. Finkle instructed Pedroli to pay only a portion of the invoiced price and to make the payments directly to Finkle, which Pedroli did. Finkle deposited the payments into his personal checking account, and provided a portion of the funds to another JST employee who manipulated the accounting records of JST to make it appear that Pedroli had paid JST for the products he received.
JST was defrauded of $3,359,058.69 through this scheme. Judge Hall ordered Finkle to make full restitution.
Finkle, who is released on a $500,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 8, 2020.
On July 16, 2019, Finkle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Pedroli, of Stony Brook, New York, pleaded guilty to the same offense on April 29, 2019, and awaits sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
East Bay Resident Charged with Making False Statements to Gain Admittance for Military ServiceRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ross Anthony Farca was charged in a criminal complaint with making a false statement to a government agency, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F Bennett.
In a complaint filed November 19, 2019, a redacted version of which was unsealed today, Farca, 23, of Concord, was charged with making a false statement on an online background check application in his bid to join the U.S. Army. According to the complaint, on June 22, 2017, Farca traveled to a U.S. Army Recruitment Center in Mountain View, Calif., where he completed and submitted the background check application, also known as an SF-86. The SF-86 contains language specifically warning that falsifying or concealing a material fact on the application is a felony which may result in fines or imprisonment. In this case, the criminal complaint alleges that Farca nevertheless knowingly made false statements about his mental health when completing the form. Specifically, he affirmatively stated that he had not received mental health treatment, which the complaint alleges was not true.
According to the complaint, Farca had been in regular contact with a psychiatrist since 2011. In addition, Farca allegedly had received prescriptions for various medications and had received treatments to manage his mental disorders. Further, according to the complaint, Farca understood that because of his diagnosis, he needed a letter of clearance from a mental health professional before he would be qualified to enlist in the army. The complaint alleges that Farca requested a letter of clearance from both his psychiatrist and a caseworker familiar with his condition; both mental health professionals, however, denied Farca’s request for a clearance letter. The complaint further alleges that when Farca completed the SF-86, rather than admit he had been seeing a psychiatrist and that he was unable to obtain a letter clearing him for duty, Farca instead denied he had ever had counseling for his psychological or emotional health. According to the complaint, Farca reported to basic training on August 28, 2017, and was discharged October 3, 2017. The discharge paperwork cited "failed medical / physical / procurement standards" and noted, "erroneous enlistment; medical condition disqualifying for military service, with no medical waiver approved."
The complaint suggests that evidence of Farca’s false statements on the SF-86 was obtained during the June 10, 2019, search of his home. Officers from the Concord Police Department executed warrants to arrest Farca and to search his home while investigating messages Farca posted on an online video game website. The complaint describes several messages Farca allegedly posted using his online name “Adolf Hitler (((6 MILLION)))” about carrying out a mass shooting of synagogues and praising terrorists who have perpetrated recent mass shootings at houses of worship. During the search of Farca’s home, paperwork relating to his psychiatric condition and his military service discharge were found.
The complaint charges Farca with knowingly making false statements to a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Farca currently is in federal custody pending a continued detention hearing currently scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim on Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 10:30. If convicted, Farca faces a maximum statutory penalty maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions and National Security Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco and investigated by the FBI and the Concord Police Department.
District Court Enters Injunction against New York Company and Corporate Officials to Prevent Adulteration of Food ProductsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered an injunction against Foo Yuan Food Products Company Inc. (Foo Yuan) of Long Island City, New York, its owner and president Hsing Chuang, and its secretary Susan Chuang. The injunction permanently enjoins the defendants from preparing, processing, and distributing food products without first taking required remedial action designed to protect consumers from adulterated fish and fishery products.
The injunction stems from a complaint the Department filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Aug. 20, 2018, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The complaint alleged that the defendants prepare, pack, hold and distribute refrigerated and frozen ready-to-eat fish balls, fried fish cakes and fried fish balls. According to the complaint, the defendants failed to adequately control the risk of Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono.) growth and toxin formation in susceptible fish and fishery products.
“The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing federal laws designed to ensure food safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice works together with the FDA to ensure that Americans are protected from potentially unsafe food.”
“The defendants’ failure to respond to the serious allegations in the government’s civil complaint was in keeping with their failure to follow FDA regulations in place to protect the public from adulterated fish products,” said U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York. “The injunction ensures they are out of business until they can comply with all applicable laws and regulations.”
The District Court’s order permanently enjoins defendants from preparing, processing, and distributing food products without first taking required remedial action set forth in the District Court’s order. The measures include, among other things, retaining an independent expert to assist with remedial efforts, including development and implementation of a Listeria Monitoring Program. In addition, defendants’ expert must conduct hazard analyses and develop a written Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan for each type of fish or fishery product prepared, processed, or distributed by defendants to effectively control food safety hazards.
FDA inspected Foo Yuan’s facility in 2014, 2016 and from December 2017 to January 2018. According to the complaint, at each inspection, FDA documented significant deficiencies. For example, as alleged in the complaint, during the most recent inspection, FDA observed a failure to maintain the cleanliness of food contact sources, and a failure to ensure that all persons working in direct contact with food, food contact surfaces and food-packing materials conform to hygienic practices to protect against food contamination.
The complaint noted that, following the October 2014 inspection, the FDA issued a warning letter notifying Foo Yuan and Hsing Chuang that they were in violation of seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point and current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations, causing their products to be adulterated under the law.
The complaint alleged that defendants violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by causing adulterated food to be introduced into interstate commerce or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce. It also alleged that the defendants further violated the law by causing food to become adulterated while it was being held for sale after the shipment of one or more of its components in interstate commerce. The defendants did not file a response to the complaint.
“Taking steps to keep potentially unsafe food out of the U.S. food supply is at the heart of the FDA’s mission to protect public health,” said Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Melinda K. Plaisier. “When a company does not follow good manufacturing practices and fails to come into compliance, the FDA will take action to protect the health and safety of Americans.”
The government is represented by the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Castiglione of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, with assistance from Associate General Counsel for Enforcement Tara Boland of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of General Counsel’s Food and Drug Division.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny.
District Court Enters Injunction Against New York Company and Corporate Executives to Prevent Adulteration of Fish ProductsRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered a permanent injunction against Foo Yuan Food Products Company Inc. (Foo Yuan) of Long Island City, New York, its Owner and President Hsing Chuang, and its Secretary Susan Chuang. The injunction permanently enjoins the defendants from preparing, processing and distributing food products without first taking required remedial action designed to protect consumers from adulterated fish and fishery products.
The injunction stems from a civil complaint the Department of Justice filed on August 20, 2018, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The complaint alleged that the defendants, who prepare, pack, hold and distribute refrigerated and frozen ready-to-eat fish balls, fried fish cakes and fried fish balls, failed to adequately control the risk of Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono.) growth and toxin formation in susceptible fish and fishery products. During inspections over a number of years, the FDA documented significant deficiencies, including failure to maintain clean work surfaces and to ensure that workers were conforming to hygienic practices.
The complaint further alleged that defendants violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by causing adulterated food to be introduced into interstate commerce or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce. It also alleged that the defendants violated the law by causing food to become adulterated while it was being held for sale after the shipment of one or more of its components in interstate commerce. The defendants did not file a response to the complaint.
The District Court’s order permanently enjoins defendants from preparing, processing and distributing food products without first taking required remedial action set forth in the District Court’s order. The measures include, among other things, retaining an independent expert to assist with remedial efforts, including development and implementation of a Listeria Monitoring Program. In addition, defendants’ expert must conduct hazard analyses and develop a written Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan for each type of fish or fishery product prepared, processed or distributed by defendants to effectively control food safety hazards.
“The defendants’ failure to respond to the serious allegations in the government’s civil complaint was in keeping with their failure to follow FDA regulations in place to protect the public from adulterated fish products,” stated United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue. “The injunction ensures they are out of business until they can comply with all applicable laws and regulations.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that fish processors comply with federal laws designed to ensure food safety,” stated Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with the FDA to ensure that Americans are protected from potentially unsafe food.”
“Taking steps to keep potentially unsafe food out of the U.S. food supply is at the heart of the FDA’s mission to protect public health,” stated Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Melinda K. Plaisier. “When a company does not follow good manufacturing practices and fails to come into compliance, the FDA will take action to protect the health and safety of Americans.”
The matter is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Castiglione of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York together with the Department’s Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, assisted by Associate General Counsel for Enforcement Tara Boland of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of General Counsel’s Food and Drug Division.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny.
District Clergy Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Multiple Counts of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Urbano Vazquez, 47 of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for abusing two children in his parish from 2015 to 2017, in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
A jury found Vazquez guilty of committing four counts of child sexual abuse against two children in his parish on August 15, 2019, following a nine-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Juliet McKenna sentenced Vazquez to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. As part of his sentence, Vazquez will be required to register for the rest of his life as a sex offender. At sentencing, Judge McKenna noted a substantial sentence was necessary to protect against Vazquez’s “predatory and manipulative behavior” that had a “devastating impact on the victims.”
The government’s evidence established that between on or about April 1, 2015 and May 31, 2015, Vazquez molested a 13-year-old girl while speaking with her in a parish office. In addition, between June 2016 and August 2017, Vazquez kissed and molested a separate 9-to-10-year-old girl in various places on church grounds, including near the church confessionals, in the church basement, and in the church sacristy. The jury also heard testimony from an additional teenage girl who Vazquez kissed in a church conference room.
"Urbano Vazquez used his trusted position as a clergy member to abuse innocent children,” said Jessie K. Liu, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “We will not tolerate abhorrent conduct against our children. Survivors of abuse need to know that they can come forward with information and we will seek justice on their behalf.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Department of Forensic Sciences Leica Team. She also acknowledged those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Juanita Harris Tracy Owusu, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Lynda Randolph, Paralegal Tiffany Jones, Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Trosman, Chrisellen Kolb, and Elizabeth Danello, Deputy Chief Mark O’Brien, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Creighton, and interns Aquila Maliyekkal, Rustin Armknecht, and Sharon Foster. Finally, she also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Matt Williams and Sharon Marcus-Kurn, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Ms. Liu also notes that on October 22, 2018, the Superior Court Division’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section and the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched a hotline and e-mail address for survivors to report child sexual abuse by clergy. She continues to encourage survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy who wish to share their experiences and/or those who have knowledge of such abuse are encouraged to report these incidents to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for potential criminal investigation and prosecution, as a part of the Office’s Superior Court Division intake process.
Survivors of child sexual abuse by a clergy member that took place in a house of worship, school, or other location in the District of Columbia can call the Clergy Abuse Reporting Line at 202-252-7008 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Survivors can access further information by visiting the following website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/victim-witness-assistance/report-clergy-abuse
All reports will be reviewed and a team of experienced criminal investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates from the Superior Court Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will determine whether any criminal charges can be brought or victim services provided. The victim advocates, who are part of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, are available to offer support and guidance to survivors who wish to report.
Depending on the nature of the report, some information may be referred to law enforcement or the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
Individuals in need of police assistance or wishing to report any other criminal activity or sexual assault or abuse should call 911.
Detroit woman sentenced for role in a drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Geronda Wilson, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years’ probation for her involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Wilson, age 43, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises” in March 2019. Wilson admitted to maintain a home in Morgantown, West Virginia, for the purpose of distributing heroin, oxycodone, a crack cocaine from May 2017 to May 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
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.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Department of Justice Files Motion to Terminate Paramount Consent DecreesRead the Press Release
As part of the Department of Justice’s review of nearly 1,300 legacy antitrust judgments, the Antitrust Division today announced that it has filed in the District Court for the Southern District of New York a motion to terminate the Paramount Consent Decrees, which for over 70 years have regulated how certain movie studios distribute films to movie theatres.
After a thorough review, including a 60-day public comment period, the Antitrust Division has determined that the Paramount decrees have served their original remedial purposes and no longer serve to promote or protect competition and innovation.
“The Paramount decrees long ago ended the horizontal conspiracy among movie companies in the 1930s and ‘40s and undid the effects of that conspiracy on the marketplace,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Division has concluded that these decrees have served their purpose, and their continued existence may actually harm American consumers by standing in the way of innovative business models for the exhibition of America’s great creative films.”
In 1938, the Division filed an antitrust lawsuit against several major motion picture companies alleging that those companies had engaged in an industry-wide conspiracy to control the motion picture distribution and exhibition markets. After several years of litigation, including a Supreme Court decision in United States v. Paramount, 334 U.S. 131 (1948), the Division and the defendants entered into a series of consent decrees, collectively called the Paramount decrees. These decrees required the movie studios to separate their distribution operations from their exhibition businesses. They also banned various motion picture distribution practices, including block booking (bundling multiple films into one theatre license), circuit dealing (entering into one license that covered all theatres in a theatre circuit), resale price maintenance (setting minimum prices on movie tickets), and granting overbroad clearances (exclusive film licenses for specific geographic areas).
The Paramount decrees, like other legacy antitrust judgments, have no sunset provisions or termination dates. They continue to govern how the film industry conducts its business, despite significant changes to the industry, including technological innovations, new movie platforms, new competitors and business models, and shifting consumer demand. Unlike 70 years ago, the first-run movie palaces of the 1930s and ‘40s that had one screen and showed one movie at a time have been replaced by multiplex theatres that have multiple screens showing movies from many different distributors at the same time. New technology has created many different movie platforms that did not exist when the decrees were entered into, including cable and broadcast television, DVDs, and the Internet through movie streaming and download services.
The Justice Department’s motion to terminate the Paramount decrees would allow a two-year transition period for block-booking and circuit dealing to allow the theatre and motion picture industry to have an orderly transition to the new licensing changes.
Denver Gang Member Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Making and Selling Dozens of High Powered Guns, Including Machine Guns and SilencersRead the Press Release
DENVER – U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn today announced that Andres Jaquin Luna, III, age 47, of Denver, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer to serve 188 months (just under 16 years) in federal prison for possession of a machine gun and distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Luna appeared at today’s sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion. His codefendant, Jose Eduardo Trujillo, was previously sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison for similar conduct.
According to arguments in court and court documents, including the stipulated facts in defendant Luna’s plea agreement, ATF agents began investigating Luna in November 2017 after he told a confidential informant that he was a Sureno gang member recently released from federal prison and looking to sell cocaine. During the investigation, Luna sold 2 pounds of methamphetamine to investigators as well as firearms, including a stolen firearm. Luna began selling firearms without serial numbers, commonly called “Ghost Guns.”
The investigation revealed that his accomplice Jose Trujillo was making these guns. Luna and Trujillo repeatedly sold such firearms to the undercover agents, even after the agents told the men that firearms were being provided to Sinaloa cartel members. Luna and Trujillo also sold fully automatic firearms and tools that make semi-automatic rifles convert into automatic weapons. In total, Luna sold 45 guns to undercover ATF agents.
“Taking dozens of illegal high powered machine guns and rifles off the street has an immediate impact on violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “More importantly, getting lengthy sentences for those who make and sell them will have a lasting impact of public safety in Colorado.”
“ATF is committed to keeping firearms, such as the ones in this case, out of the hands of those that would bring violence into our communities. We will continue use every resource available to ensure public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge David Booth.
This case was investigated by the Denver ATF. The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celeste Rangel and Kelly Churnet.
Defendant Receives 147 Months in Prison for Robbing Eight Commercial Businesses with FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces today that United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced defendant Deonta Terrell Felts, 26, to imprisonment for 147 months for interference with commerce by robbery and for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered that Felts undergo three years of supervised release after finishing his term of imprisonment, pay a $200 mandatory special assessment; receive substance abuse testing and mental health treatment as directed by the U.S. Probation Office; face credit restrictions; and pay restitution totaling $7,159.24. The judge also recommended to the Bureau of Prisons that the defendant receive substance abuse treatment while incarcerated.
On June 27, 2019, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama charged Felts with four counts of interference with commerce by robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) and four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). On August 15, 2019, Felts appeared before District Judge Moorer and pleaded guilty to a robbery charge and to a brandishing charge.
Felts admitted to the following facts at his plea hearing. In September and October 2017, in the Southern District of Alabama and elsewhere, Felts committed Hobbs Act robberies of commercial businesses. Each robbery was a crime of violence per 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3) that obstructed, delayed, and affected interstate commerce. During each robbery, Felts brandished a firearm and knowingly took property against a victim’s will by using actual or threatened force, or violence, and caused the victim to fear harm, either immediately or in the future.
At 12:42am on September 10, 2017, Felts entered Baymont Inn & Suites, 5634 Tillmans Corner Pkwy, Mobile, Alabama 36619 with a handgun. He approached J.N. and demanded money from the register. Felts pointed the gun at J.N., who froze for a moment. Felts walked behind the counter with J.N. and told J.N. to open the register. Felts went into the drawer and took the cash along with the change. J.N. gave Felts $301.29 from the drawer. Felts took the money and fled the business on foot.
At 2:45am on September 11, 2017, Felts entered CEFCO, 29626 State Hwy 181, Daphne, Alabama 36526 wearing dark blue jeans with a black shirt wrapped around his head. Felts showed store clerk C.G. a black semi-automatic pistol, which he was carrying in his right hand. Felts had the pistol close to his right hip and pointed it in the clerk’s direction. Felts laughed as C.G. was standing in shock. Felts told C.G. to open the register, which C.G. did. Felts then told the clerk to open the safe. The clerk said, “I can't open the safe.” Felts told C.G. to turn the key on the safe, which the clerk did, showing Felts that the key would not open the safe. Felts then told the clerk to open the other register. The clerk handed Felts all of the five and twenty-dollar bills out of both registers. Felts then demanded all the quarters, which C.G. gave. Felts placed all of the money in his pockets and then told C.G. to “give me all the Newport green 100’s and Kool greens.” C.G. grabbed four cartons of each, placed them in a plastic bag, and handed the bag to Felts, who told C.G. that the clerk “was attractive and don't call the cops.” Felts left the store, stealing $490 from CEFCO: $400 worth of cigarettes and $90 in U.S. currency.
At 3:14am on September 11, 2017, Felts entered Waffle House, 13101 E. Flowerwood Rd, Loxley, Alabama 36551 wearing blue jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt over his head and shoulders. Felts brandished a mid-sized black semi-automatic handgun and demanded cash from the register. Felts ordered the employees, S.H. and E.T., to hand him the cash. He did not touch the register or counter. After stealing $300 in cash from the register, Felts ordered the employees to open the safe. S.H. told Felts that S.H. was unable to access the safe. Felts then left Waffle House and returned to a vehicle parked behind the business. Felts fled northbound on Highway 59.
At 10:40pm on September 12, 2017, Felts entered Domino’s Pizza, 6305 Cottage Hill Rd, Mobile, Alabama 36609 wearing a black hoody, dark colored jeans, and a black shirt draped over his head. Felts brandished a black semiautomatic pistol towards R.C., who was standing at the counter. Felts demanded all the money from the register but determined that there was not enough money in the register, so he demanded that the safe be opened. Another victim, D.W., then opened the exterior portion of the safe. Felts removed money from the safe and the register. Felts stole $388.42 from the business and fled the scene.
At 12:04am on September 13, 2017, Felts entered Circle K, 9875 Airport Blvd., Mobile, Alabama 36608 with a black t-shirt covering up his head. He pointed a black semi-automatic pistol at the clerk, C.C., and demanded property. C.C. retrieved Newport cigarettes and cigarillos from the shelves. Felts obtained the items as well as $80 from the safe and $114 from the register, and fled the store. In total, Felts stole $1,634 from Circle K: $194 in cash, $640 worth of cigarettes, and $800 worth of cigarillos.
At 9pm on September 13, 2017, Felts entered Subway, 951 Schillinger Rd N E, Mobile, Alabama 36608 armed with a black handgun and gloves. He demanded that C.H. open the cash register and give him money. Felts threatened to shoot C.H. in the foot. Felts forced C.H. at gunpoint to open the safe to get money out of it. Felts stole $200 in U.S. currency from the safe and $50 in U.S. currency from the cash register. Felts fled the scene on foot. C.H. used her cell phone to call 911.
At 9:44pm on September 13, 2017, Felts entered Dollar General, 2381 Dawes Rd, Mobile, Alabama 36695 wearing a black sweatshirt and gloves and armed with a gun. Felts walked up to the register area where one employee, S.M., was located behind the counter. Felts called another employee, J.W., to come to him. Felts brandished a small black semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at J.W.’s chest. Felts demanded money from S.M. from the register and told S.M. to open the safe. Felts took the money and placed it in his pocket. Felts then escorted the victims at gunpoint back to the manager’s office, made J.W. give him his phone, and kept the victims in the office before leaving. Felts exited the store on foot heading north through the parking lot. Officers later tracked the stolen cell phone back to the inside of the store. In total, Felts stole $252 in cash from Dollar General.
At 7:22pm on October 21, 2017, Felts entered Hibbett Sports, 3 W. Nine Mile Rd., Pensacola, Florida 32534. He wore blue gloves and a blue bandana that fell down several times during the robbery. Felts pointed a Glock handgun at two store clerks, D.S. and S.R., told them he was robbing them, and demanded that they go to the back room where the safe was. Hibbett Sports had no safe, which S.R. tried to explain. Felts got angry, pointed the gun at the clerks’ heads, and said that he was going to kill them if they did not give him the money. Felts pulled out a white zip tie from his pocket and ordered S.R. to tie D.S.’s hands behind his back. S.R. tried to tie D.S.’s hands but left the tie loose. Felts then ordered S.R. to get him two pairs of shoes from the stock room. S.R. did so. Felts took the shoes and ordered S.R. to give him S.R.’s iPhone. Felts reached into D.S.’s front pocket and stole his cash.
Felts then ordered the clerks to go to the registers. Felts followed the clerks with the gun pointed at their heads and ordered D.S. to sit down. Felts demanded that S.R. grab a new backpack from the wall in the store, open the registers, and put money in it. S.R. opened the registers and began putting money in the backpack. Felts set his firearm on the floor next to D.S. When Felts started grabbing cash from the register and placing it in the backpack, D.S. freed his hands, grabbed the firearm, and started shooting at Felts. D.S. shot Felts twice as he fled out of the front door. Felts dropped the backpack with all of the cash in the store as he was running and lost one of his stolen shoes just outside the entrance. (Law enforcement officials later recovered $1,505 in the backpack.)
D.S. pursued Felts eastbound through the parking lot of the business, then southbound down Palafox St. D.S. chased Felts one block into the parking lot of Salute Gymnastics, where D.S. shot three more rounds at Felts. Three empty shell casings were found in front of Salute Gymnastics. Two empty casings were found inside of Hibbett Sports alongside the spent rounds that likely hit Felts. Law enforcement officials also found fresh blood drops leading out of the front of Hibbett Sports, on the sidewalk, and in the parking lot of Salute Gymnastics. According to a FBI laboratory report, DNA from floor swabs recovered from the robbery matched Felts’s DNA with very strong statistical support. In total, Felts owes $330 to Hibbett Sports for the estimated value of two pairs of Air Jordan tennis shoes; $51 to D.S. for the cash Felts stole from D.S.’s right front pocket; and restitution to S.R. for the value of the iPhone 7 that Felts stole from S.R. during the robbery. S.R. was injured during the robbery and incurred $3,162.53 worth of medical costs.
Later on October 21, 2017, Felts checked himself into Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Alabama for gunshot injuries. He had been shot several times and was later transferred to USA Medical Center in Mobile, Alabama for treatment.At October 24, 2017, law enforcement officials interviewed Felts. After being Mirandized, Felts admitted to being responsible for robbing the CEFCO store in Daphne and the Waffle House in Loxley in September 2017. Felts said he had “f***ed up,” had used a “smoker car” for transportation during his robberies, and had traded drugs for use of the car. In a separate post-Miranda interview on October 24 with police officers, Felts made incriminating statements regarding robberies in Mobile County.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mobile Police Department, the Daphne Police Department, the Loxley Police Department, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Escambia County, Florida investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sinan Kalayoglu prosecuted the case.
Convicted Bank Robber Enters Guilty Plea to New Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 22, 2019, Jason G. Burgett (age: 43) of West Allis, Wisconsin, appeared in federal court in Green Bay and entered a guilty plea to a charge of bank robbery in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 2113(a).
In pleading guilty, Burgett acknowledged that he was responsible for the following robberies or attempted robberies in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan: the Farmer’s State Bank in Fremont, Wisconsin, on June 3, 2019, the attempted robbery of the Northern United Federal Credit Union in Escanaba, Michigan, on July 5, 2019, the Stephenson National Bank and Trust in Pembine, Wisconsin, on July 8, 2019, and the Citizen’s Community Federal Bank, in Lake Hallie, Wisconsin, on July 15, 2019.
Following the robbery in Lake Hallie, Burgett led police on a high-speed chase which ultimately ended in his arrest. At that time, he was found to be in possession of approximately $16,000 taken from the Citizen’s Community bank, a BB-gun consistent in appearance with the suspected firearm used in the previously mentioned robberies, a ski mask, gloves, and a mesh bag.Burgett was previously prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Milwaukee in 1998 and 1999 for armed bank robberies. He served 132 months in federal prison for those crimes.
The charge to which Burgett pled guilty carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. Burgett is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18, 2020. He will remain incarcerated pending that hearing.
The case was investigated by the Grand Chute Police Department, the Eau Claire Police Department, the Fond du Lac Police Department, the Janesville Police Department, the Appleton Police Department, the De Pere Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales 414-297-1700
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Colombian National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian national, previously deported following conviction for cocaine trafficking, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry.
Fabian Herrera Vasquez, 36, of East Boston, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Herrera Vasquez was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2019 and has been held in federal custody since that time.
According to the charging documents, Herrera Vasquez was deported to Colombia on June 19, 2009, after a 2007 conviction for six counts of cocaine trafficking in Middlesex County. At the time of his deportation, Herrera Vasquez’s fingerprints and photograph were affixed to his warrant of removal.
According to the charging documents, in 2014, Herrera Vasquez was arrested by police for cocaine trafficking, at which time immigration authorities lodged a detainer. For reasons unknown, Herrera Vasquez was released from state custody, defaulted at his next court date and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On Sept. 19, 2019, Herrera Vasquez was arrested in Revere for various motor vehicle violations. At that time, he presented a Pennsylvania license with his photograph on it but in the identity of a Puerto Rican born United States citizen.
His fingerprints were difficult to obtain because of noticeable alterations. Ultimately, Herrera Vasquez was identified by, among other things, a fingerprint match of the print on his warrant of removal and the prints taken from his September 2019 arrest.
The charging statute for illegal reentry provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine 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 and Marcos D. Charles, Acting Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Charged with Participating in Des Plaines Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man was charged today in federal court with participating in the robbery of a Des Plaines bank earlier this week.
MAURICE MURPHY, 32, is charged with one count of bank robbery in connection with the Tuesday afternoon heist at Bank of America, 1300 E. Oakton St., Des Plaines. A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole.
The federal charge was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and William Kushner, Chief of the Des Plaines Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Chung.
According to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Murphy aided and abetted the robbery by acting as a getaway driver. Another individual entered the bank, pointed a gun at a teller, and demanded money, the complaint states. The robber fled the bank and departed the area in a vehicle driven by Murphy, the complaint states.
Murphy was arrested in Des Plaines shortly after the robbery. The other individual involved in the robbery was fatally shot during an encounter with law enforcement in Chicago later that day, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The robbery charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chambersburg Man Sentenced to 13 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brett Trageser, age 29, currently residing in Cumberland County Prison, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 7, 2019, to 156 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Trageser pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent 400 grams or more of fentanyl between October 2015 and May 2017. Trageser was determined to have distributed between 1.2 and four kilograms of fentanyl pills that were being manufactured by coconspirator Nathan Anthony Ott, age 34, currently incarcerated at the Federal Correction Institution Fort Dix, New Jersey, who was obtaining kilogram quantities of fentanyl and manufacturing the kilograms into pills.
Ott sold the manufactured pills locally in Chambersburg using “runners” and then began selling the pills on-line utilizing the dark web to distribute the manufactured pills throughout the United States and a few foreign countries. Ott would mail the packages from various United States Postal facilities in Chambersburg and surrounding areas. Ott was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment.
The coconspirators received the following sentences for their participation in the conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl:
- Apollo Ravanna Bey was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment;
- Mike Wood was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment;
- Cindy Jo Wood was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment;
- Justin Chandler was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment;
- Stephanie Holtry was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office, the Franklin County Drug Task Force, the Chambersburg Police Department, the Shippensburg Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Daryl F. Bloom prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case 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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CEO of Nigerian airline indicted for bank fraud and money launderingRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged with bank fraud and money laundering for moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts in a scheme involving false documents based on the purchase of airplanes. The international airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, has also been charged with bank fraud and committing aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.
“Onyema allegedly leveraged his status as a prominent business leader and airline executive while using falsified documents to commit fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We will diligently protect the integrity our banking system from being corrupted by criminals, even when they disguise themselves in a cloak of international business.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented on the indictment, “Allen Onyema’s status as a wealthy businessman turned out to be a fraud. He corrupted the U.S. banking system, but his trail of deceit and trickery came to a skidding halt. DEA would like to thank the many law enforcement partners and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office who aided in making this investigation a success.”
“This case is a prime example of why IRS-CI seeks to partner and leverage its expertise in an effort to thwart those seeking to exploit our nation’s financial system,” said Thomas J. Holloman, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office. “With the importance of our banking system to the movement of money around the world, those attempting to use intricate schemes to commit bank fraud through the use of falsified documents and other means should know that the odds are now heavily stacked against them as law enforcement is combining its talents to protect the sanctity and integrity of the nation’s financial system.”
“Onyema setup various innocent sounding multi-million dollar asset purchases which were nothing more than alleged fronts for his scam,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “I’m proud to be part of a team of law enforcement agencies that come together to identify and attack criminals that attempt to profit from the exploitation of our nation’s financial systems.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, is the founder and Chairman of several organizations that purport to promote peace across Nigeria, including the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, and All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited.
Beginning in 2010, Onyema began travelling frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts. Between 2010 and 2018, over $44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.
Onyema is also the CEO and Chairman of Nigerian airline Air Peace, which he founded in 2013. In years following the founding of Air Peace, he traveled to the United States and purchased multiple airplanes for the airline. However, over $3 million of the funds used to purchase the aircraft allegedly came from bank accounts for Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited, and Every Child Limited.
Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema. The letters of credit were purportedly to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace. The letters were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals proving that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.
However, the supporting documents were fake — Springfield Aviation Company LLC, which is owned by Onyema and managed by a person with no connection to the aviation business, never owned the aircraft, and the company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist. Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud. After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.
Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 56, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 37, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud. Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of Treasury are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section and Lead Strike Force Attorney, Irina K. Dutcher, and Christopher J. Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Office of International Affairs.
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The specific mission of the Atlanta Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and money laundering organizations designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets or Regional Priority Organization Targets and their affiliates impacting the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for His Role in Murder-For-Hire and Marijuana Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Leon Campbell was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to nine years’ imprisonment for his 2013 participation in a murder-for-hire conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Brooklyn and Queens. Campbell pleaded guilty to the crimes in June 2019. Upon completion of his sentence, Campbell faces deportation from the United States.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ray Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, announced the sentence.
“Campbell showed a total disregard for human life, putting a price on the head of someone he suspected of being a federal informant and plotting to execute him,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The vigilant work of our law enforcement partners enabled them to prevent a murder and hold the defendant responsible for his callous crimes.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshal Service and New York City Police Department for their assistance during the investigation.
“This murder-for-hire conspiracy reminds us of the extent drug traffickers will go to evade imprisonment,” said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan. “And, it underscores the violence associated with the drug trade that pervades throughout time. I applaud the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their diligent work on this investigation.”
On April 26, 2013, DEA agents followed Campbell as he was making a delivery of marijuana to a customer in Brooklyn. Campbell spotted the agents and fled, suspecting his customer was an informant who had provided information to federal law enforcement. On April 30, 2013, Campbell called co-defendant Williams and offered to pay him $5,000 to kill the suspected informant. Williams agreed to commit the murder and chose a gang member to carry out the contract. Subsequently, when Campbell told Williams that he would personally kill the suspected informant but needed an alibi, Williams responded that it would be better to pay someone else to do the job and “get it right.” Law enforcement agents were monitoring Campbell’s phone and disrupted the murder plot.
Williams was convicted after trial in January 2018 of murder-for-hire conspiracy. He is awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan D. Reilly and Hiral D. Mehta are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:LEON CAMPBELL (also known as “Country”)
Age: 41
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 13-CR-419 (LDH)
Attorney General William P. Barr Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in 11 U.S. Attorney’s offices who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
Attorney General Barr made the announcement during a visit to the Flathead Reservation in Montana, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). In addition, the Attorney General met with the CSKT MMIP working group and the CSKT Tribal Council. He was joined by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, vice chair of the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), whose office has been in the forefront of this issue.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs.”
“In Montana, we recognize that Native American women face too much violence, and too often go missing and are murdered,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme. “The missing need to be found and brought home, murderers and abusers must be brought to justice, and violence against women must stop. With the Attorney General’s leadership, this initiative will provide an improved, nationally coordinated response when a Native American goes missing. It will complement the steps taken by our office this year to bring public training to all seven Montana reservations on how to find missing loved ones; to partner with the Montana Department of Justice (MTDOJ), the FBI and the BIA to provide two statewide trainings on using missing persons databases and alerts; and to partner with the MTDOJ and the tribes on the statewide missing indigenous persons task force to collectively find solutions to this issue.”
“Tribal leaders from across America have spoken, and we have listened,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores for the Northern District of Oklahoma and NAIS Chairman. “Now is the time for action. For far too long Native Americans and Alaska Natives, especially women, have experienced unacceptably high rates of violence. Attorney General Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative will enhance public safety partnerships in Indian Country while also helping provide justice to families mourning a murder victim or assistance to communities searching for a missing friend or neighbor.”
“We’re honored to host Attorney General William Barr to the homeland of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes,” said CSKT Chairman Ronald Trahan. “There are many issues we’d like to discuss including one that is particularly important, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons efforts. Knowing that Attorney General Barr is working to secure the safety of our people brings us comfort in the face of a challenging issue.”
The strategy has three parts:
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on NAIS, the FBI, the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
Attorney General William P. Barr Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in 11 U.S. Attorney’s offices who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
Attorney General Barr made the announcement during a visit to the Flathead Reservation in Montana, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. In addition, the Attorney General met with the CSKT MMIP working group and the CSKT Tribal Council. He was joined by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, vice chair of the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee, whose office has been in the forefront of this issue. Native American women face high rates of violence. At least half have suffered sexual violence in their lifetime or violence by an intimate partner.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“In Montana, we recognize that Native American women face too much violence, and too often go missing and are murdered,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme. “The missing need to be found and brought home, murderers and abusers must be brought to justice, and violence against women must stop. With the Attorney General’s leadership, this initiative will provide an improved, nationally coordinated response when a Native American goes missing. It will complement the steps taken by our office this year to bring public training to all seven Montana reservations on how to find missing loved ones; to partner with the Montana Department of Justice (MTDOJ), the FBI and the BIA to provide two statewide trainings on using missing persons databases and alerts; and to partner with the MTDOJ and the tribes on the statewide missing indigenous persons task force to collectively find solutions to this issue.”
The strategy has three parts:
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
“Tribal leaders from across America have spoken, and we have listened,” said Trent Shores, NAIS Chairman and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Now is the time for action. For far too long Native Americans and Alaska Natives, especially women, have experienced unacceptably high rates of violence. Attorney General Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative will enhance public safety partnerships in Indian Country while also helping provide justice to families mourning a murder victim or assistance to communities searching for a missing friend or neighbor.”
“We’re honored to host Attorney General William Barr to the homeland of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes,” said CSKT Chairman Ronald Trahan. “There are many issues we’d like to discuss including one that is particularly important, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons efforts. Knowing that Attorney General Barr is working to secure the safety of our people brings us comfort in the face of a challenging issue.”
Attorney General William P. Barr Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in U.S. Attorney’s offices in 11 states, including Oklahoma, who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs.”
In Oklahoma, the MMIP coordinator will be based at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma but will directly assist all three U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the state.
“Our Pledge of Allegiance ends with the phrase ‘with liberty and justice for all.’ Attorney General Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons plan furthers that ideal,” said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “I’m proud to see this Justice Department including Native American victims as a crucial part of our violent crime reduction strategy.”
“The joint MMIP coordinator will maximize the collaborative efforts of the three Oklahoma United States Attorney’s Offices as we work toward the shared goal of ensuring appropriate response to missing and murdered indigenous people in Oklahoma,” said Brian J. Kuester, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “Our MMIP coordinator will undoubtedly find great support from our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners and non-governmental service organizations who understand and appreciate that working together we can and will enhance public safety in Indian Country.”
“I am pleased to leverage our great working relationship with our sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Oklahoma to address violence in Indian Country,” said Timothy J. Downing, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Together, we will use this new resource to protect Native Americans throughout the state.”
“The Cherokee Nation has held strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s offices in the Northern and Eastern Districts, which is essential for the protection of our tribal communities and prevention of missing and murdered Native Americans in Indian Country,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. said. “We know these new efforts to enhance law enforcement coordination will improve data sharing and help reduce the violence against our native people.”
“The State of Oklahoma welcomes the Department of Justice’s focus on reducing violence in Indian Country,” said Lisa J. Billy, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Native American Affairs. “These resources represent a meaningful investment in ensuring safety for vulnerable members of native communities in our state. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorneys for their commitment to Indian Country.”
The strategy has three parts.
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
Attorney General William P. Barr Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in U.S. Attorney’s offices in 11 states, including Oklahoma, who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
"American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. "This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems."
"The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs."
In Oklahoma, the MMIP coordinator will be based at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma but will directly assist all three U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the state.
"Our Pledge of Allegiance ends with the phrase ‘with liberty and justice for all.’ Attorney General Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons plan furthers that ideal," said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. "I’m proud to see this Justice Department including Native American victims as a crucial part of our violent crime reduction strategy."
"The joint MMIP coordinator will maximize the collaborative efforts of the three Oklahoma United States Attorney’s Offices as we work toward the shared goal of ensuring appropriate response to missing and murdered indigenous people in Oklahoma," said Brian J. Kuester, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. "Our MMIP coordinator will undoubtedly find great support from our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners and non-governmental service organizations who understand and appreciate that working together we can and will enhance public safety in Indian Country."
"I am pleased to leverage our great working relationship with our sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Oklahoma to address violence in Indian Country," said Timothy J. Downing, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. "Together, we will use this new resource to protect Native Americans throughout the state."
"The Cherokee Nation has held strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s offices in the Northern and Eastern Districts, which is essential for the protection of our tribal communities and prevention of missing and murdered Native Americans in Indian Country," Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. said. "We know these new efforts to enhance law enforcement coordination will improve data sharing and help reduce the violence against our native people"
"The State of Oklahoma welcomes the Department of Justice’s focus on reducing violence in Indian Country," said Lisa J. Billy, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Native American Affairs. "These resources represent a meaningful investment in ensuring safety for vulnerable members of native communities in our state. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorneys for their commitment to Indian Country."
The strategy has three parts.
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
Attorney General William P. Barr Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, joined the Department of Justice in announcing the launch of a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in 11 U.S. Attorney’s offices including the Eastern District of Washington who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs.”
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Ending the violence that disproportionately affects Native American communities is a top priority. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to working collaboratively with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to recover the Native American women who have gone missing, and to find justice for those who have been murdered.”
“The Western and Eastern Districts of Washington are joining together to make sure we advance this important mission in all 29 tribal communities in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. “The MMIP coordinator will work not only to improve data and information on murdered and missing indigenous people, but to make sure each tribe is connected with important law enforcement services to improve safety in our native communities.”
The strategy has three parts.
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
Attorney General William P. Barr Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in 11 U.S. Attorney’s offices, including in Washington State, who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs.”
“The Western and Eastern Districts of Washington are joining together to make sure we advance this important mission in all 29 tribal communities in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. “The MMIP coordinator will work not only to improve data and information on murdered and missing indigenous people, but to make sure each tribe is connected with important law enforcement services to improve safety in our native communities.”
“Ending the violence that disproportionately affects Native American communities is a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney William D. Hyslop. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is committed to working collaboratively with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to recover the Native American women who have gone missing, and to find justice for those who have been murdered.”
“For too long, violence against Indian people, particularly Indian women, has been invisible. In my own family, the murder of my grandmother was never properly investigated,” said Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman Brian Cladoosby. “I am grateful to Attorney General Barr and the Department of Justice for taking action to address this injustice. I look forward to working with them to make Indian Country safe for all Indian families.”
The strategy has three parts.
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state, and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
Attorney General Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in 11 U.S. Attorney’s offices including Minnesota who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs.”
“Minnesota ranks within the top 10 states with the highest number of MMIP cases. This is unacceptable,” said United States Attorney Erica MacDonald. “We are designating an MMIP coordinator who will develop and implement protocols and procedures to respond to MMIP cases. The addition of this critical resource will significantly enhance collaboration between tribal, state, and federal agencies and bring hope to families and communities that have lost a loved one.”
The strategy has three parts:
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Attorney General Launches National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Attorney General William P. Barr today launched a national strategy to address missing and murdered Native Americans. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative places MMIP coordinators in 11 U.S. Attorney’s offices, including the District of Nevada, who will develop protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response on missing and murdered cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”
“The FBI recognizes the violence that tribal communities face and is fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to provide support to those impacted by these crimes,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are dedicated to delivering justice and to the FBI’s mission to protect all the people we serve. We reaffirm our focus on allocating resources to serve Native American needs.”
“Our Native American communities in Nevada are full of families and friends – all of whom live lives of meaning. But too often those lives are terrorized by violence, or worse, cut short,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada. “In the last 12 months alone, our office has charged four homicides on tribal lands. We are dedicated to ensuring the victims of these crimes get justice. And, with the addition of a new MMIP Coordinator position, we reaffirm our commitment to prevent violent crime on tribal land before it happens.”
“We are very pleased that the U.S. Attorney General is establishing a position in Nevada to work with tribes in addressing this crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons,” said Chairman Arlen D. Melendez of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. “It shows progress in better communication between federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to solve these crimes. Our mission is to bring the missing home and support the families of the murdered through their grief.”
The strategy has three parts:
Establish MMIP coordinators: The Department of Justice is investing an initial $1.5 million to hire 11 MMIP coordinators in 11 states to serve with all U.S. Attorney’s offices in those states, and others who request assistance. The states are Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state. MMIP coordinators will work closely with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols and procedure for responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. The first MMIP coordinator is already on board in Montana.
Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams: The strategy will bring needed tools and resources to law enforcement. Upon request by a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency the FBI will provide expert assistance based upon the circumstances of a missing indigenous persons case. FBI resources and personnel which may be activated to assist with cases include: Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams, Cellular Analysis Support Teams, Evidence Response Teams, Cyber Agents for timely analysis of digital evidence/social media, Victim Services Division Response Teams, and others. MMIP coordinators will assist in developing protocols.
Comprehensive Data Analysis: The department will perform in-depth analysis of federally supported databases and analyze data collection practices to identify opportunities to improve missing persons data and share the results of this analysis with our partners in this effort.
More broadly, the MMIP Initiative will involve a coordinated effort by more than 50 U.S. Attorneys on the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS), the FBI, and the Office of Tribal Justice, with support from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
Today’s announcement follows the August NAIS meeting in New Mexico and OVW listening session in Michigan, where Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons and violence against women in Indian country were prevalent topics of discussion by U.S. Attorneys, OVW officials, and tribal representatives.
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Anderson County Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threatening Communications, Cyber-Stalking, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dylan Lee Jarrell, 22, of Anderson County, Ky., admitted in federal court that he transmitted a threatening communication in interstate commerce, committed cyberstalking, made a false statement to federal law enforcement officers, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Jarrell pleaded guilty to the charges today, before U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove.
According to his plea agreement, Jarrell admitted that in 2018 he began to plan and prepare to conduct an act of violence against occupants of Shelby County High School, which Jarrell had previously attended as a student. Over time, Jarrell also developed an alternative plan to kill an individual identified as D.B., and then kill himself, in a murder-suicide. Jarrell took several actions in furtherance of the plans, including acquiring a firearm.
In May 2018, using a Reddit account and user screen name later confirmed to be his, Jarrell posted public messages about previous mass school shootings, which evidenced a serious expression of his intent. Based on the Reddit posts, on May 30, 2018, a special agent from the FBI questioned Jarrell at his residence in Anderson County. Jarrell was warned it was a crime to lie to an FBI special agent. During the interview, Jarrell claimed not to have any knowledge about the Reddit posts or the user screen name. At the time Jarrell made these statements, he knew them to be false.
From July to September 2018, Jarrell made posts on Instagram using an account he created. On September 24, 2018, Jarrell transmitted a communication, via Instagram, to an account used by D.B., in which Jarrell threatened to commit an act of violence upon D.B.
On August 22, 2018, Jarrell purchased an American Tactical Omni Maxx P3 Hybrid 5.56 caliber semi-automatic rifle. Throughout August and September 2018, Jarrell obtained other items, including a bump stock for the rifle, large capacity magazines, ammunition, and body armor. In his plea agreement, Jarrell acknowledged obtaining these items in furtherance of his planned school shooting, or alternatively, the murder-suicide.
Jarrell also created and used an account under his own name on Facebook. On October 17, 2018, using Facebook, Jarrell sent two harassing messages to an account associated with K.B. The Defendant understood those communications would reasonably be expected to cause substantial emotional distress to K.B.
On October 18, 2018, personnel from the FBI and Kentucky State Police responded to Jarrell’s residence in Anderson County, and questioned him about his Reddit and Facebook activities. This time, Jarrell admitted he composed and sent the Reddit and Facebook messages. Jarrell provided the law enforcement officers his cell phone, which revealed Jarrell’s plans to attack Shelby County High School and D.B. Jarrell admitted to investigators that he formulated these plans and that he acquired the firearm in furtherance of the plans.
Jarrell was indicted in May of 2019.
“Dylan Jarrell manifested a clear intent to commit horrific acts of violence on innocent persons in our District and elsewhere,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Fortunately, because of the thorough work of dedicated law enforcement officers, Jarrell’s plans were thwarted and lives were almost certainly saved. I commend the law enforcement personnel involved in this investigation for their professionalism and commitment to keeping the public safe from harm. We are proud to stand with them in this continued fight.”
“The FBI takes credible threats of violence seriously, and preventing mass causality events is a top priority. As the Jarrell investigation indicates, the FBI will work closely with the Kentucky State Police and our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who issue these threats,” said James Robert Brown Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “I want to encourage the public to remain vigilant and to report this behavior to law enforcement immediately. In this instance, with the public’s help, the FBI and KSP saved lives.”
“The Kentucky State Police commends our trooper and all the other officers and law-enforcement agencies involved in apprehending this dangerous criminal before he was ever able to harm a single individual,” said Commissioner Richard Sanders, Kentucky State Police. “If trooper Satterly had not looked beyond the initial complaint of online misconduct by Jarrell, it is not hard to imagine what atrocities may have been committed by this individual.”
U.S. Attorney Duncan, James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Commissioner Sanders, Kentucky State Police jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by FBI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Boone.
Jarrell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2020 at 11 a.m. He faces up to 5 years in prison on the threatening communication, cyberstalking, and false statement charges, and at least 5 years on the firearms charge, consecutive to the other offenses. He also faces a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes.
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18th Street Gang Member Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for illegal reentering the United States following removal after a felony conviction.
According to court documents, Norman Rolando Medina Sanchez, 40, a citizen of Honduras, was removed from the United States in March 2009 after having illegally entered the country near Brownsville, Texas, in 2005. In January 2008, prior to his first removal, Medina Sanchez was arrested and subsequently convicted in Prince William County of two counts of statutory burglary and two counts of grand larceny, all felonies under Virginia law. Medina Sanchez illegally reentered the United States again in March 2010 near Carrizo, Texas. Medina Sanchez was convicted of a felony for reentering the country illegally and was removed again at taxpayer expense on July 4, 2014. Later that same year, Medina Sanchez illegally reentered the United States without permission a third time near Brownsville, Texas.
In August 2019, Medina Sanchez was the victim of a gang-related shooting by members of MS-13, who were motivated by Medina Sanchez’s membership in 18th Street, a rival criminal gang. Later that month, Medina Sanchez was arrested by federal authorities.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael Tucker 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-284.
21 November 2019
Youngsville Man Indicted in Million Dollar Investment Fraud and Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Donnie Laing Jr., 39, of Youngsville, Louisiana, has been charged by federal indictment with nine counts of wire fraud stemming from his involvement in a million dollar Ponzi scheme which was orchestrated through his limited liability company, Capital Energy Investments (“Capital”).
According to the indictment, Laing was the sole owner of Capital, which was formed in February 2017. From April 16, 2018 through November 1, 2018, Laing orchestrated a Ponzi scheme whereby he and a well-known associate in northeast Louisiana, solicited money from multiple investors by falsely promising them high rates of return when they invested with his company, Capital. Laing represented that Capital would use the money to invest in oil and gas equipment, and then lease such equipment to companies engaged in oil and gas exploration activities. Throughout the scheme, Laing submitted false proposals and contracts to the Ponzi investors to persuade them to invest their money with Capital. He also used funds from new investors to make “lulling” payments to his victims to solicit additional monies and to avoid detection. Contrary to his representations, Laing used investor funds for his own purposes.
Laing faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of the indictment, restitution to the victims, and a fine up to $250,000 fine.
The FBI is investigating the case. United States Attorney David C. Joseph is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Yemeni Man Detained on Charges of Lying to Joint Terrorism Task Force About Supporting Anti-American and Anti-Semitic Armed InsurgencyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Gaafar Muhammed Ebrahim Al-Wazer, 25, of Altoona, PA, was ordered detained in federal custody on three counts of making false statements to Task Force Officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Philadelphia Joint Terrorism Task Force.
According to the Criminal Complaint filed against the defendant and the government’s motion to detain him, FBI counterterrorism investigators questioned Al-Wazer, a Yemeni citizen, on May 17, 2016 about his affiliation with the Houthi movement, known formally as Ansar Allah. Ansar Allah is the armed rebel group that toppled Yemen’s government and fought in an ongoing civil war there for years. Al-Wazer denied to the FBI that he was aligned with the Houthi movement, whose motto is “Allah is the greatest of all, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam,” and further denied that he had ever fired a weapon or participated in military or militia training.
To the contrary, however, the Complaint alleges that a search of Al-Wazer’s Facebook account revealed numerous postings and photographs in which he extolled and praised Ansar Allah, its objectives and its fighters who were killed in battle against the Yemeni government and its Saudi and U.S.-backed forces, and in which Al-Wazer was armed with automatic weapons (including a rocket-propelled grenade launcher). Al-Wazer’s Facebook account included a posting of a photograph of him and others bearing automatic assault rifles and pledging that they would stay on the path of jihad and wishing death to the United States and Israel and victory to Islam. In another posting, Al-Wazer again bears a machine gun in a photograph, which is accompanied by a pledge to Ansar Allah to the death.
FBI agents arrested Al-Wazer at his home in Altoona on November 7, 2019. In federal court today, United States Magistrate Judge Marilyn Heffley found that the defendant posed a risk of flight and/or a danger to the community and therefore ordered him detained.
“The defendant was admitted to this country on a student visa and has availed himself of the generosity and the educational opportunities that the United States offers to students from all across the world,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Al-Wazer is, of course, entitled to hold and lawfully express his political and religious opinions as freely as anyone else in this country, no matter how hateful or odious they may be. What he is not entitled to do, however, is lie about those beliefs when asked about them by counter-terrorism officers in the course of discharging their duties. I want to thank our partners in the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force for their continued vigilance.”
“Al-Wazer blatantly lied to federal agents and these charges are the consequence of his actions,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “If people we speak to think there is no downside to deceiving FBI agents, critical lines of investigation will be compromised and our very justice system stalled. Our Joint Terrorism Task Force can't afford to be deterred in this way.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, per count.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Philadelphia Joint Terrorism Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr.
An indictment, information or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Worcester Man Indicted for Wildlife SmugglingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday in connection with unlawfully importing salamander and turtle species.
Nathan Boss, 27, was charged by indictment with two counts of smuggling wildlife into the United States, two counts of smuggling wildlife out of the United States, and making a false statement to a federal agent. Boss was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2018.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 19, 2019, federal investigators intercepted an inbound U.S. Postal Service package from Hong Kong that was addressed to “Shelton Boss” at an address on Mildred Avenue in Worcester. The package was found to contain four black-breasted leaf turtles (Geoemyda spengleri), a species included in the Convention for Trade in Endangered Species and Wild Fauna, an international agreement joined by the U.S. that governs the importation of designated wildlife. Specifically, any black-breasted leaf turtle imported into the United States must be declared and approved by Fish and Wildlife Service before any shipment can be received.
The charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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 and David Sykes, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Massachusetts Environmental Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing HandgunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun was sentenced on November 19, 2019, to 110 months in federal prison.
Diamond Duckings, age 34, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Duckings unlawfully possessed a gun after having two prior felony convictions related to the distribution of drugs. Information at sentencing showed that Duckings fired the handgun out of a car window after leaving a club in the early morning hours.
Duckings was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Duckings was sentenced to an imprisonment term of 110 months. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 19-CR-2037. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Felon with Prior Firearm-Related Convictions Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing HandgunRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a firearm after being convicted of a felony was sentenced on November 19, 2019, to four years in federal prison.
Shevin Caston, age 28, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Officers found a loaded handgun underneath a couch cushion while searching Caston’s house. Multiple minor children lived at the house. At the time Caston unlawfully possessed the gun, he had two prior firearm-related convictions.
Caston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Caston was sentenced to an imprisonment term of 48 months. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 19-CR-2032-LTS. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Venezuelan National Sentenced for Stealing ATM Card NumbersRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Luis Jose Ruiz Gainza, 45, to four and a half years in prison for an identity theft scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in 2017, Gainza, a Venezuelan national residing in Mexico, traveled to and from the United States for the purpose of stealing bank customers’ account information. During the course of the four-month scheme, at least six times Gainza and his co-conspirators placed skimming devices in ATMs and installed covert cameras to record ATM users’ personal identification numbers. While the skimmers were in place, hundreds of bank customers used the ATMs. Gainza and his co‑conspirators used the stolen account information to create fraudulent credit and debit cards and make unauthorized charges.
On August 5, 2017, Gainza and co-defendant Ricardo Gabriele-Plage, 39, of Venezuela, were arrested in their hotel room in Rancho Cordova. During a search of their room, law enforcement found a magnetic stripe reader and encoder, skimmers, covert cameras, and tools used to repair skimmers and install the devices in ATMs.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty is prosecuting the case.
Gabriele-Plage pleaded guilty to offenses arising from the same identity theft scheme. He will be sentenced by Judge Nunley on Jan. 9, 2020. He faces the following maximum penalties: five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy to possess unauthorized access devices count; 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the access device fraud count; and a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charges. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
United States Attorney Jay E. Town Announces the Formation of the Independent Shooting Review Advisory CouncilRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In August the Independent Shooting Review Advisory Council (“ISRAC”) was established to provide guidance to law enforcement when an officer-involved-shooting (“OIS”) demands an independent review, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town.
The ISRAC is an effort between the United States Attorney’s Office and active and/or retired members of law enforcement, to include prosecutors, designed to conduct an OIS at the request of a particular District Attorney (or law enforcement agency). The ISRAC is a standing advisory council, not an investigative body, that will be activated upon request. Joining Town are First Assistant United States Attorney Lloyd Peeples, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Office of Prosecution Services Executive Director Barry Matson, Office of Prosecution Services General Counsel Patrick Lamb, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office Bessemer Division Assistant District Attorney Lane Tolbert, Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office Chief Assistant District Attorney Paula Hearing, Madison County District Attorney’s Office Chief Trial Attorney Tim Gann, Limestone County District Attorney’s Office Chief Investigator Joshua McLaughlin, Birmingham Police Department Deputy Chief Darnell Davenport, Madison County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Eddie Houk, Snead Police Department Police Chief Stephen Gunn, Florence Police Department Sergeant Greg Cobb, United States Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Coordinator Lyndon Laster; United States Attorney’s Office Senior Civil Investigator Chester Toney, and FSA Contract Investigator Charles Regan. Members of the ISRAC from the United States Attorney’s Office will normally not sit on the reviewing team, but will liaise with all of the members and relevant agencies to ensure the smooth operation of the review process.
“The Independent Shooting Review Advisory Council is a service that is provided to law enforcement agencies within the District in order to fully vitiate any concerns about impropriety,” Town said. “While I am hopeful that the ISRAC is never necessary because no such events occur, a standing body and procedures are in place should it become so. I have complete confidence in law enforcement agencies conducting their own reviews fairly and impartially, but the ISRAC does provide another layer of impartiality.”
ISRAC Investigation Process:
- Request for Independent Shooting Review. If a District Attorney determines, either in his/her own discretion or at the request of the United States Attorney or Alabama Attorney General, that an OIS requires an independent shooting review, the District Attorney may choose to request the services of the ISRAC. The reviewing team will consist of 5-9 members of the Advisory Council. Those selected will normally be from outside of the area of the requesting agency. Members of the ISRAC from the United States Attorney’s Office will normally not sit on the reviewing team, but will liaise with all of the members and relevant agencies to ensure the smooth operation of the review process.
- Conduct of Independent Shooting Review by ISRAC Team. Once the ISRAC reviewing team is formed, that team shall conduct the OIS in the normal course of such reviews. The policies of APOST, the relevant agency, and any other applicable policies or laws shall be considered by the ISRAC Team. The conduct of the shooting review shall be consistent with the guidance provided by the Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS”) guidance and the Alabama law.
a. Review all information related to the OIS;
b. Review all of the departmental and APOST policies and standards relevant to the OIS;
c. Provide officers involved with the opportunity to submit a written or verbal statement to the ISRAC, without waiver of any constitutional or other legal protections to which the officer(s) may be entitled;
d. Provide the Department or agency that employed the officer involved with the opportunity to comment on any applicable policy, procedures or standards.
- OIS Shooting Review Report of Findings by the ISRAC. The ISRAC Team shall generate a report of findings to the requesting District Attorney detailing the relevant, policies and standards, findings of applicable facts, and then offer succinct conclusions based on applicable policy and legal standards. The relevant law enforcement agency can, when appropriate, inform the public of the results of the report, while maintaining the integrity and privacy of the shooting review itself.
The ISRAC is assembled to provide guidance to law enforcement when the situation demands an independent review, not engage in subverting the constitutional or administrative powers conferred to relevant officials or agencies. This is a service done only for the benefit of law enforcement and the community they serve.
Below is the link to the ISRAC website.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/independent-shooting-review-advisory-council
U.S. Attorney’s Office Resolves ADA Compliance Review of the University of Michigan’s Mcity Driverless Shuttle ProgramRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has resolved its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance review of the University of Michigan’s Mcity Driverless Shuttle Program, First Assistant United States Attorney Saima Mohsin announced today. The United States Attorney’s Office initiated the compliance review of the Program, which was touted as the first of its kind to focus on consumer research, based upon media reports that the Program featured vehicles without accessible features.
“The ADA was enacted to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate, assuring equality of opportunity, full participation, and independent living to individuals who have disabilities,” said Mohsin. “Driverless vehicles and transportation systems have enormous potential to assure self-sufficiency for individuals who have disabilities. It is critical that individuals who have disabilities remain a priority for developers of this technology. I commend the University of Michigan for making this commitment to individuals who have disabilities.”
The Mcity Driverless Shuttles operate on a fixed route at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex. The ADA requires that vehicles purchased or leased for a fixed route system by public entities, such as the University of Michigan, must be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs. A public entity’s failure to purchase or lease a new vehicle for a fixed route system with accessible features is a form of discrimination under the ADA. Through a Letter of Resolution, the University has agreed that any future vehicles purchased or leased for the Mcity Driverless Shuttle program will be equipped with accessible features. Additionally, the University has agreed to convene a research group to evaluate the accessibility of autonomous transportation services to individuals who have disabilities.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan was established in 2010 with the mission of prioritizing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, including a copy of the Letter of Resolution with the University of Michigan, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights. ADA complaints may be emailed to [email protected] or by contacting the U.S. Attorney's Office’s civil rights hotline at (313) 226-9151.
More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll free ADA Information line at (800) 514 0301 or (800) 514 0383 (TTY) and on the ADA website at www.ada.gov.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Participation in Project Guardian, a Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that the office will participate in Project Guardian, a new initiative from the Department of Justice designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearm laws. Project Guardian is designed to serve as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies, such as the “Triggerlock” program, to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety. Project Guardian focuses specifically on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes, and it emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal gun laws have always been among our office’s highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “As part of Project Guardian, we will work closer than ever with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to reduce the unacceptable level of violent crime and help keep our citizens safe.”
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian. Building on the success of past programs like Triggerlock, Project Guardian will strengthen our efforts to reduce gun violence by allowing the federal government and our state and local partners to better target offenders who use guns in crimes and those who try to buy guns illegally.”
“Project Guardian will ensure our agents and intelligence resources are leveraging not only National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and eTrace technology to investigate the source and possessors of crime guns, but also our strong partnerships among law enforcement, which are vital to keeping guns out the hands of those that threaten the security of our communities,” said Timothy Jones, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:
- Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
- Enforcing the Background Check System. United States Attorneys, in consultation with ATF, will create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements (including lie-and-try, lie-and-buy, and straw purchasers) made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees. Particular emphasis is placed on individuals convicted of violent felonies or misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, individuals subject to protective orders, and individuals who are fugitives where the underlying offense is a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; individuals suspected of involvement in criminal organizations or of providing firearms to criminal organizations; and individuals involved in repeat denials.
- Improved Information Sharing. On a regular basis, and as often as practicable given current technical limitations, ATF will provide to state law enforcement fusion centers a report listing individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement can take appropriate steps under their laws.
- Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials. Each United States Attorney will ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, such information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the United States Attorneys’ Offices’ case-management system for prompt submission to NICS. ATF will engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety. Additionally, U.S. Attorneys will consult with relevant district stakeholders to assess feasibility of adopting disruption of early engagement programs to address mental-health-prohibited individuals who attempt to acquire a firearm.
- Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination. Federal, state, local, and tribal prosecutors and law enforcement will work together to ensure effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs), and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. These tools can greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness in identifying trigger-pullers and finding their guns, but the success depends in large part on state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners sharing ballistic evidence and firearm recovery data with the ATF.
In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has continued to expand upon significant increases in the prosecution of gun offenders under Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the 2019 Fiscal Year, which ended Sept. 30, 2019, the office charged more federal firearm defendants than were charged in each of the prior 15 years, according to preliminary data. The number of charged firearm defendants in Fiscal Year 2019 was 44% higher than 2018, and 60% higher than 2017, according to preliminary data. These increases are particularly impactful considering that the 2018 and 2017 fiscal years previously stood as the first and second highest years of charged firearm defendants, respectively, in more than a decade.
- Coordinated Prosecution. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will coordinate with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to consider potential federal prosecution for new cases involving a defendant who: a) was arrested in possession of a firearm; b) is believed to have used a firearm in committing a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime prosecutable in federal court; or c) is suspected of actively committing violent crime(s) in the community on behalf of a criminal organization.
U.S. Attorney Announces the Arrest of 3 Individuals for Operating A $6 Million Unlicensed Money Transmitting SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Carl E. Dubois, Sheriff of Orange County, announced the arrest today of CHASKEL LANDAU, ALTER LANDAU, and JOSEPH NEUMAN in connection with a multimillion-dollar scheme to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business for the purpose of transmitting proceeds derived from illegal activity. The defendants are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Paul E. Davison in federal court later today.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The defendants allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to unlawfully transmit and conceal millions of dollars of proceeds that they believed to be derived from illegal activity. They allegedly did so for personal profit and with the aim of avoiding law enforcement detection. This Office is committed to rooting out such criminal activity.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Making money illegally is criminal in and of itself, but operating an unlicensed money remitting business, especially from outside of the United States, will almost certainly result in federal criminal charges. Whenever someone needs to hide and move money, there’s a pretty good chance something’s afoot. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure this type of behavior ceases to exist.”
Sheriff Carl E. Dubois said: “We continue to work closely with the FBI and our other federal partners, and the success of this long term investigation is proof of the benefits in these relationships. Illegal financial systems pose a great risk to our residents and their financial institutions. Law enforcement must continue work together to deter criminals from operating and engaging with organizations that allow them to evade banking regulations.”
According to allegations contained in the Complaint[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
CHASKEL LANDAU, ALTER LANDAU, and JOSEPH NEUMAN were arrested following an FBI sting operation. As alleged, from approximately in or about September 2014 to in or about August 2016, CHASKEL LANDAU, ALTER LANDAU, and JOSEPH NEUMAN engaged in a series of conversations and meetings with a confidential witness (the “CW”). In order to induce the CW to invest approximately $6 million in property owned by CHASKEL LANDAU and his family, the defendants agreed to receive and transmit what they believed to be millions of dollars of funds that the CW had illegally obtained from his business. The defendants agreed to conceal the source of the CW’s money by transmitting the CW’s money to third parties, with the expectation that it would be returned to the CW, in return for a 10% “fee.”
The scheme was two-pronged. First, the defendants agreed to take cash from the CW, exchange the cash for checks written from real estate companies controlled by JOSEPH NEUMAN, and make the checks payable to a third party bank account purportedly controlled by the CW. Second, the defendants agreed to use charitable organizations under their control to transmit the CW’s overseas money into the United States. Over the course of the conspiracy, the defendants transmitted approximately $500,000 of what they believed to be stolen property, and agreed to transmit approximately $6 million total.
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CHASKEL LANDAU, 45, ALTER LANDAU, 64, and JOSEPH NEUMAN, 78, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, each of which carries a maximum term of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the work of the FBI, the Orange County Sherriff’s Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.
This case is being handled by the White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Mathew Andrews and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Stockton Residents Sentenced for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As part the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California’s strategy to reduce violent crime by focusing on firearms prosecutions, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced sentences in the following cases involving illegal firearms offenses.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Jake Phillip Jines, 23, of Stockton, to five years and 10 months in prison for dealing firearms without a license and distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Feb. 7, 2017, Jines and a co-defendant sold an undercover agent three firearms and 59.4 grams of methamphetamine. Jines does not have a license to sell firearms and none of the firearms had serial numbers. Such firearms are known as “ghost guns.” (2:17-cr-162-TLN)
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly is prosecuting the case.
Judge Nunley sentenced Derrick Walker, 30, of Oakland, to three years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Walker has previous convictions for selling narcotics, carjacking, and second degree robbery. On Feb. 28, 2017, Walker was found to be in possession of a .40-caliber handgun. (2:17-cr-201-TLN)
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Police Departments of Oakland and Stockton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.