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13 November 2019
Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement with Vibra Healthcare and El Paso Rehabilitation Hospital over Allegations of Violating the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney John F. Bash of the Western District of Texas announced today that Vibra Healthcare, LLC, Vibra Healthcare II, LLC, Vibra Rehab Holdings, LP, Vibra Rehabilitation Hospital of El Paso, LLC d/b/a Highlands Rehabilitation Hospital, and Vibra IRFM Company, LLC, (collectively referred to as “Vibra”) will pay $6,250,000.00 to settle allegations that they defrauded the U.S. through its Medicare healthcare programs. Vibra Healthcare, based in Pennsylvania, operates freestanding acute medical rehabilitation hospitals and long term acute care hospitals nationwide, including Highlands Rehabilitation Hospital in El Paso, Texas.
On January 21, 2016, Thomas A. Floren, a former employee at Highlands, filed a qui tam action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleging that Highlands and others submitted false claims to Medicare for services that did not meet the requirements for payment. Medicare requires that inpatient rehabilitation facilities, such as Highlands, provide an intensive level of services to patients, including that the patient be examined by a qualified physician at least three times per week throughout a patient’s stay. Floren alleged that patients at Highlands were not seen three times per week by a qualified physician, and that Vibra billed Medicare for services knowing that it did not meet this requirement.
“I am pleased that the parties reached a fair settlement in this case. If medical providers want reimbursement from Medicare, they need to follow the rules. That is especially true for rules designed to ensure that patients get healthy. We won’t hesitate to hold providers to their legal obligations,” said U.S. Attorney Bash.
The lawsuit, United States ex rel. Thomas A. Floren v. Vibra Rehabilitation Hospital of El Paso, LLC et al., Civil Action SA16CA0058 was filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to sue for false claims against the U.S. and to receive a share of any recovery.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Strawn represented the federal government in the civil lawsuit, with the assistance of the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Jury Verdict: Meth Distributor Was Part of ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury Tuesday returned guilty verdicts against a Kansas City, Kan., man who was arrested with half a pound of methamphetamine in his car, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Sean Alexander Tennison, 46, Kansas City, Kan., was convicted in a jury trial on one count of conspiracy and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that investigators had Tennison and a co-defendant under surveillance when they met the seller outside El Rio Bravo Supermarket. During a car stop, investigators found 245.7 grams of methamphetamine that Tennison tried to hide in his pants.
During the same trial, co-defendants Luis Alberto Quintero-Jimenez and Eduardo Garcia-Patino, pleaded guilty. Both are set for sentencing Jan. 30, 2020. In Quintero-Jiminez’s plea agreement, both parties agreed to recommend Quintero-Jiminez receive a sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Tennison is set for sentencing February 13, 2020. He could face a sentence of not less than 10 years in federal prison on each count. McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt for their work on the case.
Jimmy Law Sentenced to Prison in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant JIMMY LAW, age 61, from Turlock, California, was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 120 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine of fifty grams or more, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Senior Judge Alex R. Munson also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100 assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On January 1, 2013, through March 7, 2017, the U.S. Postal Inspector and the Drug Enforcement Administration intercepted four packages in the mail. The packages were found to contain in excess of 110 net grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (“ice”). Further investigation revealed that Jimmy Law mailed the packages to his ex-girlfriend. Once on Guam, she intended to distribute the drug to others on the island.
U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “Federal law enforcement continues to aggressively pursue drug trafficking activity on Guam. This case demonstrates the benefits of effective partnerships and the results of long-term investigations. Our office vigorously enforces federal drug laws at every opportunity. While our distance from the mainland is great, off island sources of supply will be charged and held accountable in our districts.”
This case was the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Jury Convicts Pryor Man of Assault on Crow ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – After a two-day trial, a jury convicted a Pryor man of assaulting a man, causing facial injuries, on the Crow Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The jury found Joseph Nathan Smells, 34, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Smells faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the trial and set sentencing for March 18, 2020. Smells is being detained pending sentencing.
The prosecution presented evidence that Smells assaulted the victim by head-butting and punching him on February 13, 2019 in Pryor. The attack caused multiple facial injuries that required surgery.
The assault occurred as the victim, along with two others, returned to Pryor after attending a basketball game in Billings. While driving to drop off a passenger, the group passed the victim’s house. The driver noticed that the door had been kicked in and stopped to investigate. The driver walked toward the house and saw Smells, just inside the house, and another man and told them both to leave. Smells and the driver argued, and as the driver tried to call police, Smells walked to the vehicle, where the victim was a passenger. Smells spoke briefly to the victim then jerked open the vehicle door and began assaulting the victim. After the fight, Smells ran away.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanne Torske prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 12, 2019, the Honorable Michael J. Melloy, Senior United States Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, sentenced Marcus Henry Benjamin, 28, of Iowa City, Iowa, to 90 months in prison for receiving child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Benjamin was also ordered to serve 6 years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, pay $5,000 in restitution, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On June 21, 2019, Benjamin pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. The investigation began in 2018 when FBI agents discovered sexually explicit posts on a social media discussion website. The investigation led agents to identify Benjamin and his residence, and a search resulted in agents seizing twelve electronic devices. The forensic evaluation of the electronic devices revealed that Benjamin collected child pornography for more than four years, amassing a collection of over 1200 images plus videos.
This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Houston, PA Woman Illegally Possessed Fentanyl, Cocaine and 3 Loaded FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Washington County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on November 12, 2013, to violating the federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Alyssa Ashley Adkins, age 30, of Houston, PA, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine; possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between March 7, 2018, and March 20, 2018, investigators with the Washington County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force utilized confidential informants to purchase quantities of fentanyl from Adkins and co-conspirator, Vashaun Wright. Through those investigative efforts, task force officers obtained a search warrant for a residence located on Main Street in Houston Borough, Washington County, which was utilized by the defendant and Wright. On March 23, 2018, investigators served the search warrant and seized over 40 grams of fentanyl (which was packaged for distribution), a quantity of cocaine (which was packaged for distribution), approximately $24,000 in U.S. Currency, and three loaded firearms, amongst other evidence. Adkins, a felon, admitted in connection with the plea that she unlawfully possessed the three seized firearms and ammunition. Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Adkins further admitted to possessing the firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes charged in the Indictment.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Adkins’ detention.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2020. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of not more than $11,500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Adkins.
Horseshoe Bend Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – Lois Soito, 60, of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, pled guilty today to two counts of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Sentencing for Soito is set for February 21, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise.
According to court records, for 22 years, Soito worked in the accounts receivable department for the Saint Alphonsus Health System (SAHS) in Boise. In her job, Soito had access to money raised at the Festival of Trees. Beginning in January 2005, Soito kept checks intended for SAHS instead of depositing them in the appropriate account. She then fraudulently deposited some of the checks into a bank account used to reimburse SAHS vendors. From that account, Soito wrote checks payable to herself and deposited them into a credit union account she controlled. Soito also used some of the checks that she kept to conceal her theft of funds from the Festival of Trees. Soito used similar methods with other SAHS accounts to embezzle additional funds. Because Soito’s fraudulent scheme caused the interstate transmission of wires, she was charged federally with wire fraud.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As part of her guilty pleas, Soito agreed to pay restitution of at least $1,483,963.82 to SAHS.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Boise Police Department.
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Honduran National Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that OMAR ELI PEREZ-MURCIA (“MURCIA”), age 35, was sentenced on November 12, 2019 for a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to documents signed by the defendant and filed in open court, MURCIA admitted to being a citizen of Honduras, and being illegally present in the United States. He further admitted to illegally re-entering the United States after being deported in 2006. U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced MURCIA to 15 months in federal prison and 1 year supervised release. The Judge noted in open court that she was concerned over MURCIA’S three prior deportations.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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Hartford Man Admits Distributing Fentanyl, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSEPH GRIFFIN, 42, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl. Griffin also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Griffin was arrested on January 17, 2019, in Hartford, after investigators made a controlled purchase of more than five grams of fentanyl from him. Griffin possessed an additional two grams of fentanyl at the time of his arrest.
In January 2019, Griffin was on federal supervised release for a 2009 conviction for distributing crack cocaine. Griffin was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for that offense. He was released from federal prison in December 2017.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for February 10, 2020, at which time Griffin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for distributing fentanyl, and additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Griffin is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, Hartford Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle.
Greenfield Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Hide $486,000 from Federally Insured Financial InstitutionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Greenfield woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield in connection with concealing nearly half a million dollars from a federally insured financial institution.
Marlene Borer, 68, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (one day) in prison and two years of supervised release. In September 2018, Borer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a federally insured financial institution and one count of false statements to a federally insured financial institution.
In August 2011, Borer’s brother, Jeffrey Borer, and his then-wife owed Wells Fargo Bank approximately $1.32 million in outstanding loans. In March 2012, Borer, who was acting as her brother’s bookkeeper, received approximately $1.1 million, which related to a judgment from a Honduran court, into her Massachusetts bank account. $486,000 of the $1.1 million judgment belonged to Jeffrey Borer and his then-wife. A few days after Marlene Borer received the money, her brother e-mailed her to “keep [the] bulk” of their funds in her account because “Wells Fargo might be conducting an asset search on us to try and recover the judgments. Just transfer what is needed to pay bills as they arrive.” Marlene Borer distributed their funds from her account as he requested.
On or about May 24, 2012, Marlene Borer prepared a false personal financial statement for Jeffrey Borer and his then-wife, stating that they only had $4,200 in the bank. Jeffrey Borer provided the personal financial statement to Wells Fargo, which relied upon it to negotiate their debt. On Oct. 31, 2012, Jeffrey Borer and his then-wife executed a settlement agreement with the bank, in which Wells Fargo agreed to forgive their personal obligations in exchange for a payment of $50,000.
In October 2019, Jeffrey Borer was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 2 Years for EscapeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Larry Dollar, 48, Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to two years in federal prison for escaping from custody. Dollar pleaded guilty to this offense on August 22, 2019.
In October 2017, Dollar was sentenced to five years in federal prison for bank robbery in the Northern District of Illinois. On January 22, 2019, Dollar was furloughed to Rock Valley Community Programs (RVCP) in Janesville, Wisconsin. Dollar was provided transportation from Florida, where he was incarcerated, to Janesville. A warrant was issued after Dollar failed to arrive at RVCP. Dollar was arrested on February 8, 2019, by Georgia State University police officers, and was subsequently charged with escape from federal custody.
In sentencing Dollar, Judge Conley noted that Dollar’s untreated schizophrenia, coupled with his addiction to alcohol, made him an ongoing danger to the community. In addition, Dollar’s extensive criminal history, including convictions for cruelty to children, battery, and aggravated assault made him a danger to children in particular.
Dollar’s conviction is the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger.
Great Falls Meth Traffickers Sentenced After More Than 10 Years on the RunRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—A couple who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the community in 2006 and 2007 and absconding for more than 10 years before their arrest this year in Oklahoma were sentenced to prison terms today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jamie Alan Cordell, 45, and his wife, Tania Longtin, 43, both of Alta, Wyoming, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute meth and to failure to appear after pre-trial release.
Cordell was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and 400 hours of community service. Longtin was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over both sentencing hearings.
In court records filed in the case, the prosecution said Cordell was involved in distributing meth in Great Falls in 2006 and 2007 and that Longtin assisted her husband. Cordell made at least six trips to California to pick up loads of meth, and that Longtin, at one point, traveled to California to get meth for redistribution. Cordell received at least six pounds of meth from a California supplier. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 21,744 doses. Ultimately, eight other defendants pleaded guilty to their involvement in the overall drug conspiracy.
After their initial arrest at their home in Alta, Wyoming, in June 2007, the couple made an initial appearance on an indictment before a magistrate judge in Jackson, Wyoming. Cordell and Longtin were released on bonds on July 3, 2007 after a detention hearing and ordered to appear in U.S. District Court in Great Falls on August 14, 2007.
Both Cordell and Longtin failed to appear. The couple remained fugitives until January 17, 2019, when they were arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Great Falls Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The 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.
Fuquay-Varina Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced MIKKEL MCKINNIE, 31, of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
MICKINNIE was named in an Second Superseding Indictment filed on July 10, 2019. On August 5, 2019, MCKINNIE pled guilty to the distribution of fentanyl.
Investigation into this case began on December 1, 2016, when the Fuquay-Varina Police Department responded to a reported overdose at a Fuquay-Varina residence. Inside the residence, police officers and other first responders found an unconscious victim in a restroom. Emergency medical personnel (EMS) were unable to revive the victim and he was subsequently pronounced dead. On the floor near the victim’s body, investigators found a metal spoon containing white residue and used hypodermic needles. The white residue from the spoon was tested and found to be fentanyl. Residue from the needles was also tested and found to contain fentanyl and heroin.
An investigation into the source of the drugs that killed the victim established that, in the days preceding his death, MCKINNIE sold a substance referred to as “China White” to the victim and others. This substance was found to contain fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid approximately 50 times more potent than heroin. MCKINNIE knew that the China White was extremely dangerous and even warned his customers of its potency.
The Fuquay-Varina Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Toby Lathan and Ethan Ontjes represented the government.
Fourteen Indicted in $6 Million Counterfeit iPhones Scheme; Biggest Fraud of its Kind in Southern DistrictRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging fourteen alleged members of an international criminal organization with dozens of fraud, conspiracy, identity theft and money laundering charges related to their multi-million-dollar counterfeit iPhone and iPad scheme.
During a coordinated takedown that began early this morning, investigators executed 11 search warrants - including at two businesses plus several homes and vehicles located in Mira Mesa and Mission Hills - and seized an estimated $250,000 in cash plus 90 iPhones which are being evaluated to determine authenticity. As of today at noon, 11 of 14 defendants are in federal custody. Three are fugitives, including Xiamon Zhong, who is believed to be in China; Charley Hsu of San Diego; and Hyo Weon Yang of San Francisco.
According to the indictment, the organization - led by three brothers - imported more than 10,000 counterfeit iPhones and iPads from China, exchanged them for the real thing at Apple stores throughout the United States and Canada, and then shipped the authentic devices back to China and other foreign countries to sell at a premium.
Apple conservatively estimates that the loss associated with the counterfeit items that were fraudulently exchanged at Apple Stores for genuine Apple productss exceeds $6.1 million.
“While a significant amount of money in any circumstance, this prosecution is about more than monetary losses,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “The manufacture of counterfeit goods - and their use to defraud U.S. companies - seeks to fundamentally undermine the marketplace and harms innocent people whose identities were stolen in furtherance of these activities. The United States Attorney’s Office is fully committed to bringing to justice those who seek to damage American markets and consumers through the peddling of bogus products.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Brunner said: “This significant investigation and the indictment of these 14 individuals shows the FBI’s commitment to working with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to combat international fraud schemes that affect American citizens and American businesses against counterfeit goods originating in China and those fraudsters who exploit American trademarked products for their personal financial gain.”
The Liao brothers – alleged ringleaders Zhiwei, Zhimin and Zhiting – were arrested by FBI agents this morning along with their wives. The brothers are naturalized U.S. citizens born in China. Other defendants include mostly U.S. citizens, mostly naturalized, from China, Vietnam and Russia.
According to the indictment, the Liao brothers directed other alleged conspirators to exchange counterfeit iPhones and iPads for genuine iPhones and iPads at Apple stores throughout the United States and Canada. Defendants intentionally damaged the counterfeit iPhones and iPads and fraudulently represented the counterfeit devices to be genuine Apple devices that were covered by an Apple warranty knowing that Apple would exchange damaged devices under warranty for new genuine Apple devices.
According to the indictment, all genuine Apple iPhones have an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, and a serial number, that are both unique numbers to each device. The counterfeit iPhones had IMEI and serial numbers that matched IMEI and serial numbers for genuine iPhones and iPads that were purchased and used by other persons and covered by an Apple warranty in the United States or Canada.
U.S. Attorney Brewer thanked lead prosecutor Tim Salel and agency partners, including the FBI, San Diego Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, for their diligent pursuit of justice in this matter.
19CR4407-BAS IndictmentDEFENDANTS Case Number 19cr4407-BAS
Zhiwei Loop Liao Age: 31 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in China)
Zhimin Liao Age: 33 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in China)
Zhiting Liao Age: 30 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in China)
*Xiamon Zhong Age: 33 China
(Chinese national residing in China)
Phillip Pak Age: 31 Richmond, CA
(U.S. citizen)
Dao Trieu La Age: 29 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in Vietnam)
Mengmeng Zhang Age: 28 San Diego, CA
(Lawful permanent resident. Chinese national)
Tam Thi Minh Nguyen Age: 36 San Diego, CA
(Lawful permanent resident. Vietnamese national)
Deedee Zhu Age: 32 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in China)
Danny Tran Chan Age: 29 San Diego, CA
(U.S. citizen)
*Charley Hsu Age: 39 San Diego, CA
(Chinese national)
Jiaye Jiang Age: 32 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in China)
*Hyo Weon Yang Age: 31 San Francisco, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in Korea)
Dmitri Pigarov Age: 31 San Diego, CA
(Naturalized U.S. citizen born in Russia)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1349 – Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $12.2 million fine (twice the value of the gross loss to the victim, Apple, Inc.)
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1343 - Wire Fraud;
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $12.2 million fine (twice the value of the gross loss to the victim, Apple, Inc.)
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1341 – Mail Fraud;
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $12.2 million fine (twice the value of the gross loss to the victim, Apple, Inc.)
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 2320 – Conspiracy to Traffic in Counterfeit Goods;
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1028A – Aggravated Identity Theft;
Maximum penalty: Two years in prison (to run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment)
Title 18, U.S.C., Secs. 1956(a)(2)(A), and 1956(h) – Conspiracy To Launder Money;
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
FBI
San Diego Police Department
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Four Charged in Ongoing Meth Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An ongoing federal, state, and local law enforcement Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into the trafficking of crystal methamphetamine (meth) in Rhode Island has to date resulted in the arrest of four individuals, and the seizure of more than 250 grams of crystal meth and two firearms, according to documents unsealed in U.S. District Court today, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun.
The FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Warwick Police Department joint investigation determined that crystal meth was routinely shipped from out-of-state to Providence, and was allegedly being stored and distributed from residences and a storage unit in Providence and from a Warwick motel.
According to the court documents, it is alleged that beginning in at least August 2019, Sean M. Francis, 31, of Providence, began receiving a steady flow of overnight packages containing crystal meth shipped from out-of-state. At least 11 such packages have been identified by law enforcement. It is alleged that Francis distributed the crystal meth to others.
According to court documents, it is alleged that on several occasions Steven Robinson, 47, and Alexa Samoiloff, 50, of Providence, sold crystal meth to others, including to Jacob Abbruzzese, 46, of Cranston. It is alleged in court documents that Abbruzzese sold crystal meth to others.
During the course of the investigation, at least nine alleged drug transactions of between 8 grams and 49.4 grams for between $200 and $1,400 were monitored by law enforcement. The crystal meth was immediately seized by law enforcement following each monitored transaction.
On October 18, 2019, court-authorized searches of Robinson and Samoiloff’s Providence residence and a Providence storage unit rented by Abbruzzese were conducted. Law enforcement seized 41.4 grams of crystal meth, 109 rounds of 9mm ammunition, numerous edged weapons, a crossbow, and items used in the packaging and distribution of crystal meth.
Robinson, Samoiloff, and Abbruzzese were arrested on October 18 on federal criminal complaints charging each with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. They were ordered detained in federal custody following initial appearances in U.S. District Court.
On November 7, 2019, law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Francis’ residence and seized 66.3 grams of crystal meth, a black Taurus handgun accompanied by 14 rounds of .357 ammunition and a speed loader, a colt “Official Police” revolver, a pellet handgun, numerous cellphones, and items used in the packaging and distribution of crystal meth.
Francis was arrested on November 7 and ordered detained in federal custody following an initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Friday on a criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun thank the Newport and Providence Police Departments for their assistance in the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (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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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 84 MonthsRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Brandon J. Britt, age 33, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Britt was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, on the evening of April 3, 2019, Britt was the passenger in a vehicle which was stopped for a traffic violation in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. The officer conducting the traffic stop observed a handgun protruding from Britt’s pocket. The gun was loaded with a round in the chamber. Britt had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including Dealing in Cocaine or a Narcotic Drug, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon and Robbery.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Indiana State Police and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Nokes.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 120 MonthsRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – William McCloud, age 69, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady upon his plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
McCloud was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in October 2017, several controlled buys of crack cocaine were conducted with Mr. McCloud at his residence. A search warrant was subsequently obtained and executed on his residence where law enforcement located crack cocaine, multiple firearms and cash. McCloud also has prior conviction in August of 1997 for Aiding in Dealing in Cocaine and a Narcotic Drug in Allen County Superior Court, where he was sentenced to 30 years.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of Allen County Police Department. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Former securities enforcement attorney and general counsel pleads guilty to investment fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Marc Celello, a former state securities enforcement attorney and General Counsel for a Georgia investment company, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud investors out of over $40 million.
“Marc Celello used his skills as an attorney to help his employer cheat investors out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify fraudsters who seek to cheat investors out of their hard-earned money.”
“As an attorney Celello should have known the company he worked for was allegedly breaking the law, instead of participating in a scheme that defrauded investors out of their hard earned money,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “In its dedication to protecting our citizens, the FBI will pursue anyone motivated by personal greed instead of protecting investors.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: Celello was the Vice President and General Counsel of a Georgia company named Credit Nation. Credit Nation purchased life insurance policies and subprime automobile loans and offered investors the opportunity to purchase promissory notes for those policies and loans. Celello at times approved of marketing materials stating that the company’s promissory notes offered a 9% rate of return and were “backed by hard asset dollar for dollar.” However, Celello knew that the company was operating at a significant financial loss and that funds were being diverted for undisclosed purposes.
In November 2015, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a federal civil complaint alleging that Credit Nation investors had been defrauded out of millions of dollars. In response to this SEC action, Celello, who had previously been employed as an enforcement attorney for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Securities and Business Regulation Division, approved a letter that went out to investors that provided misleading information about a forensic accountant’s audit of the company.
Credit Nation’s CEO, James Torchia, was previously indicted by a federal grand jury on related fraud and conspiracy charges. Torchia pled not guilty on October 8, 2019, and his case remains pending in federal court. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment against Torchia only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case. The Atlanta Division Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission previously brought a civil action against Torchia and Credit Nation in the Northern District of Georgia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas J. Krepp and Leanne M. Marek are prosecuting the case.
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.
Former U.S. Army Range Director Pleads Guilty in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former senior U.S. Army civilian employee pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to accept over $100,000 in bribes while serving as the director of the range at Hawaii’s Schofield Barracks and to a related firearms offense.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii, Special Agent in Charge Ray Park of the Pacific Field Office for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (Army-CID), Special Agent in Charge Bryan Denny of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's (DCIS) Western Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Eli S. Miranda of FBI’s Honolulu Field Office made the announcement.
Victor Garo, 67, of Mililani, Hawaii, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge J. Michael Seabright of the District of Hawaii to a two-count information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of illegally transporting firearms across state lines. Sentencing is scheduled for March 2020 before Chief Judge Seabright.
According to admissions in his plea agreement, from 2011 through 2018, while employed as the range director at Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Garo accepted over $100,000 worth of bribes—including in cash, automobiles and firearms—from an employee of a federal contractor that sought and received business from the U.S. Army. In return, Garo used his position to benefit the contractor in securing U.S. Army contracts, he admitted.
Garo is the second public official and third individual to plead guilty as a result of an ongoing investigation into fraud and bribery at Schofield Barracks.
Army-CID, DCIS and the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Trial Attorney Laura Connelly and Assistant Chief Justin Weitz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Wallenstein of the District for Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
Former Real Estate Executive Sentenced to Six Months in Prison in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former real estate executive was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with paying bribes to facilitate the admission of his children to the University of Southern California (USC) as purported athletic recruits.
Toby Macfarlane, 56, of Del Mar, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison, two years of supervised release, 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay a fine of $150,000. In June 2019, Macfarlane pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
Macfarlane agreed to pay $450,000 to facilitate the admission of his children to USC as purported athletic recruits. In October 2013, co-conspirators Ali Khosroshahin and Laura Janke, who at the time coached the USC women’s soccer team, agreed to “recruit” Macfarlane’s daughter to the women’s soccer team. As part of the recruitment process, Khosroshahin and Janke created a falsified athletic profile for Macfarlane’s daughter. The falsified profile, which, among other things, described her as a “US Club Soccer All American” was submitted to the USC subcommittee for athletic admissions. In March 2014, Macfarlane’s daughter received a formal acceptance letter from USC. Macfarlane subsequently issued a $200,000 check to The Key, Singer’s for-profit business, with “Real Estate Consulting & Analysis” written in the memo line. Ten days later, Singer caused The Key to issue a $100,000 payment to a private soccer club controlled by Khosroshahin and Janke.
In November 2016, Macfarlane re-engaged Singer to pursue the scheme for his son. Janke created a falsified basketball profile for Macfarlane’s son. Donna Heinel, the senior athletic director at USC, presented Macfarlane’s son to the USC subcommittee for athletic admissions. In February 2017, Macfarlane’s son received a conditional acceptance letter from USC. Macfarlane subsequently issued a $50,000 check to USC Athletics and a $200,000 check to The Key, but which was deposited into Singer’s sham charity, the Key Worldwide Foundation, to pay for the scheme.
Khosroshahin and Janke have pleaded guilty and are also cooperating with the government’s investigation.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Parker Adventist Hospital Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Fentanyl Designated for PatientsRead the Press Release
DENVER – U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that former Parker Adventist Hospital Nurse Jessica Sharman, age 36, of Arapahoe County, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to serve 44 months for stealing fentanyl meant for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients at Parker Adventist. Sharman appeared at the sentencing hearing free on bond. She was ordered to report to a Bureau of Prisons facility once one is designated. During the hearing, the court recognized the seriousness of the offense and the need for deterrence of other healthcare providers in accepting the government’s sentencing recommendation.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, Sharman worked as a nurse for various employers until she began working in the ICU at Parker Adventist Hospital in January 2018. Soon after she started work at Parker Adventist, the defendant used an automated narcotic medication dispensing device known as a Pyxis machine to gain access to the fentanyl. Only authorized users, which includes nurses, are allowed to use the machine.
On April 20, 2018, a routine audit report of access to and utilization of controlled substances from the Pyxis machine flagged Sharman’s access as “red” for high fentanyl use and waste (the disposal of excess fentanyl following physician-ordered patient administration) for the month of March 2018. The audit for the month of February 2018 flagged Sharman’s access as “yellow,” also for high fentanyl usage. A review of the Pyxis access records showed a high number of “remove-cancel” transactions, indicating that the defendant had accessed controlled substances from a Pyxis machine but then “cancelled” the transaction, returning the drug to the locked machine.
On April 25, 2018, after substantiating the tampering concerns flagged by the audit, Parker Adventist removed all fentanyl from the ICU. On April 26, 2018, Parker Adventist employees interviewed Sharman. Based in part on that interview, it was determined that the defendant was stealing fentanyl from the hospital. She allegedly withdrew the drug from fentanyl cassettes using a sterile syringe and saline flushes. She sometimes replaced the fentanyl she stole with saline, injecting the saline back into the fentanyl cassette and returning the cassette to the Pyxis machine. Following her interview, Sharman tested positive for the use of fentanyl. The hospital terminated Sharman’s employment on April 26, 2018.
“Medical professionals who have access to opioids like fentanyl are required to make sure that this powerful medication is provided to patients and is not abused,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “In this case a nurse at a hospital stole fentanyl for her own use. And perhaps even worse, replaced it with saline, causing unwitting patients to go without necessary medication while believing their pain was being treated. That is a crime and she has paid the price.”
“Jessica Sharman’s actions were callous and selfish. She chose to steal fentanyl from vulnerable individuals entrusted in her care and use the drugs for herself,” said DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “Sharman’s blatant disregard for the health and welfare of those under her care is an example of the detrimental effects of opioid addiction and abuse.”
“FDA will continue to aggressively pursue those health care practitioners who prey on vulnerable patients by removing their needed medications, especially opioids,” said Charles L. Grinstead, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the public health and bring to justice those who compromise patients’ health in this manner.”
Sharman had previously pled guilty to Tampering with a consumer product. She was first charged by Information on May 29, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FDA OCI and the DEA. The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Edgar.
Former Navy Warehouse Manager Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $2.5 Million in Goods from the U.S. NavyRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 13, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Herbert Gutierrez, former warehouse manager at the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command Warehouse in San Diego, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $2.5 million worth of goods from the Navy warehouse where he worked at the time.
According to his plea agreement, Gutierrez stole the items over a nine-month period, from July 2018 to April 2019. He advertised items from the warehouse for sale online, including through such websites as eBay, and then allowed private individuals into the Military Sealift Command (MSC) warehouse yard during work hours and after hours to take the government property, load it onto trucks, and haul it away.
For example, in February 2019, Gutierrez allowed a utility truck and a tractor-trailer to enter the MSC warehouse after hours – and when they left, the vehicle contained over $1 million in stolen copper nickel tubing.
That same month, Gutierrez sold numerous Caterpillar parts from the warehouse to a company he found online. Once again, Gutierrez allowed a private freight company to enter the MSC warehouse yard and load the items, which filled four pallets. He also created fraudulent paperwork to conceal his criminal activity.
In April 2019, Gutierrez again allowed two individuals to enter the MSC warehouse in daylight, and he loaded up their vehicle with stolen government property, accepting thousands of dollars in cash in exchange. This time, however, the two men were – unbeknownst to Gutierrez – undercover agents.
“Our U.S. Navy warehouses are meant to support our service members at home and overseas, not to serve as a piggybank for unscrupulous individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “This was an audacious crime that was even more troubling because it was committed by an insider.” Brewer praised prosecutor Michelle Wasserman and NCIS agents for their dedication to this case.
Gutierrez was paid for the stolen goods in cash and via PayPal. Gutierrez admitted in his plea agreement that the total aggregate value of the items that he stole from the United States and resold for personal profit was $2,536,293.63.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19CR4552-W
Herbert Gutierrez Age: 54 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Theft of Government Property – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 641
Maximum penalty: 10 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Former Greenwood Police Chief Indicted for Violating Civil RightsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The former police chief of Greenwood, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for violating the civil rights of a person he assaulted while handcuffed and restrained.
Greg Hallgrimson, 50, of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged in a one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City.
Hallgrimson was the police chief of the Greenwood Police Department on Dec. 17, 2018, the date of the alleged offense.
Today’s indictment alleges that Hallgrimson deprived a person identified in court documents as “J.Z.” of his Constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizure, which includes the right to be free from the unreasonable use of force by a person acting in his official capacity as a law enforcement officer. J.Z. was handcuffed, restrained and sitting in a chair, the indictment says, when Hallgrimson threw him to the ground. Hallgrimson allegedly struck J.Z. in the face with his fist, while J.Z. was not posing a threat to Hallgrimson or others.
“Law enforcement officers serve the public every day with courage and integrity,” Garrison said. “But nobody is above the law. Any officer who abuses their authority will be held accountable for violating the Constitution they are sworn to uphold.”
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Former Director of West Hollywood Private School Pleads Guilty in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former director of a private elementary and high school in West Hollywood, Calif. pleaded guilty today in the college admissions case.
Igor Dvorskiy, 53, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who scheduled sentencing for Feb. 7, 2020. Dvorskiy is cooperating with the government’s investigation. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence at the low end of the Sentencing Guidelines, one year of supervised release and a fine.
Dvorskiy administered the SAT and ACT exams at the private school in Los Angeles where he worked. In exchange for bribe payments directed to him by co-conspirator William “Rick” Singer – typically $10,000 per student – and in violation of his duty of honest services to the ACT and the College Board, Dvorskiy allowed another co-conspirator, typically Mark Riddell, to purport to proctor the ACT and SAT exams for the children of Singer’s clients, and to replace exam answers with corrected answers. Dvorskiy then returned the falsified exams to the ACT and College Board for scoring. Singer and Riddell previously pleaded guilty and are also cooperating with the government’s investigation.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former D.C. Firefighter Sentenced to 2 ½ Years in Prison for Street Drag Race That Killed Uninvolved MotoristRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ryan Thompson, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 2 ½ - year prison term on a charge of negligent homicide for a drag race with another driver on 16th Street NW, that resulted in a crash which caused the death of an uninvolved motorist. U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made the announcement.
Thompson pled guilty on June 17, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was agreed upon by the government and the defense and contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of between 6 months and 3 years in prison. The Honorable Milton C. Lee accepted the plea and sentenced Thompson to 2 ½-year prison term.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 3:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 19, 2015. Thompson was stopped at a red light in the right northbound lane of 16th Street in Northwest Washington when he encountered another driver, Rasheed Murray, stopped next to him in the left northbound lane. When the light turned green both drivers, who did not know one another, began to race northbound on 16th Street, at speeds estimated by uninvolved eyewitnesses to approach 90 miles per hour in the 30 mile per hour zone. According to the eyewitnesses, both drivers veered through traffic and passed slower moving vehicles as they tried to out-maneuver one another. As Thompson and Murray approached a red light at Montague Street NW, Thompson, who had passed Murray, veered into the left lane forward of Murray. To avoid rear-ending Thompson, Murray veered sharply to his left, struck the raised median separating northbound from southbound traffic, went airborne, and collided with a southbound vehicle being driven by the victim, Matthew Roth.
Mr. Roth suffered fatal injuries and was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center where he was declared brain dead. Mr. Roth remained on a ventilator until his family came to Washington from New Jersey and his organs could be harvested. Life-sustaining efforts were later withdrawn and Mr. Roth died.
After the crash, Murray was also taken to a hospital where he was treated for minor injuries, released and immediately charged in the fatal crash. Thompson, who was at the time a DC Firefighter, remained on the scene and, along with his two passengers, rendered first aid to Murray. When first responders arrived, Thompson left the scene without admitting to officers that he had raced with Murray and caused the crash. After Thompson left, uninvolved eyewitnesses told responding MPD officers that Thompson, the man who stopped to render aid, had been the driver racing with Murray, causing the fatal crash. Further investigation by MPD’s Major Crash Investigations Unit led to Thompson being charged. Rasheed Murray had previously pled guilty and was prepared to testify against Thompson if he had proceeded to trial. Murray awaits sentencing scheduled for February of 2020.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case from the Major Crash Investigations Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Siegerist and Lorce Applewhite, and Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Marcia Rinker.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the case.
Former Boise Resident Sentenced for Federal Program TheftRead the Press Release
BOISE – Szilvia Rideg, 40, formerly of Boise, was sentenced to five years’ probation for the felony offense of federal program theft, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Rideg’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise. Before sentencing, Rideg paid $44,311.04 in restitution plus a $100 special assessment.
According to court records, from 2015 to 2018, Rideg worked as the executive director for the Idaho Veterans Research and Education Foundation (“Foundation”). The Foundation is a Veterans Affairs Nonprofit Research and Education Corporation located in Boise. Its purpose is to support research and education at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
From 2016 to 2018, Rideg used the Foundation’s credit card to make unauthorized charges at stores such as Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Fred Meyer, Starbucks, Target, Sunglass Hut, and Graeber & Company salon. In March 2018, Rideg used the credit card to pay for over $1,000 at the Hilton San Diego resort for herself and two children. In September 2016, she used the credit card to buy plane tickets for her two children to fly to Washington, D.C. To conceal these illegal charges, Rideg paid the credit card charges from the Foundation’s checking account and altered the Foundation’s checking account statements. Rideg misapplied over $44,000 belonging to the Foundation.
The case was investigated by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Because the Foundation received over $10,000 in federal money, and Rideg misapplied more than $5,000, federal criminal charges were filed against Rideg.
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Finance Director for Bucks County Company Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud Scheme Victimizing his EmployerRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Matthew Chancler, 57, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania was sentenced today to 18 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Michael Baylson for engaging in a fraud scheme that victimized his employer.
The defendant was a Certified Public Accountant and the Director of Finance for United Chemical Technologies (“UCT”), a company located in Bristol, Pennsylvania. In this role, Chancler oversaw the financial operations of the company: accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and auditing.
During an approximately two-year period, from August 2016 through July 2018, Chancler abused his position of trust on a regular and systematic basis by using company issued credit cards for over 1,800 personal purchases and over 400 cash withdrawals from ATMs, while disguising the true nature of these transactions in the company’s financial records in order to cover his tracks. Those personal purchases included clothing, electronics, food, travel, jewelry, sporting equipment, and other personal items and entertainment. He also manipulated the company’s payroll system to generate additional fraud proceeds. In total, the defendant stole over $360,000 through his fraudulent use of the cards and manipulation of the payroll system. The defendant’s scheme put the company in financial jeopardy and caused its officers and employees substantial hardship.
“Chancler abused his position of authority and trust for nothing more than his own greed,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Companies rely on professionals to maintain the finances of their organization and to act as good stewards – not to break the law to line their own pockets.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
Final Defendant Sentenced for Violent Grocery Store Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 130 months in prison for his role in the armed robbery of a local grocery store.
“No one buying groceries or simply doing their job at a grocery store should face this kind of horrific violence,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes struck close to home, and the significant sentences handed down show that armed robbers who bring guns into places of business in Hampton Roads can expect to spend years in jail for that decision.”
According to court documents, Brennan K. Smith, 23, entered a Virginia Beach Harris Teeter store, identified the manager to two gunmen waiting outside, and gave them the go-ahead to enter the store and commit the robbery, during which one of the gunmen shot the manager when he did not immediately open the store’s safe. Smith also purchased firearms for members of the conspiracy, including for several who were legally barred from purchasing handguns for themselves.
Smith was part of a 10-person robbery crew that worked in at least six-man teams, including inside and outside look-outs, getaway drivers, and multiple gunmen. The robbery crew used police scanners to monitor law enforcement activity and earpieces to communicate with one another. The gunmen were in and out of the stores within minutes. Investigators were able to link most of the co-conspirators to a group of friends who attended Tallwood High School and lived in the College Park neighborhood of Virginia Beach.
Smith previously had pleaded guilty to conspiracy, robbery, and aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a robbery. He and the co-conspirators who were sentenced earlier this year have received a combined 130 years in prison for their roles in the crimes.
Defendant
Role
Sentence
Trevor Tisdale
Getaway driver at two robberies
100 months
Quayshawn Davidson
Gunman at one robbery (brandished)
108 months
Keonte Yorkshire
Outside lookout at two robberies; inside lookout at one robbery
150 months
Brandon Tisdale
Participated in all three robberies; outside lookout and getaway driver
154 months
Devonta Doyle
Participated in all three robberies; gunman at two robberies; discharged weapon at last robbery
212 months
Cato Battle
Participated in two robberies; gunman at one robbery
115 months
Monica Perkins
Inside lookout at one robbery
108 months
Willey Brooks
Supervisory role; inside lookout at one robbery.
216 months
Darrius Heuser-Whitaker
Gunman at two robberies
288 months
Brennan K. Smith
Inside lookout at one robbery
130 months
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mark Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Andrew Bosse, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird 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. 2:18-cr-177.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Civilian Employee at Ft. Bliss for Fraud Scheme Involving Military Aircraft Maintenance and PartsRead the Press Release
In El Paso yesterday afternoon, a federal jury convicted a former civilian employee in the U.S. Army at Ft. Bliss for a scheme to defraud the government with respect to military aircraft maintenance and parts, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.
Following a four-day trial, jurors convicted James Hilario Balbin of Corpus Christi, TX, of one count of conspiracy to commit fraud involving aircraft parts and one substantive count of fraud involving aircraft parts. Evidence presented during trial revealed that in November and December of 2017, while assigned to conduct maintenance inspections on an Army Blackhawk helicopter, Balbin signed off an official Army maintenance form verifying that all inspections had taken place and work completed when in truth, he signed the form prior to the completion of the repair work and inspections taking place. The jury also found that Balbin conspired with Robert Edgard Blankenbeker, a mechanic and his co-defendant, to conceal his crime.
Balbin remains on bond pending sentencing before U.S. District Judge Philip R. Martinez. Balbin faces up to 30 years in federal prison and restitution to the government. On July 19, 2019, Blankenbeker pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. Blankenbeker remains on bond pending sentencing. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison. No sentencing dates have been scheduled.
The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher K. Mangels and Carlos Hermosillo are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Erie Man Indicted on Drug Charge for Bringing Meth from Michigan to PA via AmtrakRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on a charge of violating federal drugs laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment named Sean Kiara Williams, 30, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, on or about September 6, 2019, Williams possessed with the intent to distribute five hundred (500) grams or more of methamphetamine which he had brought from Dearborn, Michigan to Erie on Amtrak.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dorchester Man Resentenced for Role in Plot to Rob Armored Car DepotRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was resentenced today in federal court for his role in a 1999 conspiracy to rob an armored car depot in Easton, Mass.
David Turner, 52, was resentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to time served and three years of supervised release. The government recommended 310 months.
Turner was convicted by a federal jury in 2001 of conspiring to rob the Loomis-Fargo armored car depot; attempting to rob the Loomis-Fargo depot; possessing a grenade in furtherance of a crime of violence – the conspiracy to rob the facility; possessing other firearms in furtherance of the robbery conspiracy; and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. Turner had been in custody since February 7, 1999.
At the time these crimes were committed, possession of a grenade in furtherance of a crime of violence required a sentence of 30 years, which had to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed in the case. In 2003 Judge Stearns sentenced Turner to 460 months in prison, calculated as follows: 100 months for the robbery conspiracy, attempted robbery, and felon-in-possession counts; 360 months for possessing the grenade in furtherance of a crime of violence; and 60 months for possessing the other firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence. The sentences of 360 months and 60 months were to run concurrently with one another but consecutive to the sentence for the other convictions. The First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Turner’s conviction and sentence in 2007.
In June 2019 the Supreme Court held part of the relevant definition of “crime of violence” to be unconstitutional, and consequently conspiracy to commit a crime of violence no longer qualifies as a crime of violence. Accordingly, at today’s resentencing Judge Stearns vacated these convictions and resentenced Turner based on the remaining counts.
Evidence at the 2001 trial showed that in early 1999 Turner joined a plot to rob the Loomis-Fargo armored car depot of $30-50 million. The plot included Turner, Stephen Rossetti, Carmelo Merlino, William Merlino, and a man who, unbeknownst to the others, was cooperating with the FBI. The cooperator told the others that he had an insider at the armored car depot who would help them commit the robbery. The plan was for Rossetti to provide firearms, a grenade, an assault rifle, and other firearms, as well as bullet-proof vests, walkie-talkies, police scanners and other hardware for use in the robbery. The day of the robbery the insider would help the robbers gain access to the facility and the cooperator would walk the insider back into the facility with a gun to his head; Turner and Rossetti would follow them in wearing bullet-proof vests armed with an assault rifle and grenade; Turner and Rossetti would subdue and restrain the other guard, who was not privy to the plan; and the robbers would then load a Loomis-Fargo truck with cash and drive to Carmelo Merlino’s place of employment, TRC Auto Electric in Dorchester (TRC). Turner announced at a meeting the night before the robbery was to take place that if they were pursued by law enforcement along the way, they would get out and “have it out” with the police.
The robbery was planned for Feb. 7, 1999 and the participants were to meet early in the morning at TRC. Carmelo Merlino was arrested when he arrived and William Merlino was arrested a short time later. Turner met Rossetti in a parking lot in Quincy and they drove past, but did not stop at, TRC. They returned to the Quincy parking lot and transferred items from Rossetti’s car to Turner’s vehicle and then drove in Rossetti’s car back to the neighborhood of TRC, where they were apprehended. A search of Turner’s vehicle in Quincy led to the recovery of three duffel bags that contained, among other things, five handguns; an assault rifle; ammunition and magazines for the firearms; bullet-proof vests; walkie-talkies; police scanners; and a live military fragmentation grenade.
At today’s hearing, the government recommended that Turner be sentenced to 310 months. The government argued that the sentencing guidelines do not adequately capture the seriousness of the offense because the guidelines do not take into account the number of firearms the robbers planned to use, the fact that they had a grenade that they planned to employ if necessary, or the fact that they intended to engage in a violent confrontation with the police if confronted.
Department of Justice Awards more than $100 Million to Combat Human Trafficking and Assist VictimsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced today it has awarded more than $100 million in funding, including grants to Mississippi recipients, to combat human trafficking and provide vital services to trafficking victims throughout the United States.
“Human traffickers remain a dire threat to human rights across the globe and their actions pose a serious danger to public safety right here in our own country,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “I’m proud that these resources will help our law enforcement officers and victim service providers hold perpetrators accountable and give victims of these abominable crimes a place to turn for refuge and support.”
“We have made the fight against human trafficking a priority in this office, and today’s DOJ grant awards to our fellow members of the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council will allow us all to do even more of this important work. It is only through proactive collaboration and diligent cooperation with our law enforcement, victim service providers, and other stakeholders that we will be able to continue to successfully protect victims, prevent trafficking and prosecute these criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Southern District of Mississippi.
“Preventing and combatting human trafficking is a priority in this District and across our State,” said Chad Lamar, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, noting the importance of these grants in helping to combat human trafficking in Mississippi. “We are continuing to develop and expand strategic partnerships in efforts to curb human trafficking and raise awareness about this issue across our State and the entire Southeastern region. We are fortunate to have so many strong partners who are working together to prevent human trafficking in all forms, to hold accountable those individuals who choose to prey on others for their own financial gain, to raise awareness about this critical issue, and to assist and serve victims of these offenses. These grants will be of tremendous assistance to our recipient partners and will help further the important efforts of our entire state-wide anti-trafficking coalition.”
“The Mississippi State Department of Health is incredibly pleased to receive this $900,000 grant. We look forward to expanding and enhancing the accessibility and quality of services that will benefit victims of all forms of human trafficking in Mississippi. It is also a great opportunity to partner with the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council in its effort to prevent these crimes and protect its victims, and to also prosecute perpetrators of this type of crime,” said Heather Wagner, Director of the Office Against Interpersonal Violence for the Mississippi Department of Health.
“The Department of Public Safety is excited to bring these federal funds to Mississippi to aid the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation in formulating official law enforcement-led task forces to fight those who choose to traffic human beings in this state,” said Commissioner Marshall L. Fisher.
The Mississippi State Department of Health received a $900,000 Office of Victims of Crimes grant under the Direct Services to Support Victims of Human Trafficking program, which gives nearly $53 million to 77 organizations to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to victims of all forms of trafficking.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety received an $800,000 Bureau of Justice Assistance grant for building capacity and operational effectiveness as a core member of collaborative, multidisciplinary human trafficking task forces. BJA awarded 13 total grants totaling nearly $11 million under the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking: Supporting Law Enforcement’s Role.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2019/ojp-news-10082019_a.pdf
On September 9, 2019, U.S. Attorneys Mike Hurst and Chad Lamar, along with their state partners and other stakeholders, launched the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council, the first-ever, state-wide effort with a mission to prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute criminals using a victim-centered, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary model. The Council is led by three Co-Chairs: (1) Susan Bradley, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Mississippi; (2) Kathlyn Van Buskirk, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Mississippi; and (3) Ashlee Lucas, Mississippi Human Trafficking Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The Council has a Steering Committee, five subcommittees (Outreach and Public Awareness; Strategic Planning and Trafficking Protocols; Policy and Legislation; Training; and Victim Services), and multiple small, regional law enforcement task forces that investigate and prosecute human trafficking.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Department of Justice Announces Launch of Project Guardian – A Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead 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 Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “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.”
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Project Guardian is complementary to, and will function alongside, the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods. Like PSN, Project Guardian emphasizes close collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors to focus on the individuals and groups who represent the greatest threat of violence to our communities. Project Guardian represents a new application of the principles used in PSN to the specific threat of gun violence, and builds on PSN by articulating a national strategy that incorporates all existing gun laws and employs modern crime gun intelligence tools. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington remains steadfast in its commitment to working closely with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners in reducing violent crime and making our communities safer.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles:
1) 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.
2) Enforcing the Background Check System. United States Attorneys, in consultation with the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, 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.
3) 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.
4) 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 should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety.
Additionally, United States 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. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
5) 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.
Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Semaj Jermal Jefferson, 27, of Gulfport, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On August 16, 2018, Jefferson, a previously-convicted felon, sold a semi-automatic rifle loaded with 10 live rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition to an individual at a Gulfport, Mississippi, residence, for $450. Jefferson was previously convicted of burglary of a dwelling in Harrison County, Mississippi, and was therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm.
Jefferson will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on February 11, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Columbia Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Distribution of Oxycodone Resulting in the Death of Former UofSC StudentRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Anthony James “AJ” Edward Hunt, 24, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the distribution of oxycodone resulting in death.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Hunt sold R.B., a former University of South Carolina student, alprazolam tablets on January 24 and 26, 2016, after R.B. expressed her desire to commit suicide. When the alprazolam tablets failed to cause R.B. to die, Hunt advised R.B. that she could take her life by ingesting oxycodone tablets. He provided her with detailed instructions on how to consume the oxycodone pills, and on January 27, 2016, Hunt sold R.B. ten 30-milligram oxycodone tablets. The next day, R.B. was found deceased in her apartment. Experts opined that R.B.’s death was caused by an oxycodone overdose. After his arrest, Hunt admitted to law enforcement that he sold the oxycodone to R.B. knowing that she intended to commit suicide.
“The job of the U.S. Attorney’s Office is to keep South Carolinians safe. That means safe from gun violence, safe from public corruption and fraud, and safe from an opioid epidemic that transcends every demographic,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “AJ Hunt’s distribution of oxycodone destroyed two young lives and shattered two families, and we will continue to bring justice to those, like Hunt, whose distribution of illegal drugs results in the death of another individual. It is my hope that this tragic case will also help us raise awareness among students, parents, and schools about the devastating effects the misuse and abuse of opioids can have on our college campuses.”
United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, sentenced Hunt to 293 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The charges against Hunt were the result of an investigation led by Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Adam Roberson, with the assistance of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Coroner’s Office, Columbia Police Department, University of South Carolina Police Department, and Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Garner of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana that involved another Columbia man who was murdered during a home invasion in which hundreds of pounds of marijuana in a rented U-Haul truck was stolen.
Blake Jeffrey Johnson, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to today’s plea agreement, Johnson received high-grade marijuana from Augustus Roberts and received thousands of dollars per month from Roberts to distribute marijuana to co-conspirators.
Roberts was murdered at his residence on Dec. 10, 2017. At the time of Roberts’ murder, a U-Haul truck rented by Johnson had been parked in the driveway of Roberts’ residence, but was stolen during the home invasion. Prior to its theft, the U-Haul truck contained approximately 800 pounds of marijuana belonging to Roberts and his drug enterprise.
Columbia police officers found the U-Haul truck on Dec. 11, 2017. Officers seized six boxes that contained a total of 94 gallon-sized bags of marijuana, five boxes that contained a total of 3,199 THC vaporizer cartridges, and three electric currency bill counters.
Roberts also distributed thousands of pounds of marijuana to other co-conspirators for between $800 and $2,500 per pound.
According to the plea agreement, co-conspirators brought large amounts of cash to Johnson’s house in backpacks. Johnson concealed the cash from the drug proceeds in his bedroom dresser drawers or in his kitchen cabinets. Johnson gave his mother cash from the drug proceeds every month to pay his truck and mortgage payments. Johnson’s mother deposited the drug-trafficking proceeds into her bank account, the plea agreement says, and used the money to purchase three firearms in November 2016. In January 2017, some of the drug-trafficking money was used to purchase a flamethrower.
On Dec. 11, 2017, Johnson delivered approximately 200 pounds of marijuana to co-defendant Christopher Michael Bradshaw, 26, of Harrisburg, Missouri. Bradshaw agreed to store the marijuana for Johnson, who mentioned that “something” happened in the Old Hawthorne neighborhood in Columbia the night before. Bradshaw immediately searched the internet and discovered that Roberts had been murdered during a home invasion. Bradshaw, angry at being put in a bad position, torched the boxes two or three days later to destroy the marijuana.
Johnson is the fifth defendant to plead guilty in this case. Bradshaw pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2019, to one count of possessing 50 kilograms or more of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Bradshaw admitted that he sold marijuana to his co-workers and friends to support his use of the drug. Bradshaw purchased marijuana from Johnson for approximately $2,800 per pound. Bradshaw also admitted that he stored marijuana for Johnson.
Co-defendant Nader Robert Osama Yanis, 24, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and was sentenced to two years in federal prison without parole. His father, Osama Nadir Yanis, 49, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Osama Yanis, the owner of Coffee Zone, a coffee shop in Columbia, has not been sentenced.
Co-defendant Dylan James Blake, 29, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Johnson must forfeit to the government his residential property in Columbia that was purchased with drug-trafficking proceeds, $85,690 that was seized by law enforcement officers, and a money judgment of $104,964, he obtained through the marijuana-trafficking conspiracy and was involved in the money-laundering conspiracy.
Under federal statutes, Johnson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Columbia County Man Sentenced to 78 Months on Child Pornography ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – James Brady, age 70, of Philmont, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in prison for distributing and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Brady is released from prison, and ordered him to pay $9,000 in restitution. As a result of his conviction, Brady will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The case was investigated by the New York State Police and the FBI, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sahar L. Amandolare.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by 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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Collier County Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Rubens Casseus to two years in federal prison for aiding or assisting in the preparation of false documents under Internal Revenue laws. The court also ordered Casseus to pay $59,322 in restitution to the IRS.
Casseus had pleaded guilty on August 8, 2019.
According to court documents, Casseus operated Three Brothers Tax Multiservices, Inc. in Naples, where he routinely prepared income tax returns for his clients. Between January 2014 and February 2018, Casseus, on behalf of his clients, aided in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service. Many of these tax returns contained fraudulent information, including representing that the taxpayers were entitled to claim head of household filing status, a false or fictitious dependent, and deductions and credits that the taxpayers were not entitled to claim. Casseus knew that the taxpayers were not entitled to such claims. Casseus also used the identifying information of children to increase tax refunds for some of his clients. The false statements Casseus included in the tax returns inflated the tax refunds, thereby defrauding the government of tax revenue in the amount of $59,322 for tax years 2013 through 2017.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 12, 2019, the Honorable Michael J. Melloy, Senior United States Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, sentenced Ryan Mitchell Budde, 34, of Clinton, Iowa, to 130 months in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Budde was also ordered to serve 6 years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, pay $5,000 in restitution, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On July 9, 2019, Budde pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. The investigation began in 2017 when a tip to law enforcement was received from a social media company regarding 27 files containing child pornography which had been uploaded to the social media site. Two cellular phones and two laptops belonging to Budde were seized and examined, and a total of 365 images were identified as child pornography and recovered from these devices. The investigation also revealed that Budde had chat sessions with young boys, where he pretended to be a 15 year-old virgin.
This matter was investigated by Clinton County, Iowa, Police Department and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Heroin ChargeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Fred McGee, 46, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on November 8, 2019 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 84 months in federal prison for possessing 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute. McGee pleaded guilty to this charge on August 19, 2019.
On January 31, 2018, law enforcement officers recovered approximately 104 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin during a traffic stop of a vehicle in Dunn County, Wisconsin. The vehicle was occupied by McGee, Terry Glaspie, and another individual. During the course of their investigation, law enforcement determined that McGee transported the heroin from Chicago so he could sell it in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Judge Conley previously sentenced Glaspie to 66 months in prison for his role in this offense.
The charge against McGee was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Dunn County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma.
Butler County man charged with illegally purchasing firearm used in murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Butler County man has been charged with lying on ATF forms to illegally purchase the firearm used in killing Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio on Nov. 4 during the execution of a search warrant on Ruskin Road in Dayton.
Delano Wells, 50, of Trenton, was charged by criminal complaint on Nov. 5 with making false statements on a federal firearms form.
According to court documents, three firearms were recovered from the scene on Ruskin Road on Nov. 4: two pistols with extended magazines and an AR-style weapon.
ATF was called to assist with tracing the three firearms and an urgent trace was requested for all three firearms recovered in the shooting.
It is alleged Wells purchased all three firearms. ATF traced one alleged pistol purchase to Aug. 29, just 67 days prior to the shooting, and another alleged pistol purchase to Sept. 9, only 57 days prior.
Records indicate Wells purchased at least six other firearms in August and September.
According to the affidavit, Wells told ATF agents he purchased the weapons in Middletown for a friend. Wells allegedly received cash for the cost of the firearms with an additional profit of $25 to $30 per firearm.
Wells allegedly lied on ATF Form 4473 for each purchase he made, by indicating “yes” he was purchasing the firearm for himself and not for anyone else. In reality, it is alleged he purchased the firearms to sell to his friend.
“The message we want to make loud and clear is that if you provide firearms to drug dealers and convicted felons you will be held responsible for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “There are significant sentencing enhancements for firearms provided by straw purchasers used to commit crimes and we will seek those enhancements to the fullest.”
Wells made his initial appearance on Nov, 6. No additional court dates are currently set. This investigation remains ongoing.
DeVillers; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Andrew J. Hunt are representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Buffalo Man Sentenced on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Leon R. Williams, 40, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, was sentenced to serve 69 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Higgins, Jeremiah E. Lenihan, and Joel L. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that on five separate dates between October 17 and November 22, 2017, the defendant sold heroin to an individual working with investigators.
On November 29, 2017, a New York State search warrant was executed at the Williams’ Texas Street residence in Buffalo. Investigators recovered heroin and cocaine, scales, razor blades, cutting agents, and $73,743 in U.S. currency. In addition, a Glock, .40 caliber firearm was recovered along with a magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition loaded within the firearm.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour.
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Broward County Resident Sentenced to Prison for Knowingly Making False Statements in Order to Unlawfully Acquire FirearmsRead the Press Release
MIAMI - Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division announced that Bill K. Kapri, a/k/a “Kodak Black,” a/k/a “Dieuson Octave,” 22, of Pompano Beach, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno to 46 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release (Case No. 19-cr-20273). Kapri previously pled guilty to knowingly making false and fictitious written statements in connection with the acquisition and attempted acquisition of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
According to the court record, including the agreed upon factual proffer, Kapri, on January 25, 2019 and March 1, 2019, completed ATF Form 4473. On both occasions, Kapri answered “No” when asked, “Are you under indictment or information in any court for a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year?” On both occasions, as Kapri then and there well knew, Kapri was, in truth and in fact, under indictment for a felony offense. On January 25, 2019, Kapri transposed several digits of his social security number and thus was able to pick up three firearms on February 1, 2019. On March 1, 2019, Kapri used his true social security number and, as a result, was not permitted to pick up a fourth firearm.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of ATF in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Brown is responsible for the asset forfeiture component of the case.
Court documents and information related to this case may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAYSON BRUNO, 36, of Bristol, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to gun and drug offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement identified Bruno as a significant cocaine trafficker in Bristol. On April 17, 2019, investigators arrested Bruno after a court-authorized search of his Colony Street residence revealed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a stolen .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, approximately 55 grams of cocaine, approximately 30 grams of crack cocaine, and items used to process and package narcotics for distribution.
Bruno’s criminal history includes multiple state felony convictions related to the possession and sale of narcotics. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Bruno pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for February 13, 2020.
Bruno has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Bookkeeper Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than Half A Million Dollars from Metairie ArchitectRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today the November 7, 2019 sentencing of CHRISTELLE SCHMIDT, age 65 of Thibodeaux, Louisiana on one count of violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(b), Bank larceny. Schmidt previously pled guilty to the indictment, which was returned in November of 2018, and which alleged that SCHMIDT stole more than $550,000 from a local architectural firm while employed as a bookkeeper there.
Schmidt admitted in documents filed in open court that starting in 2007 and continuing through 2017, SCHMIDT committed the offense through a series of fraudulent activities. The indictment further alleged that she used two different schemes to purloin the funds, which were in the care, custody of and control of several federally insured banks in the New Orleans area.
The indictment further alleged that her second scheme involved charging personal expenses on company credit cards issued to her. She paid the credit card charges using the automated clearing house (ACH) accounts of the firm, without the permission of the firm.
SCHMIDT faced up to 10 years incarceration, a $250,000 fine and restitution and 3 years supervised release. The court sentenced her to 33 months in federal prison, 3 years supervised release, and $591,488 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating the matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice Jr.
* * *
Bloomsburg Man Convicted of Child Sex OffensesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Dewald, age 43, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted of two counts of attempted production of child pornography, and three counts of online enticement and attempted online enticement of minors for sexual purposes, after a five-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the jury deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before finding Dewald guilty on November 8, 2019, of all the charges. At trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Dewald used his cell phone and the internet to attempt to persuade two female minors (ages 13 and 16) to take and send him sexually explicit photographs of themselves, and persuaded a third female minor (age 14) to meet him for sexual purposes. Dewald’s conduct occurred between July 2015 and May 2016.
After the verdict, Judge Brann ordered Dewald to be detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentencing. A presentence investigation report will be completed and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Delaware County Detectives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis P. Sempa and Jeffrey St. John 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offenses life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The defendant also faces a mandatory minimum 15-year prison sentence for the attempted production of child pornography charges, and a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence for the online enticement and attempted online enticement charges. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Attorney General announces launch of Project Guardian – a nationwide strategic plan to reduce gun violenceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “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.”
“Those who seek to illegally acquire firearms for use in criminal activity employ various methods of deception to get them,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. (“BJay”) Pak. “Project Guardian will address this by emphasizing close federal, state, and local law-enforcement collaboration with a focus on those who represent the greatest threat of violence to our communities. Additionally, the state law enforcement fusion center will receive a report on individuals denied purchases through NICS, and the reason for the denial, so that appropriate steps under state and local laws can be taken.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
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. U.S. Attorneys, in consultation with the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, 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 U.S. 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 should 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. U.S. Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
- 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.
Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
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.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Launch of Project Guardian – A Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “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.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
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 the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, 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 should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety. Additionally, United States 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. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
- 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. Federal law enforcement represents only about 15 percent of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Launch of Project Guardian -- A Nationwide Strategic Plan to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
Initiative emphasizes enforcing gun prohibitions based on domestic violence convictions and mental health denials
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “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.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
“I want to thank Attorney General Barr for his leadership in launching Project Guardian. Gun violence has been a priority target for my office and it remains so today. Over my term as United States Attorney, we have prosecuted a record number of gun offenders,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Project Guardian will further strengthen the coordinated efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement to make communities and families safer through targeted reductions in violent crime. Our targeted efforts to enforce background checks, share information across agencies, and to ensure those with mental health issues or domestic violence convictions are prevented from possessing a firearm are critical efforts to protect all citizens. The federal government cannot do this alone. Our partnerships with state and local law enforcement are strong and only growing stronger. Project Guardian is the perfect prescription to combat the illegal possession of firearms that threaten law-abiding citizens.”
“ATF’s core mission to reduce violent crime and enforce federal firearms laws is achieved each day through the strength of our partnerships with local and state law enforcement,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Louisville Division Tommy Estevan. “Project Guardian will build on these relationships and ATF’s gun crime technologies to effectively disrupt the shooting cycles and arrest those who ‘lie to buy’ firearms. These strategies will reduce the access of illegally obtained firearms and help to make our communities safer for everyone.”
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 the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, 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 should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety.
Additionally, United States 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. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
- 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.
Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
- 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.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Launch of Project GuardianRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Attorney General William P. Barr announced today the launch of Project Guardian, a new initiative designed to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws across the country. Specifically, Project Guardian focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing gun crimes.
Reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws have always been among the Department’s highest priorities. In order to develop a new and robust effort to promote and ensure public safety, the Department reviewed and adapted some of the successes of past strategies to curb gun violence. Project Guardian draws on the Department’s earlier achievements, such as the “Triggerlock” program, and it serves as a complementary effort to the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In addition, the initiative emphasizes the importance of using all modern technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “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.”
“The most effective way to reduce gun violence is to enforce existing firearm laws,” said Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “We will continue our close collaboration with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to focus our efforts on the individuals who represent the greatest threat of violence to our communities.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities. Project Guardian will enhance ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, to include identifying, investigating and prosecuting those involved in the straw purchases of firearms, lying on federal firearms transaction forms, and those subject to the mental health prohibition of possessing firearms.”
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 the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their district, 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 should engage in additional outreach to state and local law enforcement on how to use this denial information to better assure public safety. Additionally, United States 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. United States Attorneys should consider, when appropriate, recommending court-ordered mental health treatment for any sentences issued to individuals prohibited based on mental health.
- 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. Federal law enforcement represents only about 15% of all law enforcement resources nationwide. Therefore, partnerships with state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the communities they serve are critical to addressing gun crime. The Department recognizes that sharing information with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners at every level will enhance public safety, and provide a greater depth of resources available to address gun crime on a national level.
For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.